There's Things That Aren't Worth Giving Up

“They what?” Summer screamed into the phone, causing Natalia to pull the phone away from her ear. She had just finished telling Summer about what had happened when she had gone to dinner with Marty’s teammates and their girlfriends. “I’m going to kill those bitches,” Summer muttered, and Natalia could hear Patrick in the background asking what was going on. “How did they even know about your PTSD?” Summer asked, ignoring Patrick.

“I don’t know,” Natalia admitted. “But, they just kept going on and on about how I wasn’t going to fit in because I was crazy,” she told her, remembering exactly what they had said to her.

“I’m going to kill those bitches,” Summer repeated, and Natalia started laughing at her. “Have you met anyone nice there yet?” she asked.

“Not yet,” Natalia told her. “But, I’m going to the game tonight. I’m supposed to be sitting in a box with some of the other wives and girlfriends,” she said, sighing, as she prayed that Vivian and Camilla weren’t going to be among those in the box.

“Well, if they try to say anything else to you, let me know, and I promise that when I come to Minnesota, I’ll beat their asses,” Summer promised her.

“Yeah, that’d be great,” Natalia laughed. “I can already imagine the news in Chicago talking about how a Blackhawks employee and Patrick Kane’s girlfriend got into a fight with some girls in Minnesota. That’d be great press for the team,” she said sarcastically.

“Hey, your dad would be the one that has to deal with all the bad publicity,” Summer said without thinking. “Natalia, I’m sorry,” she instantly apologized when she realized what she had just said.

“Don’t worry about it,” Natalia told her. “Actually, now that you mention it, do you mind making some bad press for him?”

“Is everything still that bad with him?” Summer asked her.

“I haven’t talked to him since that last big fight,” Natalia admitted. “And, I’m not planning on talking to him again anytime soon.”

“What about for the wedding?” Summer inquired.

Natalia sighed, still not having made a decision as to whether she was going to invite him or not. “I don’t know,” she told her. “I mean, even if he does come to the wedding, which I highly doubt he will, I don’t want him to walk me down the aisle. If he doesn’t approve of me and Marty, then I really don’t want him there,” she finished.

“You excited for the first game?” Summer changed topics, knowing Natalia didn’t want to talk about John any longer. Tonight was the home opener for the Wild, and Summer knew that Natalia had been impatiently waiting for it for a while.

“Are you kidding?” Natalia asked with a laugh. “This was the night I used to count down to as a kid. I love the first game of the season. Now, if we can get a win tonight, I’ll be even happier. But, we’re playing against the Blue Jackets, and I think people aren’t taking them too seriously.”

“Yeah,” Summer agreed. “But, I’ll be rooting for you.”

“Don’t let anyone know that,” Natalia said with a laugh. “Kaner would kill you if he heard you talking like that,” she added.

“I could totally take him,” Summer joked as Natalia heard Patrick yelling in the background to Summer that they needed to leave.

“I’ll let you go,” Natalia told her. “I can hear you’re being summoned,” she joked.

“Yeah, he’s in such a hurry for some reason,” Summer said. “But, call me tonight after the game and let me know how everything went.”

“I will,” Natalia promised. “Bye,” she added as she hung up the phone.

Marty walked into the living room just at that time, looking at her. “Who were you talking to?” he asked.

“Summer,” Natalia answered. “She said she’s rooting for you guys tonight,” she added with a smile.

Marty laughed, imaging just what everyone with the Blackhawks would think if they knew that Summer was rooting for the Wild. He glanced over at the clock before asking, “You ready to go?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Natalia sighed, still nervous about being in a skybox with a bunch of strangers, and the possibility of Camilla and Vivian.

“If you don’t want to go, you don’t have to,” Marty told her as they made their way to the door. “If you want to stay here and watch the game, that’s fine with me.”

“You’re joking, right?” Natalia questioned. “Marty, did you forget who you’re talking to? I’m the girl that grew up around hockey. I love being at live games. And, yeah, I’m scared of who I’m going to be with in that box, but that would never stop me from going to this game tonight, especially since this is your first game with the Wild. I’ll be cheering you on every second,” she told him with a smile.

“Yeah, I’m sure I’ll hear you down on the ice,” he joked, remembering how loud and vocal Natalia was at games from when he had sat with her in the skybox during Blackhawks games the previous year when he had been injured.

“Shut up,” Natalia laughed, pushing him lightly. “You know you love when I yell for you.”

“Yeah, I do,” he admitted.

***

Natalia slowly and nervously climbed the stairs to the skybox. She thought about turning back around and heading home, but she knew she couldn’t do that. She wanted to be here to watch Marty in action. Her phone in her pocket beeped, indicating a text message, and she stopped on the stairs to read it.

