I'll Be Your Friend, I'll Help You Carry On

It was the middle of summer in Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia. It was also four years since the Pittsburgh Penguins had won the Stanley Cup, sadly not making it close since then. Sidney Crosby’s popularity hadn’t lessened, as everyone told him it would, but had risen, making it more and more difficult to keep a permanent house in Pittsburgh. After two years of living with closed blinds, hats, sunglasses, and other disguises, Sidney had had enough. Making a quick decision, he sold his house that he had first bought in Halifax and him and his family picked up and hopped in the car.

Sidney called around Cole Harbor, finally getting a hold of a well represented construction company and emailing them a plan of a new house; one which he had designed. It would be bigger than any house he’d lived in, only rivaled by Mario Lemieux’s house, and would contain everything anyone could dream of.

The construction company went right to work, accepting the large sum of money with greedy smiles. Not telling his family, now consisting of his wife and two small children, he simply told them they were going to go on a ‘road trip’ of sorts and drive to Nova Scotia. This included driving through New York, Montreal, with a two week stop to see his wife’s family, Maine, New Brunswick, and then into Nova Scotia.

They stayed at Troy and Trina’s house for two weeks, after they had arrived on July 27, until he got the okay from the construction company; his new house was ready and furnished.

He piled his two kids into the car, and then helped his newly pregnant wife into the car. They drove for 20 minutes before they pulled onto a smaller road with only one house; their house. As they pulled up to the house, he could see the questions in Chantal’s mind, but when he stopped the car and pulled a key from his pocket, Chantal broke into her native tongue. She nearly exploded with questions and phrases in French as Sidney just shook his head and stepped out of the car.

Sidney stepped around the car and opened his wife’s door, “Welcome home,” he said.

Tears started to well up in Chantal’s eyes as she stared at the gigantic house in front of her; she had never seen anything like it. “This is why we’re here, isn’t it?”

Sidney nodded and helped her out of the car, “This is our new home. We’ll keep the house in Pittsburgh and live there in the hockey season. I sold the house in Halifax and had this built for the summer time; I figured it would be good for the kids to be outdoors, and for us.”

Chantal breathed in deeply as the car doors opened and closed behind her and a small hand grasped her own manicured one. Three year old Mathieu Crosby leaned against his mother’s leg as his curly brown hair blew softly in the wind. Sidney walked up beside Chantal with 1 year old Caeden Crosby. Chantal often times felt left out with her two little boys and her husband, but was happy nonetheless; how could she not be?

Together, they walked towards the house, clutching their children, and opened the door to the massive house. Mathieu clung to his mother’s side as Caeden laid his head on Sidney’s shoulder. Both children were looking wildly around the house as Chantal’s heart thudded deep in her chest.

The house was unbelievable and decorated much like their house in Pittsburgh with neutral colours and accented furniture; just the way she liked it.

“If you think this is amazing then you should see the backyard,” Sidney said, leading them towards the back of the house.

They walked through the hallway and through the living room, eventually getting to the sun room where there were double sliding doors that lead to an unbelievable backyard. There was a newly built pool and trampoline as well as a private beach further down.

“Sid… this is… I don’t even know what say,” Chantal whispered as Mathieu’s fingers tightened on her bare leg.

Sidney shrugged as he walked up closer to his wife and eldest son, “You don’t have to say anything. I just, I feel bad because the past couple of year I know it’s been difficult to get around town without being photographed. This is like… my apology.”

Chantal let out a girlish snort as she bent down and picked up Mathieu, as he wouldn’t leave her alone, “Yeah well, apology completely accepted.”

Sidney laughed and leaned forward to kiss Chantal’s cheek, “I have another surprise for you too, but first, let’s head upstairs.”

The family of four walked up the hardwood stairs at the front of the house. The hall was long and looped. There were also stairs leading farther up into the house, “There’s a third floor?”

“Yeah, with a playroom for the boys, a workout room, and two offices. These two rooms are for the boys,” Sidney said as he pointed to two rooms that were side by side.

They were equally large and both had windows; Mathieu’s was older looking with a single bed and Caeden’s still had the little boy look with a crib. Mathieu’s was green and Caeden’s was a royal blue, almost the exact colours as the rooms back in Pittsburgh.

Sidney continued to lead her a little farther down the hall until they got to the white double doors with silver handles. Sidney opened one of the doors, then the other, and walked into the master bedroom.

The room was beautiful, with neutral browns, grays, and greens. The bed was bigger than any bed Chantal had ever seen with plush covers and pillows and two windows overlooking the bed.

“Sid… this is amazing!” Chantal breathed out.

Sidney smiled and sat down on the bed, “I thought you might like it.”

“This was an amazing surprise, thank you so much.”

Sidney shook his head, “This wasn’t your surprise.”

Chantal coyly cocked her head to the side as she looked at him questioningly, “This isn’t my surprise? What did you do Sidney? Buy the city?”

Sid shook his head, “No, I didn’t buy the city. I’ve been thinking about this for a while actually, and now just seems like the perfect time.”

Sidney stood up, still holding Caeden in his arms, “You know when we got married?”

Chantal slowly nodded as a smile came to her face, “Of course I do, you think I’m going to forget when we got married?”

“No, but do you remember what we talked about? Right before we left?”

Chantal thought for a second, “You were explaining why you wanted a quick wedding, right?”

Sidney nodded, “Yeah, but I also said that we could have a huge reception afterwards. Once we had Mat, it seems like we just forgot. So, on August 30 we’re going to renew our vows for all of our friends and family.”

Chantal pressed one hand to her mouth as her eyes started to tear up. Sidney pulled her into his arms, both kids squished between them.

“Oh gosh Sid, I don’t know what I’d do without you,” Chantal said, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

Sidney simple smiled, “You’ve done everything for me; you’ve made me the happiest man in the world. I had to do something for you.”

Cole Harbour felt like home.