Chapter 36

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Winter 2023 - March

"Ana, sweetheart, do you have everything you need for your trip this weekend?" A female voice called down the hallway to Ana's bedroom.

"Yes, mom, I think I have everything! Just trying to get some last minute stuff together," Ana answered back. Ana's mom, Amanda, appeared in her doorway, leaning against the frame.

"I'm so happy you get to go to New Jersey and spend some time with Jack and Quinn, darling. I know how much you miss them," her mother smiled softly.

Ana shoved a couple of sweatshirts into her bag, turning around to sit on her bed. She looked up at her mom, cracking a huge smile.

"I'm so excited. It hasn't been all six of us together, like, actually together, since back in the summer. And then spring break is the whole next week after, so Luke will be back home and Emma and Jentry will be, too."

"Even though you see all of them literally every day," Amanda chuckled, teasing her. "I talked to Ellen yesterday and she was telling me how she is already prepping for your all's stay next week at her house. Needless to say, I think she's excited to have her baby home, as well as her girls," she added.

"I am too, momma. Everything feels right in the world when we're all home together. The off-season will be here before we know it and Jack and Quinn will finally be home, too," Ana said.

"I know how excited you are about that. I can't believe you're almost halfway done with college, Ana. It blows my mind."

Ana was taken back for a moment, reopening a specific memory in her head. "I remember like yesterday when me, Emma, and Jentry got our acceptance letters to Michigan, and Luke was so excited to tell us when he announced he was signing to play there. But that's already been nearly two years," she said, reminiscing.

"It goes so fast, sweetie. Enjoy every moment that you can. Because one day, you'll desperately wish you were 20 again, packing your bag here to go watch your best friends play hockey in the NHL," Amanda said, a bittersweet smile on her lips.

"What do you mean?" Ana asked. "I'll be doing this forever, mom. Going to games, spending time with all of them, being together in the off-season, everything we're doing now. What would be different about it in the future?"

"Do you not think it will be different after college, when Quinn and Emma are married, and Jack and Jentry are married, and when you and Luke are married?"

Ana sucked in a breath.

When you and Luke are married.

Damn.

"Woah, mom. That was out of left field," Ana's eyes widened at her mom.

"What?" she asked, then realized. "Oh, right. You and Luke. Sorry about that. But I thought things were going well again?"

Bless her heart. Amanda just wants nothing but the best for her daughter. And that began and ended with Luke Hughes being Ana's husband.

"They are. They really, truly are," Ana replied, a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. "We're just trying to take things slow and learn how to be friends again. We've come a long way though, so far. I mean, we text all the time now, and we don't miss any of his games, and he's over at Emma and Jentry's a lot to eat dinner and watch Jack and Quinn play, as well as me being at his practices where I'm doing the sports med shadowing. It's been really good for us, I feel like."

Amanda looked at her daughter, trying not to choke up as she listened to her speak, the obvious elation in her voice. She walked over to Ana, sitting next to her on her bed.

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