Those Will Be The Best Memories

Since Madeline’s parents had left, things hadn’t been the same. Whenever they’d go out, Madeline would keep a firm grasp on Ben’s hand and wouldn’t let go until she absolutely had to. She became paranoid by the fact that because she and Ben weren’t married, Ben was fair game.

No matter how many times Ben tried to convince her that she was the only one for him, it didn’t change anything. She still felt it necessary to always have a hold of her boyfriend.

She had never thought about it before, but after her own sister had made a pass at Ben, she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Constant thoughts of girls hitting on her boyfriend, or somehow luring Ben into having sex with them filled her head.

Ben had noticed that something was wrong but every time he asked her about it, she simply smiled, kissed his lips, and told him not to worry. If anything, it made him worry even more.

“Are you coming to practice?” Ben asked Madeline on a Monday morning.

Madeline had been talking about going to a practice and watching the boys skate with a couple of the other girlfriends and wives, but hadn’t got the chance to do it.

Maddy bit her lip, “Sure, we haven’t go anything else to do today. Matthew? Do you want to go see Daddy skate?”

They could both hear the sound of feet slapping on hardwood floor as Matthew ran into the kitchen with a smile on his face, and one of his action figure in his hand.

“I wanna see Daddy skate,” he nodded, walking over to Ben.

“Alright, we have to leave in 20 minutes, so Mads if you get ready I’ll get the boy dressed,” Ben told his girlfriend, patting her on the butt.

Ben hopped up the stairs, taking two at a time, as Matthew giggled, and walked into Matthew’s room to get him dressed. Placing Matthew on the bed, he picked out a pair of small jeans and a long sleeve, red Blackhawks shirt. He quickly got him dressed, ran a black comb through his thickening hair and pulled a pair of socks on his small feet, playfully tugging on one of his toes.

“Daddy?” Matthew asked as Ben picked him up and settled him on his hip.

“Yeah bud?”

“Is da other kids gonna be der?” Matthew asked, his voice going a tad bit higher.

Ben shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know Matt, maybe Cris will bring Ewan.”

Matthew nodded his head on Ben’s shoulder as Ben bounded down the stairs where Madeline was waiting with her coat on and Matthew’s smaller coat in her hands.

“Put him down, I’ll put his coat and boots on him,” Maddy said to Ben, gesturing to the last step on the staircase.

Ben put Matthew gently on the stairs and went and pulled on his own running shoes and coat.

“Why is practice so late today?” Madeline asked Ben, picking up Matthew and grabbing her purse.

“We don’t have a game today, so Coach scheduled an afternoon practice at Johnny’s. We’ve all been whining for one,” Ben replied, ushering his family out the door as he picked up his bag and closed and locked the door.

They family of three hopped into Ben’s truck and drove the short ten minutes to Johnny’s Ice House, parking under in the garage.

“Alright, you guys can go through that door, I gotta run to the UC to get changed, and I’ll be back. I’ll meet you after the game, alright?” Ben asked, helping his girlfriend get their son out of the car.

“Why don’t we just come with you, it won’t take that long, we can wait,” Madeline said back, going to open the car door again.

Ben sighed and shook his head, “Honestly, it’ll take me ten minutes and I’ll be back. I’m sure Carmen’s already here with Fraser, just go sit with her.”

Madeline shook her head even harder this time as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

Ben immediately stopped and stared at his girlfriend before he pulled Madeline and Matthew both into a hug, “Maddy, what’s wrong? And don’t say nothing; there’s obviously something wrong.”

Madeline bit her lip as she rested her head on Ben’s chest, keeping a tight hold on Matthew, “I just… I’ve been thinking about Shelly said, and it’s making me nervous.”

Ben stared at the top of her head confused, “What did Shelly say?”

“She said you were ‘fair game’ because we’re not married. I thought that that fact that we have a son would somehow justify your relationship with me, but I just don’t think so anymore. I don’t know what to think actually,” Madeline said to him, tears now dribbling down her cheeks.

Matthew reached up and patted her cheek, “S’ok Mommy, no crying.”

Madeline smiled at Matthew, kissing his forehead.

“So, you… you want to … get married?” Ben asked, his arms loosening around her as he tried to look at her face.

“No… I don’t know. I just, I worry that someone’s just going to come along and take you,” she whispered to him.

Ben shook his head as he leaned against one of the concrete pillars next to his car, “No one’s going to take me, because I won’t go with them, Madeline. I just, didn’t think you’d want to get married right now, we’ve only been back together for a year.”

Ben trailed off as he ran his hand over his face and looked down at his watch; he was going to be late.

“Can we talk about this at home? Get in the car or go up, I don’t really care, but I’m going to be late and Coach is going to make me do suicides,” Ben said plainly to Madeline.

Maddy sniffed and wiped her eyes, “We’ll just go upstairs.”

Ben watched his family walk to the door he had pointed them towards earlier, Maddy’s small heels clicking on the ground.

In a few seconds, they were gone.

Ben looked at his watch; 1:00.

Shit, he thought.

Coach was going to kill him.

---

Ben rushed to the UC and back as quick as he could, still putting his helmet on as he got up to the smaller dressing room in Johnny’s. He quickly pulled his skates on and took his three sticks with him as he walked towards the ice.

He quickly grabbed one, placing the rest in the box, and skated towards the group already doing drills. As soon as Coach Q saw him, he skated towards Ben.

“Excuse?” He asked Ben.

Ben looked up to the stands where he saw Madeline and Matthew sitting with Carmen, Madeline just nodding to whatever Carmen was saying. He looked back at his Coach.

“I don’t have one,” Ben said quietly.

Coach Q frowned and crossed his arms over his chest, “Add three more suicides to our regulars. Don’t be late again.”

Ben nodded and skated over to Bolly and Ladder. If only he could deal with real life problems that way.