Chicago City Lights

Patrick Sharp wondered how and why a soaking wet girl had showed up at his apartment at five in the morning, but he couldn’t be bothered to ask questions. He was more concerned about getting her dried off and warm, and maybe with some food in her stomach. He had smelled the faintest bit of alcohol on her breath when she collapsed into his arms, out of shear exhaustion.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He knew Ben had been in a mood for the past twenty four hours, and Sharpie knew that both of their despair was no doubt directly related to the other. He also had the feeling that Evelyn had come to see his girlfriend. The two girls had been talking ever since they had met a few weeks before, but she was out of town, visiting her parents.

Sharpie knew he had to take care of her, and he was more than happy to do it. He wanted things to be fixed. He had known Ben a long time; since their days of winning the Calder Cup together while busting their asses in the AHL…

“Evelyn,” He asked her, but he got no response.

She was passed out, whether from the alcohol finally getting to her or being that tired, he wasn’t sure.

He lifted her body off of his couch and brought her into his bedroom, gently laying her on the bed, flicking a light switch as he walked to his dresser. He pulled out a large tee shirt and a pair of sweatpants before walking back to his bed where Evelyn was still sleeping.

He sighed and shook his head. He had to, he told himself. He didn’t want her to catch a cold or pneumonia. He gently lifted her off the bed and unzipped the back of her dress, sliding it off of her shoulders. He gently pulled it off until she was left in her under garments, her nice under garments. Patrick took a deep breath and continued, knowing her bra and underwear were soaked through, as well.

As soon as her bra was off, he put the shirt on, which ended up being awkward with him trying not to look. He didn’t want to invade her privacy. Sharpie laughed at himself and shook his head; he was helping her and later when she woke up warm, she would thank him.

He quickly pulled off her underwear and slid on the sweatpants before bringing the bed’s blanket up to her neck, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

He walked to his couch, grabbing the blanket and falling back to sleep himself.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

“Fuck,” Ben mumbled, after Evelyn had left.

He ran to his bedroom, passing the girl, quickly throwing on a pair of shorts before running down to the lobby, using the stairs instead. When he got down there, the lobby attendant said she had already gotten in a cab again.

Ben nodded, numbly, and headed back to his apartment. When he got there, she was sitting on his couch, flipping through the channels.

“So, that was Evelyn, huh?”

“God, Katie, she thinks…”

“Well, can you blame the girl? I mean, I did come out of your bedroom wearing your clothes. I would have made the same assumption if I was in her place.”

Ben nodded, “Though, when she finds out that I’m your ex, she’s still going to think…”

“Yeah,” Ben agreed, sighing. “Katie?”

“Hm?”

“I really, really like her.”

“I know you do. I can tell,” She said, smiling at him and placing a kiss on his cheek. “Bring her to the wedding.”

“Katie, I’m not bringing her to your wedding.”

“Yes, you are. You need to bring a date.”

Ben laughed, but wondered if he could get Evelyn to agree to go with him. Maybe she’d understand when he explained everything…

Katie stood, “Thanks for letting me stay here, even though it kind of ruined everything for the moment.”

“Yeah… But, you needed a place to stay, wanting to avoid seeing your husband and avoid jinxing the whole marriage.”

“He’s not my husband, yet,” But she was smiling.

Ben had grown up with Katie, and they started dating when they were teenagers, breaking up a few years later when he moved to Philadelphia. They had realized they were better friends than anything. Now, years later, they still kept in touch and Ben was so happy to see her finally find a good guy, a guy who had just relocated to Chicago.

Ben placed a kiss on her forehead and ushered her back into his bedroom, going back to his place on the couch, but he couldn’t sleep. He would go to Evelyn’s, tell her what happened, and hope she would believe him enough to come to the wedding for confirmation…

He sighed; it was going to be a long day.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Walking to Evelyn’s apartment later that morning, Ben was surprised to see Sharpie leaving. He caught the older winger’s attention and asked him what he was doing there.

“Uh,” He said, scratching the back of his neck. “Evelyn came to my place last night to see Samantha. She was upset, but Sam’s out of town, so I took care of her.”

“Oh…” Ben let out. “Thanks, man.”

“Hey, it’s no problem. She’s your girl. I was just making sure she was alright, but I do hope you have an explanation for that girl in your apartment.”

Ben groaned and told Patrick how that was his ex girlfriend, best friend growing up and she was getting married later that day and rather than spend the night hat a hotel, wanting to avoid seeing each other before the wedding, Katie had stayed with an old friend.

Patrick laughed, “Just make her your girl, officially, okay?”

Ben nodded, “I’ll do my best.”

Patrick patted him on the shoulder and left, while Ben continued to the elevator. He knocked on her door and when she answered, he grimaced at her appearance. Still in what he assumed was Sharpie’s clothes, her hair was a mess and she had last night’s make-up smeared under her eyes. She looked tired, haggard, but to Ben… She was still beautiful.

She went to close the door on him, but he stopped it with his large hand.

“I need to explain.”

She nodded and let him in.

“That girl you saw was Katie, my ex girlfriend. She’s getting married today,” He started.

Evelyn’s eyes went wide.

“She wanted a place to stay last night, to avoid seeing her husband and jinxing the marriage. She’s really superstitious like that… Well, since the wedding is here in Chicago, she decided to stay at my place last minute, rather than a hotel.”

She stared at him, wide eyed.

“I’m such a hypocrite,” She sighed. “I sleep with James and you are all understanding, and I just see a girl at your place and I freak out?”

She ran a hand through her hair, and Ben smiled.

“What are you doing tonight?”

She shrugged.

“Come to the wedding with me?”

“Ben…”

“Nah, come on. I need a date, Katie wants to meet you, and I don’t want to bring anyone but you.”

Evelyn nodded, “Okay.”

Ben smiled at her and she smiled back. He placed a lingering kiss on her cheek and told her he would see her at four. Evelyn nodded and watched him leave her apartment, immediately jumping into the shower when he left.