A Love Like This (Mature Jocks Series #1)

Epilogue || Aaron West Jr.

Two and Half Years Later

A A R O N

"Baby, my water.......it just broke," Liz cries into my phone as I answer; and it's just fifteen minutes to the game I have to play tonight. I can't be on the ice tonight, I fucking can't. I need to be with my wife.

"Baby, take a few deep breaths, Diane is there with you, please don't hang up... Please, I'm coming to you,"

"Omg, I'm so sorry...... you're supposed to be on the ice today——,"

"Fuck hockey, I'm coming to you!" I half yell as I make my way towards coach and the guys, my phone still in my hand as I hear Diane saying things to Liz to calm her down.

"I can't play today guys," I say in a rush as their eyes meet mine, "Lizzie is having a baby and I need to be there,"

"It's cool Cap, I just need baby pictures," Hudson says and small chuckles echo across the room. Even after two years, they still address me like the iconic Steve Rodgers.

"Go see your wife, we've got this," Nick pats me on my shoulder.

Stripping out of my hockey gear into normal clothes, I dash out of the facility like The Flash, to my car and I hit the road. I put the phone on speaker and I hear Diane telling Liz to take in a few deep breaths, I also hear other voices, Doctors or nurses I presume.

"Baby, are you still there?" I know I sound panicked and scared. Sue me, my wife is having our first baby and I'm a mess because I'm not there with her.

"Yeah, this baby is taking a lot of time," she half laughs, then I hear her scream something to Diane.

"Can he wait for his Daddy?" I can't believe I'm asking this but I want to be there at his first moment.

When the scans showed we were having a boy, I was beyond thrilled, Liz was excited. I got a nursery full of boyish stuff and toy hockey sticks. This pregnancy was a really tough one, my favorite was when she'd tell me to massage her back, or when she'd fake some pains just so that I could be with her. Nine months, nine fucking months of watching her build life inside of her. If anyone told you that marriage is easy, they fucking lied; but it's the fights, the small quarrels and the way we find our way back to each other that fucking matters. With Nick by our side—— dude is practically our standby marriage counselor—— we've pulled through everything shit, and we will pull through more to come.

Liz doesn't answer as I hear her moan in pain. Minutes later, I find myself at the hospital's parking lot. Rushing in, the first thing I say to the nurse I see is, "Elizabeth West,"
She nods and walks me towards my wife's ward. She keeps sneaking glances at me, and the crazy part of me wants to scream, "I'm fucking married!"

I hear Lizzie's screams before I enter the ward. When I do, my heart squeezes at how gorgeous she looks, even in pain. I remember watching those scary child birth videos and freaking out; but right now I'm not, I walk towards her, holding her hand.

"At the next contraction, you push," the female doctor says. Yes female, there's no way I'm leaving Liz with a male doctor, no way.

"Aaron," Liz moans.

"Shh....I'm here," I squeeze her hand.

"We haven't even thought of a name," she half laughs.

"We will, when we see him," I smile at her and she screws her eyes shut in pain. It's the next contraction. "You got this baby," I whisper as she screams.....it's so loud as tears stain her crimson cheeks.

"I can see the head of the baby, keep pushing Mrs. West, just once and the baby's out," the doctor says and Liz screams again, this time her screams are accompanied by a baby's loud cry.