Stay, Stay, Stay || Sidney Crosby

Forty-Seven

I should have known that inviting my parents over for the weekend actually meant I was inviting the whole family. I woke up at nine in the morning on the day of their expected arrival with a text message from John expressing how excited he was to see us.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I cried into the phone when he picked up, I was still groggy from sleep.

"Mum said we were all invited to meet the Crosby clan," John answered confused.

"Who does 'we' include?" I held my breath in anticipation. My mind had already started racing, trying to figure out how many people we could host.

"They're bringing Grandma and I have Mindy and Lyla all ready to go. Simon has to work. What is your problem?" I could hear him banging around in the background, likely packing the car.

"Nothing," I tried to play it off casually. "I just couldn't remember what weekend I said. But it's all good. No worries. When are you heading over?" I was lying between my teeth and hoping he wouldn't catch on.

"In a few minutes, I'm just waiting on Mindy," he'd bought it and I could hear the trunk slamming on the other end of the line.

"Kay, well call me when you get into the province," I flopped back onto the bed and hung up. I had only a few hours to prepare two extra rooms. It dawned on me that I was lucky we had the two extra rooms, but I quickly ignored that logic to focus on how stressed out I was about to be. My to-do list had doubled and despite having just woke up, I was ready for a nap.

True to her word, Taylor had kept our news a secret and by the time she answered my frantic S.O.S call, Sidney was just coming home from his morning work out.

"Oh praise be!" I cried as they both walked in at the same time, Sidney dripping with sweat and Taylor holding a box full of bedding her mother had graciously sent over. I wouldn't have time to buy any and Sidney was sorely lacking on the home wares front.

"What's wrong?" Sid's face grew worried and he ran over to me tossing his wallet and phone on the kitchen counter and grabbing my hand.

"Apparently I invited my whole family to stay the weekend and I just found out this morning," I sputtered, burying my face in his sweaty shoulder.

"Oh," he dropped my hand and shook his head. "I thought it was something serious." He headed to the fridge and started pulling out the greenery needed to make his concoction, leaving me standing with my head slumped over.

"This is serious!" I glared at him unamused. Couldn't he see the work that needed to be done? Sure it was only my family, but this was a night we were all going to remember and I needed it to be perfect.

"Where do you want these?" Taylor said, still standing in the foyer. I directed her to drop them in the first guest room and grabbed a bottle of water before meeting her there, determined to get everything done in time to sleep.

I pulled a freshly laundered sheet out of the box and tossed one end to Taylor, each of us laying our side over the mattress and carefully tucking the corners in. It didn't take long but by the time we'd tossed the last throw pillow on the last bed I could feel the muscles in my back begging for me to sprawl out of the fluffy comforter in front of me. They were calling my name, inviting me to roll around in their soft embrace, to bury my nose in the clean fabric. Desperate not to make anymore work for myself I tried to stretch, then shuffled down the hall to our room, stopping in the kitchen to grab my purse.

"Your first official duty as my sister and bridesmaid," I dug through the brown leather bag and pulled out my wallet. "Is to pretend to be me." I slipped my Visa out of the card sleeve and handed it to her.

"Pretend to be you?" she looked at me sideways, her eyebrow cocked in the same way Sidney's did when I said something questionable.

"Well kind of," I reached for a notebook I'd left on the counter and ripped out a page, the recently updated list of things I was supposed to buy. "I need a few more things before they get here. If you could pick them up I'd really appreciate it." I folded the page and held it out to her, smiling hopefully.

"Alright," she chuckled and pocketed my card and the list, then headed for the door. "Wait," she stopped and turned back to me. "Did you say bridesmaid?"

"Yup," I gave her a cheesy grin. "I have no idea what's happening, but if you want to wear some kind of dress and hang out with me that'd be awesome."

She paused for a second before letting a smile creep across her face. "Sweet!" she laughed lightheartedly. "I'll be there."

"Good," I gave her a thumbs up and put my wallet back in my purse as she slipped on her shoes. "Oh, and my PIN is 1987," I added just before she opened the door.

"Seriously?" she looked at me amused, then rolled her eyes and headed out the door as I shrugged.

I heard Taylor's car pull out of the driveway as I collapsed onto my unmade bed. I was shuffling out of my shorts, ready to take a much needed nap, when Sidney came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.

"I thought you had a bunch of stuff to do," he walked over to the closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"I do," I whined, laying pathetically on the bed with my shorts hanging off of my leg and my body at an awkward angle. "But I'm tired." While I hadn't had any serious morning sickness yet, keeping my eyes open was becoming a chore. I figured it must be how bears feel while in hibernation.

"Have you eaten? Do you want me to make you some protein?" he walked towards me wearing only his tight boxers and sat down beside my spread out body.

"Later," I rolled towards him and repositioned myself so my head was in his lap. I could smell his body wash and I snuggled in closer to him. "I want to relax before your sister gets back." I wrapped my left arm around his lower back and held him tightly.

