Epilogue 1

The school yearhas begun and Blue is thriving at Wildwood Elementary where Redd and I first met all those years ago. This also means hockey season is officially underway.

We're at the Knights' arena in Omaha for a game against the Wisconsin Warriors. The same team that landed Redd with his summer penalty punishment. On the upside, the Red Hawks respect him now and are his biggest supporters. In fact, I'm pretty sure half the high school is here cheering him on and the rest of the Knights.

But Blue and I are their biggest fans. We certainly could've sat in the VIP box, which is heated, but she wanted to be in the "frontest" row seat.

Meg and Macy are with us too. She transforms from a sweet mama bear to a ferocious wife grizzly as she watches her husband play. We're all in our Nebraska Knights gear, cheering them on with the best of ‘em—there are foam swords, armor, and the team's colors of silver, black, and red represented. The girls wear silver ribbons in their braids and red bows.

Just before the end of the first period, you'd better believe we all sang our hearts out to the goal song when Micah scored seconds ahead of the buzzer. Meg gets some snacks for us at the concession stand. The announcer shouts about the "Cutie Cam," which zeroes in on Macy and Blue. The girls cheer when they see themselves up on the big screens above the rink.

Redd has explained a lot of hockey rules to Blue, but this is her first pro game which is a lot different than us skating at the Barn, watching hockey recaps at home, or even practice with the Cobbiton Kits, the kids' league with a cartoon fox for a mascot.

Blue points and shouts, "Redd brought his water bottle! I just saw him take a sip from it." For whatever reason, this makes her happier than when number twenty-one, the left winger, scores a goal during the second period.

Her eyes are on the water bottle. Meanwhile, I cannot take my eyes off the man drinking out of it.

His helmet is off and will soon hide his shaggy, dirty blond hair, the freckles lingering from summer afternoons spent at the lake, and his square jaw. He has a certain devil may care squint to his eyes—what I now recognize as Redd's game face.

Then he somehow picks me out of the crowd, flashing the quickest of smiles before slipping back into the bad boy I used to hate but now love.

Bouncing up and down with excitement, Blue tugs on my sleeve. "I knew putting the Milk Mustache sticker on Redd's water bottle was good luck."

She's wearing a Milk Mustache T-shirt under her jacket which is under her Reddford #54 jersey. She loves hockey but also attached herself to the Milk Mustache brand. I sense that, at first, she was uncertain about how things with her brother were going to turn out—I certainly was. But when they sat down to share cookies and milk from my food truck, things changed and slid into place. They bonded and then I entered the picture, solidifying her life further.

The truth is, Blue's world went from unstable, to having solid ground beneath her feet—even when she's out there on the ice.

As for me, I wasn't in quicksand nor was I on thin ice. More like I was floating through life, looking for meaningful connections to people—for family—without even realizing it. And here I am with a Redd, Blue, and Baloo to call my very own.

The best part is they get the new and improved Whit—not the rebellious or moody teen, not the shrewd and domineering businesswoman. Nope, they get the cookies and milk me.

I lean over and whisper to Blue, "It may have been good luck, but we don't need it, sweetie. We have each other." I give her a little hug, hoping she feels the love pouring from my heart into hers.

Redd and I haven't officially talked about the future, but we've casually discussed it and have made it clear we want to be in each other's lives. Even though our family might be a bit unconventional, it's all ours and brings us both more joy than we ever imagined possible. That means marriage at some point, but I don't want to rush anyone.

Not! I so badly want that ring on my finger.

By the end of the second period, the Knights and the Warriors have tied the game. Blue's energy hasn't waned even though it's getting late and tomorrow is a school day. I have to admit, I rather like watching Redd out there on the ice, a Viking warrior raiding and pillaging the opposing team with passes, checks, and goals. Well, he hasn't scored a goal yet, but we're rooting for the third period to gain the Knights the win.

There is some masterful stick handling out there by the forwards, several attempts at goals that are saved by the netminders who may as well be brick walls, and a few dances between the enforcers and defensemen who're no nonsense.

It's a tense game, to say the least.

Then the buzzer sounds which means overtime, or in hockey-land, sudden death. Three players from each team glide onto the ice, including Redd and Micah. I've rarely been in the Barn, no less an arena and have it be this quiet, but it's like everyone in the audience holds their breath, waiting to see what's going to happen—Meg, the girls, and me included.

