The Crosby Life

I missed three games.
That’s a week of hockey.
And I spent most of it curled up in the bed that I shared with Marc-Andre.
I finally showed myself at the rink, and the news apparently had spread about what happened between Emelie and myself, and those crazy idiots have declared it the Erra/Em fight. I pushed through everyone, head down, to my locker once I entered, with my fiance on my heels.
The locker room became quiet when I walked in, and Geno, who is sitting out with his knee, looked at me. Our lockers are next to each other, with Cookie on my other side. “Erra?” He asked quietly in his thick accent.
I looked at him from the corner of my eye, and his dark eyes looked sheepish. I dropped onto the seat of my locker before answering him. “What?” I asked. My tone was neutral, with a hint of weariness.
Geno stared at me for a moment before sitting next to me. “How are you feeling?”
“Better,” I replied honestly. “Still not a hundred percent, so I don’t think I’ll play against the Devils tonight. I just need to practice.”
He nodded and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I automatically leaned into him, and I could see Marc was smiling at me from across the locker room.
None of the other guys talked to me as I changed, and I could feel Emelie’s guilty eyes on my back. I knew she felt bad, but I just couldn’t face her right now. I’m still furious at her for using my brother, and I am upset at myself for how I handled it.
I took to the ice, the first as always, and I just skated around. I didn’t have my helmet, gloves, or stick, so I just made laps around the ice.
I could feel another pair of eyes on me, but I didn’t look in the general direction of the gaze. I just kept skating around, stretching out my legs. They were stiff from missing a week and being in bed.
The team began to take the ice, and Coach nodded at me. I nodded back, knowing he was asking if I was ok, and we began practice.
We started off lightly, which I was grateful for, and Max stuck to my side. Since Geno is out, I winged him along with Cookie, although I was flopped with Arron since I wasn’t playing.
I stood off to the side when Arron was practicing while we switched positions, and I rested my chin on the top of my stick. Emelie kept looking over at me, but I refused to glance at her, just like most of the team seemed to be afraid to talk to me as if they thought I would just break down any moment.
Marc-Andre was as patient as ever during my ‘break’. He always helped out of I asked him, and got anything I needed, even without having to ask him. He held me at night, and put up with my silence as I regained control over myself and formed back into the old Sierra.
I’m still not back to my old self, but I’m getting there.
Jenna also came over a
Arron skated up to me, and I was about to head out until I realized that the second power-play unit was out. “You alright?” he asked. To be honest, I was surprised he was brave enough to talk to me. I guess he isn’t called the tough guy for nothing. “You seem to be favoring. Is your hip bothering you?”
I looked at him, surprise. “I didn’t even know I was,” I admitted, shifting my weight onto my left leg. My hip was a little sore. “It’s sore, yes, but it’s just from not being on the ice. It gets stiff on me easily.”
Arron nodded and skated in place. “Take care of yourself.” I heard the double meaning behind his words.
“Only if you win tonight,” I joked, a small smile appearing on my lips.
Arron laughed hard. “Now that’s the Sierra I know. I’m glad we’re getting you back.”
I nodded, the slight smile still on my lips. “Thanks.”
He winked before getting ready to skate out to the ice again. “They aren’t afraid you’ll break down you know.” Damn, how did he know that? “They’re afraid you’ll bite off their heads.”
I laughed. I actually laughed.
The sound must have confused a lot of people, because I have over twenty pairs of eyes locked on me, most of them wide eyed, and my fiance’s jaw was dropped behind his mask.
Arron smiled with a hint of a smirk, knowing that he broke through to me. “Like I said, good to have you starting to come back to us.”
I nodded, still smiling, and headed off the ice. Geno, who was sitting on the bench, watched me go down the runway before quickly following after me. “Does that mean you good?” He asked, his dark eyes hopeful.
I met his gaze and shrugged. “Getting there.”
I peeled off my gear, and forced Geno to take a look at my back. I was still bruised because my rib was bruised, but I didn’t feel the pain much since I had my break to relax and heal up.
The last week was difficult to me, I’ll admit. I was dealing with all my emotions that went completely out of whack, and I kept scolding myself for the way I acted about everything. I felt bad for the things I said to Emelie, but whenever I saw her, I couldn’t help but feel the anger boil up inside me again.
But, I have relaxed. My stress slowly melted away, and I did begin to confide in the others more so I wouldn’t be so dependent on myself. As I said earlier, Marc has been patient with me too, and Max even spent a lot of time with me.
Sidney informed me of the way the team seemed to split. Max, for obvious reasons, stuck to my side, as did Geno and Tanger since they were the ones I went off on. Sidney was trying to be neutral, but it was obvious he was leaning on my side a little more in this Erra/Em fight since he is my twin brother.
I just couldn’t believe my best friend did that. I can’t believe she tried something so stupid...
“Sierra, anger does not suit you,” said a familiar voice.
I looked up, as did Geno, and Billy Guerin stood there with his usual smile. Tears filled my eyes and I got up, rushing into his outstretched arms. He held me close, his chin resting on my head, and stroked my hair softly. “Sidney told me everything. How are you holding up?”
“Better,” I replied for the second time today.
“And you and Emelie?”
He felt my hesitation and gave me a long look. “Sierra Rose,” he began but I just shook my head at him.
“Not now, please?” I asked, and I was surprised to find the begging tone in my voice.
Billy stared at me again before pulling me back into a hug. “Alright, alright,” he sighed. “Just take care of yourself, ok? I don’t want my adopted daughter to have another breakdown. That just isn’t healthy.”
I smiled a bit. He’s called me his adopted daughter pretty much since he came to the team back in 2009. “Thanks for being to honest,” I joked, giving him my best smile.
Billy tisked and looked over my head at Geno. “Why haven’t you boys been taking care of our girl? I blame you all for this.” He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into him. “She never had any problems when I was here to take care of her.” I chuckled a bit. “I always forced anything she was feeling out of her. You should have been doing the same!” The look on Geno’s face was pretty priceless.
Geno licked his lips and looked at Billy sheepishly. “Sorry. She just hard to talk to sometimes.”
“What a way to boost my confidence,” I pouted, causing Geno to look guilty.
Billy laughed, and the two of us looked at him. “Force it out of her boy! She’s as stubborn as all get out, so you need to push her.”
Geno nodded and Billy finally let me go. For some reason, he always made me feel better, even if it was just a bit. “And try to keep the two girls away until they can forgive each other,” I heard Billy say to Geno as I wandered into the showers. “Girls are interesting creatures, my young man.”
Ahh, Billy, always the jokester.
But, at least, he always knew what to say.
The smile on my face proved it.