Status: Complete
Past Lives
62
While Brooks and Ads were at work, I sat down with Mama Carrie at my house for lunch again the next day. While we swirled spaghetti around our forks, I tried to think of the best way to approach the subject I had wanted to discuss. After the bombshell, I was surprised Brooks had even wanted to talk about the proposal. But when I got a text from Ads the night before saying that Brooks had stormed off to drink. She couldn't figure it out.
I knew exactly what was going on.
"Carrie," I started slowly. I didn't want to make her mad. Carrie was like my second mom. She had taken care of me when Ads and I lived in Boston. I had called her for advice about men on several occasions. Carrie was amazing and I loved her to death, but I couldn't figure out why she hadn't told Ads what happened.
Carrie looked up from her plate and smiled. "What's up, Jamie?" I really hoped I didn't make her mad with what I was about to say. She was amazing and I didn't want her to hate me. That was the last thing I wanted. I felt like if we were going to handle Ads and Brooks, we needed to stand together. They were both stubborn pains in the ass.
I poked at the mushroom on the side of my plate. There had to be a more diplomatic way to do this. "Why didn't you tell Ads that Brooks knows about Boston?" We had agreed I wouldn't say anything. I didn't want to rat Carrie out. That just wasn't cool.
Carrie sighed and shook her head. "I didn't want them to be fighting, Jamie." She stared at her plate. "I know things aren't looking good right now, but they'll figure it out. If Ads wants to tell him, that's her decision. I just hope she makes the right one. She's my baby and I love her. I love Brooks, too, and I want them to be happy."
I nodded. It made sense, but I was scared for how far this would go. They were both hot-headed and pretty emotional. I didn't want things to spiral out of control. I'd wait and see what happened once we all got to Detroit. That was really all I could do.
--
After the loss, Carrie and I went to the locker room to see the guys. She wanted to make sure Brooks was ok, I wanted to make sure I didn't have to kick his ass. I wanted to introduce Carrie to Craig, too. Her opinion mattered to me...even if it was just her opinion on his ass.
We walked inside and Craig shot over. I swore he had radar. His lips next to my ear, he whispered, "Will you make me feel better tonight?" I rolled my eyed and shoved him.
"Only if you've been good and pure of heart."
He smirked. "I might need those defined later."
Carrie crossed her arms. "It's not polite to leave your second mother out in the cold when a sexy man with an amazing ass walks over out of no where."
Craig and I burst out laughing. He extended his hand and took Carrie's before kissing it. "I'm sorry! I'm Craig Adams, Jamie's boyfriend." It was almost disgusting how polite he could be. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. It was that alone that showed he wasn't happy. Usually after games he was all over me. The loss had hit him, though.
Smiling, Carrie nodded. "Oh, I've heard all about you. I just never thought my Jamie would find someone like you."
I scowled. "Well thanks, Carrie. I love you, too."
She laughed. "That's not what I meant. I just didn't realize there was such a string of perfection in Pittsburgh. If I didn't have to go back to Boston, I'd pledge allegiance to you hotties any day."
Craig laughed. "I like her!"
I nodded. "She's pretty awesome."
Brooks walked over then. "Where's Ads?"
Carrie spoke up. "She went back to the hotel. She was tired. We're going to go find some dinner and take it back to her. Do you want to come?" Carrie was trying so hard to fix things. I knew it wasn't going to work. They were both so damn filled with pride...
As expected, Brooks shook his head. "No. I just want to be alone." He stomped off to his locker and Craig kissed me.
"I'll talk to him babe. Promise." He kissed me once more. "And I'll text you when I get back."
I nodded and he went to rejoin his teammates. Carrie and I walked to a nearby deli to grab food. They were always open late on game nights for the Joe crowd. They weren't stupid; have food a little cheaper than the arena and wait for hungry hockey fans. If you make it, they will come.
We ordered our food after a lot of harassment from the workers and headed back to the hotel. I just wanted to be sure Ads was ok. I didn't like where this was going.
--
Upstairs, we unloaded our prizes and sat around eating dinner. I watched as Ads took a bite. “Brooks didn’t come down with you guys?” I could tell she was hurt. I looked over at Carrie and we gave each other glum looks before shaking our heads.
“He said he wanted to be alone,” I said as I looked at the ground. I didn't want her to get hurt again. She didn't deserve it.
She threw the sandwich down on the bed and marched out of the room. I looked over at Carrie and flopped back on the bed. I didn't know what to do anymore.
Carrie rubbed my arm. "It'll all work out."
