Bella
“That’s it. You got it!” James claps his hands, his eyes zeroing in on the puck as it slides down the ice.
Mason skates quickly, weaving and zooming, until his stick connects with the puck. He brings it up the lane and flips it to his teammate for a goal.
“Nice! Yes!” James hollers out.
Next to me, Milly rolls her eyes and I laugh. Annie gurgles in my lap, clapping her hands, her hat riding low on her forehead.
“How many times do you think he’ll say ‘nice’?” Milly whispers next to me.
I chuckle and shake my head. “Ms. Milly, your dad is an encouraging coach. He doesn’t want the boys to get burned out.”
“He’s too easy on them,” she says, the judgment in her tone amusing me.
James hung up his skates after last season and we all sort of held our breath, wondering what he was going to do next. For a few months, he puttered around the the house, taking on several DIY projects that resulted in Milly and Mason begging me to intervene.
Luckily, as Mason’s hockey team began to take off, the league was in need of more experienced coaches. James volunteered and landed the job, trading in his hockey stick for a whistle. He’s great at it, encouraging the boys while improving their skills, keeping up team morale while pushing everyone to work harder.
“Nice work, guys!” James’s voice rings out.
This time, Milly and I glance at each other and burst out laughing.
“Okay, fair. We need to tell him to pick a new word,” I agree.
“Right?” Milly’s eyes light up.
In my lap, Annie sneezes and Milly reaches out to tickle her sister.
About two years ago, James and I tied the knot. Six months later, we became pregnant with Annie. It was a decision we talked about at length, as a family, but when it actually happened, we were all delightfully surprised. None more than Milly and Mason, who were over the moon to have a new baby of their own.
Our little brood is growing, changing, and challenging James and me daily. But I’ve never felt more settled or happier in my life. I love being a mother to all of my children. I revel in the early mornings, taking an easy jog with Annie in the stroller to shed some of the baby weight but also to maintain mental clarity.
I’ve taken a year of maternity leave but finally became a psychologist. I work with teens and adolescents who have experienced trauma and easily lose myself in my work. In many ways, I’ve become a motherly figure to many children and it’s a role I relish but take with a great deal of responsibility.
A lot of changes occurred for the Ryan family in the past few years, but all of them have moved us closer to our new norm. Our growing family. Our prosperous careers. Our relentless gratitude.
“Nice game, boys!” James claps and Milly groans.
After the team finishes their post-game chat, James and Mason meet us near the arena exit.
“Nice job, Mase,” Milly says.
Mason snorts and James narrows his eyes.
“You really overdid it today, Dad,” Milly explains.
James looks to me. I nod, ceding Milly’s point.
Mason chuckles. “But I had a nice time.”
James groans. “You two are too young to give me grief like this,” he grumbles, reaching for Annie. “That’s why you’re my favorite,” he tells Annie, lifting her above his head. She kicks her little feet and a moment later, spits up, the white fluid gliding down James’s cheek.
Milly and Mason howl with laughter. Who am I kidding? I join in, cracking up along with them.
“Come here, sweet girl.” I reach for Annie as James grabs a wipe from the stroller and cleans his face.
“I’m outnumbered,” he mumbles.
The kids and I smirk.
“Pizza?” I ask.
“Yes!” The twins high-five each other.
“And ice cream,” Milly tacks on.
James narrows his eyes. “What are we celebrating?”
Milly’s mouth drops open and she stares between us. “Our anniversary.”
“Anniversary?” I question, my brow furrowing. What am I missing? Did I forget a date?
“Yeah,” Mase says, shouldering his hockey bag that he had dumped at his feet. “Three years ago, today, Bella moved in with us for real.”
Recognition dawns on James’s face and emotion swims in his eyes as he meets mine. “That’s right.”
“It was the day we became a family,” Milly adds. “The day that changed everything.”
I smile at my family, momentarily overwhelmed with emotion. “I can’t believe that was only three years ago.”
“We should definitely get ice cream,” Mason says. “To celebrate.”
“Right,” James snorts.
“Pizza and ice cream,” I declare, buckling Annie into her stroller.
Behind me, I hear the twins high-five again.
James steps up behind me, his frame shadowing mine. “Three years, baby.”
I look up and smile. “Best three years of my life.”
“I love you, Bella Ryan.”
“I love you more, James. Now let’s get this celebration going before Annie’s nap.”
He chuckles. “I love it when you sweet talk me.”
I swat the back of my hand against his stomach.
We walk as a family toward our ride, a minivan now. In many ways, our lives have stayed pretty consistent. A constant state of parenting, hockey arenas, and too much laundry to ever fold. But in many others, the entire world opened up the morning I became James’s.
My whole future suddenly appeared before me, unblemished and promising.
I stepped into it with scars on my heart but hope in my soul. And grew a family I’m prouder of than anything else in the world.
Thank you so much for reading Bella and James’s story! I hope you fell in love with them and their journey. For more Boston Hawks reads, don’t miss The Heart Chaser. Luca Pandatelli’s story releases September 23 and is packed with heat and second chance vibes!