“Tell Lydia I’ll be out in a few?” I ask as he walks away.
“No problem.”
5
POT, MEET KETTLE
LYDIA
Dottie, Ron, and I leave the suite and head down to the tunnel where Fletcher will come out. Calvin appears first, stopping to give me a quick hug.
“Good game,” I tell him.
“Thanks. You coming out tonight?”
“I’ll be there.”
“Great. Fletch wanted me to tell you he’d be out soon. See you there!” he calls as he walks toward his family.
His parents and sister are here, as well as Zoey, his friend’s sister. Adam, his best friend, plays for another team.
I chat absentmindedly for a few minutes with Ron and Dottie, ignoring the nagging in the back of my mind that knows what’s waiting for me at home.
“Lydia!” Fletch calls and wraps his arms around my waist from behind, lifting me and spinning me in a circle.
“You were amazing!” I squeal as he sets me down on solid ground. A wave of dizziness and nausea overtakes me, but I shake it off. Thankfully, Fletcher doesn’t seem to notice.
“God, it feels good to get back on that ice.” He pulls meback in for another hug, and his familiar scent soothes the sickness in my stomach. Fletcher rests his cheek on top of my head, breathing me in.
“I bet it did.”
Exhaling, he pulls away from our hug, reaching out for his parents. I step to the side, letting them embrace and catch up for a moment.
“Are you guys coming out tonight?” Fletcher asks.
Ron laughs. “You can’t be serious. We aren’t going to party it up with a bunch of you hooligans. No way. A bed is calling my name.”
“Alright, alright,” Fletcher replies with a low laugh. “Are we still on for lunch tomorrow?”
“Absolutely,” Dottie says. “Lydia, are you coming to lunch?”
I shake my head. “I work a half-day tomorrow. I took the morning off since I knew we’d be out late tonight.”
We talk for a few more minutes until Calvin yells that it’s time to head to the bar down the street. After we say goodbye to Dottie and Ron, Fletcher takes my arm, leading me down the hall.
“I can DD tonight.” Even if I wasn’t sure I was pregnant, I’d offer to drive. After a game like tonight, Fletcher deserves to let loose and have fun with his teammates.
“You sure?” Fletcher opens the door for me.
The October air has a chill to it, but it’s not bad yet.
“Positive.”
Fletch wraps an arm around me as we pass a group of people, and I reflexively lean into him. He’s always been my rock, always there for me when I need him most, no matter what.
Part of me wants to spill everything to him. I know he’d support me either way, but I hold back. I need to find out formyself first, and then I can tell him. I already told Dottie, and I probably shouldn’t have.
The crowded bar fills with cheers as the players arrive. It’s like this after every game. People know and expect the players to come here and party, so they’ll stay late to party with them.