--
My phone vibrated as I got a text from Craig. I'm back hun. You want to come down? I started to reply when the door opened and Ads flew inside. I ran over, dropping my phone.
"What's wrong?"
"I think Brooks is ending our relationship."
"Oh hell no." I grabbed my phone and told Craig sex would have to wait. Carrie pulled her daughter into a hug and I threw the door open before going upstairs. This wasn't happening again. I wouldn't let it.
Brooks yelled as I pounded on the door. "What the hell do you want?"
"OPEN THIS DOOR, BROOKS ORPIK."
"Go away, Jamie!"
"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR, BROOKS."
It opened a crack and I shoved against it before he could react. Once inside, I kicked the door shut and shoved him backwards. "What the hell do you think you're doing to my best friend?"
"She couldn't be bothered to tell me she had a job interview, I can't be bothered to tell her I'm hurt."
"You did the same thing to her, you douche!" I had to tense my muscles to avoid hitting him. I was so angry.
Brooks crossed his arms. "It's not the same at all."
"Could you be any stupider, Brooks?!" I stuffed my fists into my pockets. It was getting harder to resist. "It's exactly the same! You told her last second you were leaving for Pittsburgh. At least she hasn't actually accepted the job!"
"You're so naive, Jamie."
"You're so stupid, Brooks."
He glared at me and I glared back. "You better ask her to marry you soon, Brooks, is all I can say."
"And what if-"
"DON'T TAKE THE CHANCE THEN. DON'T TAKE A RISK FOR THE WOMAN YOU LOVE. IF YOU LET HER GO, BROOKS ORPIK, THEN YOU NEVER DESERVED HER AND YOU NEVER LOVED HER."
I thought Brooks was going to slap me even thought I knew he wouldn't. I ripped my fist out and swung at his face, colliding with his cheek. "Dont. You. Dare. Touch me." I turned and stormed out the door. I wasn't putting up with his childish bullshit.
Craig caught me and pulled me close, kissing me and trying to seduce me back to his room. I brushed him off. "Baby...what about cheering me up?..."
I hit the elevator button. "I'm tired."
"Then sleep he-"
"Not tonight, Craig." I stepped into the elevator and waited for my floor. If Brooks lost Ads, it would be all his fault. There was only so much I could do to fix his stupidity.
On our floor, I headed back to the room and opened the door to find Ads cuddling with her mom on their bed. I joined the cuddle pile and gave Ads a weak smile. She gave me a funny look. "What did you do?"
I hugged her. "With any luck, Brooks will have a black eye for game 2."
I knew exactly what was going on.
"Carrie," I started slowly. I didn't want to make her mad. Carrie was like my second mom. She had taken care of me when Ads and I lived in Boston. I had called her for advice about men on several occasions. Carrie was amazing and I loved her to death, but I couldn't figure out why she hadn't told Ads what happened.
Carrie looked up from her plate and smiled. "What's up, Jamie?" I really hoped I didn't make her mad with what I was about to say. She was amazing and I didn't want her to hate me. That was the last thing I wanted. I felt like if we were going to handle Ads and Brooks, we needed to stand together. They were both stubborn pains in the ass.
I poked at the mushroom on the side of my plate. There had to be a more diplomatic way to do this. "Why didn't you tell Ads that Brooks knows about Boston?" We had agreed I wouldn't say anything. I didn't want to rat Carrie out. That just wasn't cool.
Carrie sighed and shook her head. "I didn't want them to be fighting, Jamie." She stared at her plate. "I know things aren't looking good right now, but they'll figure it out. If Ads wants to tell him, that's her decision. I just hope she makes the right one. She's my baby and I love her. I love Brooks, too, and I want them to be happy."
I nodded. It made sense, but I was scared for how far this would go. They were both hot-headed and pretty emotional. I didn't want things to spiral out of control. I'd wait and see what happened once we all got to Detroit. That was really all I could do.
--
After the loss, Carrie and I went to the locker room to see the guys. She wanted to make sure Brooks was ok, I wanted to make sure I didn't have to kick his ass. I wanted to introduce Carrie to Craig, too. Her opinion mattered to me...even if it was just her opinion on his ass.
We walked inside and Craig shot over. I swore he had radar. His lips next to my ear, he whispered, "Will you make me feel better tonight?" I rolled my eyed and shoved him.
"Only if you've been good and pure of heart."
He smirked. "I might need those defined later."
Carrie crossed her arms. "It's not polite to leave your second mother out in the cold when a sexy man with an amazing ass walks over out of no where."
