I was praying, silently praying, that coach wouldn't crucify me.
"Sidney, what are you doing here," Sutter hissed.
"Not wanting to get caught. I'm playing."
"Well you can't." Khris chimed in.
"Well I am." I crossed my arms.
"Well you're not," Kelsey stood in front of me. "Why? Why did you do it?!"
"Oops...sorry. Not sorry." I got out onto the ice and took control.
***
I was back at home again. On the couch. The coach caught my ass and yelled at me. Now I'm suspended for 3 games.
"You see?! This is exactly why I'm not re-marrying you! You can't follow a single order! What's gonna happen when you're done in the NHL and you want a real job?!"
"I have a real job thank you very much!"
"So you think that wearing heavy padding and a jersey that is vulnerable to ripping in half, all the while fighting other boys and hitting little heavy 'pucks' with sticks is a real job?! Oh sure."
"Yeah, stupid, it is. And I get paid a hell of a lot more than you do." Well played Crosby, well played.
"Well let me tell you something sweetheart. Please excuse me on this one but, you were the one who wanted to help me get my job."
"Yeah and?"
"You basically invaded my life!"
"No...I didn't. Well I didn't mean to."
"I'm chill with it."
"So...am I free to go?"
"Go where? Bed? Yes. Out? No."
"You can't ground me."
"No. But I can sure as hell give you doctors' orders." I didn't like this one bit. She got all mad at me because I got the flu.
Well...I walked into that one....
***
"I'm sorry for earlier." I kissed her forehead.
"It's cool."
"I love you," she said as she left the room.
"Yeah. Yeah you do."
KELSEY'S POV
I walked into work following a very eventful weekend. I had to take care of Sidney who really did get the flu, and I made sure I didn't get it.
***
"Morning Scott." He didn't bother to look up.
"What? Oh hey." I sat down at my desk with a huge-ass stack of papers waiting for me.
"Dammit," I muttered.
"Hey...you have a second?" Dallas asked me.
"Oh sure."
"I have to interview Derek Jeter, but I can't."
"Um why not?"
"I do not, in any way, like the New York Yankees. Or Derek Jeter for that matter. I'm glad he's retiring. I hope he dies." Was Dallas being serious?!
"You have got to be kidding me! I was born and raised a pirate, but even I have respect for the captain! You'll be sorry you ever said that!"
"Yeah, sure." I got up and stormed out.
"I QUIT!" I yelled. Now I had to go home and tell Sindey that I quit...well at least he'd listen to me.
***
"Hi. What's wrong?" I laid onto the couch.
"I quit."
"What? Why? I thought you loved working at ESPN?" He kissed me on the forehead.
"Yeah...but I've been having to do so much, so much more than the other rookies."
"Well...you could always go into the medical field." I actually thought about that....
"Nah...I'll be fine. I'll just work here...in Pittsburgh." He got up.
"Well...I'm off to serve my suspension."
"And grounding." I reminded him.
"You can't ground me!" He yelled.
"You're right. But I can leave. Leave you and your hockey carrer alone!" I stormed out of there crying.
This was not how I imagined another fight between us to be. I just wish I said no to ESPN so I'm not traveling all the time. So I'm home al the time. I could work at home in Pittsburgh, but then again...what's the point? I've never really been to New York City before ESPN, so....
"Can we talk?" He asked sitting next to me.
"No."
"Please?"
"No. Get the hell away from me."
"I love you."
"Sure you do. How many times do you tell other women that?"
"What?! Other than the women members of my family and you, no one else! I love no one but you Kelsey. Why did you not want to marry me?"
"Why has that just now come up?" I was toying with my hair.
"Because it has. Now talk."
"Because I just wasn't ready. You know how when you just started out in the NHL? Were you ready for it?"
"No...not really. I was a rookie playing with the big boys."
"Exactly my point. I'm playing with a bigger boy."
"Oh so now you wanna play huh?" No. Please god no!
"No. Please god no." He kissed me.
"I'm liking this a lot more." I lied. Really I just wanted to escape from here. "Look...I just want to be alone right now. I need to clear my head, okay? I'll call you later." He kissed the top of my head.
"Okay...that sounds fair enough to me." It sure as hell sounds fair to me because as of right now, I'm clocked the fuck out!
***
SIDNEY'S POV
All of this Kelsey stuff is driving me insane! I need to get away. I need to just get away from it all for a while.
"Hey Sutter, you home?"
"Just walked in the door why?"
"Wanna play a pick-up game of hockey?"
"Uhhh...sure...."
"Cool. See you down at the arena."
"Um yeah...see you down there."
