Amelia joins us by the window of the box overlooking the players on the ice. “Oh, please. You’ve noticed her daddy hasn’t put her down once all night unless it was for one of us to hold her, right?”
“I feel like you’re all ganging up on me. We’re supposed to be celebrating.” And right on time, the waiter starts passing around champagne flutes to everyone in the family. And the photographer has joined us, taking candid shots.
I raise my glass. “I’d like to make a toast and thank you all for being here tonight. The Kingston family legacy is across the street in that football stadium, but it’s also down there on that ice as much as it’s in each and every person in this room and all the generations yet to come. I love you guys. To family.”
An echo of cheers rings throughout the box.
“Now, could everyone get together? I want a picture of all of us to commemorate the first time we won the Cup.” It’s going to sit on a shelf in my office until the day I retire. A permanent reminder of this night.
Everyone grumbles but puts down their glasses, and they do as I ask.
Gathering together in front of the windows with the celebration happening below.
Grabbing the kids and making sure we’re all in the shot.
I wrap my arm around Daphne in the center of the group.
“Not all the kids are going to be seen in this picture, Max.” She leans into me and brushes her lips over my ear. “But you and I will always know this picture was our baby’s first family picture.”
My mouth drops open, and my eyes grow wide as I jerk my head to look at her.
And that’s exactly when the photographer snaps the picture.
“What?” I pick her up and spin her around, her laughter dancing over my skin. “You’re having my baby?”
Beautiful tears shimmer in her eyes as she nods her head. “In about eight months.”
“She’s having my baby,” I announce to anyone who will listen, and a round of cheers goes up throughout our family.
Daphne’s hands frame my face. “Come on, Max. It’s time to go down to the ice and celebrate with the team.”
“I’d follow you anywhere, Daphne.”
She wipes her eyes and takes my hand in hers. “I’ve never been more grateful for anything in my life than I am for you, Max Kingston.”
The End