Epilogue

EPILOGUE

One year later…

“Aimeeeee!” Molly hollered in excitement – and was nearly tackled as several women rushed her happily. They had all decided to fly in with the team to watch the game between the Wolverines and the Coyotes – with a surprise!

The goal: SportsCenter.

Grinning, she looked at their painted faces, laughing wildly at their cleverness. “Okay ladies, show of hands – who blabbed before the game?” and not one hand went up. She surveyed the faces, both close friends and new, and couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her at seeing the children also in their fan gear.

“Let’s line up…”

“Oh my gosh, they are going to just die…”

“I hope not!”

“Seriously, can you picture Theo’s face? ”

“What about Travis…”

“Oh man, ladies – let’s be honest, none of them see this one coming.”

“My husband will literally flip…”

“I hope not – he might pull something,” Molly laughed easily, smiling at Lafreniere’s wife. “Let’s do this and then head out to our seats.”

Nodding, Brandi, Coach Mike’s wife, was ready with the face paint and had a baby on her hip, grinning. It had been a very busy yet challenging year for them all. There had been so much change for all of them, so many marriages, so many different positions in the team, new faces brought on new challenges, and while they missed the other players – it was comforting to know they were just a call, text, or Facetime away. The wives had stepped in, making the decision to have them all meet up once a year, no matter what.

Family was family – no matter where you found it.

“Ladies, shall we?” Brandi laughed, bending over and giggling the whole time as she worked. Within minutes, they were strutting their way toward Alonsy Alley, catching the eye of everyone in the arena. Were there some ‘Booooos’ – sure… but the applause soon drowned them out. Everyone knew that half the team came from the Coyotes because it was unheard of to lose that many players so unexpectedly and yet – they recovered. The Coyotes were on their streak again with a few new ambitious faces that fell in line with the other guys.

Someone was going to have a fit about their uniforms, Molly mused, looking down at her shirt. Half of it was the green of the Coyotes, split right up the center and sewn directly to the blue and red jerseys of the Wolverines. Their faces were painted half green and half blue. The children were wearing onesies and T-shirts that were half-and-half .

“Well, this is an interesting twist as the spouses of the team make their appearances near the penalty box…”

“Have you ever seen anyone slice up a jersey like that?”

“Maybe they should be in the penalty box…”

“I think the players and coaches would disagree…”

As the team took the ice, chaos erupted. Several players abandoned their warmups, gliding over to greet their families with broad grins and eager waves. It was a display of love and camaraderie that warmed Molly’s heart. This was more than a game—this was their life.

Molly’s gaze locked onto Gerry, her husband. His laughter reached her ears even over the noise, and his delighted expression made her chest tighten with love. He skated toward her, pride etched in every line of his face, only to be interrupted by Becca’s piercing whistle. Aimee and Irene sprang into action, shooting bursts of Silly String into the air as Brandi unleashed a few sharp blasts from an air horn.

“Baby, I Need Your Lovin’” blared from the speakers, and the wives erupted into spontaneous dancing. Arms flailed, hips swayed, and voices rose as they sang along, drawing cheers from the crowd. Then came the moment they had rehearsed. At the chorus, Becca whistled again, signaling four of the women—Molly included—to lift their jerseys.

The arena erupted. Players paused mid-skate, their grins morphing into wide-eyed shock. On each wife’s stomach, painted numbers told a story:

Becca sported a pink five.

Aimee had a blue four.

Irene, holding back happy tears, revealed a yellow three.

Brandi stepped forward, proudly displaying a green two.

And then there was Molly, her stomach adorned with a green one. She held up a pregnancy test, the final piece of their big surprise.

The player s’ reactions were priceless. Smiles turned into whoops of celebration, helmets were slapped, and sticks tapped the ice in applause. But Gerry… Gerry’s focus was singular. He leaned over the boards, motioning for her.

“Baby, I need your lovin’…” he mouthed as she ran to him. Molly didn’t hesitate, throwing herself into his arms. Their face paint smeared as she hugged him tightly, laughing through her tears.

“We’re gonna have a baby?” he whispered, awe in his voice. She flung herself into his arms, face paint be darned, as she hugged her soulmate.

“We’re gonna have a baby?”

“Oh yes – we all are,” she gushed happily.

“I don’t care about them – well, I do, but I don’t – I just want to know about us, you, our little baby and…”

“Gerry?”

“Yeah, my love?”

“Go sink one in the net for me, do your warmups, stretch some, and then you meet me in the family room after the game. I’ve got plans.”

“Oh yeah?” he grinned suggestively as she winked at him.

“I’m gonna smear that painted number ‘one’ all around in our bed until it looks like a heart…”

“Can I help?”

“I was hoping you’d say that, husband.”

“You know it, wife.”

Their tender moment ended with a blown kiss as Gerry skated backward, his eyes never leaving hers. Then came Coeur’s booming voice, breaking the spell.

“C’mon, Fat Clairol, I missed you, bro! Let’s skate, bro…”

Gerry rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his grin. Molly laughed, shouting, “Go knock the snot outta that loud-mouthed braggart! Sorry Irene!” as Coeur’s wild cackle echoed across the ice.

Yes, they were home—together, among their makeshift family.