The Crosby Life

I sat in my Mustang, licking my lips, as I stared at Mario's front door. I lived here only a year ago, and it's already changed in my eyes.
With a sigh, I opened the door of my car, only to be greeted by a moan. I stared, wide eyed, at Austin as he crumpled to the ground. "I'm so sorry!" I said to him, helping him back to his feet and brushing off the snow on his back. "I didn't see you. Are you alright?"
Austin only shrugged. "I'm fine. But your friend inside isn't."
My shoulders dropped and I took a deep breath. "Come on, let's get inside," I mumbled, leading the teenager inside.
I used my own key that I still had from when I lived here and opened the front door, guiding Austin inside. I was unaware of Emelie not far away from me. "Go get into something dry. I'll buy you hot chocolate tomorrow when I drive you to school."
Austin grinned widely. "Thanks, Erra!" he called, running off.
I begin taking off my heavy winter coat, just as a familiar voice came from behind me. Erra..." she said softly.
I froze at the sound of Emelie's voice and I licked my lips before turning around, my hazel eyes meeting Emelie's own. I stared at her for a long moment before finally pushing away any emotions that fled to erupt. "Emelie," I said quietly, aware of Austin rounding the corner again, and quickly passing by.
"Erra...are you okay?" she asked with concern showing on her face. That really wasn’t the way I thought our conversation would start, but it helped settle my emotions that she cared.
"I'm fine," I said, although it's a complete and utter lie. Jordan would vouch for me on that one. I only snapped at him for stepping on my cat's tail. Poor kid.
I looked away from Emelie to slip out of my ballet flats. I walked towards the kitchen to wash my cold hands under hot water, more as a distraction than anything.
My back still ached, but I didn't let on to it.
I did a whole lot of keeping secret injuries lately.
Emelie follows me, leaning against the doorframe for support. It’s completely silent, and we both know that one of us is going to have to talk soon.
So I decided to break the silence.
"I'm sorry," I say suddenly, resting my hand on my hip to support my back. I didn't realize I was doing it, but I did keep my back to my friend. "For...overreacting."
It’s obvious that she’s surprised, but she’s more concerned about me than about the subject matter of our conversation, because she picked up the pain I feel in my back. "What's wrong with your back, Erra? You really should be resting it. Not that it's any of my business!" she add quickly. "But I know how much you want to play. And I don't want you to get hurt."
A slight smile appears on my lips, even though my hair is in my face as I look down. "I'll live," I say. "I'm not letting anything ruin my last season." I've been hurt too much to care. Especially my wrist and hip. Those were my worst injuries.
I closed my eyes and turned around, opening them to stare at Emelie. I needed to get the main reason I’m here out. "I'm sorry for saying you were using my brother." I pause, not really sure where to go from here. So I just decided to keep rolling with it. "But he is my brother. And you do have a history. I know I overreacted at the time, and still am."
Emelie hesitates, eyes welling up with tears. "I think I meant to use him..." She angrily brushed the back of her hand across her face. "That's what I told myself anyway. But it wasn't the same as what I've done to so many other guys. But I'm sorry for hurting you. I would have never done it if I knew you would see." She give me a wry smile. "I'm taking a break from all of them for now. I realized I've been spending so much time acting like, well, a hockey superstar guy that I don't even remember who I used to be." She run a hand through my hair. "I need to just be me for a while." 
I nodded, adverting my eyes from my friend. "I don't know who I am anymore either," I admitted, staring at my Christmas socked feet. "Even if I do seem to be getting better. I just want to play. Play my heart out so all my problems and worries go away." I blinked away the tears that threatened to fall.
"Don't do anything stupid against Ovechkin," I said suddenly, turning the conversation away from me again. "I don't need my friend getting hurt by him either."
"Ovechkin." she scoff.
She shoots me an apologetic smile. "I'll try not to, but I have a temper, Erra. You know that. After that hit on Sid..." Her voice trembles in anger, and she suddenly slumps to a sitting position. "I don't know what's wrong with me!" She run a hand through her hair, groaning to herself. "I'm trying to change. But old habits die hard."
