Epilogue

Kali

"Yay, Daddy's home." Cradling Ollie in my arms, I walk out of the adjoining bathroom into our bedroom and chuckle to myself at the way Wade is lying face down on the bed.

Spread out like a starfish, dressed in his new Giorgio Armani suit I helped pick out, the man is broken.

A long, low moan of welcome is the only thing he can muster.

"Tired?" I ask knowing he is, because I feel the same and didn't go to this evening's game for that very reason.

"We got two hours' sleep last night, and tonight's game was brutal," he mumbles.

"You lost?"

"We won. It was a tough game. I can't move." His words sound muffled against the comforter. "I might just sleep in my suit."

I lie on the bed beside him, gently laying our son down between us, and close my eyes. I'm so tired. At seven months old, Ollie is teething and has been up for three nights in a row in pain. My poor boy, I wish there were a miracle cure.

"Say, hello Daddy," I coo, turning onto my side, brushing my forefinger across Ollie's flushed cheek, which must tickle because it makes him smile. Although everything makes him smile; he's such a happy baby… unless he's teething.

"Why are you still awake, Mr. Moonface? It's way past your bedtime." Wade lifts his head to the side and a huge smile breaks out across his face at the sight of his son, who follows his voice everywhere he goes. He's a total Daddy's boy.

And I love the nickname Wade gave Ollie. It's fitting because he's a beautiful butterball of a baby with a big face the size of a moon; all chubby cheeks and crystal blue eyes, just like his dad, and jet-black hair like mine, with smiles for days. He's going to be a heartbreaker.

"Well, that smile makes me feel better. Have you been a good boy for Mommy tonight?"

"He's been a bit irritable, but he does not want to go to sleep." I rubbed some teething granules on his little gums to see if that would help, but it didn't. "Did you pick up some more infant Tylenol?" I ask, hopefully.

"You betcha. We need sleep." Wade groans. "Are you going to sleep tonight for more than two hours?" Wade bops Ollie's button nose, and he gurgles in response, kicking his little legs against the mattress.

"Of course you're not," Wade chuckles. The vibration of his laugh makes the bed shake a little beneath us.

"My sister said she would take Ollie for a sleepover tomorrow night." I rub my knuckles into my eyes, which feel like sandpaper.

Dana loves taking Ollie overnight and Bonnie loves her baby cousin like a brother. I'm only beginning to get accustomed to the nights Ollie isn't here. The house doesn't feel the same without him, and I can't remember what my life was like before he arrived.

It's now full of meaning and love. So much love.

"Yay, date night for Mommy and Daddy." Wade cheers quietly while Ollie blows a raspberry, making both of us laugh. We both know we'll probably end up sleeping instead of doing something romantic, as that's exactly what we did the last time Dana took him.

Twelve hours of uninterrupted sleep. It was bliss.

I can't deny I found motherhood difficult to begin with, but my sister, Dana, has helped so much because it wasn't the easiest of births. Everything went a bit pear-shaped toward the end. After hours of pushing, they discovered Ollie was positioned back-to-back, and it was quite possibly the most painful thing I have experienced.

Distressed, poor Wade watched on from the sidelines.

After an emergency cesarean, as he stood cradling our tiny baby boy in his loving arms, he confessed to me how helpless he felt and it took a while for us both to recover, although now we couldn't be happier.

Wade moves onto his side and rests his head on the hand of his bent arm.

Ollie squeals and babbles away between the two of us, then stuffs his fist into his mouth.

"Is that a tasty hand?" Wade leans down and smacks a kiss on his cheek. "You smell like mommy's perfume." He pinches the fabric of Ollie's sleep suit covered in an ice skate pattern between his fingers. "This is cute. Doesn't Mommy always make you look handsome?" Wade looks up and winks at me. "Thank you."

I don't know why he feels he has to thank me for looking after our son all the time, but he does and tells me every day what a great mom I am, which makes me love him all the more. Every day, our love grows stronger.

"Da da mmmm," Ollie mumbles against his fist, then breaks out into a cute gummy smile.

Wide eyed, Wade looks down at him in shock. "Did he just say what I think he did?"

Ollie is too young to be talking, but he's been more and more vocal of late. "Well, you have been asking him to say it for months," I say with a laugh, staring in wonder at the two beautiful men in my life.

"Da da," Ollie gurgles again and kicks his legs up and down excitedly. He's way too switched on for this time of night.

"Da da," Wade sings joyfully, laying back on the mattress, then lifts Ollie into the air, with outstretched arms. "Who's Daddy's clever boy?" Wade throws him playfully in the air a fraction, catching him again, making Ollie giggle. "He said my name first," Wade announces, sounding prouder than he did when he told me he made the Olympic hockey team.

