2nd Intermissions

When I woke up, I was getting pleasantly comfortable with the feeling of Antti's body still curled around my own. Until, of course, this lovely moment was interrupted by my phone's alarm, which was playing a very loud song.
Antti stirred and I slid out of his grip and picked up the phone, quickly shutting off the alarm. I stood up in the still dark room and looked at Antti, still sleeping.
"Heavy sleeper." I whispered, and decided to wake him up after I stole a quick shower from him.

Looking around his bathroom counter, I found the toothpaste and put some on my finger. Making a face before I began brushing my teeth like a heathen, I scrubbed hard with my index finger.
I tied my hair up before stepping into the streaming water and once I was under the warm water, I got myself out of the edges of sleep still threatening to pull me under.
Using his soap, I found a small smile tugging at my lips. I was completely enamored with him. Even while I felt sorry for myself for falling down the deep pit that was Antti, I couldn't help but be giddy. Not once did I doubt him- I usually doubted myself. I was still unsure that I was deserving of being able to spend time with that man. I leaned my head against the cool tile, feeling the prickling of the hot water on my back. Antti was one of the sweetest men I had ever met. Maybe I did deserve a good guy for once, after Adam, his infidelity coming as an unwelcome surprise. Turning off the water and pulling the towel around me tightly, I let my hair down and started to dry myself off. Antti's soap had filled the room with his scent and I found myself unconsciously breathing deeply. He had such a clean smell, like a brisk walk in the winter with snow on the ground. Antti smelled like winter. I thought to myself as I heard a knock on the door.
Making sure the towel was still tight around me, I cracked it open and saw Antti using his hand to brush his hair back. His eyes were still sleepy when he asked me, "Do you have anything to wear back to your house?"
I glanced down at the dirty clothes I had brought in with me.
"Not really.." A sleepy smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he handed me a pile of clothes and walked back into the bedroom. I closed the door and unfolded the clothes, pulling them on. When I walked back out smelling of Antti and wearing a pair of his jogging pants with the Blackhawks emblem on the pocket and a large 'One Goal' shirt, I told him, "I feel like a walking billboard for the Chicago Blackhawks."
He was splayed on the bed and chuckled, "You look better in that shirt than I do."
I smiled and replied while laughing, "I bet you say that to all the girls."
Antti grabbed my arms and pulled me onto the bed.
"Stay. Work tomorrow."
I buried my head into the crook of his neck and said, "I wish. Are you going to drive me home, or do I have to catch a ride with a stranger?"

