in the a.m. | auston matthews

life lately 2.

(14 years later)

the beach is my happy place.

ive watch the twins & madden grow up here, just 50 yards from the water.

ive watched them build sandcastles at 5 years old & now im watching them surf some years later.

its so crazy how time flew by.

mattie & adley are 18 and our son, madden is 14.

mitch & steph have 2 boys; miles, whos 14, & sidney, whos 13.

"did you see that mom?" mattie asked.

"i did!" i cheered her on.

"our guys should be here soon." steph says.

were in beach chairs at the edge of the beach, watching the 5 kids surf.

"the final summer as active wags." i say.

auston & mitch are retiring after this coming season.

and while it wasn't what we planned, its what happened.

mitch signed with the knights before the 2025-2026 season and they moved to vegas, starting a new life.

while auston, me, the twins & madden stayed in toronto.

we always made the trip to eachothers games against the other and our kids are insanely close for living so far apart.

"how are you holding up with the girls leaving for college in 70 days?" she asks.

"not too well. they're going to clemson. south carolina is so far and im not ready. with auston on the road it will just be denny & i. it will be a huge change."

she holds my hand, "it will be different, thats for sure. have you thought about having more kids?"

"are you insane. no." i laugh.

"hey ladies!" we hear mitchs voice.

auston walks around my chair and kisses me.

"hey baby."

"hi babe, we missed you." i say back.

"how are the babies?" he asks, looking out to the water.

he still calls them babies, no matter how old they get.

"i think they want you to go surf with me." i wink.

he sighs as he sits next to me, "maybe later.

he holds my hand and i look over at mitch & steph.

i got so lucky being related to mitch.

then got lucky again getting steph as my sister in law.

and somehow for a third time i got lucky with giving auston a chance.

"dad!" adley says, jogging up.

"hey sister." he greets.

"weve been surfing!"

"ive been watching." he says back.

she hugs him, "i missed you."

"i missed you more adi."

she sits in my lap, facing the man she called dad but isnt related too. the girls had lots of questions about auston & him not being their dad as they grew up but auston was amazing at navigating them.

he always facetimed them before & after games while he was on the road. he is the most amazing dad. he taught them to skate & how to play hockey. he taught adley tennis and let maddie practice waxing legs on him.

"you're moving us into clemson, right?"

"you're crazy if you think that ill be missing that. of course ill be there. got the hotel booked and everything!" he tells her.

mattie & madden come up, "hey m & m."

"dad, ive got a great idea! beach hockey! do you think we can play out here?" madden asks.

"im sure we can, if we want sand in our eyes denny." auston chuckles.

"oh." he nods.

"we can play in the street." auston points behind us.

"its the off season." i joke.

"grind down stop mom." madden says.

i have absolutely loved playing the role of hockey mom and now madden is being scouted, all his dreams are coming true!

"so we can play?" miles asks.

"later." mitch answers. "let us relax for  alittle."

"fine." the kids say before heading back to the water.

"hey mags." auston whispers.

"yeah aus?"

"i love you."

"i love you. thank you for everything." i tell him as i squeeze his hand.

"thank you for letting me give you everything." he says back.

"in the AM you'll still love me right?" i ask.

he nods, "in the AM and every AM after that, maggie matthews."

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