Why Should You Care Now?

A smile gracing her face, she started heading towards her car with the papers of two possible new apartments in her arms. She couldn’t believe how well things were going. It was like things were falling into place. Being around family and having a new job, she had to admit, things were really starting to look up for her. Walking down the street she could hear a man walking in the opposite direction than her talking on his cell phone. Without looking for him, she could tell that he was a bit away, but damn was he loud.

Lifting the to go cup from the coffee she had gotten on her way into the apartment building, she took a long sip and sighed contently. That was when she decided she would pick her nephew up from daycare early so that she could have a nice afternoon with him. It was something she didn’t get to do very often when he was younger since she lived so far away.

Only a few feet away from her car and she went sailing to the ground, hitting her head on the curb. It took her a few minutes to realize that there were a few guys hovered over her. Bringing her hand to the back of her head she didn’t feel any wetness, which was a good sign. It meant there was no blood, but that meant she was wearing tea, only it didn’t just smell like her tea it smelt like tea mixed with coffee.

Looking at some of the faces, she looked at them confused. Sitting up, one of them caught her elbow to help her. “Are you alright? You hit the sidewalk pretty hard.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Let’s go.”

“Tazer, be nice,” the man helping her said. “You knocked her over, the least you could do is make sure she’s alright and not hurt.”

“Sharpie, she said she was fine, so let’s go.”

“What’s your hurry anyways?” the voice of a younger man came from next to the tall giant that had been speaking.

“I have things I need to do.”

“And helping someone you knocked down on a sidewalk, making all of her paperwork go everywhere and to top it off, you not only spilled my tea, but coffee on my new shirt. Yeah, great guy you must be.”

“Who do you think you-“

“I’m the one on the ground while you are still standing because some of us can’t see where we are going.”

Getting to her feet she looked at the man that was helping her and he offered her the paperwork that had been in her hand. “I think I got all the papers organized as they were, if not, I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” she said, surprised. “I appreciate that. But I think I’m gonna get going.”

“What nothing else to say?” the giant asked.

“When I find someone worth saying something to, then I will say something.”

Turning on her heel, she walked towards where she parked her red Honda CR-V. Every step that she took to get farther away the angrier she became. She had met many men in her life, but he was the only one that had treated her like an inferior for something that wasn’t even her fault. As she got to her car, she unlocked it and got it, putting her tea in the cup holder as she looked around her car in hopes that there was something in there that she could use. As she looked at the passengers’ seat she noticed that her brother had left his jacket there. So with a smile, she took it and put it on and zipped it up so that the coffee stain wasn’t noticeable. With the jacket now on, she started the engine and headed towards the daycare center to pick up her three and a half year old nephew.

Jordan Taylor had taken the job offered to her as a massage therapist for the Chicago Blackhawks for one reason and one reason only. Her sister-in-law needed help while her brother was overseas. The moment he graduated from high school, he had made the choice to become a Marine. But at the moment he was overseas, leaving his wife who was now seven months pregnant and his very active three and a half year old son in Chicago. So when the offer to work in Chicago came she knew she would take it, without a doubt in her mind.

Parking across the street from the daycare, Jordan finished her cup of tea before getting out of her car and heading towards the gate entrance. Once she walked into the building she closed the door as silently as possible and felt a pair of arms wrap around her leg. Looking down she saw Joey with his arms latched around her leg. When he looked up, she saw him smile and it reminded her of her brother. Lifting him in her arms she walked towards the sign out sheet, she signed it and waited for the employee to comeback with his backpack of stuff.

“Did you have fun today?” she asked, placing a soft kiss on his head.

Joey just nodded his head before placing it on her shoulder and let out a sigh. When the worker saw him, she smiled at him. “We were just getting ready for naps, so he’ll probably take one soon.”

“Thanks,” Jordan said taking the bag into her hand. “Was he good today?”

“Yes he was,” she said. “He’s very well behaved. Have a good day.”

Driving back to the house, Jordan glanced back and saw Joey fast asleep in his seat. With a smile she turned off the music and drove. Driving seemed to relax her more than anything. It made her calm down after what the jerk at the coffee shop had told her. Like him spilling coffee on her shirt made it her fault? Why would she want to have a shirt smelling like coffee, especially since she didn’t drink the stuff. She stuck strictly to tea.

Around five in the evening, her sister-in-law Elizabeth walked through the door of the house. Joey was in the backyard playing with the chocolate Labrador named Charlie. Jordan had been keeping an eye on them as she was making dinner. “Hey, how was your day?” she asked looking at her tired face.

“Really long,” Elizabeth told her. “Do you mind staying up with himtonight? I don’t think I can keep up with him tonight and this one just won’t stop playing soccer with my insides.”

“That’s not a problem,” Jordan said as the buzzer for the dryer went off. “I did some laundry.”