"Yes, he did." I chuckle to myself. Wade is a great dad. Changes diapers, carries him everywhere we go, and loves being silly and playful every minute he's with Ollie.

I listen to Wade singing a silly nursery rhyme I'm sure he made up because I"ve never heard it before, and my heart expands in my chest at the way they are both laughing. God help me when Ollie gets older. It'll be two against one.

"Oh fu––" Wade hollers as Ollie throws up the milk I thought would help settle him to sleep but didn't, all over Wade's new designer suit jacket.

"Well, that's just rude." Wade looks down at his chest then back up at a rather pleased with himself Ollie. "You are trouble, young man." Wade lowers him down and I roll off the bed to lift Ollie out of Wade's hands to let him go clean himself up.

"It's brand new." Wade grimaces, looking down at the curdled milk seeping into his black tailored suit.

"I'll clean the worst out and the dry cleaner will get the rest."

"It's fine." He looks up at me from where he is lying.

"In sickness and in health, huh?"

"Exactly." Wade jumps to his feet. "Let me get changed, then I have a surprise for you both." Wade cups my face and kisses my lips softly. "I missed you tonight."

"I'll be at the next game." I never miss a game anymore. Tonight was an exception, and the next one is in the afternoon, which makes things a little easier on the three B's; bath, boob, bed. "Both of us will be there."

Wade kisses my forehead, then the top of Ollie's head. "Ask Mommy to put you in that cute sweatshirt with the hockey sticks on it and matching sneaks, eh?" Ollie gurgles in response. "Good man." He chuckles.

I stare into Wade's eyes. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?"

"Yeah, this morning." A grin stretches across his lips. "I love you so much. I love how much you love us both."

"I do love you both." From sun up to sun down and everything in between.

"I have the best wife in the universe."

"I don't know about that." I roll my eyes. Some days I feel like a wreck trying to juggle life, work, motherhood, breastfeeding, clients. I need a vacation.

"As soon as the season is over, we're taking a month off and we're going on a tropical holiday. Just the three of us. Sunshine, swimming, sleeping."

That sounds amazing. "I can't wait." Imagining myself lying on a beach somewhere in the Maldives, I can already feel the sun warming my bones.

"We'll book it tomorrow."

"Okay."

I point my chin at Wade's chest as Ollie grabs my long hair. "Go sort yourself out, then show us what the surprise is." Then bed. I may fall over otherwise. I'm dead on my feet.

Wade claps his hands then loosens his tie, walking off to the en suite. "It's very exciting. Wait until you see what Grandpa bought you, Ollie."

Marcus is trying. Hard. Has been since the day he announced Wade was his son.

Slowly we're building our relationship back up, and he's been begging me to take on the publicity for his businesses again which we have a meeting about next week. I'm going to say yes. Obviously. But I've been waiting for the timing to be right.

Waiting to see if he's serious about doing the right thing by Wade.

So far there have been no hiccups, and he's never let Wade or us down yet. He's fully invested, visiting us at random times, has us around for dinner every week without fail, takes Ollie out for walks with little Freddie, Zane's son and I can tell Wade appreciates that. So much. As do I.

It's rather heartwarming to watch the relationship between them blossom.

The days Marcus and Zane show up to watch televised NHL games the Eagles aren't playing in can get a bit rowdy though. On those days, I pop over to see Lola, who I love having across the street. With only three days between Ollie and his cousin, we're tighter than sisters-in-law; more like sisters, which I love.

And it's time I buried the hatchet and moved on.

In the living room now, I stare at the electric blue and white ride on car for Ollie that Wade is excited about and is a gift from his grandpa.

"It's a Zamboni." Wade spreads his arms wide, presenting the sit on motor powered toy.

"He's too young for that."

"It has lights, an Eagles logo and look…" Wade turns it on, making music and Zamboni noises play from it. "It even sounds like an ice resurfacer." Looking pleased as punch, Wade lifts Ollie out of my arms and places him on the seat, holding on to him, ensuring he doesn't fall out.

"Let's prep this ice, baby." Wade toots the horn and then pretends to drive the Zamboni, moving the steering wheel left and right. "Let's go cruising."

And all the while Ollie stares at his daddy with the biggest smile on his face. That kid is never going to sleep tonight, but will have a better childhood than Wade ever had.

My mind wanders back to the day on the boardwalk, the day he doubted himself if he could ever be a good father.

I was right about everything.

There is no manual for parenthood.

But he never needed one because he's a great father.

He was born to be one.

My loving, caring, incredible Wild Wonderful Wade.

Did Wade ever make captain? Read the Extended Epilogue to find out… plus there's a beautiful bonus which you'll find at the end…