"mat, you are being ridiculous. it is 2am." you spoke rubbing his hand.

"what if i'm not a good dad, y/n?" he said timidly, rubbing your 8 month pregnant stomach.

"mathew, mathew, my sweet mathew." you said turning towards him. "you will be the best father ever. you are so loving and supportive and helpful."

"i'm not home very often during the season though." mat continued to worry.

"i know you aren't home very often during hockey season, but when you are home i know you will make it count and shower our baby girl with love because you will be the best dad in the world, mathew barzal. i have a strong feeling that she's going to be a daddy's girl." you assured him.

mat smiled his adorable smile.

"that would be nice. i promise to try to make mommy's life a little easier when i am home." mat said looking from the baby to you. you smiled.

you thought it was cute that mat was worried about being a good dad. you knew he wanted best for his soon to be born little girl. apparently, it really hit him at 2am that he was extremely worried about being a good dad. you were very thankful that the baby was going to be born in the off season so it was guaranteed mathew could be with you during the birth of your first child.

"mat?"

"yes honey."

"now that you woke up your very pregnant wife at 2am, could you go get her water and literally anything to eat cause she is very hungry?" you said. mat chuckled and sat up.

"yes. do you want me to bring anything in particular?" he asked.

"um. chips and pickles, please."

"i'll be back." he said walking to the kitchen.

"thank you love." you yelled.

as quick as he could, he was back from the kitchen with a wide variety of snacks.

"oh my god. you brought the cheez-its? i love you so much." you said sitting up.

"i think you love food more than me." mat pouted.

"i'm 8 months pregnant but i don't think that's possible because i wuv you."

"i love you too y/n and little baby." mat said to you and then your baby bump.

after having to share your snacks with mathew and talking for a while, you finally got mat calmed down enough to get him back to sleep.

"good night"

"good night mat."

mathew was the greatest dad and husband you could ever ask for. even though he was gone so often he still found ways to make sure both you and your 6 year old, sophea feel very loved. it was heartwarming to walk into the the house to see mat braiding sophea's hair. yes, he did learn how to do hair just for sophea. life had a perfect balance, it was perfect. anything was perfect when mat and sophea were with you.

everything is better with you.