“You know you don’t have to do that.”

“I know,” Jordan laughed. “But this ass outside of the apartment place knocked me on my ass and spilled not only my tea all over me but his coffee as well. He didn't even act like he was sorry about it.”

“Did you threaten him?” Elizabeth asked as she sat down in the reclining chair. “Is there a court date?”

“No,” Jordan told her. “But I did want to say nasty things to him, but his friend was really nice.”

Elizabeth couldn’t help but laugh. “I bet he wasn’t too happy about that.”

“I don’t care,” Jordan said. “I’m hoping that I never have to see the jerk again.”

“Aunt Jordy!” came the scream of Joey followed by a laugh.

Walking away from the laundry, she walked towards the backdoor and saw Joey with his face pressed up against the glass door. With a laugh, she took out her phone and took a picture of him before opening the door so that he could come inside followed by Charlie. Joey ran over to where he saw his mom sit down as Charlie laid down under the kitchen table.

“Joey, go wash up for dinner,” Jordan called to him. “When do you have your next appointment?”

“Next week,” she said. “Would you mind watching him?”

“Not at all,” Jordan told her. “My first day is tomorrow.”

“Already?” Elizabeth questioned her. “I thought it wasn’t until next week.”

“That’s what I told you last week, so now that it’s next week, yeah.”

“I can’t wait for your brother to get back,” Elizabeth said. “Maybe things will get easier.”

“I just want him to come home safely.”

“Me, too.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Dude, she was hot,” Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks told the team Capitan Jonathan Toews as he went off again about the girl at the coffee shop. “She didn’t take your shit at all. That was the best part.”

“What happened?” Adam Burish asked as he walked into the player’s lounge area.

“Tazer spilled my coffee all over this hot girl at the coffee shop yesterday,” Patrick laughed as he retold the story as he had done countless times that day. Once he was done Adam was cracking up just like the other guys had been when Patrick finished the story. “And I’m telling you Burish, this chick was hot.”

“She was a bitch.”

“Your just mad ‘cause she questioned your manhood,” Patrick Kane laughed. “And you still owe me a coffee that you spilled all over her.”

“If I see that bitch again, it will be all too soon.” Jonathan said as the General Manager walked into the player’s lounge.

“Boys, just a reminder,” he said poking his head in. “The new massage therapist is here today.”

“What’s his name?” Ben Eager called out.

“Jordan Taylor.”

After that he left the players to their business.

“That’s another thing. Why did Rob have to leave?” Jonathan asked.

“I heard his wife has cancer and so he found one of the best to replace him,” Patrick Sharp said speaking up as he changed the channel on the TV. “Can’t blame the guy for that Tazer.”

“But this dude won’t know what anyone likes or doesn’t,” Jonathan said. “I don’t want some stranger touching me.”

“Rob started out as a stranger.” Ben reminded him.

Walking into the room, with a huge grin on his face, Brent Seabrook sat at the opposite end of the couch that Sharpie was sitting at. Looking at the grin on his face, the guys gave him worried looks. “What’s with the face?” Burish asked.

“Just met the new massage therapist,” Seabs said. “Magic touch. That’s all you’ll get from me. You gotta meet magic hands.”

“Where is he?” Kane asked.

“Rob’s old office.”

Without another word, some of the guys walked out and headed out to see who the new therapist would be. Arriving at the office, what Jonathan saw surprised him and made Patrick Kane bend over laughing at what he saw. It was the woman from the coffee shop. She was wearing a trainers outfit and Troy Brouwer was on the table as she worked on his shoulder. He let out a grunt and she stilled her hands, “Was that too much pressure?” she asked.

“Naw,” he said. “I’m fine. Dudes, go away.”

Jordan looked up from Troy’s shoulder and looked up to see the group of men standing in the door way. Her eyes locked with the man from the coffee shop. Disbelief ran across her face. This kind of thing happened in the movies, not in real life. What was going on?

“Okay, that should do it,” Jordan said, making her way over to her chart and making a few marks. “I’ll see you next week or if you need me before then, just let me know.”

“Alright,” Troy said getting off the table. “Thanks Jordan.”

As Troy left Jonathan, Sharpie and Kane stayed behind. His glare might have terrified some, but it did nothing to Jordan. “I believe stalking is illegal.”

“Then don’t do it.”

“Tazer?” Sharpie asked.

“Sharpie, this is the one he spilled my coffee all over.” Kane told him.

“I’m Patrick Sharp.” He introduced himself as he walked up to the woman.

“Jordan Taylor.”

“We didn’t meet, but I was at the coffee shop. It was actually my coffee that was spilled all over you,” Kane said. “I’m Patrick Kane.”

“It’s nice to meet the both of you.”

“What are you doing here?” Jonathan asked her.

“I’m working,” she said. “Maybe you should try it once in a while.”