The Ice-ing On Top

The last puck dropped with six seconds left and it was a flurry of activity in front of their net. The goalie made a diving save and then the buzzer sounded and everyone was on their feet.

Amelia felt tears spill out of her eyes as she watched Sean vault onto the ice with his team, skating into a massive pile against the boards. She laughed and turned to hug Sean's parents in celebration before the owner ushered them all out of the box a few minutes later.

Down at ice level, it was a mess. Reporters were already spilling onto the rink and fans were pressing closer to the boards. Amelia and the other family members were safe at the players bench where they could watch as the events unfolded. Amelia screamed herself hoarse as Sean skated past with the grand silver trophy, her heart full of happiness for him.

After a long while, she made her way onto the ice with some of the other player's families and delicately wove her way through the crowd to Sean's side. He took one look at her before hollering and sweeping her into his arms. People around them cheered and Amelia laughed as Sean buried his sweaty face against her neck.

"I am so proud of you, Kid!" Amelia exclaimed.

He could only laugh, his face permanently split into a wide grin. More people pressed around them and Amelia knew she barely had a moment with Sean before the press corps took over. She pulled his head close to kiss him soundly on the lips before stepping back and surrendering him for the time being.

It was some time later in the locker room when all the reporters had been sent away before Amelia had a moment alone with Sean again. She sat beside him on the bench as he finished changing. He sat back after a few minutes, exhaling and rolling his head to grin at her.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him, knowing the answer already.

"I'm so happy," he replied. "I can't even describe how this feels right now."

"I bet," she murmured and leaned close. "I feel like I can never compete with Lord Stanley."

He laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders. "You've got that backwards, Lia," he assured her. "Nothing competes with you."

"Not even the Stanley Cup?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

He pondered for a moment and grinned. "It definitely comes close," he relented and she laughed.

Someone called Sean's name then and he looked up just in time to high-five Max as he passed by with another bottle of champagne. Sean grabbed it from him and took a long drink before holding it out to Amelia. She smiled and shook her head.

"Oh come on, you've got to at least have a sip," he prodded, still holding it in front of her. "It's a special occasion!"

Laughing, Amelia pushed it away again.

"What's the deal?" he asked, his eyes twinkling merrily. Nothing could possibly dampen his mood at this point.

She bit her lip, thinking about it for a second before deciding that there was no better time to tell him.

"I'm not drinking," she replied quietly.

"Well, obviously," he said with an eye roll. "Why?"

She laughed and leaned close, reaching up to draw his face close to hers. The noises of the locker room faded around them and her blood rushed in her veins, making her feel as light-headed as she had the first time they'd made love. She put her lips next to his ear and whispered, "I'm pregnant."

"You're what!" he bellowed and blushed when several of the guys hooted at him and clapped their hands. "Are you serious?"

Amelia nodded, their faces still close together. She watched the emotions play across his face; confusion, amazement, and lastly, pure excitement.

"I guess we won't be having that fight about when to have kids again, will we?" he said with another of his face-splitting grins that she adored.

"Probably not," she agreed and tilted her head back when he kissed her, soundly and passionately.

They drew apart when someone jostled them and looked up to see some of his teammates laughing and shouting at them. Sean just shrugged them off, the grin on his face unmovable.

"So tell me something," Amelia murmured at another quiet moment when they were left alone again. "How does Lord Stanley compare to this?" she asked as she ran their joined hands over her still flat belly.

Sean scoffed and slid his hand from hers to grasp her hips, drawing her onto his lap. "Lia, my heart," he whispered, kissing her lips, her cheeks and her eyelids so gently that she felt tears prick her eyes. "This has been the best night of my life and you just capped it off perfectly."

"Well, I try," she said around a breathless laugh.

"Winning the Stanley Cup was amazing," he went on, looking across the room to where someone was drinking the bubbly champagne from the grand cup. "But compared to this," he laid his palm against her stomach briefly before sliding it up to rest on her chest over her heart. "The Cup is just the icing on top."

A month later, they made it permanent, speaking words of love in front of all their closest friends and family. Sean was right; the house, the trophy in the background, the beautiful wedding in the middle of a perfect summer's day; all of it was just the icing on top when compared with their love and the life growing inside of her.