seventeen: free; we've been fighting with the clock.

Anna’s POV

song: brake by melissa mclelland

Isn’t it funny how life just seems to fall into place at exactly the right time? After all we’ve been through, the four of us, we’re finally back to where we belong. The pieces of the puzzle are right where they need to be.

Guess I should catch up. Shortly after the awards show, Ryan and I eloped- yes, for real- to Las Vegas and got married. Carey and Jules were pretty pissed that they didn’t get to go with us, but it was one of those things that we just had to do alone. It was totally worth it, too.

Naturally, things worked out for them too. Carey proposed to Jules on her birthday, and everything was great between them. Unlike us, they planned a beautiful backyard wedding. He wrote out his own vows and made everyone cry- Ryan included. Of course, he won’t ever admit to that. My only complaint is that it was too bad my bridesmaid’s dress was from a maternity store.

Speaking of that, I am proud to say Ryan was with me every step of the way through the pregnancy, and one day in the middle of December, I gave birth to the twins- a girl and a boy. The 36 hours of labour paid off, as both twins came out perfectly healthy. We named them Hanna Elise Miller and Jack Isaac Miller. Both looked exactly like Ryan. Go figure.

Julie is pregnant now, too. Carey’s heading into his first playoff run, and we’re stoked for him. So far we’ve been to every game, granted that we can tow the kids with us. We almost always make it to the Jumbotron. I’ve been helping Jules with the baby’s nursery. It’s going to be a little girl, called Ava Lynn. I’m excited for them.

As I lie here thinking, I listen to the soft breathing of Ryan next to me. In an hour, Jack will wake up and cry, followed by Hanna. In unison, we’ll get up and take to them, feeding and loving them. Our children. Our lives.

Tomorrow is Julie’s baby shower. We’re having it at our house in Buffalo. She doesn’t know that we got Ava a Buffalo Sabres jersey with the name PRICE on it. Eventually we’ll put the number of her due date on it. Carey is going to kill us.

I chuckled. Gotta love it.

Ryan reaches out and touched my arm. I turn over and look at him. He leans in, kissing me softly and whispering, “Someday, I’ll put our kids in the Cup.”

I laugh, “I’d love to see that.”

He gently kisses my belly, “All three of them.”


the end.