Game of Stromes

talk & tell

     "I can't do this yet Dyl" I freak out, talking fast, breathing heavy.
     He starts to walk out of my room, "yes you can. You need to do this."

     "Hii, Auston" I answer the phone frantically after it rang several times. I can't ignore this matter but I also want to.
     "Season starts tomorrow eh?" He says knowing Chicago faces off at 7pm against Buffalo.
He starts to FaceTime me and I answer it.
After a conversation about a different topic passed, he stops and just looks at me.
     "What's wrong Payton?"
     "Nothing." I say trying to act 'cool'
     "I know there's something wrong, you don't look like your normal self or acting like you."
My eyes fill up with tears and I just stare at the phone.
For the next hour, we talk about it as I just blurted it out to get it out there.

     "I'm here for you for life Payton and I won't break that promise. I know this is how no one pictured this to be but I'm happy to be this child's father and I'm so happy it's with you, I mean that."
I smile slightly after hearing his response. This is the best feedback I could have ever gotten.
     "I'll see you later. Thank you Auston" I say hanging up the FaceTime call, falling back into my bed and just let out a sigh of relief.

Alex walks in moments later, "so I'm guessing it's not my brothers?"
I look at him weirdly, "No Alex! Why would you say that. Do you want it to be?"
     "I know you guys have love for each other. He's going to be heartbroken when he finds out this news."
     "Please leave my room.  I need space." I state loud and clear.

     The season is about to be starting for Toronto in the next week which is horrible timing for this news to come. I'm going to leave for Toronto to go see Auston and break the news to many people in a couple days which I'm super nervous about.

     *3 days later- Thursday*

     "It's all going to be okay, I'm here for you every step of the way you know that." Auston brings me into a hug first thing and lays a kiss on my forehead.
We walk back to the car and head to his apartment, hoping no one sees us since I haven't told anyone besides my parents I was coming back to Canada for a couple days.
Steph and I tell each other literally everything so I hope she isn't mad at me when I tell her this, after I told everyone else.
I've decided to go tell Will by myself in private and Mitch and Steph together with Auston. Later on, we are going to go out to eat with my parents but first telling Austons parents over FaceTime since they're back in Arizona.

     I've always pictured being pregnant with the love of my life, married, being older than 23, having a stable life/ job, but, that's definitely not how it went. 
Instead, I got knocked up by a 23 year old NHL player, who I barely know, who also has his whole life and career ahead of him. He's a superstar and a big figure in the league who gets a lot of attention put on him, soon put on me- I'm not ready for all of this hate coming towards my way. Auston and I  agreed to leave this private for as long as we could.

     We got lunch delivered and ate inside the house so we could talk about everything more and what we are going to do. It seems like he has a plan all thought out.
I definitely want to keep this baby, I could never give it up for adoption or anything worse.

     "No matter what it takes, we got this."

     "We have an appointment at 2:30 at the general" Auston informs me.
I shake my head okay and look at the time, we have exactly one hour.

     "Hi, Payton Strome" I tell the front desk.    As she was about to tell me to take a seat, she notices Auston and asks to take a photo with him. We give each other a 'this isn't good look' and I proceed to sit down.
The doctor calls us back shortly later and she hooks me up to the monitor and does some other things.
     "This is your little baby, you can't really tell right now but baby is developing soon. Next appointment you will get to hear the heartbeat since you'll be 9 and a half weeks along. So see me in 4 weeks?" Was some of the information she had given.
     "9 wee- that's 2 months? I can't be that far along can I?" I turn to Auston and he gets out his phone for the calendar which makes me laugh. He nods his head 'yes' to that it's correct.
She hands us photos to take home even though you cannot tell anything but a black and gray circle.

     "So who are we telling first?" I ask nervously.
He takes a deep breath, "uh? My parents I guess."

Once we get home, we both sit on the couch infront of the macbook with his moms name up already for us to click call. We hold each other's hand as it rings.
Seconds later, she answers and is so excited but shocked to see us both on the phone.
     "Payton! So happy to see you, I thought you were in Chicago!"
After moments of having a normal conversation with her, Auston speaks up and asks for her to get his dad on the phone also.