"Did she ditch you?" he asked amused and I felt his hand brush through my hair.

"No," I shook my head and let my eyes close. "I sent her out with a list. She's well on her way to being my favourite person." I let out a long and sleepy breath.

"Very resourceful," he chuckled, still running his fingers through my hair. "And trusting. I hope you don't make a habit of giving teenage girls shopping lists and charge cards."

"Just Taylor," I mumbled, feeling myself straddling the line between awake and sleep. "She's got good genes."

For the second time that day, I woke up to the sound of my phone obnoxiously buzzing on the bedside table. I'd hardly stirred when Sidney rolled me off of his lap and onto the bed, then snuck out of the room. I was having a dream that involved Dave Grohl presiding over our wedding and James Neal doing an interpretive dance throughout the entire ceremony. Dave was just about to pronounce Sidney and I man and wife, and James was completing a series of high kicks when the phone's vibrations pulled me back into the real world. 

 "Hi Sweetie," my mother's voice sang through the line when I finally answered, just beating my voice mail. "We've just hit Truro."

"Great," I croaked, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and kicking the sheets off of my sweaty body.

"Did I wake you up?" She sounded amused and I could hear my dad and Big Bea chattering in the background.

"Nope," I lied. "Just getting the place ready for you." I stood up and pulled my shorts back on, heading quickly towards the door and checking the time on the alarm clock. It was almost noon and the sun was streaming in between the cracks in the curtains.

"Oh good, we'll see you in about an hour then." We said our goodbyes and by the time I hung up I was already walking into the kitchen, my shorts snug around my hips and my t-shirt wrinkled and damp from sweat.

I was startled to find Sidney and Taylor standing side by side at the counter, laughing and mixing ingredients. The table and island counter were both covered in bags of groceries and I could smell the heat from the boiling pots of water. The kitchen was chaotic, but in a sort of controlled way that I would expect from Sidney. 



"You're up!" Sid grinned at me and dropped the carrot he'd been peeling then walked towards me, pulling me into a tight hug and kissing me gently.

"I am," I chuckled. "What are you doing?" He kept his hands on my hips and my arms stayed around his neck. I studied his face and felt a smile creep across mine. Just looking at him caused a sensation of fluttering inside me, an excitement the no word in the english language could to justice. 



"Just thought we'd get started on lunch, I got a text from J.J saying they were an hour away." He kissed me again and then let go, heading back to the counter.

"I know, my mum just called." I looked at him confused then down at my phone, sure enough there were three missed calls from my oldest brother and two text messages. "Since when do you and John text?" 



"Every so often," Sidney shrugged and picked up another carrot.

"Weird," I rolled my eyes at him and started sorting through the bags on the table. Taylor had outdone herself, she'd found everything I'd asked for including two dozen peonies and a few packages of fancy printed napkins. 

 "They okay?" she asked, looking at me eagerly.



 "Perfect," I smiled excitedly. "You're my new favourite Crosby, hands down!"

"I should hope so, because while I was vacuuming I found at least a dozen pairs of underwear hidden around," she laughed, her amusement filling the room and her eyes disappearing into her cheeks, just like her brother's did.

"Oops," I blushed and made a quick exit to the bedroom.


 The flowers were arranged, the potato salad was cooling in the fridge, and I was showered and dressed when my parents and brother pulled into the driveway. Lyla made a beeline for Sidney and giggled as he twirled her around while I introduced Taylor to everyone and pointed them in the direction of their rooms. Not a minute after the suitcases hit the floor, Sidney's parents arrived carrying the deserts I'd forgotten to make.

"It's so nice to meet you!" his mother gushed to mine, the two women hugging excitedly. "I love your books, Beatrice didn't tell me her mother was Shirley K. Keller." 



Greetings and introductions were exchanged and I let out a sigh of relief knowing the first part of our day had gone over well. We sat in the living room and I let our parents socialize while Sidney and J.J headed outside to the barbecue. Watching them talk excitedly, I could help but smile like an idiot. Perched on the edge of the couch, I noticed how easily they all interacted, one big conversation, all bubbly without the hesitation I'd expected.

"You look good," Big Bea sat beside me and smiled. "I told you it would all go well." She took my hands in hers. "This is a good thing." Like countless times before, my grandmother was right, this was good. But there was something about the positivity in the air that made me anxious. I knew that good didn't last forever, and no matter how hard I tried to push the uneasiness out of my mind, it crept back in, reminding me that this happiness was fleeting.

We sat at the table, plates piled high with steak and all the dishes Taylor and Sidney had made while I slept. The conversation had continued and I sat beside Sidney clutching his hand tightly in mine as we all talked about summer plans. My hair was pulled out of my face and I was wearing a loose fitting dress, but the most important part of my outfit was tucked carefully in my pocket and wouldn't be revealed until after lunch. I could hardly speak, the news balancing on the tip of my tongue, threatening to slip out at any moment. I bit my lip and and squeezed his hand tighter, giving him a subtle smile. He slipped his thumb between out joined hands and traced it along the lines in my palm. There was no reason at all for me to be so anxious, but that didn't stop my left leg from jiggling rapidly under the table.

