Holiday Hockey Tale: The Icebreaker’s Impasse By Ivory Row

123: Coco's Wish Part 2 Easton After that , I drive them to our office building . Dad bought this building when he first started out on his own . It's only four stories tall and he ended up having to buy the one next door later on . He kept his office here and added ours after we graduated . He said it reminds him of his humble starting roots and to never get an inflated ego . The third floor was completely empty here after that division needed to expand .

" Do you want to deliver your dad's ultrasound pictures? " Luci asks as I guide them into the elevator . " Yes but that's not why we are here ." I push the three button and we ride there . " This door over here ." I direct them . The double doors are glass . Hanging in the middle of both are two signs . One says " LH " in a fancy script and the other has a light purple background with sparkles . In the center is a heart made out of purple daisies .

Inside is a simple black desk with the same photo behind it . Beneath the flowers on this one , it reads " Luci's Heart : Fostering a Better Future . " " Easton … what is that ? " Her voice trembles . " A present you inspired . " I usher her down the hall . The girl at the desk smiles brightly at me . " Rhiannon , this is my Luci and Cole . " I introduce them . " Rhiannon grew up in foster care until she aged out also ." " It's wonderful to meet you , Luci and Cole .

I've heard so much about you two ." She beams . Luci shakes her hand speechless . I knock on the second door . " Come in ." I open it and Collins stands from behind the desk . " Hi Luci Lou . I guess your husband decided to finally bring you in and show you what we've been up to for the last nine months . " " Easton , you kept this a secret ." She stares up at me , overcome . " What …" " Let me give you the grand tour , Luci . Your husband never brags on himself enough .

" Collins grins at us . " We have about ten employees so far . All of them are former foster children . So far , we are offering ten scholarships a year for trade school to any kids who are part of the system , even if they are adopted after the age of sixteen . Five college scholarships with the same criteria . We also have the duffle bag program . We provide a duffle bag , stuffed animal and three complete clothing outfits for each child when it's needed .

It's delivered to the caseworkers and the kids get to choose the animal and duffle bag from what we have in stock 1/4 +15 Points 123 : Coco's Wish Part 2 on the website . Gives them some control back . " He begins walking down the hall and beckons with his fingers . " Now this is my favorite thing your other half came up with . " I shake my head subtly at him . He steps toward the end of the hallway into a room with two guys working at laptops . " This is the memory storage department .

" Luci immediately wraps her arms around me . " You are the best ." She is crying . " He hasn't even told you what they do . " I tilt her chin up to look at me . " I can already tell . " She points to the screen . Dad has come in and Cole spotted him . He puts his finger to his lips and Cole runs to him whispering about pictures of the baby . Dad shushes him gently . " Let Daddy show off his surprise a little and then I can't wait to see the baby .

" " We scan in all photos and attach them to their name and casefile . Also anything else like important documents or sentimental items . Like this is a letter the mom wrote as she was battling cancer . " He points to the screen . " We keep them for life . They get the items back immediately . When they turn 18 , we contact them and ask if they'd like the flashdrive or reprints of the items . They can elect to wait for them and we will mark that to contact them in three years when they turn 21.

We've been using a select group of caseworkers for the last three months to test all of this , making sure we have all the bugs ironed out before we announce it to the entire city next week at the hockey game . " " It'll be all over the screens before and after the game along with us making an announcement about it . It's fully funded already for the first year but we'll take donations from anyone that wants to help .

Hopefully , in a few years we can expand it beyond Kenton to the whole state ." I tell her softly . " You're going to do that at the hockey game ? " She asks . " Sure are . The owner really liked the idea . " Dad tells her with a big grin . Collins continues . " We just bought a building near the main admin office also . It will have rooms for art , play , and music therapy for foster kids with trauma , focus issues and so much more . There will be psychologists there too .

The foster parents can submit for grants to help with paying for all of this . If kids are in one of the orphanages , the caseworker can petition to have those services provided to them . " Luci is crying freely . " This will help so many kids ." I nod at her . " That was the goal . We can foster but that only helps one or two kids and yes that's huge to them , but I really wanted something that could impact the whole system . You can help give me more ideas .

Kingston already suggested having sports teams for them too . 2/4 +15 Points 123 : Coco's Wish Part 2 Like soccer , hockey maybe even martial arts offered there for them . A way for them to be part of a team and connect with other kids like themselves . I've already got a martial arts instructor who is very interested . The sports we need to see about buying a place for it . " " We're also going to offer it for military kids who've lost a parent or have one deployed, Luci . " Dad throws in .

" Baker asked and we thought about Barrett and Banning . They will only need submit proof of their service . " " Do Sydney and Banning know ? " She whispers tearfully . " Not yet . I wanted you to see it first . It's named for you , my love . " I whisper into her ear . " I can't ….. you can't ever leave me . Ever , Easton Reed ." Her eyes stare intently into mine . " I don't plan to . " Six weeks later , we're standing in the backyard at Dad's .

Everyone is here and we are going to have our gender reveal . Cole and Barrett are practically vibrating with excitement . Luci has no idea what she's having and chose girl to guess to be opposite of me . I have this intuition that Cole will get what he wished for . We gave him and Barrett two confetti cannons they'll set off . Banning helps Barrett get ready while I stand with Cole . " Alright baby rascals , let's see what Easton is going to be dealing with .

" Becker says as he begins the countdown . " Three … not yet Cole Reed ! " He points to him and Cole looks sheepish . " Two …. One … Go ! " They fire them off and the instant shower of blue confetti begins blowing all over the yard . " A brother ! I get a baby brother ! Can we name him Luke Skywalker Reed ? Since he's younger than me and Daddy is big Dark Vader . Luke was his son ." Cole is bouncing up and down as he fires all of that off . Everyone loses it laughing .

" I think Mommy gets to come up with some suggestions too ." I answer him , seeing her shaking her head . In the next few months after that , he helps choose the nursery decor . Every night , he talks to his baby brother . Sometimes he sings and sometimes he has me help read a book to him . Luci videos all of it . I do my best to keep her from overdoing things even when she fusses . " Sweetness , I can't carry him right now , so let me do what I can for you .

It soothes my obsessive protective husband gene . I love taking care of you two . " She'd softened immediately and gave in more which really did soothe me . About two months before her due date , she and I sit him down in the living room . " Coco , we want you to know that with the new baby coming we will be very busy taking care of him . " We've had this conversation several times to prepare him .

" That will not mean you are second 3/4 +15 Points 123 : Coco's Wish Part 2 best or not important to us . We are still going to spend as much time with you as we can . Daddy and I got you something to remind you how important you are to us . " She points to a gift bag on the cushion next to him . Inside he finds a book and a double hinged frame . One side has a picture of the three of us . The other is blank .

" We'll put a picture of you with your brother in there after he's born ." I tell him as he looks at it . He stares at the book which has a picture of a little blonde boy sitting on the moon and he's holding a little star in his hands . I read him the title Our Biggest Star . " Mommy wrote this book for you Cole . It's about a little boy who is brighter than any star in the sky because of how wonderful his heart is . One day he finds a smaller , star who has no family and no light .

The little boy takes care of him . Shows him what a big heart he has and how much love he has to share . With his help , the little star learns to glow so brightly . " " It's about me and our baby ? " He asks softly . " Yes it is . Aunt Syd drew all the pictures . It's a special book for just you . So you never forget you are our first little star and we love you to the moon and back . " Luci answers him . He hugs her and then me . " I love it . " He proclaims .

" I read it to my brother tonight . " Ivory Row I really tried to keep this to one chapter and failed miserably . Anybody catch what Luci's been up to ????