The First Intermission

by Samantha Lind

  “Oh, I know how big and hard it can be.” She rolls over to face me. “You know, in a few months we won’t be able to lay like this without a huge belly between us,” she says, cradling the small swell of her abdomen.

  “It seems like you just popped within the last couple of days,” I observe. “Makes it feel all that more real, seeing the changes your body is making.” I place a hand on hers and trace my fingertips over her much fuller breast with my other.

  “My boobs can stop getting bigger anytime now. They’re going to be huge by the time the babies come, and then my milk comes in.”

  “I kinda dig them,” I tease her.

  “Of course you do.” She laughs, smacking me on the shoulder as her phone starts to chime on the nightstand. “Ugh. What could Derek want this early in the morning?” she says as she rolls over and grabs her phone.

  “This is Madison,” she says, answering the call. “No, you’re fine, I was up. What can I do for you today, Derek?”

  Derek is a pitcher for the local MLB team, and has been one of Madison’s biggest clients. He can be a little needy at times, but she’s also landed him some major deals over the years. I can’t imagine he’s going to take it very well when she tells him she’s leaving the agency to stay at home.

  “I’ll get the statement drawn up this morning and emailed over to you to approve by lunchtime. What made you decide to do this out of the blue?” she asks, jotting something down on the notepad she keeps on her nightstand.

  “I’m sure they’ll be ecstatic to receive such a large donation. I’m sorry to hear the reasons behind it, but it will definitely be a positive for both the children’s hospital and for your image,” she tells him before finishing up her call.

  “Everything okay?” I ask as she sets her phone down.

  “Yeah, his nephew was in a freak accident and is in the children’s hospital in his hometown. Sounds like he might be in the hospital for a few weeks as he recovers. Derek is making a large donation to them.”

  “That’s very big of him, but sucks about the nephew.”

  “He seemed positive about it, and they expect his nephew to make a full recovery. Multiple broken bones, had to have a couple of surgeries to fix some internal bleeding and set broken bones. It’ll just be a slow road.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “I guess I should get moving and head into the office. I need to get his statement and donation letter drafted by lunchtime. He wants to take the check to them this afternoon while he’s still in town with his family.”

  “Hey, man, good to see you,” I say, smacking Scott on the back. “How was your time in Alaska?”

  “It was great. Nice to just have time to sit back and do nothing. Just hung out with the family, fished, hiked some, but most of all, just relaxed and did my best to enjoy retirement.”

  “Tell me about it. I don’t know what I’m going to do with all my free time once the season starts back up. I might go stir-crazy.”

  “Any leads on a job of some kind to fill your time?”

  “I haven’t really been looking yet. Just enjoying the summer, and we’ve got some big changes happening in the next few months,” I tell him.

  “Oh yeah?” Scott says, giving me a questioning look.

  “We’re expecting,” I tell him, stalling for a second. “Twins.”

  “No shit! Congratulations. When is Madison due?”

  “March, but the doctors have already warned us that twins have a higher chance of being born early. They also won’t let her go past her thirty-ninth week.”

  “That’s awesome, man. How has she been feeling?”

  “The first few weeks were rough, but she’s getting better now.”

  “Well, it sounds like we’ll be in the newborn stage together. Becca is also pregnant again.”

  “Congratulations, man. How’s she holding up?”

  “Been a walk in the park compared to her previous pregnancies, so that’s nice. She was a little worried that something was wrong when she wasn’t experiencing all the symptoms, but everything checked out just fine when she went to the doctor the other day. She’s also already set up to see the doctor here in a few days.”

  “That’s awesome. You ready to start your new position, Coach?” I ask, transitioning our conversation.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be,” he says on a laugh. “I still can’t believe they offered me the assistant position. I figured it would take me a few years to work my way up to a position like that.”

  “Really? With as long as you led the locker room and this team? Every player that has come through those locker room doors has looked up to you and respected your authority and leadership. I can only imagine that it will roll over to you being behind the bench.”

  “I can only hope so. I’ll get my first taste as a coach at rookie camp in a few weeks.”

  “I might have to stop by and check out the new rookies. See what kind of new talent we have to look forward to.”

  “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Is Michael ready to start kindergarten?” I ask, as the rest of the guys finally walk in the door.

  “He is. Becca is a nervous wreck, but he’ll be fine.”

  “About time you guys show up,” I tease Brian, Austin, and Mark as they join us in the waiting area of the restaurant we decided on over text messages this morning.

  “Good to have you back in town,” the guys greet Scott.

  “If you guys are ready, I can seat you now,” the hostess says, approaching our group. We all follow her back to the semi-private table. We quickly take our seats, and she hands out menus. As she leaves, the waitress approaches our table, a tray of waters with her. She hands out the waters before taking our drink and appetizer orders, then leaves us to continue studying the menu.

  “Before I forget, Becca is planning a retirement-slash-new job celebration get together sometime before the new season starts. Just wanted to give you all a heads-up to be on the lookout for an invitation of some kind. I’m not exactly sure what she’s planning yet, but I’m sure she’ll be including all of your wives. Hell, for all I know, they all already know about it and are helping her plan,” Scott tells everyone.

