Find the Horizon

Sidney was back a the hospital with Katie. She had taken her camera out and was filming away.

“Today is Thursday May 14th, and it is one-thirty in the afternoon. I have just been informed that Andrew, my amazing baby brother, will be doing a peripheral blood stem cell donation instead of the traditional bone marrow transplant. Which is good, because it’s a non-surgical procedure, which my mom is really happy about. He’s started taking shots to increase his white blood cell count though. I think he’s a lot more excited than I am about this whole thing. But neither of us are as excited as the man sitting next to my bed, a certain Mr. Sidney Crosby, back from his win in Game Seven against the Washington Capitals!”

She panned the camera over and focused it on Sidney. He waved with a laugh.

“You should see yourself in this thing,” she told him. “Your playoff beard looks very manly.”

Sidney laughed out loud. “Okay, I know when I’m being mocked.”

“No one’s mocking you,” she said sweetly. “It’s coming in better than it was last year. And I think it makes you look rugged. And dangerous.”

“You’re just trying to make me feel bad about the fact that I can’t grow facial hair,” he fake-scoffed. “At least I don’t look like a lumberjack like Max does.”

“This is true,” Katie nodded. “He does resemble some kind of hairy lowland animal.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t say this while the camera is running,” Sidney smirked. “What if he watches this back and then I get in trouble for bringing it up?”

Katie giggled. “You’re the team captain. He’s got to respect his leader. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“So, when is the transplant going to happen?”

“I need to go through radiation and chemo first,” Katie explained. “Starting in two weeks, I’ll be doing four straight days of radiation, then four days of chemotherapy. For the radiation, I’ll be doing forty minutes in the morning, twenty on each side, and then the same thing at night. And after that for four days straight, I’ll be doing chemo. They need to make sure that every cancer cell in my body is gone, because if there’s even one left when they implant the new stem cells, it could multiply and I could get it all over again.”

“Two weeks?” he repeated. “Do you have to stay in the hospital doing nothing for two weeks?”

“Um,” Katie shrugged. “I can technically leave the hospital. They say I’m well enough to be out and about, but I have to be careful and wear a mask and everything. You know, because of my immune system.”

Sidney smiled. “Would you like to bring Andrew to our home games against the Carolina Hurricanes? I can get you seats in the press box so you don’t have to be around so many people.”

Katie’s face lit up. “You would do that for me?”

“Of course,” Sidney responded. “Just as long as you promise to wear my jersey. And some of the guys want to meet you since I’ve been talking about you so much.”

Katie blushed profusely. “Wow, this is like a dream come true.”

Sidney took hold of her hand and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. “Anything for you.”

* * * *

Katie couldn’t make it to Game One against the Hurricanes because of a few more tests that she and Andrew both had to do to get ready for the transplant. They did, however, manage to go to Mellon Arena for Game Two that Thursday. Katie brought her video camera in her backpack, her Penguins scarf over her head and Sidney’s jersey pulled over her tiny frame. Andrew wore his, too, but since it was so big, Katie had to tie up the excess fabric in the back with an elastic band.

Sidney got there early to show them to the press box. Katie almost choked on her own saliva when she saw who was standing there with a jovial look on his face.

“Mario Lemieux?”

He smiled at Katie and held his hand out for her to shake. “You must be Katie. Sidney’s told us so much about you. I’m very glad that you could be here.”

Katie took Mario’s hand and shook it, but still looked like she was in shock. Sidney stifled laughter behind them.

“S-Sorry,” she finally managed to stutter. “You were my favourite hockey player growing up, it’s just kind of...wow.”

Mario laughed heartily and offered Katie and Andrew some chairs. Sidney told Katie that he would meet her after the game and went to go get ready in the locker room.

As soon as he walked in, Max was in his face. “Did you bring her? I know you were going to on Monday. Is she here now? In the arena? Can we meet her?”

Sidney stared at him blankly for a few seconds before smirking. “Yes, she’s here. She’s in the press box with Mario right now with her little brother. And maybe you can meet her after the game, if she isn’t too tired.” Max gave a fist pump and then went to change into his hockey gear.

Game Two was breathtaking to watch. Not only did the Penguins win 7-4, but Sidney scored the first goal and Geno got a hat trick. Katie and Andrew watched in delight as hats rained down from the stands and onto the ice, everyone chanting Geno’s name. Katie got the whole thing on film.

After the game ended, a security personnel came into the press box.

“Katie? Andrew? I was told to bring you to the locker room now.”

Katie nodded and took Andrew’s hand and they followed the man down the stairs. Katie’s first reaction when she saw all the cameras and microphones shoved in the players’ faces was shock. She never realized how many people swarmed the locker room in order to get an interview, but it was jam-packed in there. She decided to wait outside for them to clear out before heading in. She didn’t want to risk getting sick again. She still had the surgical mask on her face so that only her eyes were visible.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes of waiting, they cleared out and Sidney saw Katie standing by the door. He smiled wide and went over to hug her.

“You’re still sweaty!” she groaned, peeling him off of her. “And you smell like a guy. But great game! Where’s Geno? I want to give him a high five.”

“You’ll get to meet everyone,” Sidney said brightly, leading her and Andrew further into the locker room. He cleared his throat and called out, “Everyone! This is my friend, Katie. She got to come here from the hospital to watch our game with her little brother, Andrew.”

Max was the first person to come up to her. “You can take that mask off, you know,” he grinned cheekily. “We’re not contagious.”

Katie glanced down at Andrew, who shrugged. She hesitated for a second, but pulled the white mask off and gave everyone a small smile.

“Aw, look at that face,” Max cooed, looping an arm around her shoulders. “Sid got a good one, eh?”

Katie laughed and pulled out her video camera. “I want to get all of this on film,” she said. “That way, I’ll have proof it actually happened.”

“What, do you think this is some kind of dream?” Bill joked from his stall.

Katie tilted her head, still smiling the whole time. She looked over at Sidney, and then said, “Something like that.”