We had pulled in front of my apartment and the street lamps still lit the slowly lightening street.
"Hey, you want to do something after work?" Antti asked as I slid out of the door.
"Sure, pick me up here?"
He nodded and waited until I was inside before he left, most likely going to fall back asleep in his bed before practice started at noon.
I quickly found suitable dress clothes and opted for some flats today, feeling too lazy to walk around in heels all day. I made it to work a couple minutes before I would need to clock in and smiled when Suzy, the old receptionist had informed me I had eight patients due in today. My first was sitting in room three.
I walked with a spring in my step, even without my friends coming, I still managed to have enough people booked to make a successful day.
I looked at the clipboard on the door as I plucked it off, scanning over the name. When I finally opened the door, I'm almost positive I looked dumb-struck.
"Hey, I'm your first patient!" T.J. Oshie sat on the table, butterfly bandages holding together a fresh cut on his chin.
My mouth opened to say something, closed, then finally, "I'm your doctor for today. What brings you here?"
"You came highly recommended." He smiled and flipped his surfer-blond hair.
"Oh?" I looked at the clipboard again as I sat on my stool.
"Mr. Oshie, why are you at a sports medicine clinic for a cut?"
Oshie smiled again and replied nonchalantly, "I need stitches."
My mouth dropped, and I quickly went to close it, "It's already started to heal. Stitches will hurt..Badly."
The look on his face I could only describe as, 'bring it on', because he then said, "I'm sure I can take it, if I can take the hit Eager gave me."
I suddenly remembered yelling during that fight last night, "KILL HIM! KILL OSHIE!"
One of his dark eyebrows were raised and I sighed, standing up and grabbing the needed supplies while thinking, that couldn't have been very professional.
"Who recommended you to me?" I asked, dabbing alcohol on a piece of gauze and rolling the stool close to him.
"Brad...Winchester." He winced as I took the butterfly bandages off and pressed the gauze to his chin. "Hold that." I told him as I threaded the needle.
"Mr. Winchester has never been a client." I said, wondering how they knew me.
"Well, Brad's from Madison, and so is-" He stopped talking once I took away the gauze and held his chin still. The cut would need two stitches, and I quickly made the two and tied it off, being as gentle as possible.
As I went to dispose the needle and the gauze, he finished, "Brad knows Adam Burish, and Bur told him about your practice."
With my back still toward him, I let the surprise cross my face. Adam was doing something nice?
Before I let T.J. go, I asked him, "Should I be expecting more St.Louis Blues players to come in today?"
"Well, we leave at four, so expect at least six. Kris Versteeg pulled a couple strings with us, too." He said as he left.
I shook my head and smiled, glad that Kris had been so thoughtful, but I was also apprehensive about Adam pulling strings. I hope he didn't expect to gain any ground with me, but to my surprise, I realized I didn't hate him. I disliked the man for being so stupid, but I didn't actually hate him.
I barely had time to ponder this new revelation, because Suzy had informed me of another patient in room one. As I stepped towards the room, I passed Dr. Orfner. I wondered as I looked at the clipboard whether he actually worked, or he just kept raising the co-pay because of all the hockey players I've been bringing in.
The aforementioned Brad Winchester was sitting in one of the visitor chairs in the corner of the room, flipping through a 'Sports Illustrated'. Without looking up, he said, "They really need more hockey in here. I like baseball, but honestly: curling? How is that even a sport?"
I snorted and he looked up, smiling. "Nice to meet you finally."
"Finally?" I sat in my stool and motioned for him to sit on the table.
"When you and Adam were going out, he mentioned you once or twice. He told me what happened. I'm sorry he was a dick."
I laughed once again, appreciating his humor.
"Well, nice to meet you too. What brings you here?"
I looked at the sheet and some spaces were blank.
"Uhh..A check-up?" Winchester looked unsure.
I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow.
"A check-up? With an eighty dollar co-pay?" I set the clipboard on the little counter.
"That sounds about right." He smiled and rubbed his stubble covered scalp. I could tell it was bright red, just like his facial hair.

I shook my head but did what I needed to, and by the end of the day, I had seen the swimmer again, Simon Gagne, Ray Emery, Chris Pronger, and several others who left me star-stuck.

While I was driving home, I texted Angelina, telling her about today's visitors. Her reaction was in all-caps and as excited as I was.
When I finally got home, I quickly changed out of my work clothes and put on more casual ones. Antti called me right after I had pulled my shirt over my head and I pressed the green button before I put it to my ear.
"Hey, are you ready?" He asked.
"Uh, yeah, I'll be down in a minute."

