Bonus Epilogue – CodyI watch Immi holding our baby boy, who we called Miles, he’s just three months old and Immi is a natural mother. My heart swells watching her holding him in her arms whilst her mother fusses around her.Her father slaps me on the back, “you did us proud, Cody. I couldn’t wish for a better man for my grandbaby and little Summer. That girl is a firecracker, she’s got you eating out of the palm of her hand.”“Don’t I know it, Sir. My boy will be the same.” We chuckle as we watch my Minnesota team enjoy a few colds ones on the grass that leads down to the lake out back of my Lake home. Immi and I are back now, we’ve come full circle from the first moment she came back into my life to be my nutironist and the sparring of words that took place back then.Who’d have thought that in just two years I’d be married to my gorgeous wife, have a baby girl who totters around everywhere and is obsessed with her baby brother and a baby boy. We plan on going for six kids, hell I’d
Cody“For fuck’s sake.” I mutter as I try to jam my kit into my bag. It’s the same bag I use all the time for travel, and the very same bag that I’ve used for the last few years so why the hell isn’t it going right this morning?Right, you know why? Because I still haven’t heard from Immi. It’s been a long fucking four weeks and I’ve not had a response to any of my messages and she keeps avoiding my calls. I’m going crazy here and my heart is hanging on a thread.The loss and loneliness are beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. Literally, I feel torn up and damaged. I have even cried. Yeah, that’s right. Cody Brannigan the golden boy of NHL has been ugly crying. No one has seen it, naturally. I tend to do it at night when I’m laying in a lonely hotel room or when I’m back home alone in my bed.If you ever told me someone could die of a broken heart a few months ago, I’d have laughed in your face. Trust me, I think this is what is happening to me. I can’t hardly eat; my game is off, a
Imogen It doesn’t totally suck being back with my folks, it’s just you know, not what I had anticipated. Still, it is only another week, and I can move into the unit above my restaurant.Dad has been a life saver. There wasn’t too much we needed to do, the owners had made sure it was all cleaned and with the fresh paint, all I really needed to do was put my touch on it and it’s already looking like a proper girl’s den. It’ll be my den.I also met with the bank manager here in town and he has put me on a programme where I can get a grant for certain things, we’re going to install a solar system to eventually bring costs down for electric and dad said it would be better for me to go off grid for gas because it was cheaper than having the standard monthly rates.I’m currently in my childhood bedroom laying on the bed and staring up at the ceiling where my fairy lights are still hanging. And you know what, my heart still hurts after a whole month of being away from Cody. God, I miss him
CodyI couldn’t resist driving past where her folks live, I have to see her even if she doesn’t want to see me. My heart has never hurt before, never like this in any case. Sure, when I was a kid and our pet dog passed away, I was beside myself. He and I were buddies, like best buddies and my folks had brought Luka home when he was just twelve weeks old, and I was around the age of two.Luka and I had formed a bond from an early age and that dog was my entire life. Everywhere I went he came with me except to the rink. He slept with me at night on my bed and boy could that dog snore. Dad used to say we were inseparable and for the most part we were. It wrenched my heart out when I lost him, and it took me a long time to get over the loss of him.Some days, it still gets to me. You can’t love an animal like Luka the way I did and not have shit days over his loss even seven years on. So, when I say my heart is shattered over Immi, trust me it seriously is.I’ve parked up opposite her hou
ImogenI am having heart palpitations, just seeing Cody has messed with my head and my body. The draw to him is inexplicable, I told you already before he is like a drug and I am so hooked on him, yet I can’t relent. I need everything with this baby business and Luna to be sorted out. I can’t put myself through all the shit that he has coming his way right now and I know Luna from all the games she has attended, the way she hangs around all the hockey guys not to mention her post outs, that she is gunning for Cody and to be hooked up with him.But seeing him sitting in his car, his tousled dirty-blonde hair, not knowing whether he should smile or not, it has wrenched my heart and now I’m sitting in my car driving to the restaurant welling up. Why can’t I just go to him and tell him it will be alright? I want it to be alright but for some reason I have this stubborn streak inside me that won’t allow it.I have to focus on my business, I have to make it happen this time. After flopping
CodyI’m just about to board the flight and coach is scowling at me, yeah, he’s been doing a lot of that lately. I promise I’m going to try to clean my ice act up, this is not a game I want to throw away because I’m hurting and angry inside. There’s too much hanging in the balance. If we don’t make it through this game as winners, then we’re out of the cup final and that is definitely not something I want hanging over my head.“Sorry coach. Had something to do.” I tell him.“You are walking a thin line, Brannigan.” He tells me as I pass him and go take my seat at the back. Atlas, Calli and Nolan are already in their seats and the rest of the team. As usual it’s pretty raucous, everyone gets hyper excited before a game. We’ll land in Winnipeg around an hour and twenty minutes after take-off, for once it’s not a long flight.Thankfully, coach hasn’t imposed a training session tonight. Sometimes, he wants us to dump our stuff at the hotel then get straight to the rink. It can be exhausti
ImogenMy heart skips a beat as I read his message. He’ll be there, and even though I’m the one who put this break in place I have to say I cannot wait to see him. I miss everything about Cody.His smile, the way his gorgeous eyes light up when he sees me and the desire in them when we’re being intimate. I miss the way he calls me baby and darlin’. Everything I miss. I’ve never felt so alone even though most of the time I have people around me.I turn as I hear the door open. It’s Johann, the guy who is here to do the wording on the sign outside. “Hi Johann. How are you?” I ask as he steps inside holding what looks like a small black, leather case. I’m guessing his brushes and kit are in it.“Hello Imogen. I’m good. How are you? Excited?” He is tall, around six feet I’d say with broad shoulders and narrow hips. His shades are perched on top of his head, even though it’s already fall it is sunny outside. In fact, it’s a really crisp and clear day. My favorite kind. I just love the fall
CodyThankfully, we don’t have the night to be on the rink. For once, coach has decided we could do with some rest since we’ve been playing our games back-to-back it seems, sure we have had a few down days here and there but trust me, going for the Stanley Cup is no walk in the park.I lay on the hotel room bed, it’s a king size and even though I’m a big guy, there’s still plenty of room. It feels empty without Immi by myside. Will I get used to this? I don’t ever think I will, but I am slightly lifted by the fact that in a couple of weeks I’ll be standing close to her at the restaurant opening. Or maybe she just wants me there to bring in the numbers and to enhance the following and social media following.Nah, not Immi, she’s better than that. She must have asked me because she wants to see me and misses me too. I let my mind wander to her beautiful, arresting smile, the way her eyes crinkle when she laughs and that little piglet snort thing she has going on when she is in hysterics