2nd Intermissions

We sat together on my old bed, cross-legged for me, Adam had his bad leg stretched out. We faced each other, wrapped presents in our laps.

My parents had pretty much kept my room the same, too lazy to fix it up into another office or a guest bedroom. The walls were still covered with posters of old bands and newspaper clippings from Blackhawks playoff runs. Signed concert tickets dotted the walls around the graffitied desk, now cluttered with my mother's files.

We watched the clock on Adam's lit phone in silence, waiting until midnight, so we could exchange the gifts.
Our adrenaline rushes had drained us, and we soon ended up laying on our backs on the bed, holding hands and not watching the clock any longer.
Adam had gotten to drive the snowmobile the night before, racing around the pond slower than I had, but still pretty quick for the snow being packed down into near-ice consistency. The treads struggled for purchase and I held onto him tightly, slightly raised off the seat, poised to bail off the machine if worse came to worse and ready to pull Adam off as well. While I was pressed flush against him, I noticed he also enjoyed finding the bumps and jumps.

Christmas eve was spent at my cousin's as well, consisting of mostly the same, with an abundance of food and family.

We ended up falling asleep, waking to the quiet opening of my bedroom door. I opened my eyes to see my mother sneaking into my room, now lit with bright early morning light.
"Caught you." I whispered, sitting up.
"Dammit!" She left the room, closing the door halfway, disappointed she couldn't scare us out of bed.
I gently shook Adam awake, peeling myself off of him. I had cuddled in close to him, because we had fallen asleep on top of the covers, cold during the night.
"Hmm?" He wakened, sitting up, leaning on me while he rubbed his face.
"Merry Christmas." I said, grabbing my gift to him from where it landed on the floor.
Adam smiled, quickly waking up and retrieved my gift from the foot of the bed.
When I sat back up straight, he raised his hand to hold my chin, pressing a light kiss on my lips. "No more." I said, "I have morning breath."
He chuckled and pressed the small wrapped box in my hands. I smiled and pushed his medium sized, roughly wrapped box over to him.
Adam quickly began ripping into his, while I slid my finger under the tape of mine.
Before I could open the black box, I heard him gasp. I looked up, worried- and was greeted by a tight hug and kisses all over my face.
"Do you like it?" I asked, laughing through the onslaught of affection.
He released me and stood, slipping on the Rocky Balboa robe and getting into a boxing stance.
"It is AMAZING." He said, hopping from one foot to the other, fists pumping his invisible foe.
When he calmed down, he took another look in the box and saw something else.
"More?" His face looked at mine, questioning. I smiled my encouragement and watched him pick up the wheel shaped object.
"This is not.." He shook his head, his face lighting up with laughter.
"It is a cheese wheel. For a very special cheese head." I giggled, brushing the wrapping paper off the bed.
"THIS IS AWESOME." Adam sat back down on the bed, placing the wax covered cheese to the side. "Open mine. Come on." He urged, making motions with his hand.
I laughed again and took the lid off the box, seeing the logo on the inside before seeing the item itself.
"Swarovski?" I asked, picking up the bracelet that laid inside.
"Like the hockey player." He nodded, helping me clasp it to my wrist.
"Adam- you..I feel like a retard! My gift sucks compared to this!" I eyed the silver chain, finding the thin eladed-cut crystal glinting in the light filtering in through my curtains.
"Nonsense. I love your gift. I plan on wearing it downstairs, actually. Come on." He stood, snapping me out of my trance.
I took his hand and he pulled me out of bed, and he let me lead downstairs.

Christmas night ended with an intense game of uno, where my brother threw his hand across the room and stormed into the basement. Adam was a hit with my mother, who enjoyed calling him, "Cheese head." and my father changed the subject to baseball often, trying to get Adam into a heated conversation about the Brewers vs. the Cubs.
The last day we were there was spent mostly packing, but father time allowed us a couple laps on the snowmobile before the sun set and we would have to be dropped off at the train station.

The trip back to Chicago was a quiet one, much like the ride out to the country. I rested my head on Adam's shoulder and stared out the window into the inky blackness. I saw him watching me through the reflection in the window and I asked him how he liked it.
"It was definately an interesting way to spend Christmas. I'm glad I decided to spend it with you and your family. Even if your brother is crazy."
We laughed at the truth in his last statement, and my eyes found the bracelet resting on my wrist.
"Thank you again, for my Christmas gift." I whispered into his shoulder.
He turned his head and captured my lips before replying, "You are very welcome."

When we arrived back in Chicago, Angelina was waiting in the parking lot to pick us up.
"Glad to have you two back!" She got out of the driver's side and climbed into the backseat saying, "Cripple boy gets front seat."
"Cripple Boy" laughed and took his assigned seat while I situated myself behind the wheel.
"Angelina, whose hat is this?" I asked, finding a Team Canada beanie laying on the dash.
I looked behind me and saw her blushing.
"Troy's."
"Parchman?" I asked, the same time Adam asked, "BROUWER?"

She giggled nervously and I began driving to her house to drop her off. Tossing the hat back into her lap, I asked her, "Well, which one?"
"Brouwer."
Adam started to laugh in the front seat, holding onto the dashboard.
"What is so funny, Mr. Hockey?"
"You hooked up with Brow?" He turned to get a better look at her, all undignified. I watched her in the rearview mirror and she said, "We didn't have sex or anything! I just went back to the party after I dropped you two off."
I pulled to a stop in front of her apartment and before I could ask what had happened, she jumped out, yelling to us: "Have a nice night! Bye!" And high tailed it into the apartment building.
Adam continued chuckling and I just shook my head, driving to his house to drop him off.
Before he got out of the car, he captured my lips, and after an intense minute, he release me and I knew I was breathing heavy, my eyes locked on his swollen lips.
"See you, Sam." He left me in the car, still trying to catch my breath.

---

It was New Years Eve and I doubted I would be able to work, but I dragged myself out of bed, feeling sickly. It was near six and I needed to be at the rink in a half hour for the game that started at seven thirty. I managed to get dressed and took some Day Quil, hoping that I would be able to make it to midnight, but I knew it would be impossible to spend it with Adam tonight.
While driving to work, I thought of my ruined plans, and the matching bra-and-panty set that was still in the bag, hidden under my bed.
Sighing, I parked in the lot and made my way into the United Center.