Chapter 63

Chapter 63
# CHAPTER 3: POWER PLAY STRATEGY

Emma stared at the pregnancy vitamins on her nightstand, willing her stomach to settle enough to take them. The morning sickness was getting worse, not better.

"Try eating crackers first," Katie suggested, appearing in the doorway with Charlotte on her hip. "It helps some women."

"Nothing helps," Emma groaned, but she reached for the saltines anyway.

Downstairs, she could hear Alek on a conference call with the NHL board, his voice tense as he discussed expansion details. They'd been tiptoeing around each other for three days since the pregnancy revelation, both trying to be supportive while privately panicking.

"Mama sick?" Charlotte asked, reaching out to pat Emma's cheek.

"A little bit, baby. But I'll be okay."

Emma managed to keep the crackers down long enough to take her vitamins, then followed Katie downstairs. Alek was pacing in his office, phone pressed to his ear.

"I understand the timeline," he was saying, "but moving my entire family in two weeks isn't realistic."

Emma paused in the doorway. This was the first time she'd heard him push back on the Toronto deadline.

"Yes, I'm aware of the contract stipulations," Alek continued, his tone growing sharper. "But I'm also aware that good leadership requires more than just following orders."

Katie raised her eyebrows at Emma, clearly impressed by Alek's backbone.

When Alek finally hung up, he looked exhausted.

"How did it go?" Emma asked.

"They're not budging on the timeline. Two weeks, or they'll consider it a breach of contract."

Emma's heart sank. "What does that mean?"

"It means I could lose the job entirely." Alek sat heavily in his desk chair. "Unless I can prove that relocating immediately would cause undue hardship to my family."

"Well, it would," Emma said immediately. "I'm pregnant with our third child, we have two toddlers, and my business is based here."

"That's what I told them." Alek looked up at her hopefully. "Would you be willing to speak to the board? Explain why the move needs to happen more gradually?"

Emma hesitated. Getting involved in Alek's career decisions felt like crossing a line they'd carefully maintained. They'd always kept their professional lives separate.

"What would I say exactly?" she asked.

"The truth. That you're building something important here, that the children need stability, that a sudden move would be disruptive for the whole family."

Emma nodded slowly. "Okay. If you think it would help."

Relief flooded Alek's face. "Thank you. The call is tomorrow at two."

But that evening, Emma's assistant called with news that changed everything.

"Netflix wants to meet," Lisa said excitedly. "They're interested in documenting the women's league for a series. This could be huge, Emma."

Emma's pulse quickened. A Netflix deal would legitimize women's hockey in ways they'd never imagined.

"When do they want to meet?"

"Tomorrow at two."

Emma's heart sank. The same time as Alek's board call.

"Can we reschedule?" she asked.

"They're flying back to Los Angeles tomorrow night. It's now or never."

Emma closed her eyes, feeling torn in two directions. Alek needed her support with the board. But this Netflix opportunity could change everything for women's hockey.

"I'll call you back," she told Lisa.

She found Alek in the nursery, reading bedtime stories to Charlotte and Frankie. Both children were curled against him, Charlotte's thumb in her mouth, Frankie clutching his stuffed bear.

"And the little elephant found his way home," Alek finished, closing the book.

"Again!" Charlotte demanded.

"Tomorrow night, sweetheart. Time for sleep."

After they tucked the children in, Emma followed Alek to their bedroom.

"I have a problem," she said.

Alek looked up from his laptop. "What kind of problem?"

Emma explained about the Netflix meeting, watching Alek's expression shift from understanding to disappointment.

"So you can't be on the board call," he said flatly.

"I could try to do both, but—"

"But the Netflix meeting is more important."

"That's not what I said."

Alek closed his laptop with more force than necessary. "You didn't have to say it. I can read between the lines."

"Alek, this could be huge for women's hockey."

"And the board call could save my career. But I guess that's less important."

Emma felt her temper flare. "That's not fair."

"Isn't it?" Alek stood up, beginning his familiar stress-pacing pattern. "I ask for your help with one thing, and you immediately find a reason why you can't do it."

"It's not like that."

"Then what is it like, Emma? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're prioritizing your career over mine. Again."

The accusation stung. "When have I ever—"

"The league launch party. You missed my first major speech as Commissioner because of a sponsor dinner."

"That was important—"

"So was my speech! But you decided your thing was more important."

Emma stared at him, hurt blooming in her chest. "I've supported your career from day one."

"Have you? Or have you just not actively sabotaged it?"

The words hung in the air between them, cruel and cutting.

"I can't believe you just said that," Emma whispered.

Alek's anger deflated immediately. "Emma, I didn't mean—"

"Yes, you did." Emma's voice was steady despite the tears threatening. "You meant it, or you wouldn't have said it."

She turned toward the bathroom, but Alek caught her arm gently.

"Wait. Please. I'm stressed about the board, and I took it out on you. That wasn't fair."

Emma looked at his face, seeing genuine regret there. But the hurt was still fresh.

"I've never sabotaged your career," she said quietly.

"I know. I'm sorry I said that."

"And I do support you. Maybe not perfectly, but I try."

"I know that too." Alek pulled her closer. "I'm scared, Emma. This job means everything to me, and I feel like it's slipping away."

Emma leaned into his embrace, feeling some of her anger fade. "The board will understand about the timeline. You're valuable to them."

"Am I? Because lately it feels like they're looking for reasons to get rid of me."

"Why would they do that?"

Alek was quiet for a long moment. "There are rumors that some of the older owners don't like having a former player as Commissioner. They think I'm too close to the players' perspective."

This was news to Emma. "Since when?"

"Since always. But it's getting worse." Alek's arms tightened around her. "If I can't convince them that Toronto is workable, they might use it as an excuse to push me out entirely."

Emma felt the weight of his fear, and suddenly her own Netflix meeting seemed less important.

"I'll call Lisa," she said. "See if we can move the Netflix meeting to the morning."

"You don't have to—"

"Yes, I do. We're partners, remember?"

Alek's smile was grateful and relieved. "Thank you."

But when Emma called Lisa, the response was disappointing.

"They have meetings all morning," Lisa explained. "It's two o'clock or nothing."

Emma looked at Alek, who was pretending to read but clearly listening to every word.

"Let me think about it," Emma told Lisa. "I'll call you back in an hour."

After hanging up, Emma sat on the bed next to Alek.

"They can't reschedule," she said.

Alek nodded, not looking up from his book. "I figured."

"So I have to choose."

"Seems that way."

Emma studied his profile, trying to read his emotions. "What would you do? If you were me?"

Alek finally looked at her. "I'd choose whatever felt right for our family long-term."

"That doesn't help."

"Sure it does." Alek set his book aside. "Emma, I want you to support me. But I also want you to build something amazing with women's hockey. Those things don't have to be mutually exclusive."

"They are tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, yes. But not forever."

Emma leaned against his shoulder, thinking. Netflix could open doors she'd never imagined. But Alek needed her tomorrow, and their marriage was already strained.

"What if I did both?" she said suddenly.

"How?"

"What if I joined your board call from the Netflix offices? I could support you remotely, then do the Netflix meeting right after."

Alek considered this. "That could work. If you're sure you can manage both."

Emma wasn't sure of anything lately. But she was sure that finding ways to support each other was the only path forward.

"I can manage both," she said, hoping it was true.

"Okay then." Alek kissed her forehead. "We'll make it work."

But as they settled into bed, Emma couldn't shake the feeling that trying to do everything was a recipe for doing nothing well.

Some days, being a Mitchell felt like more burden than blessing.

Tomorrow would test whether she was strong enough to carry it all.