     "So um, we have something to tell you guys" he starts off by saying.
I couldn't even look at the screen.
     "You guys are finally dating I hope?"
     "Mom." He laughs, "not quite?" He questions his own answer as he looks at me.
     "Um, you know what these are?" I put the photos of the ultrasound up the the screen.
     "Oh my goodness" "what?" "Really?" "Are these what I think it is?" "Auston honey" are some comments coming from his mom and dad.
His mom was tearing up, "Payton, we love you, we really do and look at you like a daughter, these are happy tears. I'm going to be a grandma!" She exclaims.
Wow, can't believe they took it this well after me only meeting them a few times.

     "We're having a baby" I say fast.
     "What?"
I repeat it again.
     "We know, we heard what you said.  Is this a joke Pay?" Mitch says knowing I love playing pranks on him like this.
     "No, babe. It's real, they aren't good actors if they try, it's real." Steph butts in.
She pulls me into a hug and we go into a separate room to have a girl talk as we leave Auston and Mitch together. It really helped just hearing from Steph who I know is going to be there for me and for Auston too.  She already made a flight to come see me twice next month so she could be there for some of my appointments when Auston is away. I'm so thankful to have a friend like her.

     Dinner was almost over with my mom and dad and I still haven't told them the news. Auston kicked my leg under the table and mouthed to me 'do it'.
     "So I need to tell you guys something. It's uh- very unexpected and I'm not sure how you guys are going to take it but um I'm pregnant" I shove my face into my hands quickly after I said it.
I hear my dads fork hit the table, "what? You are?" His voice cracks ever so slightly. "Princess, you could've waited until after I finished chewing my food."
     "I'm just shocked Payton, I don't know what to say. This really was unexpected but we're not mad. You're 23, it's not like you got pregnant at 16 with a random guy. It's Austons right?" She looks over at him.
     "Yes it is, and Sir- I promise I'll be here for your daughter every single step of the way and we're going to be amazing parents to this kid, right Pay?"
     "Yes." I smile finally realizing Auston might just be the one for me.  "I've already cried about it for days so the tears are out of me I'm glad or I don't think I would be able to tell you guys."
     "You know you can tell us anything Payton. I'm too young to be a grandpa eh?" My dad says.
     "We love you Auston, if you need absolutely anything, we're here for you too." Mama Strome lets him know.
     "Did you deal with your brothers yet?" Dad questions.
     "Only Dylan knows because he kind of found my hospital papers on the counter saying that the test was positive. I haven't told Ry or Matthew yet. I probably will tomorrow so please don't say anything."
     "How about your family Auston?"
     "Yes, we did before we came here. They took it just as well as you guys. We're so happy to have this support system. They are excited to get to meet you guys in the future."

     Hours later, around 11pm, I couldn't sleep so I texted Will letting him know I was in Toronto for the weekend and wanted to meet up with him to talk.
     To Nylander 1 💙- "Meet me on the patio deck in 5 to talk?"
     > "yeah, it's almost midnight, is everything ok?
     < "I'm not sure yet, see you down there."

We stand there for 10 minutes in silence.
     "Payton, I'm not mad at you. Shit happens and it sucks, it really really does, especially this, but I know you're going to be an amazing mother. I'm glad it's with Auston if anyone."
     "What? How did you-"
     "Mitch."
     "Oh my go- that fucker."
     "Don't be mad at him, it wasn't his fault. I pried it out of him because I knew something was up.  I seen you this morning walking up the stairs going to Austons. I knew he went to go talk to you and when he came back I can tell on his face."
     "Will- I'm so so sorry. I don't know what to say."
     "Payton, don't worry. You don't have to say anything to me, you never have to apologize to me for this. I promise I'm fine. It's going to take some time for both of us, there's a lot of change coming to our lives."
He gives me one last hug that felt like it lasted for a long time. I stay on the patio to get some air while he leaves to go back to his place.