All The Missing Pieces [Completed] [Watty's 2021]

chapter 27

The girls and I sat in my hotel room eating the take out pizza we got. We just lost the second game in the Stanley Cup. We are now tied 1-1. "So how are you doing Zoey?" I turned to Brooklyn and shrugged. We just calmed Nora down from her wedding gown malfunction breakdown.

"Okay. I mentioned to Griff when we talked about him being clingy, how it was my fault. He told me it wasn't." I set the crust down on my plate and wiped the grease off on a napkin. "I think I'm coming to terms with the memory loss of Griff not being my fault. But it's still hard to think that I didn't put him through a heartbreak." Molly made her way over to me and plopped onto the bed.

"You know, maybe you did put him through a heartbreak, but that just means that his heart was completely yours to begin with." I scrunch my nose up. This is taking an odd turn. Julianne was still with Nora rubbing her back as well as Marria but they both nodded at that. "I get that this sounds crazy, but you have his whole heart. He gave it to you. He is utterly in love with you. Trust me when I say this. Even if you should have that guilt hanging over your head forever, you won't be able to be fully in love with him too."

She's right. I need to find a way to let all this guilt go.

▶△◀

We ended up winning the next two games. Then lost putting us at 3-2. There is a lot of confusion on who will pull this through. The other team could easily dominate the next two games and pull it off to win the cup. A lot of the predictions are too close to call who will win this. Last year it was clear that Boston was going to win. There was no doubt about it. This year? It's been quite the fight.

Henry already offered me my spot back next year. He's so impressed with the quality of the pictures he decided to throw a few more thousand into my contract. I thought that was a crazy stunt, but Henry told me that I deserved it and he'd be damned if I wasn't getting compensated for producing content and interacting with fans the way I deserved.

We are back home for the game tonight, the cup is in the building just in case the team gets their shit together long enough for us to win. I made my way around the arena asking fans if they minded if I took their pictures. The fans are energetic as all hell tonight. I think their hype will get the team a bit more pep in their step. I smiled as I saw a little boy dressed up as a player.

The team took the ice for warm ups and I made my way to the bench, snapping some shots that I can quickly go post to get those watching or listening from home engaged. Tonight is about to be crazy.

It's the third period and we're tied 3-3. I held my breath as we got a penalty. Coach looked pissed at Cole for doing what he did. Even Cole was frustrated with himself. The opposing team has been instigating us all night. The team had a power play for two minutes of the last four. Stakes are pretty high right now.

Coach looked too pissed off for me to motion to come on the bench to snap pictures, so I just found a spot nearby while we played defense for two straight minutes. The puck hit the goal post like three times scaring the fans each time. We couldn't mess this up. When Cole got back on the ice he bolted for the puck and managed a turn over. The lines changed and Griffin made his way off the ice. I hope they put him back in. I caught Coach's eye and he quickly opened the door. I was quick and quiet as I stood between him and the assistant coach. I snapped some shots but ended up pausing to watch us put pressure on their defense.

We lost possession and Coach put line one back on the ice. Griffin worked to take the puck away from their center and managed a breakaway. He skated down the ice, did his hop, psyched out three opposing team players, missed the goal and back shot the puck into the top corner of the net. The crowd's screams were crazy. And I managed to pick up the camera halfway through. I smiled as I saw the time on the clock. 4.8 seconds. The crowd stayed standing as they let out chants while the clock ran down.

They did it. They just won the cup. Nordique players swarmed the ice. I sat on the wall of the temas bench and took some shots of the team celebrating. Media started to come onto the ice and I made my way to the center of it all. Frederick saw me coming and yelled to the team. "LET ZOEY IN!"

"Zoey get this shot!" I laughed as Mattey and Felix dragged me into the middle. I made sure to catch the angle they wanted. They lifted Griffin and Eddie up in the air and had them holding the trophy. I back out from the middle and took a few more shots with fans slapping the glass in the background. I let out a huge grin when I caught Griffin staring at me.

While the team celebrated some more I stepped a few feet back to look through my

pictures. What I'm seeing so far is great. I turned to take a few more and saw Griffin and coach talking. I snapped photos of Griffin quickly skating back while the team managed to find a jug of gatorade to dump on coach. I let out a laugh at that one.

The two teams lined up and congratulated each other. I got a few pictures of that as well. I smiled as the team aimlessly skated around the ice in awe of what just happened. "Lovey!" I looked up at that nickname and made my way to Griffin. He skated over to me and picked me up with ease, skating across the ice. "Lovey we did it." I smiled at him as he set me down on the ice and kissed him.

"That you did, Griff. Your goal too." I winked at him and he shook his head.

"The DG move." I smiled up at him and leaned on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. I heard Eddie call out and I turned around to see him skating towards us. I let him hug me and laughed when he let out a little scream.

When he put me down I noticed a few fans pointing at us. I thought it was weird so I looked to Eddie but he only had a shit eating grin on his face. "Eddie what-"

"Lovey?" I turned around and caught Griffin down on one knee. Instantly I knew what this crazy man was going to do. I squatted down on the ice with a squeal coming out of my mouth. Griffin laughed at my reaction and I felt the happy tears roll down my face.

"Griffin! Everyone can see this-" he let out a loud laugh at my reaction. Eddie helped me stand up and moved me to standing in front of Griff. I heard the calls of the girls and guys behind us. I shook my head at the whole scene. I looked behind him to the people waving and let out a sob at Glora, Derek, mom, and dad.

"Zoey Lila Miller. I bought this ring my sophomore year of college. Damon thought I was absolutely nuts to propose to you as young as we were." The whole arena and nation is probably looking at us right now. "Damon told me it was too cheesy to propose on our six year anniversary, so I held off. I was going to do it when I came back for the summer." I bit my lip at that thought. He was committed to the rest of our lives and I forgot about him-- oh, that's what Damon meant about giving me his blessing. He knew Griffin wanted to spend the rest of his life with me.

"It doesn't matter how much time has passed, because I know my heart beats for you and only you." He grinned at that and slowly stood up. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife, lovey?" I nodded aggressively unable to find my words. I moved to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. He picked me up and even though I could hear the entire stadium clapping and congratulating us, all I could focus on was Griff.

"Griffin Carver Hodgkins how dare you do that so publicly." I scolded. He chuckled and brought us to the opening in the rink where our parents are. He set me down on the ground and kissed me gently.

"I couldn't hold back any longer." He winked and I was going to scold him until Gloria wrapped me up into her arms. I hugged her back equally and my mom cupped my face when we let go. Griffin was celebrating the win of the cup with my dad and his. He even brought them onto the ice to check it out. I smiled up at Gloria who had to wipe her tears away.

"Zoey, you make him so happy." I smiled at that and gave her hand a squeeze. "I have already seen the ring, but it's been some time so," she picked up my hand and let out a little sigh of happiness when she looked at it. I felt my heart soar when I looked at it too.

"Mrs. Hodgkins." My mom whispered in my ear. I rolled my eyes at that but laughed anyway. I'm Griffin's whole world and he is mine.