Two Years Later

The crowd goes fucking nuts.

I clap my hands raw, Cara at my side, cheering along with everyone else. I think she understands what’s going on even better than I do, mostly because Will’s been giving her special lessons on the side.

“She’s gonna go pro,” he keeps saying with this big dorky grin. “She’s gonna make it.”

I just roll my eyes at him, but as long as they’re having fun, I don’t care.

Will looks over his shoulder and catches my eye. I grin at him and he winks as he turns back to the ice and his players, shouting and high-fiving every guy that skates past. The Weston Trojans are up four to three in the final period with only two minutes to go. It’s the biggest game of Will’s career, and maybe the biggest game in Weston history.

A first-year varsity coach has never taken his team to the state championship game before, let alone been in the position to win it all. He’s up in the series, and all he needs now is to hold on, and he’ll make history.

This is what he’s been working toward ever since he took the JV job. Every day he spends trying to improve himself as a coach, and the school board saw it. He got the varsity job this year, although he felt bad about it. He said they passed over a good friend and a good guy for him to get it, but he couldn’t turn down the offer. Mitch landed on his feet apparently, working at a rival school.

Meanwhile, I’ve been full time at Teddy’s company. Turns out, the paper business isn’t so boring, at least it isn’t if you throw yourself into it. Teddy keeps talking about promoting me, giving me more responsibility, but I like where I am. I have flexibility, I make decent money, and I get to spend a lot of time with my daughter.

We all moved into a single-family home six months ago. Turns out, Will had more saved from playing hockey than I realized, and he bought the place in cash. Now we live five minutes from Eleanor, and maybe a fifteen-minute walk from the falls. We go down there all the time, and we bring Cara whenever we can. She loves climbing out onto the rocks, although we never let her go to our spot, not yet at least. Maybe one day when she’s old enough.

Now though, things are incredible. The feeling in the arena is unbelievable as the seconds slip by. The opposition puts up a great fight, but it’s just not enough. In the end, Will’s players hold on, and the crowd goes absolutely wild. I pick up Cara and scream Will’s name. He turns around and gives me a wave before joining his players out on the ice to celebrate.

A few hours later, out in the parking lot, I throw my arms around him. “You’re amazing!” I say, making him laugh.

“I just stood there in my suit, the guys did all the work.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” I say.

He pulls back and picks Cara up. “Daddy you’re so good!” she says and he laughs, hugging her tight.

I give him a kiss, and I stand there enjoying this moment. He’s a champion now, the coach of the best team in the state. There will be more games, more losses and victories, but right now is all that matters to me. I squeeze his hand and kiss him one more time, and he gives me that look again, the one that always ends up with me in his bed. My favorite look in the whole damn world.

“I love you guys,” he says, putting Cara down. “But I think I have to go shake some more hands. You know, drum up donations for the PTA and all that.”

“Good luck, coach,” I say, kissing his cheek.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he says, giving me a look.

I smile and blush and he’s off, heading out toward the crowds of people milling about, shaking hands with a few older people as he goes.

I get into our little SUV with Cara and slowly drive back to my beautiful house. “When will daddy get home?” Cara asks me as I put her to bed.

“Soon,” I say, giving her a kiss.

And when Will does finally get home, he pulls me into his arms. I feel so safe and warm there, and I know nothing can hurt me so long as he holds me.

“You’re a good dad,” I say to him. “You know that? I don’t tell you enough.”

“Thanks,” he says softly, and laughs a little bit. “I can’t believe we’re here.”

“I can’t either,” I say. “But I’m really glad I’m here with you.”

He doesn’t answer. He just kisses me, more deeply this time, pushing me up against a wall. I know what he wants. I want it too.

And I’ll give it to him, over and over, for the rest of my life. That’s what I need. Will and love and family, making new memories all the time, making our lives move as slowly as possible. With him, I know it’ll always be getting better and better.