Chapter 25 & 26

Chapter 25


Still dazed Lacy sat on the edge of the tub staring across the bathroom and the bag Cassie had given her before she came upstairs. Looking down at her watch she realized that was almost an hour ago. Looking back at the bag she began to understand the looks that both of Max’s parents kept giving her yesterday during dinner yesterday…they thought she was pregnant. She couldn’t be could she…well she could be it wasn’t like her and Max hadn’t had sex but they had always been careful…it was then she remembered the last time she had seen Max.

“SHIT SHIT SHIT” She started to replay everything that had happened in those last 48 hours mostly that night and morning before her temper landed her back in Montreal and locked in this bathroom. She remembered that bitch Katie showing up and kissing Max which ended up with Lacy in a bathroom that night…Max telling her that he loved her through the door… going to Vero’s… talking to Max and working everything out… and then for the second time they really made love not just sex but she didn’t remember stopping so he could put a condom on and then that morning she knew they didn’t who thinks about bringing one into the shower especially after the way she woke him up…the last thing on either of their minds were protection…

She looked back at the bag and then started pacing across the small bathroom. That bag that wasn’t a possibility well at least a real one five minutes was now the only thing she could think of. It was then she heard the knock on the door and stopped in her tracks she was terrified that it was Max…his family was close so it was only a matter of time before he found out that she was in his house and she wasn’t sure what she would do if he was on the other side of that door right now so she decided not to answer and started pacing again…but this time she stopped in front of the bag and went to grab but her arm stopped halfway out and then she started pacing again…she wasn’t ready to see if that possibility was more than that just yet…she had just accepted that possibility and now she was thinking about Max and that possibility of a baby…how would she be able to tell him when she had ignored every attempt he made at contacting her since she got back to Montreal.

Another knock stopped her thoughts this time and she looked at the door again. It seemed light and patient and if it was Max he would have already been in here she knew that from knowing him. She walked over to the door and held her hand on the handle for a second sending a last minute prayer that it wasn’t Max because she was still afraid that he was hiding around the corner or something but when she opened the door she saw Cassie standing there.

“Hi….I just wanted to come and check on you.” Cassie said from her spot she didn’t dare move into the bathroom. She already felt like she was intruding when Lacy answered the door.

“Hi….I’m fine just trying to get the guts to take the test”

“So it is possible” Cassie didn’t want to pry but it was out of her mouth before she could stop it.

“ummmm….yea” Lacy looked from Cassie and back to the bag…she really just had to do this.

Cassie noticed the look on Lacy’s face and decided to give her some privacy back “I’m just going to head back downstairs…if you need me I’ll be right up”

“ok thanks” Cassie closed the door for her and Lacy stood there looking at the bag…she grabbed the cup next to the sink and filled it with water and gulped it down and filled it again. She picked up the bag and took her seat on the edge of the tub. Chugging another glass of water down she turned the faucet in the tub on and pulled the test out of the bag…..

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Max was pacing the lobby of the team hotel waiting for his family to get here so they could eat before he had to go upstairs for his nap. He had so many questions in his mind…but the biggest one was if Lacy would be with them..he wanted no needed to see her to know for himself that she was ok especially after that conversation he had with his mother the other day. Just as he was about to make another lap he saw his mom and dad walking towards him.

“Maxime” his mother walked right up to him and wrapped her arms around him.

He saw both of his brothers and made the rounds saying hello because he hadn’t seen his family in quite awhile but he couldn’t help but be disappointed when he saw Lacy wasn’t there.

“Where is Lacy?”

His mother looked over at her husband and then back at her son and saw how worried he was…she wanted to tell him about the test but she didn’t have anything to tell him and though she had her suspicions about her son becoming a father it wasn’t her place to say anything. Right now she could only hope that Lacy wasn’t put off by being given the pregnancy test and she was there when they brought Max back that night.

“She still wasn’t feeling herself…she’ll be there when we get back…Cassie stayed with her”

Max just nodded…he wanted to be mad but at this point he knew more that he knew three days ago. They made their way to the hotel restaurant for lunch so Max could begin his pre game routine. Lunch went by fast and then they parted ways until after the game.

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Lacy was back to pacing in the bathroom but this time she was waiting for her watch to beep. She had finally been able to take the test after five cups of water and keeping the faucet running now she just had to wait and she looked again at her watch….she still had two minutes until she would know what the test had to say.

