Daughter // Tyler Seguin

0.8

After a few weeks of back and forth with both Tyler and my parents, I decided to move both myself and Sophia back home with my parents. My childhood home is just as far from our old apartment to both my school and work, so there's no extra driving involved and rent is a lot less. Tyler was happy as now Sophia has a good,warm place to sleep and will always be with some sort of family.

Talking to Tyler about it was the easiest conversation we've had in years. Other than when I told him he could stop paying so much extra child support.

I still hadn't told Sophia about the sort of secret plan to go to Boston to see Tyler play, my parents both know the plan and still Ty knows nothing. I'm hoping Sophia will be okay on the trip, as I've decided to drive instead of use a bus or something of the sort. I have a bunch of stuff packed in the car already for the couple hour trip that is taking place in just a few days.

"Mommy!" I can hear Sophia calling me from the living room as I mix together her Kraft Dinner for lunch.

"Yes?" I look up to see her holding my phone, a phone call already going with an unknown number. I take the phone from her and tell her to go back to watching TV.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Harely, correct?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"Okay hi this is Farah here at TD Garden. It seems like we have two tickets here for you for this coming Saturday and we just wanted to confirm that you are attending as they've been bought in a different name."

"Oh yeah, we'll be there."

"Okay great! I would advise you to try to arrive for six o'clock at the latest to ensure you do get the correct ones. Also there are a few other things here for you as per request of Mr. B rad Marchand so you can pick those up as well."

"Oh okay great, thank you!"

"Alright then, if you have any questions just call us back and someone will be glad to assist you."

"Okay, awesome. Thanks, have a great day."

"And you as well." I hang up the phone and call Sophia back to the kitchen to eat. She comes running in and sits at the table, digging into her food as I slowly pick away at mine.

"Are you okay mommy?" Sophia asks me as she picks up her cup of juice and I smile at her.

"Yeah baby, I'm good. Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Oh just some things for school, I have a lot to do and I'm almost all done forever."

"Forever?" She sounds amazed at my choice in wording and I laugh lightly.

"Yes, forever! And then mommy can get a really good job and we can have a nice little house with a backyard and everything."

"And my own room?"

"Yeah and your own room baby."

"Can Tyler live with us too?"

"No he can't, he has to play hockey remember. And me and you wanna stay close to grandma and grandpa."

"But can't he play hockey here?"

"It doesn't really work like that baby. He has to stay in Boston until he's done hockey or if they don't want him anymore."

"Well what if they don't want him and he plays here, then can he live with us?"

"Sure Soph, if that happens he can live with us."

"Okay mommy!"

"Now please finish your food baby."

-----------------------------------------

Saturday finally rolls around and Sophia is bouncing off the walls trying to figure out what exactly we're going on a trip for. She's been asking me every five minutes where we're going, she keeps taking random guesses like the zoo and the mall.

"Oh I know where we're going mommy!" Sophia calls out from the back seat as we wait in the drive thru at Tim Horton's.

"And where is that baby?"

"To see Tyler!"

"Why do you say that?"

"You look scared."

"What?"

"When we went to our first hockey game and we went to meet Tyler, you had that scared face on. Like you do now."

"Oh, so you do pay attention hey?" I look at her in the rear view mirror and she giggles before going back to the game she was playing on my iPad.

We finally get to the window to pay and get our order, I hand Sophia her food and bottle of juice as I thank the worker and slowly pull out of the drive thru. Once we get on the high way, we start our journey to Boston, with me silently praying Sophia is asleep when we cross the border so the surprise isn't ruined.

--------------

"Reason for crossing?" The border security guard asks as he looks over mine and Sophia's passports. I turn to catch Sophia still asleep and I lean out the window just in case she's faking.

"We're going to the Bruins game tonight and staying overnight."

"How much cash are you carrying?"

"$150."

"Any food in the car?"

"Nope."

"Okay, here you go. And you can just through to right a bit, just follow the signs."

"Great, thank you!" I collect our passports and drive off to cross the bridge. I look too see Sophia still sleeping in the backseat. After we've driven about half way across the  bridge I hear a little voice from the backseat.

"Mommy, where are we?"

"Just look at the window baby." I don't she's really going to be able to tell where it is exactly we're going, but I wanna see her guess some more.

"Why are we on a bridge?"

"We're going somewhere special, to see someone you really like."

"I don't know where that is mommy."

"Who do you love more than mommy? It's a boy." Sophia gasps and I can see her bouncing up and down in her seat.

"Is it Tyler!"

"Yeah, we're gonna surprise him. Tyler's friend got us tickets and we're gonna sleep in a hotel and see Tyler after the game again. Does that sound good?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Mommy I can't wait to see Tyler again!"

"Yeah, me too Soph. I think Tyler is gonna love our surprise for him, don't you think?"

"Yeah I think he's gonna be really really happy mommy."

"I think so too." I just hope that Tyler isn't in a bad mood after the game, but I'm sure once he sees Sophia everything will be just fine.