Born to Run Free

“I’m so glad to be out of Chicago,” Celia stated as she got off the plane in Norfolk, Virginia. They had spent the last four days in Chicago, and Celia had been trying to avoid any questions dealing with the pictures, which proved to be extremely difficult. It was all they wanted to talk about, and she knew Reebok wasn’t happy with that.

“You’re telling me,” Sean said, as they made their way to baggage claim. “I usually like Chicago, but that trip may have made me hate the city forever.”

“You’re not the one that has people asking you about stupid pictures at every interview,” she pointed out as they waited for their bags.

“I think you seem to be forgetting that I’ve had to deal with that before. I open my mouth a lot, and people don’t let me forget it. Remember ‘sloppy seconds’?” he asked her.

Celia started laughing. “I do remember that,” she told him, nodding her head. “How could I forget? That’s all people wanted to talk about. And, then you left the NHL for a while, and when you came back, that’s all they could talk about again. And, if they believed you had really changed or if you were always going to be that pestering guy.”

“I know what you’re going through,” he said, picking up his suitcase.

“At least you didn’t have half-naked pictures of you passed out floating around everywhere.”

“No, but that would be interesting, wouldn’t it?”

“And, hot,” Celia muttered under her breath.

“What?” Sean asked, not catching what she had just said.

“Nothing,” Celia replied. Sean eyed her skeptically for a few moments before letting it go, as he pulled her suitcase off of the conveyer, too. “Thanks,” she told him, grabbing the handle and walking towards the exit with Sean following her.

“You’ll make it through, I promise,” Sean told her. “We’ve only got a few more days, a couple of days here and then back to New York to do a few interviews, and then we’ll be done.”

“Yeah, I can go back to my normal life. That is if they allow me to keep playing for the national team,” she said as they found the driver that held a sign with their names on it. They followed him to the limousine that Reebok had gotten for them. Celia stared out the window, looking out at all the people on the sidewalk as they sped downtown.

“When do they decide?” Sean asked suddenly.

Celia tore her eyes away from the window. “What are you talking about?” she asked him. “When do they decide what?”

“When do they decide what happens with the national team?” he clarified.

“I don’t know,” Celia said, turning her head to look back out the window again. “I guess whenever everyone that has a say in it has said what they wanted to say.”

“What?” Sean asked, confused.

Celia started laughing as she realized what she had just said made no sense. “I don’t know when they decide,” she told him. “Coop’s going to call me whenever they make a decision.” Cooper had gone back to New York, having to do some business there. Celia was now counting down the days until she and Sean went back to New York so she could see her best friend again.

“I’m sure it’ll be good news,” he told her.

“I hope so,” she muttered.

“Celia, if they let me back into the NHL, they’ll let you back on the national team,” Sean said. “Just trust me.”

“Fine,” she sighed as the driver pulled up in front of the hotel. She and Sean got out of the limousine and grabbed their bags as they made their way inside. Sean looked around the lobby as Celia walked to the front desk, waiting on a young receptionist to get off of her cell phone so she could get their room keys. Celia impatiently tapped her foot on the ground, her hands placed on her hips, as the girl continued to chat away. “Excuse me,” Celia said, but the woman didn’t budge. Celia cleared her throat before saying louder, “Excuse me.”

“What?” the receptionist questioned, obviously annoyed that Celia had interrupted her phone call.

“I’d just like the keys to my room,” Celia told her. “It’s under Celia McCall.”

The woman tapped on the computer keyboard for a few moments before looking up at Celia. “We have no one registered under that name,” she said, going back to her conversation on her cell phone.

“Then it’s under Sean Avery,” Celia told her.

“You don’t look like a Sean Avery to me. I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to leave. It’s obvious that you have no reservations here. Goodbye,” the receptionist dismissed.

“Excuse me?” Celia exclaimed. The woman, who had once again returned to her phone conversation, turned back around, even more annoyed than before.

“Leave before I have security escort you out,” the girl muttered.

Celia opened her mouth to start screaming at the woman when Sean came up beside her. “What’s going on here?” he asked her. The receptionist stared at Sean, her jaw dropped down low in awe.

“She won’t give me the damn room keys because I’m not Sean Avery,” Celia answered in a mocking tone before she turned back around towards the other woman. “In case you’re not a hockey fan, this is Sean Avery. Now, give me the damn keys,” Celia told her.

The girl remained frozen in her spot, staring at Sean. “Keys?” he asked her, and she finally moved to go get them.

After they had received their keys and were making their way up in the elevator, Sean turned to Celia. “Are you doing okay today?” he asked her. “I get that you’re a little on edge because of the whole national team thing, but seriously, are you okay?”

“Why? Because I snapped at the dumb girl who couldn’t just hand me a fucking key?” she questioned as the elevator doors opened on the fourth floor, and they walked down the hallway towards their room. “Because of that, you think there’s something wrong with me?”

“Hey, don’t get mad at me,” Sean told her, putting his hands up defensively. “I was just asking.”

“Sorry,” Celia muttered as she pulled her suitcase into the living room. “I think I’m going to go take a nap,” she told him, walking back towards the bedrooms. She randomly walked into the one on the right-hand side, letting her suitcase fall on the floor as she fell backwards on the bed.

For the next two hours, Celia kept tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep to no avail. All she could think about was what the national team was going to decide, and it was driving her crazy. If they were going to suspend her, she would rather know now than have this uncertainty in her mind any longer. Sick of not being able to fall asleep, she got out of bed and walked into the living room. She looked around, but didn’t see Sean anywhere. She shrugged her shoulders, sitting down on the couch and turning on the television.

An hour later, she heard her phone ring, and she quickly snatched it up, seeing that it was Cooper calling. “Please tell me that the national team has made their decision. I don’t even care if it’s bad news. I can’t handle waiting any longer,” she told him.

“They did make a decision,” Cooper informed her.

“Don’t leave me hanging!” she exclaimed. “What’d they decide?” she asked nervously.

“They’re not suspending you.”

“Why do I feel like there’s some sort of catch?” Celia asked, holding off on celebrating just yet.

“If you’re in the news for anything else or if you mess up in any other way, they’re going to suspend you, no questions asked,” Cooper told her.

“I can handle that,” Celia told him, a smile spreading across her face. “I’m changing my life, Coop, I really am. I’m not drinking anymore or going home with random guys. I’m going to do better,” she promised.

“I believe you, Cel. And, I believe in you,” Cooper told her.

“Thanks, that means a lot,” she smiled.

“I’ve got to go. But, I really am happy for you. I hope this time everything goes right for you,” Cooper told her.

“Yeah, me, too. I’ll talk to you later,” she said, hanging up the phone. She stretched out on the couch, and she was finally able to go to sleep, knowing that her life was turning around.