She let her thoughts go again….if it was positive what was she going to do….how would she tell Max when she was too afraid to talk to him now…would he be mad, would he leave her, if he did what would she do she wasn’t going back home to her parents…god what would they say if they even started speaking to her again. She was sure that they had seen her car sitting in the Talbot driveway by now but they hadn’t said anything…could she go to her brothers…probably not they wanted to kill Max even after all this time and they hadn’t said much since they had arrived in Montreal. Would she be able to get a job because she would surely need one….the beeping of her watch stopped he would be questions and she slowly made her way over to the counter where she had set the test and looked down.

“pregnant” she looked down and said it out loud. There was no if’s about what it read, it was clear as day on the test…she went back to the bathtub sat down and put her head between her knees hoping a regular breath would pass through her lungs. After a minute she stood up and walked out with the test and down the stairs where Cassie said she would be.

Cassie was sitting watching TV when she heard the noise on the steps and looked up to see Lacy walking down the stairs holding the test…which gave Cassie her answer it was positive.

“Lacy”

Lacy looked up at Cassie and just held the test out….she couldn’t manage to say it again. Cassie reached out for the test to look at it for herself even though she knew the answer. She took a hold of Lacy’s arm worried that Lacy might fall she had very little color in her…it was like she was in shock.

“Lacy…”

Lacy looked over at Cassie who was now sitting right next to her still holding the test. Lacy reached out for the test…Cassie handed it back and Lacy just looked down at it and then back at Cassie…her practical side kicking in…home pregnancy tests were wrong all the time weren’t they she should see a doctor and confirm it…before she let the emotions that she couldn’t stop feeling from reaching the surface.

She looked at Cassie again and before she could stop herself she started talking…

“I want to go to a clinic where I can get the results today…I can’t wait for results for days because it might drive me mad….and I just need to find out for sure as soon as possible.”

Cassie looked at Lacy and saw the emotion that Lacy was trying to hold in until she knew for sure reaching the surface and suddenly understood that what Lacy had just said was the complete truth, she didn’t say anything but got up and grabbed coats for both of them before heading out to her car and taking Lacy to the clinic so she could know for sure, 100 percent. She knew that Lacy had one surprise already and possibly would have one in a few hours and of course the biggest surprise would be later….Max was coming home for the weekend just for her…what he didn’t know was there was a good chance he was in for a surprise himself…he could find out that he was going to be a dad before the night was over.

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Chapter 26

Max just wanted to get home and see Lacy for himself. He usually felt most like himself on the ice but knowing Lacy was at his house…not feeling like herself as his mother put it and it really had him worried. He wanted to see Lacy and know that she still loved him and that they would be ok…she had to know he wasn’t giving up on her, on them they would be able to figure it out.

After the game had ended he showered and got dressed as fast as he could…he waited long enough and right now he just wanted to get to his family hop in the car and get to where Lacy was waiting…he wasn’t even thinking that she may not know that he was coming for her but as he was thinking about that the anger of her ignoring him came back and he didn’t really care anymore. She wasn’t going to have a choice in the matter…he loved her more than he thought possible he had been lost the past few weeks without having her around and the fact that she wouldn’t call him back and talk to him made it worse…much much worse.

Max was lost in his thoughts when his brother got his attention…

“So Lacy huh?”

Max looked over at her brother who had a shit eating grin on his face. One Max wasn’t in the mood to deal with his thoughts were racing in every which way and he would be ok until he saw Lacy and go everything figured out.

“Yea…is that ok with you?”

“Whoa there….I didn’t mean anything by it…I would say it surprised me but if anyone could settle you down it would be her…I always thought you were stupid back then…and the fact that she found you in Pittsburgh when she has been hiding from you for god knows how long….it really is just hilarious”

“Thanks jerk off…leave me alone” He just couldn’t deal with it right now….he and Lacy had gotten past all of that and were moving on…they got past the Katie issue and had the best night ever as far as he was concerned followed by the best morning ever and then she was gone….just like that and he hadn’t heard her voice since. He needed to see Lacy he just needed it.

The next time Max was able to focus on anything he saw the house that he grew up in but more importantly he saw Lacy’s range rover sitting in the driveway…he got out of the car and practically ran up to the house…

“Maxime”

He stopped in his tracks he may be 25 years old but his mother’s voice could still stop him in his tracks. He turned and looked at his mother who was trying not to laugh at her son.

