Staal [A Jordan Staal Story] Forty-Seven

After the All-Star break, in which the East won it all, it was back onto the road. Everyone was in Tampa, the morning skate had just ended, and Miriya came down from the commentator's box where she had been setting up for that night's game. She walked into the locker room and froze in her tracks. All of the guys were hula hoping and she just stood and waited. After a while she made a catcall and all of the hula hoops fell to the ground.

"Hey there sexy," Kris said.

"Hey baby," she said and gave him a hug. Jordan cleared his throat and Miriya turned to him, Kris' arms still around her. "Hey baby."

"Hey love of my life," he said pulling her from Kris' grasp. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Doesn`t work as well as it used to, this gets in the way," she said pointing to her now rather large stomach. He carried her over to his stall where they sat down and she turned to the side. She ran her fingers through his sweaty hair and left a kiss on his cheek. Her hands found their place around his neck as she looked into his seductive blue eyes. "You know Kris and I are just joking around, right?"

"Yes baby, it`s just like Michelle and Colby, and I`m completely fine with it."

"Good, I love you."

"I love you too," he pulled her lips to his.

There were some catcalls and Miriya pulled away with a smile. "Boys you can`t tell me that you`ve never seen it before."

"True, I want some," Kris said with a smile.

"Ok, come get some," she said patting the bench next to her. The whole team watched as Kris made his way over to the stall and sat down next to Miriya. She put her arms around his neck, stared into his eyes, and kissed his cheek. At this the whole team cheered.

"Way to go Tanger!" Bugsy said with a smile.

Later that night they had boarded the plane and shortly after take-off Jordan had gone to talk to Ryan a few seats up. Miriya, who was sitting by the window, looked out at the gorgeous night sky and let her mind wander.

It was about a week before classes started Miriya`s freshman year at Robert Morris; she had woken up that morning to a text from Jordan. 'Morning baby, meet me outside to go get your late b-day present. I love you.'

"Hello?"

"Hey baby, what time are we going to get my present?"

"Whenever you`re ready…"

A little while later Jordan pulled into the drive-way, Miriya, who had been waiting in the tree house, met Jordan in the side yard. "So I know that you`re starting classes next week, and that you`re staying there. But you`ll need a way to get down to games, so I`m taking you to get your car."

"My car?" she asked as they pulled into a Ford dealer.

"Your car," he stopped next to a 2005 silver Mustang GT convertible. They got out of the car and Miriya ran her hand along the hood of the shiny sports car.

"This is really my car?" Miriya asked. Jordan nodded and she jumped into his arms. "You are the best boyfriend ever!"

After signing all the papers Miriya had the keys in hand and revved the engine. She ran her hand along the steering wheel and the gear shift with a wide smile. Jordan was in his car, Miriya in hers, and they both made their way to his house.

The long drive-way that was surrounded in trees awaited them back at Jordan's house. Miriya had gotten there first and was sitting on the hood of her new car when Jordan pulled into the gravel drive-way. "Hey baby, how's the new car?" he asked climbing up onto the hood next to her.

"It handles like a dream, it shifts so smoothly, thank you so much."

"Anything for you babe."

Miriya smiled as Jordan kissed her and leaned her back against the windshield. 'I`ve always wanted to make-out on the hood of a car,' she thought.

"Miriya, Miriya," Jordan`s voice snapped her back into reality.

"Huh?"

"I asked what you were thinking about?"

"Oh, I was thinking about the day I got my car."

"That was a good day, it ended something like this," he ran his hand a long her cheek then kissed her.

"Come on Gronk you already did enough, I mean in a month you`re gonna have a baby," Crush said with a laugh.

"Sorry Erik I thought you`d be used to it."

"Don`t say what Kris did please, it`s bad enough she`s with him," Jordan said with a smile.

"You don`t have to worry about me man, remember I have a wife and kid waiting for me. "

The eighth came and most of the team was at the arena, there was no practice and no game that night, but it was a special day. Miriya, Jordan, Geno, Marc, and Will stood out on the ice.

"You ready Flower?" Will, who was standing just inside the hash, asked.

"Yep, let her rip!"

"Fleury stands strong; Will Malone is just inside the hash, he winds up, no it`s a fake, he goes into a wrist shot and beats Marc-Andre Fleury top shelf," Miriya said from along the boards.

As soon as the puck hit the twine Will raised his stick, pumped his fist, and high fived everyone on the ice.

