On Ice

OI Chapter 30

Friday Evening, Detroit

It had seemed like a good idea when I’d had it, always one to help a bud out; I thought it’d been some sort of sign when I’d looked at one of those You-Are-Here Maps in the Detroit’s GM Renaissance Center. Granted I’d dragged Kale here on a mission to find a new razor, but as soon as I’d seen the listing for the jewellery store, my mission was aborted. Grabbing Kale by the suit tie, he quickly finished up his call with my sister and struggled to follow me through the crowded walkway. Finally seeing the jewellers, I mentally grimaced as I noted a small group of fans heading down the walkway toward us. The way they were pointing and excitedly shouting gives them away every time. I gave Kale a shove through the entrance into the jewellery shop and I turned to greet and hopefully distract my adoring public. The things I do for friends!

I kissed a saucy old lady’s cheek, I took a picture with her two granddaughters and I autographed two pictures and a pair of bosoms that probably hadn’t been unleashed since the Carter administration. With a smile and a jaunty last wave, I turned and quickly popped into the store. Shuttering my expression, I took a quick look at the merchandise on display and instantly felt that I’d just wasted precious time for no good goddamn reason. Stalking over to Kale, I studied him for a moment before my eyes flicked to the rings in the display behind the glass.

“Rookie, what the hell are you doing,” I asked gruffly.

Kale looked up at me, gestured to the jewellery and said, “Browsing.”

He couldn’t be this dumb, could he? Shaking my head, I took a deep breath and told him, “If you propose to my sister with one of these cheap ass rings, I will kick your ass from here to Sunday.”

His expression clearly questioned my mental competency, before he frowned and gave me a quick, hard jab to my upper arm. Rubbing it without a word, I glared at him and returned his jab with one of my own, taunting, “Pussy!” The next punch was harder and I had to sway a bit to absorb the blow. Gritting my teeth at the initial sting, I almost missed it when Kale hissed, “Jackass!”

The rings forgotten now, we instinctively moved away from the breakable displays and began to circle each other. Knowing that Kale expected me to slug him in the same arm, I switched it up and aimed my fist for his other arm. Except the smug son of a bitch knew I was going to do that and grabbed my fist and manoeuvred me head first into a headlock. We were having a good old time, swearing and wrestling with each other when mall security broke it up. They had us each by the elbow and escorted us out of the store, the store manager asking us politely to “never come again” as we left.

Straightening my tie and tugging on the sleeves of my suit jacket as mall security left us just outside the main entrance of the GM; I strolled off down the sidewalk in the direction of our hotel. We passed an odd assortment of businesses as well as a few people I could’ve spent some serious time gawking at, had my mom not taught me better. Finally, I glanced Kale’s way and found myself smiling when I noticed his amused expression. His eye caught mine and we both started laughing. Several minutes later, my amusement remained even with the coach and the bus driver glaring daggers at us, as we took the last two seats on the team bus.

_-_

Saturday, October 20, 2012

I’d never been so happy to get into Russ’ car in my life. After the debacle in Detroit, we’d barely caught the bus to the airport, endured another boring flight, another crowded bus ride, before we arrived at the hotel just past-hell, I didn’t even know what time it was! I’d been in so many different time zones in the last week I just knew to call down to the front desk and ask for a 6AM wake up call.

Saturday had been a day of rush. Until Russ had dragged me along to the shopping centre with him on Friday, I hadn’t given buying Calla an engagement ring a thought. I hadn’t seen anything appropriate at the jewellery store, nothing I saw looked to me something Calla would wear, but it gave me ideas about styles and pricing, not to mention screamed that I didn’t know what size ring to buy. So bright and early Saturday morning I woke up and did my game day exercise schedule followed by the light practice at the arena, before inhaling a quick lunch and grabbing a quick shower. Once dressed for the day, I irritated the hell out of Russ until he agreed to hit the mean streets of Edmonton in search of the perfect ring.