Epilogue 2

Ryder’s POV (three further years later)

“Mama.” The little boy whimpered, his bottom lip trembling, as the tears threatened to come out.

I looked around the room, knowing I had a few seconds to find a distraction before the wailing began. I grabbed the miniature basketball sitting on the ground just beside me, holding it out for him, “Mama is sleeping, little man, but do you want to play with the basketball? Can you say basketball?”

“Mama.” He stated firmly, more demanding this time. I was surprised that there was no foot stamping.

“Ball!” The little girl in my lap squealed, reaching out for the ball.

Six months after I proposed to Keegan, holding my breath until she said yes, we flew to Hawaii and got married on the beach with those we loved surrounding us. There was no media circus, no fancy reception with hundreds of people around, just us and those we cared about the most. Not long after we found out, we were pregnant with twins, and life only got better when my son and daughter entered the world screaming nine months later.

Austin came out first and was definitely as stubborn and strong-willed as his mother. He had inherited my blonde hair but her eyes and was the perfect mix of the two of us. Even at eighteen months old, he was already so protective of his twin sister no one could mess with her unless it was him. But he was definitely a mommy’s boy, and when he wanted to see her, he would pitch a fit until he got his own way if you didn’t find a way to distract him.

Avery was a lot more independent than her brother. She liked to do things herself, in her own way. She was the spitting image of her mother, I didn’t get a look in with her in the looks department, but I didn’t mind. My little princess had me wrapped around her little finger.

I had been away for the last two weeks at a last-minute training camp the team wanted to do before tonight’s opening game. We had a lot of rookies starting this season, so the general manager wanted us to all bond, so Keegan had been run off her feet with trying to balance the kids and getting design time in. She refused to hire a nanny to help out with the twins. She was determined to do it all herself. I had decided that this year was going to be my last season. The contract I worked so hard to get that led me to Keegan was expiring at the end of the year, and whilst the team wanted me to sign for a further three years, I was done. I had missed so much time with my kids while I was on the road I didn’t want to miss anything else with them.

I smiled as Avery got off my lap, grabbing the squishy ball from my hand and walking as quickly as her little legs would allow to the toddler-sized basketball hoop I had set up in the room they shared and dropped it in the hoop.

I threw my hands up in the area, “That’s a three-pointer for Avery Masters. The crowd goes wild, but the crowd wants to know if Austin Masters can do it too.”

Austin looked at me sceptically, but then he walked over to where his sister was and picked up the ball before dropping it into the hoop. “Mama!”

I sighed, shaking my head at my son’s one-track mind, “You’re mama will be up soon.”

“She’s up now.” My beautiful wife called out from the doorway.

Austin giggled and ran straight into her arms while Avery continued to pick the ball up and put it in the hoop over and over. It seemed like my little princess had inherited my love for basketball, I was hoping Austin would too, but I would support him whatever his passion was.

“Sorry, did we wake you? I was trying to let you sleep.” I advised her, making sure to give Avery the praise she wanted every time she put the ball in the little hoop.

Keegan tickled Austin, “No, you didn’t. That nap was just the perfect time. You need to get ready to head to the arena.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay with these two monsters?” I queried, knowing juggling them on her own would be a challenge.

“No issue.” She promised, “Plus, Aunty Faith will be here shortly, won’t she, Austin?”

“Fae, Fae, Fae.” He screamed gleefully as he clapped his hands.

I forgot Faith was flying in from Boston today. My brainy sister got accepted to Harvard and was currently pre-law. She hoped to get accepted to their law school once she was finished with her undergraduate degree. I wished she was studying closer to home to see her more often, but she was so happy and content with her life there.

“Don’t forget she’s bringing Johnathan with her.” Keegan reminded me, and I couldn’t help but grimace. “Stop making that face. I’m sure he’s a nice boy. You promised you would be welcoming.”

I had forgotten Faith was bringing her new boyfriend. She started seeing him before school let out and cut her summer short at home to spend time with him in Florida, where his family lived. I guess I was still a little sour that she hadn’t spent all her time here.

My wife glared at me, so I held my hands up in surrender, “Okay, okay. I promise I will be on my best behaviour.”

I spent a little time helping Keegan with some things around the house, but before I knew it, it was time to head to the arena. Keegan was hanging back at the house with the kids to wait for Faith and what’s his name and would be coming in a little later.

The energy in the changerooms was electric as it always was for the season opener. The new guys were working on their nerves, and we seasoned players were all itching to get out on the court and in front of the crowd.

Michael sat beside me, doing up his sneakers, “You ready for this? It’s a lot to give up.”

I held out my fist for a fist bump. “Let’s do this.”

We made our way out to the arena, and I could hear the chanting from the crowd from a mile away. In answer to his question, yes, I was going to miss this, the crowds, the fans, the game but at the end of the day, that’s all it was, a game. Having kids now, especially at their age, made me reassess my priorities. I had had a good run with this basketball. Now it was time for a new challenge.

As I stepped onto the court, my eyes instantly when to the stands behind the home bench and searched for my wife and kids. It wasn’t hard to spot them. I saw Faith with her new boyfriend first. She was holding Austin, who was waving at me, wearing his Lakers jersey. Next, they moved to Keegan, all decked out in her own jersey, holding Avery in her arms, whose strawberry blonde hair was in tiny pigtails. She was cheering even louder than her brother. When I got closer to our bench, I studied the kids' jerseys, and something seemed a little off about them.

Keegan saw my puzzled look, so I pointed at the jersey Avery was wearing, “Is that new? You got the number wrong.”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t notice until the end of the game.” She called out, laughing.

Coach started barking orders for me to get ready, but I wanted an answer, “What’s going on?”

She smiled, turning Avery so I could see the back of the jersey. There was a big five in the centre where my number should be, and the words ‘coming in spring’ under our last name.

I shot her another look causing her to laugh more, “Come on, think about our family. You’ll get it.”

I was about to ask for a hint because I didn’t get it. What did the number five have to do with our family, but then it dawned on me. I raced quickly into the stands to my wife, the crowd going nuts as I reached her, cupping her face in my hands.

“Are you serious?” I quizzed her, ‘tell me you’re not joking.”

“I’m not joking, the doctor confirmed it last week, but I wanted to wait to surprise you went you got home.” She advised me, “We are having another baby, just one this time.”

One, two, five, I didn’t care, our family was getting bigger, and I couldn’t wait.

I leaned in to kiss her and didn’t break away until the coach barked my name making me turn to face him, “Give me a second, coach. I just found out I’m going to be a father again.”

If I thought the crowd when nuts before when I entered the stands, they were going even crazier now, and my teammates had joined them in the cheering.

“Go.” Keegan stated firmly, “You have a job to do. We can celebrate when we get home.”

“You bet your ass we are going to celebrate when we get home,” I promised, giving her one final kiss.

“Don’t be gross, Ryder.” Faith chastised, pretending to gag.

I rolled my eyes at her, “Like I don’t know what you two will get up to later.”

The only response she gave me was to poke her tongue out at me, but I saw how she instinctively reached for her boyfriend’s hand to give it a reassuring squeeze.

Coach barked one final time, and I reluctantly left my family to head back to the other love of my life. Basketball was always going to be there in the background, but my family, they were forever.