Don’t let those bitches scare you. They’re just jealous that you’re engaged to Marty, and they’re stuck with his teammates :) The text message was from Summer, and it made Natalia smile as she started climbing the stairs once again, with more confidence this time.

Her phone beeped once again, and she stopped in her tracks, wondering what Summer was going to say this time. She opened her phone to read the text. Don’t be nervous. If those girls try to say anything, let me know and I’ll come to Minnesota myself to teach them a lesson. And, I’ll bring Eags and Bur with me for backup ;) That one was from Olivia, who Summer had obviously told Natalia’s situation to, and Natalia couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that she had offered to bring Ben Eager and Adam Burish to back her up.

Thanks! I’ll let you know how everything goes! Natalia texted both of them back. She stepped up the final stair and walked down the hallway until she found the right skybox. She slowly walked inside, looking around for Vivian and Camilla, who appeared to be nowhere in sight. Instead, a pretty woman was sitting in a seat in the corner, staring out at the ice. She had two little girls with her, and Natalia made her way over to them.

“Hi,” Natalia said shyly, and the woman looked up at her. “I’m Natalia McDonough,” she introduced herself. “I’m Marty Havlat’s fiancée.”

“Oh, hi!” the woman said excitedly as she stood up and stuck her hand out for Natalia to shake. “I’m Alexandra Belanger. I’m Eric Belanger’s wife,” she introduced herself. “These are our two daughters, Oceanne and Lola,” she said, pointing down to the two girls who were playing on the floor. “You said you’re Marty’s fiancée?” she asked, and Natalia nodded her head. “Eric says Marty talks about you all the time,” she said with a smile on her face. Natalia sighed, and Alexandra laughed at her. “Don’t worry, it’s all good things,” she assured her.

“Good,” Natalia smiled, knowing she was going to get along just fine with Alexandra. The two women chatted for a little while as more girlfriends and wives came into the box, and Alexandra introduced them all to Natalia.

Natalia heard the distinct voices of Camilla and Vivian, and Natalia shut her eyes, praying that they were going to go to a different skybox. But, tonight was not her lucky night as she heard Vivian say, “Oh, look! We’ve got the crazy person with us tonight!”

Natalia slowly turned around to face the two of them, while Alexandra looked at them curiously. “What?” Alexandra asked them.

“She’s crazy,” Vivian said bluntly, pointing directly at Natalia. “Or hasn’t she told you all about that yet?” she questioned. “Apparently, she has some crazy ass dreams and she thinks people are coming to kill her and her boyfriend,” Vivian rolled her eyes. “She’s fucking crazy.”

Natalia thought back to the text messages from Summer and Olivia and decided to take their advice and not let Vivian and Camilla get to her. She opened her mouth to respond when Alexandra beat her to the punch. “First of all,” she began. “My children are here, so if you could not use that language, that’d be great,” she said with a bit of attitude in her voice. “And, second of all, I wouldn’t be talking about things that you have no idea about. And, it’s clear that you don’t know Natalia at all, so mind your own business,” she continued.

Natalia looked over at her in awe, shocked that she was standing up for her when she had just met her a little while ago. Everyone in the room was now staring at the four of them, and Natalia wished she could just disappear. Camilla and Vivian scoffed as they walked out of the skybox, and Alexandra turned to look at Natalia. “Don’t mind them,” she told her with a smile. “Why those guys are dating them, I have no idea. They could do so much better. But, seriously, don’t listen to them. I don’t even know where they come up with these things!” she exclaimed. “Claiming you’re crazy!” she rolled her eyes as she went back to her seat by her daughters with Natalia following her.

“I have post traumatic stress disorder,” Natalia admitted quietly, deciding she owed Alexandra the truth since she had just stood up for her, and she was bound to find out eventually. Alexandra looked over at her.

“So, that’s where they got it from,” Alexandra nodded her head. “Like I said, don’t listen to them. They’re not the brightest crayons in the box. They’ve probably never even heard of PTSD before, let alone know what it truly is.”

“So, you don’t think I’m crazy?” Natalia asked quietly. She didn’t know why she cared so much what Alexandra thought of her. Maybe it was because she was the first person who reminded her so much of Summer and Olivia, and she thought she could really be friends with her.

“No, I don’t,” Alexandra assured her. “Besides, what does it matter if someone thinks you’re a little crazy? I’m pretty sure you’re going to think I’m crazy after sitting next to me during this game. I tend to scream at the top of my lungs,” she said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you never wanted to even associate with me anymore after tonight.”

Natalia started laughing along with her. “You know,” she began. “I actually scream at the top of my lungs, too. Marty makes fun of me all the time because of it.”

“You know, Natalia, I think you’re going to fit in just fine here,” Alexandra smiled at her as the two girls began chatting once again.