I Could Rest Beneath Your Smile

“How is this fair?” Brooklyn asked into the phone as she looked down at the twins still sleeping soundly in their cribs. She wondered how much longer they were going to remain that way, but she was grateful for the temporary peace and quiet.

“Hey, I didn’t make the hockey schedule,” Max replied. “Though, I should probably thank the guy that did,” he added with a small laugh. Max was currently away for a three day road trip, while Eve was coming later today.

“It’s not fair! Why do I have to deal with her and you don’t?” Brooklyn whined.

“Because she’s your mother,” Max informed her. “And, it’s not like I’m going to be gone the whole two weeks that she’s there. Not that I would mind that,” he added under his breath, and Brooklyn laughed at him. “I’m sure I’m going to get an earful when I get there anyway about how I’m not a good father or husband because I travel all the time.”

“Max, you know that you’re an amazing husband and a wonderful father,” Brooklyn told him. “Don’t let anything she says make you think any differently. You know that Elise, Noah, and I love you. And, my mom likes to try and cause problems. Don’t let her, okay?”

“How are you going to be, having to deal with her for a few days while I’m not there?” Max asked, concerned for Brooklyn. He knew that Eve liked to put her down, and he didn’t want her to have to deal with her verbal abuse with no one there to set her straight.

“Jocelyn’s coming over tonight, and I think she’s planning on being here as much as she can while you guys are gone,” Brooklyn told him. “And, who knows? Maybe she’ll act completely different when she sees the twins.”

“Brook, you keep on living in that dream world of yours,” Max told her, and Brooklyn could hear one of his teammates yelling that he needed to get off the phone so they could leave. “Brook, babe, I have to go.”

“I heard,” Brooklyn informed him. “I’ll talk to you later. I love you.”

“I love you, too. And, remember, don’t listen to a word your mom says about you,” Max told her. “Bye.”

Brooklyn sat on the couch, tapping her feet, dreading the moment that her mother arrived. She heard the doorbell ring, and she groaned, getting to her feet and opening it to see Jocelyn standing on the other side. “Thank God!” Brooklyn exclaimed, ushering her sister inside. Jocelyn gave her a confused look, and Brooklyn continued. “I don’t know if I would have been able to handle Mom here alone,” she explained.

“Oh, I understand,” Jocelyn laughed. “Sorry I wasn’t here earlier, but I couldn’t get out of work until I finished one of the projects,” she informed her.

“It’s fine, you’re here now,” Brooklyn said, taking a deep breath as the doorbell rang once again.

“I’ll get it,” Jocelyn told her, standing up and answering the door.

“Jocelyn, sweetheart!” Eve exclaimed, dropping her bags and throwing her arms around Jocelyn. “It’s so good to see you!”

“Hi, Mom,” Jocelyn said, trying to get out of her mother’s tight grasp. Eve finally released her daughter, and she looked up to see Brooklyn standing there.

“Brooklyn, aren’t you going to come over here and give your mother a hug?” she questioned, holding her arms out for Brooklyn, who did as she was told. “So, where are my grandchildren?” she asked after giving Brooklyn a quick hug.

“They’re sleeping right now,” Brooklyn informed her. “But, come on in,” she added, moving aside so Eve could walk further in the house. Jocelyn picked up Eve’s bags as Eve walked over to the couch, sitting down.

“And, where’s that husband of yours?” Eve asked with a bit of attitude in her voice.

“Max is in North Carolina right now. They play the Hurricanes tonight,” Brooklyn answered.

“Of course he’s not here to help you take care of your children!” Eve exclaimed.

“Mom, it’s his job, okay?” Brooklyn said, trying to avoid a fight with her mother. However, she wasn’t going to let her talk about Max like that. Brooklyn knew that if he could be there, Max would have been there, but the team had a game in Raleigh.

Eve ignored Brooklyn’s statement and turned to look at Jocelyn. “And, what about you?” she asked. “Do you have a special guy in your life right now?”

Jocelyn looked up at her mother, trying to figure out if she were joking or not. She knew that Eve knew about Sid, even if she didn’t approve of him. “Yeah, Mom, I’m still dating Sid,” she reminded her.

“That hockey player?” Eve asked, disgust evident in her voice.

“Yes, Mom, Sid’s a hockey player. He’s Max’s teammate and everything,” she added, looking over at Brooklyn, who was trying to stifle her laughter. Suddenly one of the babies started crying, and Brooklyn excused herself to go get them. Jocelyn quickly stood up, telling Eve that she was going to help Brooklyn.