Will the guest team score? Will the home team pull ahead? Blue asks me these questions and a dozen more as if I know the answer.

"The good news is we'll find out in about five minutes. It's three-on-three with a goalie each. Once the puck is in play, it's anyone's game."

"Then what?" she asks.

"Then whoever scores the winning goal wins."

"Then what?"

"What do you mean?" I ask, slightly confused.

I've noticed that the more comfortable Blue has gotten, the more she's opened up. This means she asks a lot of questions, now knowing her brother and I will do our best to answer them, and not to tell her to be quiet, which was the case in her previous life.

The questions include but are not limited to variations on the following:

Did Elsie have her baby yet?Not until the spring. Like people, cows generally gestate for around nine months.

Why is the driveway where we park the car? Um, because it's also where she "drives" her bike. That was Redd's logic.

Am I real or is someone dreaming me and if someone is, am I in the dream or here?This life I now have with her and Redd is better than a dream come true.

When the puck drops into play, Blue asks, "Have you kissed my brother?"

My cheeks are already pink from the chilly arena combined with the yelling and cheering I've been doing for the last hour. But they go darker.

"Blue, um..." I stammer not at all sure what to say.

She bites her lip and glances at Macy, then Meg as if they're her lifelines and will help a friend out. Then, leaning into me, she adds, "I just want to make sure you've practiced. You look at each other like people in the movies do who've kissed, so I just want to be sure."

My internal radar goes off. "Why do you ask?"

She goes still and then slides back into her seat, staring straight ahead. "No reason."

"Are you sure about that?" But maybe that's a question I don't want her to answer.

"No." But before she can say more, we both watch as number fifty-four hurtles toward the goal like lightning on skates. The puck shifts from side to side as he maintains expert control over it, then with one fantastic snap of his wrist, it shoots outward, and zips across the ice and past the goalie.

There is one long second of everyone holding their breath before it's clear Redd scored the winning goal. The honk signals the win and the cheering and chanting begin.

The Knights fans go bananas, absolutely nuts, as they clap and stomp their feet. Blue jumps up and down and we all hug. More than anything, I want to wrap my arms around Redd, but I'll have to wait until after he goes to the locker room, showers, and meets the team for the post-game debrief. He said it'll be a short one tonight.

I figure we'll wait in the lobby area of the arena where it's a little bit warmer, but before the lights fully come up signaling everyone can safely exit, the vast arena goes dark. A pair of spotlights spin from left to right on the ice before the announcer's voice interrupts the din. The crowd's attention returns to the ice.

"It's a big night for the Knights, and an even bigger one for number fifty-four," the announcer says.

Just then, Redd skates onto the ice, hockey stick lifted over his head. The crowd cheers loudly and he pumps his arms before stopping at center ice.

A mic drops from the ceiling and he says, "Thanks for the warm welcome for the new guy." His gaze travels to where Blue and I sit. Meg smiles knowingly, trying to hold back a smile.

My stomach tugs.

"I'd like to welcome my best friend and the lady that I'm in love with to join me out here."

A little hand lands on my side. "He means you."

I cock an eyebrow. "Do you know anything about this?"

Blue's smile is irrepressible. "Not really."

Taking a deep breath, I slide onto the ice. Redd meets me and takes my hand, leading me back to the crease.

"Redd, what's—?" I whisper.

He hitches a smile. "I want the world to know that I'm crazy about you."

I've never been one for the spotlight and didn't even want to be in the popular crowd like my brother, but it means a lot, after feeling abandoned, that Redd is making a public declaration of our love.

He continues, "I wasn't so sure about this trade, but I have to say, it was the best move of my life and I want you to be a part of it. To be a mom to Blue and..." He carefully lowers onto one knee—something only a pro hockey player could do without going splat in his skates.

The spotlight overhead catches on something shiny in his hand. "Whitney, will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

The internal tug turns into an explosion of fireworks. "Yes, I will James." It's silly, but I'm so glad I'm wearing contacts today since this is a very public moment.

He beams a smile. Mine matches.

He gets to his feet. My hands find his. The ring slides onto my finger. Music and lights blast and blare through the arena. A popular tune that Blue loves comes on over the speaker system. Apparently, this is our goal theme song.

The crowd chants, "Kiss, kiss, kiss."

I have the vague sense that we're on the "Kiss cam" as our lips meet.