"He gets more like you everyday," Abby said putting her arm around Ryan who was sitting on the boards.

"Are you gonna announce for me when I`m older?" Will asked Miriya.

"I would love to sweetheart; three generations of Malone's in the Penguins' organization would be amazing."

"YAY!" he said excitedly and skated over to the bench. "Mommy, daddy, I`m gonna be a Penguin when I grow up!"

About an hour later everyone decided to go to the locker room to get cleaned up before Will's party. As soon as Miriya stepped onto the runway she was pulled aside by Ryan. "What have you been telling my son?" he asked with a laugh.

"Just that I want him to make the team when he`s old enough; `cause I`d love to announce for another Bugsy."

"Don`t get his hopes up Staalsy."

"Hey your dad played for the Guins, you play for them, and he has the skills and eleven years to wait."

"I love ya Staalsy," he said putting his arms around her.

"Love you too Bugsy."

'Ring, ring' the house phone rang as Miriya & Jordan walked into the living room. "Hello?"

"Hey Jordan is Miriya there?"

"Yea hang on, Miriya, Laura's on the phone."

Miriya picked up the cordless phone from the coffee table, "Hello?"

"Hey, I finished the new video for the jumbo-tron; do you wanna see it before I give it to management?"

"Sure you wanna come over tomorrow?"

"Ok, I`ll see you then."

The next morning Miriya woke up to find that it was still dark outside, Jordan was sleeping and the baby was kicking. She put her hands on her stomach and smiled. "Not much longer little guy," Jordan turned but was still sleeping. "Your daddy love you so much," she said looking at Jordan, "and I love him." Jordan was now laying on his back; she lay her head on his chest and listened to his calming heart beat. The baby had stopped kicking, but Miriya couldn`t fall back asleep.

"Morning baby," Jordan said putting his arms around her a few minutes later, "the baby wake you up again?"

"Yea, one more month baby," she said with a smile.

"I can`t wait you`re gonna be a great mom."

"And you`re gonna be a great daddy," she kissed the tip of his nose. They were now sitting and their lips met; the passion was the same as on the day that Jordan had asked her out.

"So I know we haven`t talked about it much, but we need to think of a name for the little guy."

"Or girl," Jordan said.

"True, Liam? Nah I went to school with a kid named Liam. How about Scott, he can have the same nickname as me."

"Aww you`re so cute baby, I like that name. Middle name?"

"Well I`d say we could use your`s but your parents decided to give your brothers one but not you."

"Not my fault and Eric has two," he said now frowning. "Eric Joseph Brent."

"It`s ok baby, not having a middle name makes you special."

"Good special or bad?"

"Good, what about Michael?"

"No that`s Jared's, James?"

"No that my brother's middle name. Patrick?"

"Scotty Patrick, I like it. What if it`s a girl though?"

"Hailey?"

"Hailey…Marie?"

"I love it, and I love you."

They spent the rest of the morning in bed and then Jordan made brunch. Just as he was setting the orange juice on the table the door bell rang.

"I`ll get it," Nik said getting up off the couch. "Hey Laura, they`re in the dinning room."

"Hey Laura, I`ll grab another plate," he said grabbing a fourth plate from the cabinet in the kitchen.

After eating breakfast Laura set up her laptop on the coffee table and pushed play. "Boys of Winter" started to play as the Penguins' emblem stood on a black background. The American flag blew in the wind outside the arena as excited fans walked in. Each player came up with their name in gold as Miriya`s voice was heard saying their name. It showed clips of each player on the ice and in the locker room. After the last player was shown in the locker room the emblem came up again and Miriya said, "Pittsburgh Penguins' hockey is it in you?"

"I love it, especially the part with me," Miriya said.

"You could so be the in-house announcer," Jordan said.

"But then I wouldn`t be able to be on the road with you guys," she rested her head on his chest.

He rested his hand on her stomach and the baby started to kick again, "Little Scotty's awake again, or Hailey."

"Hello…oh hey Erin…sure I`ll see ya soon…love you too…bye."

"You gonna be back for dinner?" Jordan asked.

"I`m not sure I`ll call if I`m not gonna be here."

"I`m gonna go too," Laura said putting her laptop away.

Both Nik and Laura left and Miriya sat down on the couch. Jordan lifted her legs, sat down, and started to massage her feet. "Thank you baby, I`m gonna take a nap."

"Sweet dreams, I love you," he said kissing her hand.

"Love you too," she said and drifted peacefully off to sleep.