Jocelyn walked in the twins’ room, watching as Brooklyn picked Noah up out of his crib. She rocked him for a moment before saying, “I think someone needs to be changed.”

“Here,” Jocelyn said, handing her a diaper along with the baby wipes. “Why is Mom doing this?” she asked Brooklyn while she changed Noah.

“I don’t know,” Brooklyn told her. “But, I swear if she says one more thing about Max, I’ll punch her,” she promised.

“Whoa!” Jocelyn cried. “Where did this violent Brooklyn come from?” she asked with a laugh as she watched Elise sleep in her crib.

“I’m sick of her badmouthing him every chance he gets,” she told Jocelyn, who nodded her head in understanding. “I don’t get why she doesn’t like him. She hasn’t even taken time to get to know him!”

“I know,” Jocelyn said as Eve came walking into the room.

“Are these my grandchildren?” Eve asked, looking between Noah and Elise. “Well, let me hold one!” she ordered Brooklyn, who handed Noah to her. As soon as he was away from his mother, he started crying.

Jocelyn tried to hide her laughter, as she leaned in close to Brooklyn, whispering, “He really is just like his father.” Brooklyn nudged her with her elbow, but completely agreed with her sister.

“Here, take this one,” Eve said, handing Noah back to Brooklyn. “There’s something wrong with him. I’ll take this one instead,” she said, picking Elise up out of her bed, causing her to wake up and promptly start crying.

“First of all, Mom,” Brooklyn began. “They have names. This one is Noah. And, you’re currently holding Elise,” she informed her mother.

“Well, there’s something wrong with both of them. Why won’t they quit crying?” she exclaimed.

“Here, Mom,” Jocelyn said, holding out her arms and taking Elise from her. “And, in case you’ve forgotten, babies cry. That’s just what they do,” she said, rocking Elise and then singing quietly to her. “Do you think the pregame is on yet?” Jocelyn asked, turning to look at Brooklyn, who shrugged her shoulders. “Well, let’s go see because that may be the only thing that can calm these two down,” she said, remembering that the twins were always calm when they heard or saw Max on television.

“What is she talking about?” Eve questioned, following her two daughters out to the living room while both of the babies continued to cry.

“Elise and Noah calm down when they see Max on tv,” Brooklyn explained to her mother as she sat down on the couch with Noah in her arms. Jocelyn grabbed the remote, changing channels until she got to the correct one, and she smiled when she saw that the pregame had just started.

“Now, let’s just hope that Max is on here,” Jocelyn said.

“That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard!” Eve exclaimed. “There is no way that a child will calm down simply by seeing someone on television. It’s absolutely preposterous!”

“Just wait,” Jocelyn said as an interview with Sid came on.

“Is that your boyfriend?” Eve questioned, pointing towards the television.

“Yes, Mom. Don’t you remember him from the wedding?” she asked as she listened intently to what Sid was saying.

“Well, there was a lot going on that day,” Eve stated.

“Yeah, like you trying to get me to call the wedding off,” Brooklyn muttered. She watched as the interviews changed to one with Kris. “Did you know that Tia’s going to surprise Kris by going to their game in Atlanta?” Brooklyn said offhandedly to Jocelyn.

“Yeah, she told me that,” Jocelyn smiled, trying to rock Elise who was starting to calm down. “I’m sure Tanger will be ecstatic to see her.”

“Who are these Tia and Tanger people?” Eve asked, confused.

“Tia’s our best friend,” Jocelyn informed her. “And, she’s dating Kris Letang, Tanger, who’s that person right there,” she explained, pointing to the television.

“Oh, another one dating a hockey player,” Eve stated.

“Yes, another one dating a hockey player,” Brooklyn said as the program went to a commercial. When they got back from the commercial, they were talking about Max, and as soon as it went to a small interview with him, both twins instantly settled down, causing Brooklyn to smirk a bit at her mother. “I told you they calm down when they see Max,” she told Eve.

“There must be some other explanation,” Eve said. “It’s probably all just a coincidence.”

“Or, it’s because they love their father, and they calm down when they see or hear him,” Brooklyn stated.

“How could they possible calm down when they see him? They hardly ever see him!” Eve exclaimed. “He’s never around! And, that’s your fault for marrying a hockey player!”

“Mom, you don’t even know Max! You’ve never bothered to get to know him,” Brooklyn said, raising her voice. “And, until you do, you have no right to talk about him like that. And, if you continue to talk about him like that, then you can get out of my house!”

Eve’s lips went into a straight line, but she didn’t respond to Brooklyn’s yelling. Instead, she simply watched the television, remaining quiet, while Jocelyn looked over at her sister, surprised by her outburst.