I slid on some classic Vans that came off easily and grabbed my keys, wallet, and phone before leaving the apartment and jumping into his car.
"What do you want to do?" Antti asked me as he pulled the car out of the parking spot and I said, "Can we go skating?"
His eyes lit up with his laughter and agreed. I gave him directions to the outdoor rink that Angelina and I frequent. We rented some skates and sat on the long bench by the windows, lacing them up.
"If you would have told me earlier, you could have brought yours, and I could have brought mine." Antti laughed as he watched me stand up, wobbly.
I scoffed and waited for him to finish, my hand on my hip. I stumbled in front of him onto the rink and glided near the boards. I reveled in the hush of the skates against the ice and Antti skated next to me, "These skates are no good. They aren't even sharpened."
I laughed and skated ahead of him, my legs pumping down the side of the rink and stilling as I glided around the corners. He quickly caught up and I said, "You're quick for a goalie."
He smiled back at me and took my hand, pulling us closer to the middle. We skated together for a while, hands clasped inbetween us until my skate caught a chunk of snow and I stumbled. Antti went to catch me, but heroism is always ruined while on ice and we both crashed to the cold surface and I could feel the ice soaking through the butt of my jeans. He jumped up first, quick on his skates and helped me up.
"Falling hurts much more without pads."
I giggled and we started skating again as I thanked him for trying to catch me and helping me up.
"No problem." He smiled at me, his hair shifting in the breeze.
He dropped my hand and turned, skating backward in front of me. Whenever I skated backwards, I was jerky at best, but Antti's movements were smooth.
"Teach me how to do that?" I asked, watching how his feet moved with envy. Antti smiled and moved towards the boards. We stopped and he told me. "Turn around." I did as I was told and he instructed me from behind my back. "Try. Let me see best try."
I sighed and moved my feet, propelling myself slowly backwards.
"Move your toes in more. Opposite of skating forward." I heard him and then felt his hands on my hips. "Shift weight more."
I blushed and looked around to see if anyone on the rink saw my eyes go wide. Whenever Antti touches me soft like that, it usually happens in private. I blushed because it felt almost surreal and voyeuristic. I pushed my toes closer together and pushed, I tried to shift my weight like I do while skating forward and I just slowed down.
"No, no. Try again. Put all of your weight on the hip I press." Antti said, beginning to skate backward again. I pushed myself with the sides of the blades and felt him press his fingertips into my left hip. I shifted the weight to that leg, then his fingers pressed into my right hip. Finally I got the rhythm down, push with my left leg, rock to my right, and vice versa. I was smiling as I skated faster and Antti guided me around turns until he let go and I felt him next to me. I spun around and started to skate forward again, yelling, "Race you to the other blue line!" I pointed at the other side of the rink.
Pushing my legs to go faster, I heard Antti skate next to me, easily pushing past me. He slowed down as I sped up and we were shoulder to shoulder until the blue line was a couple feet away and then he shifted to his side and stopped on a dime as I glided past the blue line.
"You let me win!" I said, grabbing the boards.
"Maybe." He smiled, grabbing my hand as we skated around the rink a couple more times until he said, "These skates hurt my feet."
"Mine too. Let's get out of them before I get in trouble for messing up your feet." I laughed.
Antti nodded his head and we stepped off the rink and wobbled into the building, sitting on the bench and pulling the skates off. The side of my feet were screaming from the cheap ice skates and I returned them for my slip-ons.
I sighed, leaning against the wall, in normal shoes.
Antti walked past me and grabbed my hand again. It was a nice feeling, to have my hand held by him. I knew mine must have been sweaty, but he didn't let go until we had reached his SUV.
On the ride back to my house, I asked him how practice went. After the usual, he inquired about my day, with humor in his voice.
"Oh, I was just visited by like, seven Blues players." I said, trying to act nonchalant.
Antti let out a barking laugh and replied, "Yeah, Kris told us after the game last night."
I shook my head, chuckling quietly. "You guys are fantastic. A girl could not ask for a better group of friends."
"Well that's good, because it doesn't seem like the team wants to leave you hanging." He said, hidden meaning lacing his voice. It surprised me, but I understood what he was trying to construe.
"I really like you too, Antti." I said, scooting closer to him.
His face was still turned towards the road, but I saw his smile and felt his hand on my knee. I put mine over his and squeezed lightly.
While at a stop light, he turned his head towards me and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. I laughed as he started to drive again and kept thinking is the universe finally being friendly?

Before I exited his car that he had parked directly in front of my apartment, I crawled over the bench seat and lightly pressed my lips against his.
"Good luck tomorrow." I said.
"Are you coming?" He grabbed my hand before I slid out of the car.
"Do you want me to?"
"I won't be starting, but if you want to come- I'll get the ticket as long as you wear my jersey again." Antti smiled, moving his gaze to the backseat.
I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing I left the Pelicans jersey at his apartment and looked in the back. There was a white Blackhawks jersey laying there, folded so the black 31 faced up.
"Of course I'll wear your jersey to the game, Antti." I smiled up at him. He released my hand and reached back, grabbing the sweater and pushing it at me.
"Will I see you cheering on your bench-warmer tomorrow night?" He asked one more time.
"I don't know about my bench-warmer, but I'll be cheering for the best goalie in the NHL." I kissed his cute nose and added, "And his name is Antti."
I shut the car door and held the jersey close to my side as I put my keys into the lock. After I was inside the hallway, I heard his car pull out of the parking spot and drive away. I walked up the stairs to my apartment, grinning like an idiot.
Of course I didn't go to sleep that night before calling Angelina and telling her all about it. Life was throwing a lot of things at me lately, but I knew that Angelina would remain constant, and Antti would be there. I just had a feeling.