Worth The Wait

CH. 28

“Go check your email!” Phoebe was in the middle of writing a paper when Sidney called her and excitedly demanded her to check her mail. Sidney had been gone for a few days and she had not seen him so with their new engagement and their separation anxiety on overdrive, Sidney obviously couldn’t take it anymore.

“Why? What’d you do?” She asked, her legs straddling her computer.

“Not telling. Just go check.”

“Fine. I hope you’re happy disrupting me from my paper,” she pouted.

“I don’t think you’ll care about that when you see what’s waiting for you.”

When Phoebe logged in and went into her account she finally saw what Sidney was being so hyper about. “What the-oh my gosh! Tickets to the Florida Keys? Sid are you nuts?!” she was completely bewildered.

“No, I’m not nuts. I think it will be fun actually. I checked out the schedule and in two weeks we play on a Saturday then we have off until Thursday- and we’re playing Florida so it works out perfectly, I can just meet the team there. I figured we could go away together; celebrate our engagement. I didn’t think you would mind, so I booked it and wanted to surprise you by sending you the itinerary.”

Phoebe’s hand was lightly covering her mouth due to shock as she stared at her computer screen. She read over the flight information and was letting the information process in her brain. She’d never been to the Keys and it had to be gorgeous, Sid wouldn’t take her somewhere boring. “Wait a second.” Something caught her eye and made her suspicious. “Why are we flying out of Philly? On Monday morning?”

“Yeah, about that.” Sid’s voiced hitched in his throat. “I want to go see your family in Philly. We’ll head there Saturday night after the game and then stay with them on Sunday. We can at least stay in Philly til Monday and I can get to know my future in-laws. You can’t keep putting this off forever Pheebs.”

It made sense but it infuriated Phoebe that he made these plans without even consulting her first. He decided when they were going to see her parents, he made the decision as to when they would find out about their engagement and Phoebe didn’t even get asked if it were alright. “So this engagement celebration is just an excuse for you to make me go to Philly? What is it to make me shut up or something? Hush money? I’m not going.”

“Oh come on, don’t do this.” Sidney’s intention was to meet her family. He wanted them to get to know him, he wanted them to accept the fact that he was marrying his daughter. Her parents had such a warped opinion of them-both of them knew it. They felt like he came along and messed up her life; corrupted their little girl and made her walk away from what she was supposed to have. Even though Phoebe had talked with her mother, it didn’t change the fact that they didn’t approve. Phoebe’s talk with her mom only accomplished her mom being willing to meet Sidney. Her mother; her parents, they didn’t truly understand the severity of Phoebe’s love for Sid and vice versa. They didn’t understand their relationship and the news of their engagement would send them over the edge.

“No!” she was getting angrier by the second. She didn’t want to subject Sidney to unnecessary scrutiny and the fact that he took it upon himself to try and remedy the situation pissed her off beyond belief. “You knew I wouldn’t want to go see my parents so you tried to butter me up by booking a trip to Florida, thinking I wouldn’t notice! Well, I’m not going. Take Jordan with you!”

“What the fuck Phoebe?” Sid lost it. “We’re fucking engaged! Are you going to keep me a secret from them forever? Why don’t you just wait til the wedding to tell them? You fuckin were engaged to the biggest asshole in the world and your parents loved him, but you won’t even tell them about us, about how serious this is!” he screamed at her, his feelings hurt and ego bruised.

“So this is a competition now?”

“You’re so infuriating sometimes! It’s like you’re ashamed of me or something! And you think that isn’t going to hurt me?”

“Shouldn’t I get to choose when my family knows about us? Don’t you think I should be able to decide when they’re ready to know?”

“You know what? When would you want to go Phoebe? I’ll fuckin take a leave of absence, I’ll miss a game, I’ll miss the rest of the fucking season if you wanted to go when we had a game! Just tell me when and we’ll go! How’s that sound?” Sid felt like she was hiding him from her parents and he hated thinking that Phoebe’s parents viewed him as the enemy and Mike as the guy who she should have ended up with.

“Sidney…” Phoebe sighed in frustration. “What do you want from me?”

“What do I want from you?” he repeated, flabbergasted. “You just don’t get it.”

“I don’t get it? Because I didn’t bow down to your wishes? Whatever.”

“Fuck this! This is bullshit. Wedding’s off til you grow up,” he screamed at her, his stomach in knots.

That was the last thing Phoebe wanted to hear. She didn’t want to fight but both of them had been overcome by their emotions and it was too late to turn back now. Heated and spoiled by feelings of anger and guilt Phoebe screamed back an equally offensive dig, “Don’t call me. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Go find some whore and fuck her tonight since you’re good at that.”

“Maybe I will. I’m sure she’d at least tell her parents she fucked me,” he spat back.

