Page 128 of Your Pucking Mom

Ledger glanced back at me as he guided me around the room, holding my hand. We spent the next hour ensuring he personally thanked everyone who came, including all the kids. When we were finally able to take a breath, Ledger took me toward where the makeshift bar was and handed me a water as he grabbed a beer.

“I can’t believe you did this,” he said in awe. I shook my head just as Austin came out of the crowd toward us.

“No,” I said, opening my arms for Austin. “He did.”

Ledger’s lips curled into a smile as he grabbed Austin from me and brought him in for a hug. A hug that he held for a long time. He whispered something inaudible in his ear, and Austin pat Ledger a few times on the back. When they pulled away, both had teary eyes.

“I know you hate these sorts of things but?—”

Ledger shook his head. “No. This was special. I would’ve never asked to have done this, but I appreciate this more than you know.”

The three of us exchanged a look before Ledger grabbed my hands, interlacing his fingers in mine.

“I know that the way this happened may not have been the best way, but I’m glad you’re in our lives, Ledger,” Austin finally said, and the wetness hit my cheeks.

“Should we tell them?” Ledger asked the two of us, and we nodded.

“They’re our family, after all,” Austin added. It felt like my heart could burst with happiness, like I could leap into any chasm of joy.

This life, this family, it was beyond anything I’d ever imagined. They were always there for me and the one person missing didn’t feel like she was missing much at all. Even though Austin told me that he’d extended the invitation to my mother, and she’d declined, I was glad. I wasn’t sure if there was anything to fix between us, nor was I sure I wanted to.

Austin whistled, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Mom, Dad, mind joining us up front?” Ledger beckoned, and Sue and Pete stepped forward.

I squeezed Ledger’s hand, feeling the warmth of connection. As everyone gathered, Ledger took a deep breath, his eyes shining with gratitude and excitement.

“Wow, what a turnout,” he began, his voice filled with emotion. “I want to thank each and every one of you for being here today. It means the world to me to see all of your familiar faces, celebrating this milestone with me.”

He paused, a smile spreading across his face as he continued. “Retirement might sound like the end of one chapter, but for me, it’s the beginning of a whole new adventure. I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be starting my journey as a youth coach, and even though I won’t be on the rink with the Ravens anymore, I’ll still be working with them indirectly, nurturing the next generation of players.”

Turning to Austin, he said, “I may not love the attention on me, and never asked for this party, but this is the best way to celebrate my retirement. Thank you, Austin. Thank you for throwing this incredible party.”

But then, his gaze softened as he looked at me. “And to Auburn, my love, my life, my Sunshine,” he said, his voice catching slightly. “Thank you for being my rock, for supporting me every step of the way. I couldn’t have done any of this without you by my side.”

As murmurs of congratulations and clinking glasses filled the air, Ledger couldn’t help but share one more piece of news, a secret that had him bubbling inside with excitement.

“But wait, there’s one more thing,” he declared, his voice brimming with joy. “Getting to be the youth coach isn’t the only new adventure I’ll be going on this year. Auburn is expecting.”

His hand went to my stomach protectively as the room erupted in a combination of cheers and howls. Pete and Susan were the first two people to come up to us and give us a hug.

“Congratulations, dear,” Susan said.

“I wanted to tell you earlier, but the last few weeks I’ve been so nauseous it’s been hard to drive anywhere, so it was harder for me to get to visit you guys.” My lips twisted empathetically, but she pulled me deeper into her hug.

“I’m so excited to be a grandma,” she squealed as she pulled away before going over to Austin and giving him the same kind of hug.

“What the fuck? How could you not tell me?” Emma’s familiar voice crooned from the other side of the room. I jumped up and leaped into her arms.

“You made it!” I shouted as I held her in her arms.

“Yeah, just in time to hear some big announcement that you’re pregnant.” She pulled me away and touched my stomach.

“I’m only twelve weeks,” I said, patting on the still-soft skin.

“I’m so proud of you, friend.” She pulled me back in, and I let her hold me like she did when we were kids. But this time, I wasn’t crying in her arms because I was sad. I was crying because I was overwhelmed with the life that I had.

“You deserve all of this,” she added before we both pulled away again. “Does Austin know?”

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