“Maxime I know you want to see her and you will but she has been through a lot these past two weeks. Ok”

“I know that…but I have to.” He put his head down hoping that he could keep his cool but everything from the past two weeks ran through his head was making that almost impossible. He took a deep breath and then turned to look at his mom who had made her way up right behind him and wound her arms around her youngest to hug him and he returned it and bent down to kiss her cheek.

“I just need to see her”

“Ok…” His mom let go and tried to not to think about what she had left her daughter-in-law with and then followed him into the house.

As he made his way into his childhood home Max was disappointed that most of the house was dark but he finally saw the light coming from the living room, he turned quickly hoping to see Lacy waiting for him but instead saw is sister-in-law in a chair reading.

He stepped into the room a bit further and looked out the window and the range rover he swore was Lacy’s and then back Cassie.

“She is upstairs” Cassie said without missing a beat knowing exactly who Max was looking for. She didn’t get a chance to say anything else because Max was gone. She simply looked up at the ceiling and hoped that everything would go smoothly.

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Max walked upstairs remembering that it had been a stressful two weeks but still had to force himself to walk up the stairs to see her. Making his way down the hall he saw only one door was closed…his. It was early because the game was an afternoon game so he didn’t think she would be sleeping but when he opened the door he saw she was in fact asleep.

He took his time making his way over to her sleeping figure on the bed. He wanted nothing more than to lay down and wrap Lacy in his arms but he didn’t want startle her…his mother was right she didn’t look like herself and she certainly looked pale. He sat there and just looked at her for a while…yes she looked pale but still so beautiful and it took his breath away.

Finally he couldn’t wait anymore. He gently put his hand on the side of her face moving the hair that laid on her cheek and bent down and kissed it. Lacy moved a little bit still drifting between waking up and snuggling deeper into the sleep she needed. When she did open her eyes she saw the outline of his face.

“Max” she rubbed her eyes hoping her eyes would be able to adjust to the darkness as she reached out for his face.

Max leaned down to her and gently put his lips gently on hers “ I’ve missed so much Lac”

He didn’t bother taking his suit jacket and laid down and did exactly what he wanted to do in the first place. He wrapped his arms around her and his hands gently laid on her stomach.

Lacy felt a slight panic when he laid his hands on her stomach and stiffened. Sure he was always holding her like that but to her it seemed like he was being super gentle for some reason…

Max felt her stiffen and immediately sat up to look at her…he was worried she never was like that before everything…even though she had to leave he thought they had talked everything out…for the first time since he decided to come home for the weekend he was afraid that she changed her mind. So many questions were going through his head…

At the same time Lacy had just as many question going through her head but they were completely different questions. Did Cassie tell them….more importantly did Max already know? They wouldn’t have told him would they? Her decision was made either way…she was going to be a mother in roughly 8 and ½ months. Before she could stop herself she spoke up thinking that he did somehow know his life was going to change in some way.

“You’re not mad about this?”

Max tilted his head…sure he was mad at one point but he realized that it was mostly worry “Mad…why would I be mad Lac…worried is more like it”

Lacy sat up now and looked at Max….it dawned on her, he didn’t know…he was just happy to be next to her to talk to her…which she had been avoiding because she didn’t know what she was going to do….she still didn’t for sure and now it all depended on how he reacted to the news she had. She leaned on to him and wrapped her arms around him. Max wrapped his arms back around Lacy suddenly feeling relief knowing that in one embrace she did still love him…but he still had to ask.

“ We are still ok…we can still be together….because Lacy I love you so much…I need you in my life” He had meant to stop after the question but once he started talking he could stop and he was about to start again Lacy put her finger up to his mouth.

“I still love you more than anything..I didn’t know what I was going to do part of me still doesn’t…there is so much that is going to change…big changes…” she almost blurted it out but was silent when Max’s lips crashed against hers and all at once she felt herself being lowered down to the bed and Max sliding so he was balancing on top of her. It was once he was holding most of his weight off of her that she said something about changes…big changes…but what big changes. He broke the kiss and looked down at her.

“Changes….Lacy what are you talking about.”

Lacy swallowed and closed her eyes….. “I’m pregnant Max…”