Just Another Girl
Chapter 14
The summer was finally over and autumn was starting arrive. The leaves were changing colours and the temperature was dropping. The beginning of October was always a time that Vivienne looked forward to. It was her birthday at the end of the month, but it also meant the start of another hockey season. This season was going to be different, and for once in her life, she didn't look forward to hockey.
***
Vivienne returned home to Toronto and she already felt better in the arms of her family and friends. She learned to forget about Mike for the rest of the summer and enjoyed her time at BBQ's and beaches, the way she liked to spend her summers. As September approached, she started to become uneasy about a lot of things. She knew she would be homesick and there would be no one in Philly who could make her feel better. As she packed her summer away and headed back to Philadelphia for the pre-season, she was running through the different scenarios that she could do or say when she sees the team.
She was so sure that the team already knew of the "incident" in Kenora, and for those who didn't know, she didn't want to go through it again.
***
Vivienne slipped into a pair of black cropped dress pants and a baby pink dress shirt. She looked smart, cute, but still smart and professional. As she parked her car in the lot and made her way into the arena, her heart started to pound. She finally open the last doors that would lead her to the locker room, and very much like any practice, the team was getting dressed. "Morning boys" she said. Everyone turned around or looked up. A few of them smiled at her, while others just stared, not knowing what the appropriate thing to say or do was. "Well, I'm sure all of you have been keeping up with your training over the summer and playing some form of hockey at home. But welcome back to Philadelphia and it's the start of another season!" she said sounding excited, but the team wasn't convinced. "Things are pretty much the same, I'm here if you need to speak to me, otherwise I'll see you guys after practice" and she returned to her office.
After practice, Jeff knocked on her office door. "Hey Jeff, what's up?" she smiled. "Nothing much, just wanted to drop by and say hi. I haven't seen you since the Stanley Cup Finals. I thought I would catch you at Richie's golf tournament, but you weren't there" he said. "Yeah, things came up and I had to head home, but I'm sure you had a great time" she smiled. "Vivienne, I can't say I understand how you feel because then I would be lying, but what Mike did was an impulsive move, and I'm sure he didn't mean it, I've been good friends with him for quite some time and yes, the Mike Richards before he met you would do something like that, but he's a changed man, and he's..." he continued. "Jeff" she stopped him "We're at the rink right now, that means the only thing I will talk about is hockey related issues". "Okay, well, think over what I said Viv, just think it over" and Carter walks back to his stall.
"Hey Vivienne" Mike approached her. She turns around as she was just leaving her office and heading home "Hi". "So you heading home now?" "Yeah, it's been a long day" "Yeah it has been". They made their way to the parking lot and right before they parted ways, Mike asked "Viv, ummm, did you get the flowers I sent you over the summer? the cards? I know I sent a lot, but you never returned any of the calls or texts or e-mails I sent you, so I was wondering..." "Yes. Yes Mike, I got all of them" she said bluntly. "Great, well I hope you liked them, I picked out your favourite flowers" he said. "Mike, I'm really tired" and gave him one of those looks that showed just how much he had hurt her. She wished him a goodnight and drove off. Mike didn't have much of a choice but to go to bed to an empty space next to him, an empty space Mike was hoping that Vivienne would return to.
***
Vivienne returned home to Toronto and she already felt better in the arms of her family and friends. She learned to forget about Mike for the rest of the summer and enjoyed her time at BBQ's and beaches, the way she liked to spend her summers. As September approached, she started to become uneasy about a lot of things. She knew she would be homesick and there would be no one in Philly who could make her feel better. As she packed her summer away and headed back to Philadelphia for the pre-season, she was running through the different scenarios that she could do or say when she sees the team.
She was so sure that the team already knew of the "incident" in Kenora, and for those who didn't know, she didn't want to go through it again.
***
Vivienne slipped into a pair of black cropped dress pants and a baby pink dress shirt. She looked smart, cute, but still smart and professional. As she parked her car in the lot and made her way into the arena, her heart started to pound. She finally open the last doors that would lead her to the locker room, and very much like any practice, the team was getting dressed. "Morning boys" she said. Everyone turned around or looked up. A few of them smiled at her, while others just stared, not knowing what the appropriate thing to say or do was. "Well, I'm sure all of you have been keeping up with your training over the summer and playing some form of hockey at home. But welcome back to Philadelphia and it's the start of another season!" she said sounding excited, but the team wasn't convinced. "Things are pretty much the same, I'm here if you need to speak to me, otherwise I'll see you guys after practice" and she returned to her office.
After practice, Jeff knocked on her office door. "Hey Jeff, what's up?" she smiled. "Nothing much, just wanted to drop by and say hi. I haven't seen you since the Stanley Cup Finals. I thought I would catch you at Richie's golf tournament, but you weren't there" he said. "Yeah, things came up and I had to head home, but I'm sure you had a great time" she smiled. "Vivienne, I can't say I understand how you feel because then I would be lying, but what Mike did was an impulsive move, and I'm sure he didn't mean it, I've been good friends with him for quite some time and yes, the Mike Richards before he met you would do something like that, but he's a changed man, and he's..." he continued. "Jeff" she stopped him "We're at the rink right now, that means the only thing I will talk about is hockey related issues". "Okay, well, think over what I said Viv, just think it over" and Carter walks back to his stall.
"Hey Vivienne" Mike approached her. She turns around as she was just leaving her office and heading home "Hi". "So you heading home now?" "Yeah, it's been a long day" "Yeah it has been". They made their way to the parking lot and right before they parted ways, Mike asked "Viv, ummm, did you get the flowers I sent you over the summer? the cards? I know I sent a lot, but you never returned any of the calls or texts or e-mails I sent you, so I was wondering..." "Yes. Yes Mike, I got all of them" she said bluntly. "Great, well I hope you liked them, I picked out your favourite flowers" he said. "Mike, I'm really tired" and gave him one of those looks that showed just how much he had hurt her. She wished him a goodnight and drove off. Mike didn't have much of a choice but to go to bed to an empty space next to him, an empty space Mike was hoping that Vivienne would return to.