Secrets // SFR&TM Sequel

Chapter Twenty - Scarlett

"What are you doing?" Robert came up behind Scarlett after practice. He was surprised that she was up, but she knew that she had a lot to do before the Christmas party tonight.

"Putting together your basket. I need you to sign the t-shirt, jersey, and the pucks." She handed him a sharpie over her shoulder and went back to organizing the fundraiser item.

"Wow. That's actually a really good basket." Robert sat down and started signing his own gear. Scarlett did pretty well with his basket, just like she had in the years before.

"Um. Who knows you better than your wife?"

"I don't know. Maybe my mother. Do we have one of these pails?"

"Yeah. Except it has a Yankees logo in it. It's what we keep the ice for beer in during the summer."

"So is it in Canada?"

"Yeah the Canucks one is."

"Ahh. Canucks gear in Ontario? Smart choice." He laughed, pulling his wife onto her lap as she carefully placed things in the basket .

"There. It's done." She looked satisfied with her creation.

"It looks great. Maybe you should help with Olli's." Robert suggested, kissing her cheek.

"What's my last name?"

"Bortuzzo?" He knitted his brow together and tried to think of what she was getting at. He never completely understood her.

"Yeah so someone else can be in charge of the Maatta basket. I am in charge of you."

"Not in bed, though." He reminded her and she elbowed his side.

"Very funny. Why don't we go get lunch?"

"No. I have soup in the fridge." She got up and grabbed the tupperware container before throwing it in the microwave.

"Do you ever take off your bracelet or ring?" Robert got up to fix himself something to eat while his wife started to talk.

"Only to sleep and shower. Or swim, but for the most part, no. I love this bracelet. It's my favorite." She looked down at the bracelet, smiling. He had gotten it for her for their second Christmas together. It didn't really go with her ring, as it was really simple. It didn't go with most of her outfits either, but she wore it anyway. "It's my favorite."

The two of them sat on the couch together, eating their lunch as they caught up on the most recent season of American Horror Story.

"What's our plan for Christmas?" It was only a week away and the two of them hadn't made any plans or booked plane tickets for them or family members.

"I figured we could have a romantic dinner here by ourselves. Get some really good steak and a couple bottles of wine. I'm sure Stanley would like some meat for himself, too. Maybe Stanley wants a kitten?"

"Did you really get me a kitten for Christmas?"

"Who said it was for you? I got it for Stanley."

"Fine then. I guess you don't get a present either."

"I didn't get Stan a kitten. Or you for that matter. It's actually a secret."

"Okay. I can handle secrets." She reached up to kiss his cheek and get up to put their dishes in the dishwasher. She went upstairs to their room to change into a pair of jeans and put her hair in a bun before topping off her outfit with a scarf and going back downstairs.

"Now how do I know that you taking me to this so I'll see how adorable the children are and want to go home and try right away?"

"Scarlett you've been to how many of these and it still hasn't happened. I'm taking you because you're my wife and I need someone to play hockey with." He took her hand and kissed it, opening the door for her to go outside.

"Because your teammates won't be there or anything." She rolled her eyes and got into the driver's side of Robert's car.

"I like you a lot more than them."

"Well that's good to know."

The two of them hit the snack table before lacing up and going out on the ice. This was always one of Scarlett's favorite Penguins events. She plays with the guys every once in a while, but now that some of the little girls were getting older, they always wanted to play with a girl that had played before. Apparently some of the other girlfriends weren't cutting it for them.

After one of the girls went back to her mother, Scarlett skated over to her husband.

"So I guess my new nickname is Bortsy."

He laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "Well, that is your name"

"Yeah. I know. They probably think the "y" at the end makes it feminine."

"You? Feminine? Right."

They both laughed, "Hey, I can be. In those red heels. Sometimes a dress. But whatever. I have boobs. That's good enough."

"I love you." He kissed the side of her had and handed her his stick, even though it wasn't the right size, so that she could get back to playing with the rest of the team and their families. Robert just leaned against the boards, watching his wife have fun. "Borts and Bortsy." He laughed to himself. "What the pair."

Before they knew it, they were sitting underneath the tree together, unwrapping presents on Christmas Eve. The exchanged gifts while Scarlett drank just enough wine to make her want to sing along to the dreadful Christmas music they had playing in the background.

"Thank you." She looked up at him smiling.

"For what? You haven't opened your present yet."

"For being patient with me and welcoming me back with open arms after the fight. You're the best husband anyone could ask for and I'm so glad that I have you."

"I'd be an idiot to let you go. I knew that I just needed to give you space. You'd come back with divorce papers or you would come back wanting to stay. Either way, you'd be coming back to talk to me. I'm glad it was the latter."

Scarlett pulled him in for a kiss which lead to him leaning her back, gently laying her on the floor. It didn't take long for the bernese mountain dog to decide they needed his kisses, too.

"See, we don't need a child to ruin all of our time. We have Stan." Robert sat up, scratching the dog's head.

"I think Stan wants a baby." Scarlett told him, still laying on the floor.

"Does Stan want a baby or does Scar want a baby?" Robert couldn't help but smile. He knew that they planned it all out for the most part, but life doesn't always go as planned. The Bortuzzo's had learned that the hard way this year.

"Stan. Stan definitely wants the baby. Scar doesn't want to carry it around in her uterus for nine months." She turned her head to look at her husband, "But she might take one for the team soon."

Robert laid down next to her, taking her hand and kissing it. "Baby or no baby, I want every part of you, Scarlett. The drunk, only wants to dance to boy bands Scarlett, the Scarlett that is a bitch and can't help but take it out on me even if she doesn't mean it, the Scarlett that gets so high she can't stand up, the Scarlett in red high heels or the Scarlett drowning in my sweats. My wife that I know is going to be a wonderful mother. I just want you and I'll do everything in my power to make sure you are happy."

She turned to him with tears in her eyes. He was never one to make perfect grand gestures. He did propose while they were drunk in the kitchen one night. She's seen some of the things that the other players had done for their girlfriends, but Scarlett was never jealous. She loved all the simple things he does for her.

"You're the best, Robert. I love you. I'm glad I get to spend the rest of my life with you."

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Thank you for reading! Keep your eye out for Endlessly the last part of Scarlett and Robert's story :)

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