The next month went well, games went as usual, the three girls continued to get larger, and Miriya and Michelle looked as though they were going to pop.

March fifth came and with it practice at the arena. "Staalsy can you help me find something?"

"Yea sure babe, what are you looking for?" They walked into the closet and the door clicked closed behind them. "Oh shit does anyone know we`re in here?"

"I don`t think so, lemme try calling someone," he pulled out his cell phone. "Ok no service in here."

"That`s good, wait why are we sitting in the dark?" she flipped the light switch but nothing happened. "Ok, we`re gonna sit in the dark."

They sat there for a while talking about all the time they had known each other, after all Kris was a rookie when Miriya and Jordan started dating.

"So if you had a choice, if you wouldn`t have dated Jordan that is, who on the team would you have gone out with?"

"You baby," she said with a smile.

"Really?" Miriya couldn`t see his face, but she could tell that he was blushing.

"Yea baby, I love you," she said just before Kris pulled her onto his lap. She kissed him gently on the cheek and lay her head against his chest.

They talked for a little longer then they just sat silently listening to each other's heart beat and calm breathing.

"Kris we have a problem!" He looked up but could barely see her face. "My water just broke; this baby is coming and coming soon!" They both stood up and started banging on the door. "Jordan, Jordan, SOMEONE, ANYONE!" Miriya screamed.

After about five minutes the door finally opened. "How long have you two been in there?" Army asked. "And what were you two doing?"

"Colby not funny right now, I need Jordan and we need to go."

Jordan came running to the doorway and grabbed her hand, "Baby what`s wrong?"

"I`m in labor and we need to go to the hospital…NOW!!!"

He helped her to the car and into the backseat. Kris got into the backseat with her to try and keep her calm while Jordan on the other hand tried to stay within ten miles of the speed limit until they got the to the hospital.

"Push, push!" the doctor said.

"Come on baby you can do it," Jordan said holding her hand tightly.

One last push and the baby was out, Miriya and Jordan both smile and caught their breath.

"It`s a boy," the doctor said causing Jordan's smile to widen. The doctor let him cut the umbilical cord just before the nurse took him to get cleaned up. She wrapped him in a blue blanket after weighing and measuring him. Miriya was sweaty, her hair was a mess, and she was incredibly tired. Jordan sat down on the bed next to her & wrapped his arms around her; she rested her head on his chest and smiled.

"We`re parents."

"We`re parents," she said as the nurse brought the baby back over.

"Seven pounds, six ounces and twenty inches…he`s a very healthy baby."

He fit perfectly into her arms and all she could do was smile. "Hey there Scotty," she said looking down at the little angel she held in her arms. She fell asleep and Jordan took Scott into his strong arms. A little while later he put him down in his little bed.

'Knock, knock' Jordan quickly went to the door where he found Cassie and Geno waiting to come in. "Hey guys," he whispered. "they`re both sleeping."

They came into the room and sat down next to the bed. Jordan picked Scotty up and placed him in Cassie`s arms. "Aww he`s so cute," she said showing him to Geno.

Miriya sat up in bed, "He looks just like his daddy doesn`t he?" He started to cry and Cassie stood to hand him to Jordan.

"Here let me hold him," Geno said taking him from Cassie. As soon as he was in Geno`s arms the room fell silent again.

"You`re gonna be such a good daddy," Cassie said placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Kris who had been waiting patiently made his way to the room and poked his head in the door. "Come on in Kris," Miriya said smiling sweetly. As he came into the room she patted the spot on the bed and he sat down next to her. Again Scott started crying, "Here`s he`s probably hungry I`ll take him"

Geno put him in Miriya`s arms and she feed him. When he was done eating he fell asleep, "Kris do you want to hold him?"

"Sure," he took the baby from her arms and smiled.

Throughout the rest of the night until visiting hours were over the entire team came to see it`s newest member. When about half the team was in the room Sam decided to speak up, "So what`s his full name?"

"Scott Patrick Staal," Miriya and Jordan said in unison staring at the baby in Jordan`s arms.

The next afternoon Scott was in his car-seat in the back of Jordan`s Escalade and the Staal family was on their way home. They walked through the front door and Scott`s eyes fluttered open.

"Welcome home little guy," Jordan said and put the car-seat down by the couch. "I love you baby and this beats the Stanley Cup any day. The day I raised that over my head was my greatest day as a hockey player, this is my greatest day as a father."