Tears were welling in the corner of Phoebe’s eyes and her voice was going to crack if she spoke, revealing to Sidney that she was crying. That couldn’t happen, he couldn’t sense any sign of weakness in her right now. She was so taken aback by what he’d said that she pursed her lips together, shook her head and hung up the phone without another word. They both had overreacted and now their fight had spiraled out of control.

Phoebe wanted to finish her paper but her mind was running frantic with the thoughts of Sidney actually being with someone else. He was fuming mad at her and she knew it. What she didn’t know was how far he’d take it. The longer she paced around her apartment with her heart pounding and her stomach churning she knew that she had to get out of the house. She had to do something. She wasn’t having any luck on her paper since she couldn’t concentrate and watching a movie was impossible. Phoebe had not heard from Sidney in hours, and she didn’t go out of her way to call him. She couldn’t sit home all night thinking about the things she’d said to him, things that really hurt him and pushed him away from her. Phoebe realized Sid had every reason to be furious with her. He was pushing her, yeah, but it was because he wasn’t afraid to stand up for their relationship. She was. He’d been so selfless, albeit a little immature, but then again so had she.

Never one for rational thinking Phoebe got dressed and walked to a bar that was frequented often by fellow college students. Not only that, but it also just so happened to be Jordan and the rest of the guy’s favorite spot. The girls who filled the place were young and the alcohol served as an icebreaker. It was the perfect storm so it wasn’t really shocking that they would like to hang out there. Phoebe had gone there before with the guys. With Sidney. Not tonight though, as stupid as it was, she was going solo. She couldn’t stand being home not knowing what was going on, what he was doing in this very questionable moment. Phoebe needed a distraction and alcohol was the easiest distraction she could think of. She needed a distraction that would subconsciously make Sidney jealous and out of spite she motored herself into the bar and ordered a drink. Was it the smartest idea to act upon, no, and she knew it but her heart and her head weren’t on the same wavelength.

Phoebe was content sitting at the bar by herself with her vodka and cranberry. She observed the scene she was currently in, the scene she voluntarily put herself in. The music went hand-in-hand with the alcohol as the sweaty, drunk patrons smashed their bodies together. Phoebe didn’t know what she wanted, she didn’t know why she was there all she knew was that she overreacted and she pushed the one person who she could depend on, who she loved, away. The hours were passing by and still she had not talked to Sidney. Her stomach sank with each passing hour and she didn’t know exactly how far she’d pushed him away. They fought, sure, they were a normal human couple, but she never really felt like he actually got that pissed off by the things she would say to him. Now she wasn’t sure. She practically enticed him to go to bed with another girl and knowing full well who he was and how easy that would be, she wished she’d never said it.

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing here by herself?” A tall man with light brown hair pulled Phoebe from her self-induced pity party. She looked up at him startled and he continued his ploy that he believed would get her into his bed. “I see you’re running low. What are you drinking?”

“Uhhh vodka and cran,” she looked down at her drink that was all but empty and knew she probably shouldn’t be drinking another one. She’d had three as it was and that was enough for her, especially since she was by herself. The point of going to the bar was to spite Sid but also to break up her thoughts by filling them with alcohol and pounding loud music. As the mystery man ordered her another round from the bartender Phoebe felt guilt overtake her. Sidney was the one man she wanted buying her drinks.

“So what’s your name? I’m Dave,” he slid her fresh drink in front of her and faced her as he leaned one side of his body against the bar. She didn’t say anything; she just sipped on her drink and hoped he’d leave her alone. However, the vodka was making her foggy and she couldn’t keep her thoughts organized. “We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to,” he moved closer to her, his hands easily finding her waist as she sat on the elevated chair. Phoebe took in a breath knowing that his strange man touching her was not what she wanted. She tried to squirm so that he would get the point she wasn’t comfortable with his advances but he ignored it. Instead he leaned in closer to her, his face just inches from hers and whispered in what he thought was a seductive tone, “Dance with me.”

“Umm…” Phoebe’s brow was strewn. She was confused because the alcohol was interfering with her decision-making and she didn’t know how she was going to get out of the stupid situation she’d allowed to happen. “I…don’t…”

“It wasn’t a request,” Dave cut her off.

“I don’t… think I should.’ Her words were slurred and she had to focus to get them out. All she knew was that she regretted everything she screamed at Sidney and wanted to tell him that as soon as she could.

“You’re too fuckin hot to let you sit alone, and you owe me for the drink,” he spat.

Phoebe didn’t respond. She panicked, looked nervously down at the ground and sat awkwardly with Dave’s hands digging into her waist. She faintly heard someone behind her, someone at the bar who suddenly was alarmed by something which caused him to stick out to her. “Holy fuck! Is that Sidney Crosby?” the guy asked his group of friends. And that alarmed her as well.