  “I’ve got some news,” I say, reaching for my beer once we’ve all finished our lunches. “Mads and I are going to be parents. We’re having twins in the spring.”

  “No shit,” Brian says, setting his own beer down and slapping me on the shoulder. “Twins, huh? Look at you and the super sperm. Congrats, man.”

  “Thanks, the shock has worn off and we’re getting excited.”

  “Is she going to be returning to work?” Mark asks. Now I’m in a tricky position, seeing as she’s his agent.

  “Off the record, she’s planning on taking at least a few years off. She’s going to tell Brock today, so they can start working on transitioning her clients to new agents. So, I’m sure you’ll hear that officially soon.”

  “That’s great. I’ll miss having her as my agent, that’s for sure.”

  “She’s struggled the last few weeks with the decision, but ultimately doesn’t want to be away from the kids if she doesn’t have to be. She’ll make sure you’re in good hands, though.”

  “I completely understand. I’m sure Laura would have made the same decision if she could have. I think having the flexibility she has is what kept her working once the kids were born. She’s also enjoying taking longer and longer maternity leaves with each kid.”

  “You guys done?” Scott asks him.

  “Who knows. We haven’t decided for sure,” he tells him. “How about you guys?”

  “We’re adding to the family next spring, as well,” he tells everyone, a shit-eating grin on his face.

  “Damn, everyone having kids,” Austin chimes in. “I remember when we were all bachelors, sitting around, drinking beer most nights. Look at us now, sitting around at lunch, discussing kids and adding to our families.”

  “Speaking of adding to famili
es, are you on baby watch yet?” I ask him.

  “Soon, she’s got another couple of weeks. Not that she’d be mad if she went into labor now. I think she’s hit the ‘I’m ready to be done and no longer pregnant’ wall.”

  “I know that point well,” Mark says.

  “It took us forever to drive back from the beach. She was extremely uncomfortable in the car, so we stopped a lot. That, and she’s a freaking vacuum and wants to eat everything she sees,” he says on a laugh. “And her cravings are super random and weird, but I love it. She’s keeping me on my toes, that’s for sure.”

  “Nothing will top Kinley’s cravings when she was pregnant,” Brian says. “She would send me out for the weirdest concoctions.”

  “The other night, Reese had me go get her that canned cheese shit, pickles, and chips. I got it all home—she took one bite of all of it. Turned around and spit it out because she didn’t like it all together. She ended up tossing it all in the trash after that.”

  We finish up lunch, parting ways in the parking lot. As I get into my truck, my phone rings with a call from the Eagles office.

  “Hello,” I answer, not knowing who’d be calling me.

  “Richard, Daniel Johnson here. How are you doing?”

  “Doing good, how are you?”

  “Good, thanks for asking. Any chance you’ve got time to stop by the office? I’ve got a proposition to run by you.”

  “Sure, I’m actually just leaving lunch. I could head your way now, if that works?”

  “That would be perfect, I’ll see you when you get here.”

  “See you then,” I tell him as I hang up.

  Richard: Just finished lunch with the guys. I’m headed over to the Eagles office. Daniel just called and asked if I could stop by to meet with him about something. Have you met with Brock yet?”

  I shoot off the text to Madison before pulling out of my parking spot to make the drive across town. She texts me back, so as soon as I park at the rink, I pull out my phone to read it.

  Madison: I’m headed in to meet with him now. Wish me luck! I should be home around four unless something happens before then. Love you.

  Richard: I’m sure it will go fine, babe. He’ll understand why you’re leaving. I’ll meet you at home later. Love you too.

  I slip my phone back in my pocket and head inside. I’m greeted by the receptionist, Rita, as soon as I enter the office.

  “Hello, Richard. I’ll let Daniel know you’re here. He told me he was expecting you.”

  “Thanks,” I tell her, stepping away from her desk while she picks up her phone to call into his office.

  “Richard!” Daniel calls, walking out of the hall that leads back to the offices.

  “Daniel,” I greet, accepting his outstretched hand. “Nice to see you. Didn’t think I’d be back in this office so soon after retiring.”

  “Well, I’m glad you stopped by. Why don’t we head into my office,” he suggests, and I follow him down the hall. “Have a seat, how are things?”

  “Good, really good,” I tell him. “Mads and I found out we’re expecting—twins!”

  “Congratulations! That’s great news.”

  “We’re pretty excited about it. Once the shock wore off, that is.”

  Chuckling, he leans back in his chair. “I can only imagine. It’s been many years since Julie and I were having kids, seeing that our kids are having kids of their own, but I remember that shocked feeling. Just wait until they’re born. Then you’ll really be thinking, ‘what the hell did we get ourselves into’.”

  “I think we’ve had those moments already,” I tell him honestly. “We started looking at all the baby gear, and knowing we need two of everything is making my head spin. For such small people, they sure do need a shit ton of things.”

  “That they do,” he agrees. “My daughter just had her first baby and when Julie showed me the registry list, I was beside myself with how much was on it and how things had changed so much from when our kids were little.”

