Daughter // Tyler Seguin

1.7

As the next few days pass I try to prepare myself for Tyler coming to Dallas. Sophia is more than excited and she's been talking non stop about him and asking to see him when he gets here. I told her she can see him once he's settled in here a bit and has been on the ice a few times with the team.

I'm nervous to see him again, I know he's only gotten more attractive since we saw each other last and I'm scared of what could happen. There's a lot of tension and conversations built up in me and I'm sure Tyler too, it's going to be frustrating talking to him on a professional level and not as best friends. And it doesn't help my nerves that Jamie, as the captain, is going to be the one with Tyler when he gets here to help him out and show him around.

There's only one day left of Seguin free work for me, I'm at the rink today working on a few guys before they get back on the ice after being injured. My day is filled with a lot of small talk and jokes with the guys and Jamie comes in and out of my office a whole bunch as he's decided to take Sophia onto the ice to teach her some stuff. She's determined to join a hockey team, but only wants to play with the boys and Jamie is determined to teach her everything so she can get into the NHL when she's old enough.

"Hey." Jamie pokes his head into my office just as I'm packing up for the day.

"Hi."

"Can you give me a quick massage before you're done, please?" He drags out the 'e', sounding like a child begging for a toy. I point to the massage table and nod.

"Really quick, I just wanna get out of here." I quietly go to work on Jamie's back, making sure to get rid of all the knots.

"Soph is looking like a mini me out there." Jamie jokes after a few minutes and I laugh.

"Mhmm, she can't wait to play for real."

"How come she never did?"

"We couldn't really afford it in Toronto and here I'm just too busy I don't have time to take her to games. I don't really trust other people with my kid either, especially if I don't really know them."

"Yeah, that's true. You know I would take her to every game that I could if you couldn't."

"I know Jamie. She would love that too, it all just depends on how everything goes this season."

"Yeah, well next season you better get her in a league. She's already, what, eight? I know you couldn't afford it but imagine how good she would be if she had been playing for three or four years?"

"Yeah, yeah I know. Alright, you're done dude." He sits up and holds his arms out for a hug.

"We can figure it out, if she really wants to play as bad as she says she does then we'll get her to play somehow." He squeezes me tight and I return the hug. We stand there for a few moments before Sophia walks into the room.

"Jamie! I did it!" She cheers as she walks over to us, she's still in her skates and helmet and dragging her stick behind her.

"Did what?" I ask

"A wrist shot! Jamie was teaching me and I couldn't do it and I got it!"

"Right on Soph! Let's go see." Jamie hops off the massage table and leads Sophia back to the ice. I follow and sit on the bench to watch.

Even though Jamie is only in running shoes, he walks onto the ice with Sophia. She is a really good skater, I did put her in skating lessons when we got her because I had the time to drive her once a week. She skates to the hash marks where she left a puck and moves it back and forth as she stick handles before shooting a very impressive wrist shot.

Jamie cheers and claps like mad as Sophia skates over to where he's standing, they hi five before they make their way over to me.

"Did you see mommy!"

"I did! It was so good, better than Jamie's shot." I say, teasing Jamie as Sophia laughs.

"I know!" She says back, causing Jamie to pick her up and hold her upside down as she squeals.

"Take it back!" Jamie tells her with a laugh, making Sophia laugh really hard and shake her head, "You have to take it back or you're stuck upside down for good."

"No!" Sophia yells back and Jamie starts walking over to me, I laugh and shake my head at how crazy he's being. Lately he's been trying really hard to distract both me and Sophia from what's happening and it's really nice.

"Come on Harley, we should be going." I stand and follow Jamie, who still has Sophia upside down as we walk to my office.

"Jamie Benn, put my daughter down. You're going to make her sick!" I call out, Jamie lets out a big sigh and drops her carefully onto the massage table.

"Fine, but you better teach her how to be nice or I won't next time." Jamie laughs as he helps Sophia take off her equipment and put in into a duffle bag. We take our time walking to the parking garage, Sophia walks ahead of Jamie and I singing to herself and looking back at us every so often.

"It means a lot to me that you spend so much time with her." I interrupt the silence between us and Jamie puts his arm around my shoulder.

"She's a great kid, you did such a good job raising her. You know we all love having her around, she makes everyone so happy even on our worst days."

"This may sound weird but she needs a father like figure in her life. The only male she's been around a lot was my father and she's only seen Tyler a few times that she can remember. It's just nice that you didn't even hesitate to help me out with her and you took such a strong liking to her. I just really appreciate you Jamie, and I know Sophia does too."

"I love you guys, you know that." Jamie pulls me into his chest and I wrap my arms around him.

"We love you too." We stand there for a few moments hugging before Sophia comes back to check on us.

"Mom, are we going now?" She tugs on my arm and I pull away from Jamie.

"Yes, we can go." I take Sophia's bag from Jamie before saying goodbye to him and heading over to my car. Sophia gets into the backseat and does up her seatbelt while I throw everything in the trunk.

I sit in the drivers seat and start the car, I back out of our spot and start to drive out of the parking garage. Jamie waves as we pass his car, Sophia waves back and I smile at him. As we pull into the street Sophia starts talking about all the things Jamie taught her.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah baby?"

"Who do you love more, Jamie or Tyler?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because I think Jamie loves you."

"Me and Jamie are friends, same as me and Tyler."

"But that doesn't answer my question."

"I love them equally. Does that answer your question?"

"I guess." Sophia sighs and I shake my head as we continue home. Her question was out of the blue and caught me off guard.

But it also got me thinking, who do I love more?