The Penalty Box

Chapter 60

"Welcome to day one of off ice boys," I said as we all stood in the parking lot," Conrad and Kyler will show you guys what you're in for. Consider this a second tryout, work hard out here, and chances are you won't have to work as hard once we hit the ice."

The boys all groaned, but took off running around the building with Con and Kyler. The June sun was beating down pretty hard today, which probably meant that we wouldn't be out here for the full length, and would end up using the lobby for a lot of the easier workouts.

Coty was busy getting back in shape for the season to start. We hadn't thought that our first three months of marriage would've sped by so fast, but I guess we were wrong. We took everything day by day, still living in bliss for the most part.

We soon settled into our routine. But things would be a little harder now with both of our seasons about to start. But this time would be no different than last year, the only thing that has changed, was my last name.

After two hours of workouts, we finally called it and let the guys go home. Kyler, Conrad and I all stayed in my office for a while to talk about the upcoming season. I could see Ty trying out different shots on the ice.

"So, hows married life?" Kyler asked," Haven't seen much of you in the last few months."

"In part because you went chasing after that girl," I laughed," But it's good. Never thought I'd be married to Coty, but I'm glad that I am."

"You've turned into such a sap," Conrad joked," Hey! Don't hit me!"

He jerked back when I smacked him with my notebook. But when he stated laughing I moved to wack him again and Kyler too. The three is us ended up falling into a massive laughing fit.

"Hey, sorry I couldn't make it to off ice," Brandon huffed running into the office," I uh- had a thing I couldn't get out of."

"You mean you had a dad thing," Conrad corrected," Next time tell him that he could at least respect practices."

"Bran why don't you chuck on your skates and hop on the ice with Ty," I told him," And try not to miss a practice next time bud."

His head was hung low as he walked out of he office. I might not like our father, but I wasn't going to punish the kid for wanting to spend time with him. Conrad on the hand, didn't seem to have a problem in doing that to our little brother.

"Really Con?" I questioned once Branny was out of earshot," He just wants to spend time with him. You can't punish him for that."

"I'm trying to protect him," Conrad grumbled," He's going to get hurt."

"He'll respect Bran should be decide to walk away," I tried to tell him.

"And how the hell do you know that?"

"Because he did with me, okay?" I replied," He let me tell him about the wedding, and he didn't fight when I told him I didn't want him to be a part of my life anymore."

                                        **

"We should do this whole dinner thing more often," Coty said looking at Ty and I," It'd be nice to sit around a table more, you know?"

"That's kind of going to be hard to do once you go back to tearing up the ice," Ty joked.

"Yeah okay Tyler," I laughed," The only thing Coty is tearing up, is my food."

After dinner was over, and Tyler had gone to bed, saying that the guys were planning on an yearly morning skate up at The Factory. What he didn't realize, was that Coty and I both knew it also involved a girl, but neither one of us wanted to bridge that subject.

So while Coty was showering, I decided to pull out game footage from Nationals. The boys wanted to make another run this year, and this time they wanted to finish what they started.

It was heartbreaking to watch it all slip away last year after a couple of bad calls. The moments after the game were the worst. Once the realization set in that it was over, I'd never felt that I'd failed as a coach until then. The way they all hung their heads, and for some reason apologized to me... I'd never forget it.

Tyler told me about a week after that the team felt that they'd failed Conrad, Kyler, and myself, since the three of us had won the championships years ago. I'd realized then that it didn't matter what I would've said, they'd all still feel the same way.

I sighed as I watched the footage back. It broke my heart to watch it back. They were so close, but a couple of bad plays, with turned into bad penalties, took them out of the game.

I nodded off at some point during the second period. Truth be told, I hadn't gotten much sleep in the last few days. I'd been too busy trying to work out the rink finances, and working on adding two more team to the program, all while keeping up with our family.

"Baby," I woke to Coty carefully shaking my shoulder," Cmon, it's like 2 AM."

"Oops," I mumbled into the couch cushions," I fell asleep."

"Do you wanna sleep out here tonight?" He questioned being completely serious," I don't necessarily like the couch, but I'll sleep out here with you."

I shook my head and slowly forced myself off the couch. Coty laughed a little and wrapped his arms around me, guiding me to our bedroom.

There was no doubt I was impaired by sleep. My head was fuzzy and I couldn't really see straight because my body refused to wake up enough. I knew I'd fall back asleep almost instantly.

"Next year," I mumbled as Coty pulled the covers over us.

"What's that babe?"

"I wanna have a baby next year," I said almost incoherently," Next year sounds right."

"Mmm, we'll talk about it later when you're actually awake, okay?" He said, wrapping his arms around me.

"A baby, and I want to adopt Ty. I want him to be our son."

He froze for a second, but pulled me into his chest almost a second later," We can talk in the morning."

I sleepily nodded and turned to nuzzle myself into his chest. I let myself drift away again. I faintly feel Coty rubbing his fingers down my back. But just as I was about to fully succumb to sleep, I thought I heard him whisper one last thing to me.

"I want him to be our son too."