Epilogue

Eight years later . . . 

Where was my cell phone?! I dumped the contents of my purse out on my desk and there on the top of the pile my cell phone fell out. I flipped it open and held down the number 2 button. "Ring . . . ring . . . ring . . . hi, you've reached Sid leave me a message . . . beep." "DAMNIT CROSBY!!!" I flipped my phone shut only to open it back up, this time I held down the number 3 button. "Ring . . . ring . . . Hello?" "COLBY!!" I started breathing heavily, I was pissed off my husband wasn't answering his phone. "Where's Sidney?" "We just finished our morning skate, he's in the shower, wait, are you? Are you in labor?" He suddenly sounded panicked. "Yes, my water just broke and the contractions are coming on quick and strong. If you could be a dear and pull my husband out of the shower and come get me, that'd be great," I didn't mean to sound like a bitch, but this was my fourth child I was about to give birth to and the faster we got her out of me the happier I would be. "You at the brewery?" "YES!!" I laid down on the couch and pinched my legs together in fear the poor child would just fall out.

The fifteen minutes that went by felt like three hours but when I saw his face I started crying, just like I did with our three previous children. "Come on babe, let's get you down to the hospital. Nathalie has the boys, she's on her way there already," Sidney whispered into my ear as he helped me walk down the stairs. I knew how badly my boys wanted another brother, but I celebrated in silence when I found out we were having a baby girl. I couldn't help but think about that day so fresh into our relationship when I told Sidney I wanted three boys and one girl. Now here we are, we already have three beautiful boys and a baby girl on the way. Finally a girl for me to spoil and dress up in cute dresses. Colby climbed into the driver seat and Sidney sat with me in the back. The summer Sidney and I got married, we went to Italy for two weeks with his family and when we returned the celebrations continued. Colby became a free agent after the year ended and he signed with Pittsburgh, which of course resulted in me crying tears of joy for about thirty minutes after he told us. His five year old boy, and our five year old boy played hockey together, and Mel and I were loving the life of hockey moms. Her more than me actually, I had three boys to run around to practices. All of our boys were miniature Sidney's, they all had the almond-shaped brown eyes, curly hair and pouty lips and they also skated like maniacs, even our three year old. Jayden and Jordan, our seven and five year old had curly brown hair, but Jackson, our little three-year-old had toe head curly blond hair. His older brothers would tease him but he was a tough little guy, Sidney and I knew he would be a defenseman. 

I hated labor, hated it, but I knew in the end I would be given the best gift Sidney could ever give me. After five hours Colby had to leave for the game that night and I could only hope I would be holding a baby girl when he would return after the game. Man was I wrong. Twelve hours of labor, and just past midnight I heard the cries fill the room. I brought my hands up to my face to wipe away the tears and Sidney kissed me on the forehead. "You are a champ babe, we have a Valentines Day baby girl," he smiled as I looked at his watch. Finally my Valentine's Day curse was lifted. Fifteen years of bad luck on February 14th, but today, today was different. The nurse laid the baby girl in my arms and her head was covered with curly blond hair, she already had the pouty lips and as she blinked her eyes we could see they were bright blue. "Seven pound, eight ounces and twenty-one inches long," the nurse smiled above me. "Healthy little girl, how bout a name?" Another nurse asked. I looked up at Sidney and he was looking down at our baby with such loving eyes. "She looks like a Jillian to me," he smiled looking to me for my approval. "Jillian Taylor Crosby, our beautiful baby girl." 

I woke up to the sound of Sidney laughing in the chair across from my bed that morning. "What's so funny?" I asked as I rubbed my eyes trying to wake up. "You put a lot of pressure on us don't you know?" He said laughing holding that day's sports section of the newspaper up. "Sidney Crosby missed last nights win over the Detroit Red Wings to be by his wife's side as she gave birth to a healthy baby girl. This is grand news to the Penguins fans all over the country as one can only hope the tradition continues. After the Crosby's first born, a boy, came in the spring of 2010, the Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup that June. No one can forget the amazing Game 7, overtime goal scored by baby Crosby's god father, Colby Armstrong who rejoined the team on the offseason. Penguins brought the cup home two more times, in 2012 just three weeks after Crosby welcomed a second son and then again in 2014 after the Crosbys welcomed yet another son that January. With the birth of a fourth child last night can the Penguins win the cup again this year? If the hockey gods are on our side and see the pattern that has been created, one can only hope." I laughed as Sidney finished reading the article to me. "My children are good luck charms," he laughed as he walked over to me and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. 

That June, the Penguins made it to the Stanley Cup finals and I was a wreck, my ultimate nightmare had come true. The Penguins were facing the LA Kings. The little girl, who was once in love with Luc Robitallie, inside of me wore an old Kings t-shirt underneath my Crosby jersey. Had any of the guys seen that my head would have been chopped off. The Penguins went on to win the first three games and then got embarrassed in the fourth losing five to nothing. This was okay with everyone though, because this meant the boys had the chance to win the cup at home, which they did, on Max Talbot's goal. "Can I go hug Uncle Max and Uncle Colby?" Jayden shouted tugging on my jersey. "Of course, go on," I smiled and watched as my baby boys celebrated with my grown up boys. I laughed to myself as Jayden refused to touch the cup. "I won't touch it until I win it," he would say every time he would come around it. I watched Sidney hold Jillian in his arms and even so many years after we first fell in love, I fell in love with him all over again.