"So how about a tour?" Sid proposed after the last piece of salad had been eaten and the leftovers were waiting to be packed into the fridge. He leaned against the counter and grinned, a smile that seemed unsuspicious to everyone but me. I knew the plan, and my hands shook as I started to watch it all unfold.

"That sounds great!" my mother smiled excitedly, I was surprised she'd held off this long before snooping around.

"Why don't you show them sweetie and I'll pack this stuff up," Sidney said softly then kissed the side of my head tenderly, squeezing my hand reassuringly. "I'll meet you in there," he whispered so only I could hear. 



I led my family and his down the hallway where the guest rooms were, showing off my pink room, and Sidney's office. His family had of course seen the house hundreds of times, but took the opportunity to continue the lively conversation everyone had been having at the table. After J.J and my dad had admired a collection of framed pictures that hung on the walls of Sidney's office— each featuring Sid and another public figure— we headed in the direction of the master bedroom. For the first time since we'd moved in for the summer, the room was immaculate. Our dirty clothes were hidden behind the closet door, and the bed was freshly made. I'd gone so far as to put a a few of my two dozen flowers on the night table. It felt strange to have so many people in such a private space. I tried not to think about the things we'd done on the very bed where my father and his were, taking a break while our mothers chattered about the natural lighting.

"This is pretty fancy," Dad smiled, bouncing a little and smoothing his hands over the bed spread.

"Isn't it?" I laughed, hoping to let out some of my energy. I noticed Sid join us, making his way to my side and slipping his fingers through mine. He pressed his solid hand against my clammy palm and I tried to absorb some of his calm energy, but instead found myself envious of his easy going grin and sweat free hands.

"But if you want to see fancy I have to show you the bathroom," I said casually. We were on the home stretch, so close to the big reveal. Sidney held my hand tightly and lifted it to his lips, kissing it gently as we made our way across the room to the oversized master bath.

Like the rest of the house, the bathroom was freshly cleaned and sparkling. I had to admit I was impressed by my own efforts. What I lacked in culinary skills I made up for in my ability to compulsively clean.

"So this in the bathtub where Sidney proposed," I spit out as soon as everyone was within earshot. Sidney grinned and steadied my shaking hands.

"Proposed what?" My father asked naively. I noticed our mothers and Mindy all looking at each other excitedly.


"Proposed we enter in a legal contract of love," I said, feigning nonchalance, while inside my heart was pounding and my temperature was rising. I slipped my left hand in my pocket and slipped the ring on the designated finger.

"Are you serious?" My mum looked at us both, her voice two octaves higher than usual and her face breaking into a wide grin. She was holding my fathers hands tightly and I wondered if she was going to cry.

"Yeah! That was right before I told him I'm pregnant with his surprise child! Key word before. He wanted me before he knew about the baby! Isn't that great!?" I chuckled and felt myself start to relax as I watched their faces light up.


 "Baby?" Our mothers said in unison. My mother's eyes were starting to glisten with tears.


 "Like human baby?" J.J teased and Mindy smacked his arm rolling her eyes.


 "Like grand baby?" my mother was full on crying now, tears slipping down her cheeks.


 "We've come to the conclusion this it is not a turtle or a puppy, it is in fact human! Yay us!" I threw my arms in the air in exaggerated excitement, my hand still linked with Sidney's.

"Despite the tail it currently has," Sid added, placing his freehand on my stomach and laughing.

There was a series of shrieks and frantic hugs, congratulations and tears. It came as no surprise to anyone that shortly after my mother started crying, I began. Happy tears flooding my eyes and pouring out of me while I hugged her tightly. Big Bea stood to the side watching it all and smiling. She didn't seem shocked by the announcement of our engagement and somehow I think she knew about it before even I did.

The relief that filled me as we all crowded in the living room felt euphoric. I sat on the couch, snuggled comfortable against Sidney's side with my head against his shoulder while we answered questions and talked about our lack of plans. The news of both our engagement and offspring had been received better than I could have imagined. I'll never know what I expected to go wrong, but as someone who lived in a perpetual state of anxiety I would never let myself think about the possibility of success. I could only hope that telling Serena would go half as well. My stomach churned at the thought of my best friend, who across the world was dealing with her own life. I pressed myself closer to Sid and sighed, my mind no longer focused on the excitement of our families.

The sun had set and I could feel my body preparing for bed when Sidney's family decided to head home. We walked them to the door to say goodbye and I was startled when his father pulled me into a warm hug, an action that wasn't part of our usual interactions.

"Congratulations Bea," he said in my ear. "Welcome to the family."