2nd Intermissions

The game ended and I only had to bandage Brent Seabrook with a highstick hit and iced Khabibulin’s shoulder. Cleaning up the room, I sterilized everything while the guys got undressed in the player’s lounge and migrated to the showers. After I was finished I wrote a prescription for some painkillers and as I passed the locker room, I went in the big empty room and put it on Adam’s take home bag.

I heard a noise and turned around.

“Whatcha got there, Sammy?” Patrick Sharp entered the room fully clothed and drying his hair with a towel.

Patrick had a friendly face with straight eyebrows and scruff on his face. He has the total ‘level look’ thing down and he can be the cutest thing in the clubhouse.

I breathed and said, “Sharpie! Oh, nothing- just a prescription for painkillers for Burish.”

“Wimp.” Sharpie laughed at his teammate and sat in his stall, putting on socks and shoes.

“Alright Sharpie, see you tomorrow night, eh?” I started to leave and Patty said, “Yeah- you be careful driving home.”

I smiled at his precaution and left the building to enter the parking garage for employees and VIPs, which, really translates into: PLAYERS.

I drove my Ford Escape out of the concrete block and headed northeast towards Lincoln Park where my apartment was.

The drive wasn’t that long and by time I left the arena, all the fans had long gone home. I looked at the little clock on the radio and it said nine thirty. Thank god we had an early start tonight, or else I would have been at the bar by eleven. I jogged up the stairs to the 2nd floor where I was at; it was nice having the only apartment on the floor, so you don’t have to pound on walls, and it was one of the old Chicago buildings, so the 2nd floor was the top floor. The only people other than me were the landlords that are an elderly couple who has PEAPOD deliver their food. They were quiet, and that was the best part.

I rushed around my apartment, jumping in the shower and getting dressed, then doing my hair and makeup. I knew what kind of place Freddie’s was. It was a sports bar so I decided on jeans that fit nicely and a gray Team Canada hoodie that Sharpie got for me; it was well worn and loved for its warmth and comfort. I slipped on some old white hightop Nike’s that used to be my dad’s (I stole them as soon as I fit into them because I couldn’t find another pair like them they were so old) and did my hair how I normally wear it off of work: down. I straightened it so my natural frizz didn’t frizz and made my regular bangs look pretty.

Spraying on some perfume, I grabbed my keys and wallet and headed out.

Around ten thirty I was pulling into Freddie’s parking lot and getting out.

I walked into the bar, scanned it really fast and found Adam sitting in a booth in the corner.

Sliding in across from him I said, “Hey, fancy meeting you here.” I smiled and acted surprised.

He took on a falsetto and gasped, putting his hand over his mouth.

“Oh my gawd, Samantha! How did you know I was going to be here?” in his falsetto. His eye had turned a nasty looking yellow and swelled considerably.

I shrugged and said, “Little birdie.”

He smiled at me and asked, “What can I get for you?”

“Its cool, I’ve got money.” I motioned to the pouch in front of the sweater.

“Let’s just see about that. But- what is that?” Adam looked pointedly at the Team Canada logo on the chest.

“Uh, Team Canada?”

“Aren’t you American- didn’t you grow up in Chicago?” He prodded.

“Yeah, it’s just a hoodie I got from Sharpie. He’s very generous with these things. How did you know I’m from here?” I asked him.

“First, the accent: I may be cheesehead, but I know a Chicago accent when I hear one. And, when we had Danny, he told me.”

I recalled Danny Richmond. Both of us were born in Chicago and grew up there. We often hung out, until he was traded to Pittsburgh.

“Oh, that explains it. Damn cheesehead.” I smiled and poked him in the shoulder. “That eye looks impressive.”

“Yeah? I thought it looked like crap.” He looked up from his beer.

“It does- but hey- who’s complaining?” I smiled.

I noticed his beer was almost empty. He’d been here for awhile.

“I’m gonna get a drink, do you want another beer?” I asked.

“Yeah, sure, I’ll come up with you.”

He trailed me to the bar and I ordered another Bud Light for him and a Guinness.

Sitting back down he grimaced at my bottle.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Strong shit, man.” Adam replied, looking doubtful.

“I can handle my liquor better than you I bet. I’d drink you under the table if you didn’t have a game tomorrow and I didn’t have to work.”

He laughed and said, “I doubt it.”

“We’ll see about that, Bur.” I smiled mysteriously and took a swig from the bottle.

The night went by a lot faster than either of us anticipated, and around one o’clock, I admitted I needed to get home and get some sleep because I had paperwork in the morning. Adam admitted they had an early practice.

“Damn, early practice. Guess it won’t be quiet in the back like I thought.”

I smiled.

“Not with us loud ass hockey players. We are hockey players, hear us roar!” He chuckled.

We walked out into the parking lot and he walked me to my car.

“This was fun; can we do it again sometime?” He asked.

“Yeah, I did have fun. Just talk to me at the arena, we can make plans.” I dug my keys out and unlocked the doors.

We looked at each other, and even though the night had been almost friend like, we kissed and it deepened as I ran my hands through his hair and held the back of his head, not wanting the kiss to end.

His hand was on my waist and I had to put my hands on his chest and push myself away.

I took a deep breath and looked up at Adam just as he made a little content growl sound and used his hand on my waist to bring me closer to him and my head rested on his chest for a moment.

“Work tomorrow, Adam.” I grudgingly said.

He growled and replied as he moved away, “Glad to hear you call me Adam now. I know we have to go in early.” He sighed and opened the car door for me, and I hopped in and he closed it.

We looked at each other through the glass for a moment and I smiled and he did the same and jogged back to his car.

I started my Ford and I pulled out of the lot and headed south towards my apartment.