The Tales of a Professional Hockey Player

Chapter 59: Stability

~Ben~
~Two Years Later, April 2021~

"Ophelia is about to start school, Ben! She needs stability, we need stability!"

"Don't you think I know that! I just didn't think you wanted to stay in Montreal for another season."

"I don't! Trust me, I really don't, but I don't want to move for another one or two-year contract either! I want more! Why can't Connor get you a five-year contract, huh? That's what Nathan had when he signed with the Predators last year!"

"Because I'm not Nathan, Eleanor! Why are we screaming anyways? Me too, I'd prefer to stay at the same place for more than two years! I'd like to buy a house somewhere and not worry where I'll play next year!"

I sit down on the down on the couch and take my head in my hands, pulling on my hair. I'm about to leave Montreal for Boston for the first round of the playoffs and Connor just called saying we had received an offer from the Edmonton Oilers for a two-year contract. Eleanor started by saying she would like Ophelia to stay at the same school for a longer period of time and I said I wasn't sure I could give her that.

"I didn't tell you everything." Her voice is softer as I feel her sit beside me on the couch and rub my back. "Ben look at me." I do as I am told and turn my head to face her. She's smiling softly at me.

"Why are you smiling, El?" I'm confused. We went from screaming to sitting on the couch smiling. For a few days, Eleanor has been switching moods very easily and I don't understand why.

"Because I have something to tell you," she starts, grabbing my hand and placing it on her lower stomach. My head starts spinning. No way! She can't be. We said we wouldn't try until I got a more stable contract. But I guess life chose otherwise, just like with Ophelia, because tears form in Eleanor's eyes as she nods. "I'm pregnant, Ben. We're having another baby."

"Oh my god, you're kidding me," I say wrapping her in my arms. I couldn't wait for this day. For the day where we would find out we're expecting, and we would be excited. Ophelia was such a surprise we didn't really enjoy the first few weeks, but I promised myself that, if I ever got a second chance, I would make it count. "When did you find out?"

"This morning. I bought a test a few weeks ago, but I did it this morning because I had a feeling." I am not even upset that she didn't wait for me. I am too excited about the fact that our little family is growing.

"Let me call Connor, ok? I'll explain and ask him for something more stable." I kiss her forehead before bending down to her stomach. "Hi, there. I already can't wait to meet you." It's when I see Ophelia walk in the room, her teddy bear and her pink blanket safely trapped in her hands that I get an idea. "How about I take next year off? How about I stay home with you and the baby?" Her eyes widen as she lifts Ophelia up on her lap. Our daughter just woke up from her nap and still looks pretty grumpy.

"Ben, you know I would love that, but I don't think it's such a good idea. I won't give birth till January so you would miss half the season for nothing. Plus, I worry that, if you skip a year, you'll struggle finding something else next year." She has a valid point, I guess, but I was getting excited at the idea of spending all my days with my family.

"I just... want to be there, I guess. Not like the first time." My voice is small, and I can't look anywhere but the ground at my feet.

"You will. I know you will." I nod, smiling.

"Ok. Oph, you want cheese for your snack?" My daughter nods, hiding her face in Eleanor's neck. I walk to the kitchen to grab the cheese we cut a few days ago and give it to Ophelia. "I'll go call Connor now." Eleanor smiles softly at me as she nods.

It takes Connor three weeks to call me back with an offer. And it's a pretty good one. Next season, the NHL will welcome a new team in the western conference. More precisely, in Seattle. They need to build their team from the ground up, so they are looking for experienced players who could make the team visible. Connor convinced them I could be one of those players.

"It's a good offer, Ben. A really good one," Connor says over the phone. "Seven years, 42 million, so 6 million a year plus bonuses. You get family advantages and a shot at being captain which would, of course, give you a higher salary. They want you; they really want you." I couldn't hear anything after 42 million. My ears started buzzing and my heart went up in my throat. "I'll let you talk to Eleanor, but I don't see why you would refuse."

We didn't. How could we? This is exactly what we wanted and more. Seven years at the same place, that's plenty of time to buy a house and maybe even a dog. This is what I wanted to give my family and I am finally able to do it. Something stable, something safe, something great. When Eleanor and I started looking at houses in Seattle, the only image I had in my head was the picture of the house I had cut out in a magazine when I was younger. To give my family something more than I had growing up, that's why I worked so hard all those years. Add that to a little luck and I am unstoppable. We are unstoppable.

Another baby!! Any guesses? Boy or girl?