crossways: a jack hughes story

chapter 43

epilogue

you pull into the starbucks drive thru line after dropping your 3 year old son off at preschool while jack is at morning practice with the devils. you order your drink and then get a call from carly and answer it.

"hey carly. what's up?"

"hey. do you think you could pick me up? i need to talk. cole's car is in the shop and he took mine to practice today."

cole got traded to the new york islanders about a year ago, so now carly and cole live in the same town as you and jack. it's been amazing, her son is only a year younger than yours and they're becoming best friends, and it's the cutest thing in the world.

"yeah sure. i'll be there in 15 minutes."

you get to carly's apartment and she comes running out. it's extra cold today in new york so she's wearing a puffer jacket and sweatpants.

"got you a drink." you hand her a starbucks cup.

"you're the best." she says, taking a big sip.

"i know." you smile and she rolls her eyes.

"i think i'm pregnant again." carly says.

"WHAT."

"yeah. i'm a month late and i threw up this morning."

"have you told cole?"

"nope. and i haven't even taken a test yet. so that's what we're going to do."

"alright." you put your range rover in drive and start driving to target.

once you and carly get to target, you speed walk to the family planning aisle. she grabs two of the most expensive tests.

"two?"

"yeah. one for me and one for you."

"why me? i don't think i'm pregnant."

"you don't think you're pregnant or you know you're not pregnant?" carly asks.

"oh, now you've got me over thinking. just give me that." you grab one of the tests from carly and put it in your cart.

once you get back to your apartment, carly goes to the guest bathroom and you go to yours. about a minute later, carly barges in.

"okay i peed. i just have to wait for my results."

you're still peeing on your test as carly says all this. she's not phased by it, and honestly, you aren't either. that's what being best friends for 10 years will do.

"we can get our results at the same time." carly says.

you both stare at your tests waiting for the "pregnant" or "not pregnant" results.

the tests both say pregnant at the same time.

"oh my god." you both say.

"OH MY GOD. we're pregnant together!" carly says.

"this is insane!" you say. and you give carly a hug.

"we have to tell the boys."

"yeah. when they get back from practice." you say.

3 years later

you walk into prudential center holding hands with your 6 year son on one hand, and your 3 year old son on the other. you take your seats right behind the devils bench.

"do you see daddy?" you ask your two sons as jack skates across the ice warming up for the game.

"look for number 86." you tell your older son.

jack has been taking the two boys to the practice rink every spare chance he gets to teach them how to skate and play hockey. he says they will become great NHL players because they have the 'hughes' gene. your older son is on a local hockey league. he's a defenseman because he wants uncle quinn and uncle luke to teach him how to be a defenseman, despite jack's attempts for him to become a center.

"i found daddy!" your older son shouts.

jack comes skating over to say hi. he treats the boys so well. you couldn't of gotten luckier with jack, he is an amazing dad.

ironic enough, the devils are playing the islanders tonight, so carly and her kids are coming to the game as well.

you see her walk down the stairs trying to control her kids. her older son is pretty rambunctious, but she handles him well. his younger sister takes after him, so she acts just like him. she is a great mom though, and you are excited to see her.

"hi." she says, out of breath.

"long day?" you ask.

"they're crazy!" she says.

"um well they do have your DNA in them."

she laughs as she sits down. "i'm just happy they'll calm down a bit now that they're sitting down and watching cole-i mean dad play."

"who's cole?" her son asks.

"cole is daddy's name."

"but i thought daddy's name was daddy?"

"you call him daddy, i call him cole."

cole comes and skates over to say hi to everybody.

"hi cole!" her son says. "hi cole!" her daughter repeats.

cole laughs. "when did they learn this?"

"it's not my fault. they just listen to me when i'm on the phone with zoe and say cole instead of daddy."

"alrighty see you after the game. i love you." cole says to carly.

"i love you. and i love you." he says to his kids.

"we got so lucky." you say to carly and she nods.

as you're watching the game, you zone out and start to think. you can't believe your watching your husband, all star NHL player jack hughes, with your children who you absolutely love, you're with your best friend who is also married to an NHL all star, with her children, and you have your dream job.

you remember in high school when you and carly used to dream of this lifestyle, and now it's come true. life is perfect.

the end