Craig and I burst out laughing. He extended his hand and took Carrie's before kissing it. "I'm sorry! I'm Craig Adams, Jamie's boyfriend." It was almost disgusting how polite he could be. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. It was that alone that showed he wasn't happy. Usually after games he was all over me. The loss had hit him, though.
Smiling, Carrie nodded. "Oh, I've heard all about you. I just never thought my Jamie would find someone like you."
I scowled. "Well thanks, Carrie. I love you, too."
She laughed. "That's not what I meant. I just didn't realize there was such a string of perfection in Pittsburgh. If I didn't have to go back to Boston, I'd pledge allegiance to you hotties any day."
Craig laughed. "I like her!"
I nodded. "She's pretty awesome."
Brooks walked over then. "Where's Ads?"
Carrie spoke up. "She went back to the hotel. She was tired. We're going to go find some dinner and take it back to her. Do you want to come?" Carrie was trying so hard to fix things. I knew it wasn't going to work. They were both so damn filled with pride...
As expected, Brooks shook his head. "No. I just want to be alone." He stomped off to his locker and Craig kissed me.
"I'll talk to him babe. Promise." He kissed me once more. "And I'll text you when I get back."
I nodded and he went to rejoin his teammates. Carrie and I walked to a nearby deli to grab food. They were always open late on game nights for the Joe crowd. They weren't stupid; have food a little cheaper than the arena and wait for hungry hockey fans. If you make it, they will come.
We ordered our food after a lot of harassment from the workers and headed back to the hotel. I just wanted to be sure Ads was ok. I didn't like where this was going.
--
Upstairs, we unloaded our prizes and sat around eating dinner. I watched as Ads took a bite. “Brooks didn’t come down with you guys?” I could tell she was hurt. I looked over at Carrie and we gave each other glum looks before shaking our heads.
“He said he wanted to be alone,” I said as I looked at the ground. I didn't want her to get hurt again. She didn't deserve it.
She threw the sandwich down on the bed and marched out of the room. I looked over at Carrie and flopped back on the bed. I didn't know what to do anymore.
Carrie rubbed my arm. "It'll all work out."
--
My phone vibrated as I got a text from Craig. I'm back hun. You want to come down? I started to reply when the door opened and Ads flew inside. I ran over, dropping my phone.
"What's wrong?"
"I think Brooks is ending our relationship."
"Oh hell no." I grabbed my phone and told Craig sex would have to wait. Carrie pulled her daughter into a hug and I threw the door open before going upstairs. This wasn't happening again. I wouldn't let it.
Brooks yelled as I pounded on the door. "What the hell do you want?"
"OPEN THIS DOOR, BROOKS ORPIK."
"Go away, Jamie!"
"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR, BROOKS."
It opened a crack and I shoved against it before he could react. Once inside, I kicked the door shut and shoved him backwards. "What the hell do you think you're doing to my best friend?"
"She couldn't be bothered to tell me she had a job interview, I can't be bothered to tell her I'm hurt."
"You did the same thing to her, you douche!" I had to tense my muscles to avoid hitting him. I was so angry.
Brooks crossed his arms. "It's not the same at all."
"Could you be any stupider, Brooks?!" I stuffed my fists into my pockets. It was getting harder to resist. "It's exactly the same! You told her last second you were leaving for Pittsburgh. At least she hasn't actually accepted the job!"
"You're so naive, Jamie."
"You're so stupid, Brooks."
He glared at me and I glared back. "You better ask her to marry you soon, Brooks, is all I can say."
"And what if-"
"DON'T TAKE THE CHANCE THEN. DON'T TAKE A RISK FOR THE WOMAN YOU LOVE. IF YOU LET HER GO, BROOKS ORPIK, THEN YOU NEVER DESERVED HER AND YOU NEVER LOVED HER."
I thought Brooks was going to slap me even thought I knew he wouldn't. I ripped my fist out and swung at his face, colliding with his cheek. "Dont. You. Dare. Touch me." I turned and stormed out the door. I wasn't putting up with his childish bullshit.
Craig caught me and pulled me close, kissing me and trying to seduce me back to his room. I brushed him off. "Baby...what about cheering me up?..."
I hit the elevator button. "I'm tired."
"Then sleep he-"
"Not tonight, Craig." I stepped into the elevator and waited for my floor. If Brooks lost Ads, it would be all his fault. There was only so much I could do to fix his stupidity.
On our floor, I headed back to the room and opened the door to find Ads cuddling with her mom on their bed. I joined the cuddle pile and gave Ads a weak smile. She gave me a funny look. "What did you do?"
I hugged her. "With any luck, Brooks will have a black eye for game 2."