  “Madison has been super busy researching all the best products. She even created a spreadsheet to keep track of things.”

  “Now that’s some dedication.”

  “Or an anal-retentive wife,” I retort. “So, enough about babies and all the crap they need. What did you need to talk to me about?”

  “We’ve got a proposition for you, but first, I guess I should verify you haven’t already accepted any positions anywhere else, have you?”

  “Nope, I haven’t even entertained anything yet. I’ve been trying to enjoy my retirement for a little bit before I decide what I want to do with my time.”

  “Good. What would you say if I told you we have a position that we’d like you to consider?”

  “I’d tell you that I’d definitely consider it. Madison and I would prefer to stay here in Indianapolis, so something with the Eagles organization would definitely be a plus.”

  “That’s great news. We’ve got an opening on our broadcast team. Stewart is leaving the organization and we know you have a degree in Communications. We’d love to discuss you filling that opening and becoming our official radio broadcaster for all games.”

  “Wow, I wasn’t expecting such an offer. It’s definitely something that I’d be interested in talking more about. I’d want some time to discuss things over with Madison, since that would require me to still be on the road with the team all season.”

  “It would be the same hectic travel as you dealt with as a player, just none of the physical aspects of the games or practice.”

  “Not sure I could make it through another season as a player, getting beat up all the time on the ice.”

  “I’ve put together a job offer that I’d like to officially present to you. Take your time looking it over and get back to me in the next few days, for sure within a week, so that we can move forward if you decide the position just isn’t for you.”

  “Thanks. I’ll look over the offer and discuss it with Madison tonight.”

  He hands over a sealed envelope, and we visit a few minutes longer before I leave and head home for the day.

  Once home, I quickly change, grab Max’s leash, and head out for a run.

  We’ve been out running for about an hour when we decide to return home. Just as I’m coming up the last block before our house, I see Madison pull in the driveway.

  “Hey,” she says, smiling at me as she slides out of her car. I come to a stop a few feet from her, dripping with sweat from my run.

  “How did things go today?” I ask, pulling my shirt up to wipe the sweat from my face.

  “Better than I expected. He wasn’t shocked and said he was happy for us. What did Daniel want?”

  “He offered me a job,” I tell her as I follow her inside. I take Max’s leash off and hang it up on the hook by the door, then walk into the kitchen to grab a water bottle from the fridge.

  “He what?” she asks, shocked.

  “Stewart is leaving, and he offered me the broadcaster’s position. I have the official offer for us to look over. The salary is fairly generous, but it would require me to travel with the team.”

  “What did you tell him?” she questions, sitting down on one of our bar stools.

  “I thanked him for the offer and asked if I could get back to him. I wanted to see the official offer and have time to talk it over with you.”

  “Besides the travel, it’s the perfect job. Allows us to stay here in Indy. What is your gut instinct on it?”

  “That I should take it. With you already deciding to stay home once the babies are here, I wouldn’t feel as guilty having to be on the road so much, leaving you to juggle the kids and your job. We don’t necessarily need the money, but it will be nice to have at least one consistent salary coming in.”

  “The salary and insurance, with kids on the way, is what we definitely need to have.”

  “I hadn’t thought of that, but that’s a great point.”

  “Can I look over the offer?” s
he asks.

  “Of course. Let me grab it for you and then I’ll go take a shower. What did you want to do for dinner tonight?” I ask, stopping to drop a quick kiss to her lips.

  “I don’t know yet, I’ll think about it while you’re showering,” she says, pulling back from the kiss and looking up at me.

  I grab the envelope containing the offer and hand it over, then head to the bedroom to wash the sweat away from my run.

  A few hours later, we’re curled up, relaxing together on the couch after we grilled our dinner. “So, what did you think of the details of the offer?” I ask, sliding my hand around to rest on Madison’s small baby bump.

  “It’s a strong one, and you weren’t lying when you said the salary amount was generous. They must really want you. I don’t know that you’d have much wiggle room to ask for much more.”

  “I thought the same thing. What do you think about me taking a job that requires me to be gone as much as I’d have to be? Nothing would change on that front.”

  “Since I was prepared for you to be retired, the thought hadn’t really crossed my mind you might get a position with the team that would require you to travel a normal hockey schedule. But it also isn’t anything we’d have to adjust to once the season starts up. My suggestion is that you take the offer.”

  “And you’re okay with having me on the road once the babies are here?”

  “I’d like to think I will be. I’m sure when they come, we can get your mom to come down and stay with us for a few weeks. Plus, I’ve got my dad and Maria when they’re not out traveling all summer.”

  “Do you think I need to negotiate anything with them?”

  “I don’t think so. It’s a solid offer and if I’m being honest, they’re offering you a significantly higher amount than they’d probably offer anyone else. I don’t ever see offers like that for radio guys, best yet those going in front of the camera for their first season.”

  “So, we’re ready to commit to this?” I ask, wanting to make sure Madison is one hundred percent on board with this decision. It’s not just me I have to think of these days.