“If I heard correctly, I don’t think she’s interested. So back the fuck off,” Sidney emerged from behind Phoebe and pushed Dave off of her. He grabbed Phoebe off her chair and pulled her outside of the club without Dave or anyone else stepping in.

“That’s Sidney fucking Crosby,” the guy yelled as Sid escorted Phoebe out the door.

When they were outside and it was quiet Sidney turned Phoebe towards him, hoisted her up over his shoulder and carried her home. When they got back to her place he sat her down on the couch and went into the kitchen to pour her a glass of water. “Here drink this,” he shoved it in her hand.

Phoebe drank the glass as she was told and put her head down on the pillows. The room was spinning and she wanted to sleep. When she woke up a few hours later she found herself in her bed with Sidney next to her. It was still dark out and morning had not yet come. She got up and made her way into the bathroom. Her stirring awoke Sidney who wasn’t sleeping well himself. He sat up and watched her as she walked back to the bed. “What the fuck was that about?” He scared the crap out of her and she almost fell down backwards. When she crawled back into bed she lied down and looked up at him. “I don’t know.”

“I don’t even know what to say Pheebs,” he tightened his jaw. “You have no idea how pissed I am.”

“I didn’t think, I wasn’t thinking,” she pleaded. “When we got into our screaming match I realized I overreacted and I practically dared you to be with another girl. And you saying the wedding was off..." she sighed. "I shouldn’t have said half the things I said and I was so angry with you and myself that I needed to get out of the house.”

“So you trust me that little that you think I’d actually listen to you? You think I’d actually cheat on you? Phoebe, I put on ring on your finger for a reason! I don’t want to be with anyone else. You can push me away all you want but I’m not going anywhere.”

“I didn’t know. I thought you were angry enough that you’d listen to me.” She then realized what was going on. “Wait a minute. Sid what are you even doing here?”

“I’m not an idiot. I was wrong too on the phone, and I was furious with you for about an hour. Then I thought about it and as mad as I was- as mad as I wanted to be- I realized that through your bitchy words you had a little bit of a point. I wanted to apologize for pushing you and I have the means, so I came home to do it. We both completely overreacted.”

“So how’d you find me there? I never go out…”

“Yeah but I know you. I can’t even explain it, I just knew.”

Phoebe squeezed her eyes shut and looked up at Sid, broken. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have acted like such a bitch. I shouldn’t have gone out and I should have known better than to think you’d actually do something to hurt me…”

“Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Going out to a bar by yourself? You could have gotten yourself killed or raped or kidnapped-“ he was screaming at her in disbelief at her stupidity.

“I know! I know! I don’t have anything I can possibly say to make it less horrible, I’m sorry.”

“I saw that guy talking to you and my instincts went into jealous, protection mode. I saw how uncomfortable you were and my anger kind of melted away because yeah you did something horribly dumb, asinine even, but I could see how scared you were.”

“You weren’t really jealous?” she glared at him.

“Did you see that guy? He’s got nothing on me.” He grinned at her, “I mean, c’mon, I’m Sidney fucking Crosby.” They both laughed as the guys from earlier in the night flooded back into their minds and Phoebe nuzzled up closer to him. “Okay,” Sid’s tone went back into serious mode. “Here’s the deal. If you don’t want to go see your parents, then we don’t. I’m not going to force you. I want you to want to introduce me to them. I don’t want you to do it out of obligation.”

Phoebe reached up and grabbed Sidney’s chin, putting her index finger over his lips. “No,” she shook her head. “No. I want to. I was completely wrong. I love you and you’ve done nothing but be there for me unconditionally. I’ve been a complete fool and I realized that. I want to marry you, and I don’t care what my parents say or what anyone says. You don’t deserve to be treated the way I treated you today. I have nothing to hide and I don’t want you to feel like I’m hiding you.”

Sidney smiled at her, “You really mean that?”

“I do. I’m so sorry for everything I said and what I did tonight.”

“It’s okay. I’m really looking forward to meeting them and I’m not going to lie, Florida is going to be awesome.” He reached and kissed her in a kiss that got her lost in him. He crawled in between her legs, mounting himself on top of her. “Would it be alright if the girl I have sex with tonight is you?” he teased.

“Please do,” she moaned as she pulled the shirt over his head and he returned the favor. He continued undressing her so sexily her skin tingled. His hands always knew how to touch her.

“I just have one question,” she panted as Sidney nibbled at her neck. “How did you manage to get here? How do you always manage to be with me when you’re supposed to be traveling?”

“I already told you,” he devilishly grinned. “I’m Sidney fucking Crosby.”