A smile actually crossed my face. A real smile. "I never said to stop defending your teammates. But try to leave the big guns to Cookie, ok? You aren't that big of a person. I am even bigger than you, even if just a bit. They could seriously hurt you, and I don't want that. None of us do. That's why Mario was so upset with you for going after Ovechkin."
I notice a shadow cross over her face, but she says nothing until she calms herself down. She ended up smiling slightly. "Mario worries about me too much." She shrugs before changing the subject. "So when is this wedding I've been hearing so much about going to happen? How far have you got in the planning?"
I chuckled a bit. "It's in the summer. Marc and I haven't picked a date yet," I said, fingering at my engagement ring. "It's just been so busy we haven't had a whole lot done. I do want it in August though. I know that for a fact."
I shrugged. "I don't really have much else planned. My moms doing all the details. The venue was picked in Nova Scotia."
Emmy grinned at me. “That’s great. I’m so happy for you two,” she said to me. It was obvious that she was thinking about something, but I decided not to bug her about it.
So I smiled back at her. “Thank you,” I replied, still playing with my ring. “Jordan’s already asking me about kids, the annoying blonde.” It was true. Just the other day he asked me when we were having kids. He’s so strange sometimes, but I can’t help but love him.
“Ah, Jordy...” Emelie snorts unceremoniously. “That sounds like him.”
I laughed and glanced at my watch on my right wrist. My eyes widened as I looked at the time. “I have to go,” I said apologetically. “I’m supposed to meet Marc at the dog shelter.”
Emelie gasped at me, her face breaking out into a grin. “You’re getting a dog?” she exclaimed as I nodded. “I’m so jealous! I want to meet this dog the second it arrives!”
I laughed. “You will. I promise,” I said as I slipped my shoes back on and waved to Austin as he zoomed by yet again.
“Erra,” Emelie blurted, and I turned around while raising my eyebrows questioningly. “Are we ok? I didn’t mean~”
I held up my hand and cut her off. “We’re fine, Emmy. Don’t worry about it.”
She smiled at me as I slipped out the door and to my car to meet up with my husband-to-be. It was nice to finally forgive Emmy, because I really have missed my friend that past few weeks. And now I can focus on getting better; on being me.
I pull up to the shelter and Marc’s already there, waiting by the door in his beanie hat and long, black coat. He grins at me as I get out, and pulls me into a gentle kiss once I walk up the steps to the door to meet him.
“Hey, sweetie,” he whispered in my ear as we entered the shelter.
I smiled at him. “Hi.”
Marc looked at me for a long moment. “Everything ok, babe?”
I nodded and wrapped my arm around his, leaning into him. “Yeah. Just relieved that things are ok between Emmy and I now.”
Marc kissed my hat covered head gently. “That’s good. Ready to add a new member to our family?”
I smiled and nodded, looking around. “I am.”
He smiled and we wandered through the shelter for a good hour, taking a good look at each dog and the requirements. We definitely wanted a young one, but not a puppy because we have no time to train it, and even though Jenna will be taking care of it while we’re away, I didn’t want her to stress over a puppy.
We also wanted to make sure the dog was good with kids. We have a lot of our friends and teammates come over with their kids, and for when we had kids of our own some day.
Despite the hour of looking, I kept going back to the same dog. A beautiful two year old Newfoundland named Riley, who is well-trained and great in any family condition. Even with cats, since, despite Aislinn’s old age, she still is here.
Marc walked up behind me and placed his arm around my waist. “What do you think?” he asked me in French.
The dog was wagging his tail and licking my hand through the kennel cage’s wires. “I think I want him, Marcy,” I said to him, dropping to a squat so I was eye level with Riley. The action made him happy.
Marc chuckled and dropped down next to me. “He is very friendly.” I could see my fiance looking at me from the corner of my eye. “I think we should get him.”
I turned to face Marc. “Really?”
Marc laughed as he hugged me close. “It’s obvious that you’ve already fallen in love with him. So of course!”
I grinned and wrapped my arms tightly around his next, holding him tightly to me. “Thank you, Marc-Andre.”
“Anything for you, angel,” he whispered in my ear before getting up and going to talk to one of the people that worked at the shelter.
They brought out the dog, and I held onto his leash and brushed his long, thick coat as Marc got all the papers filed and the items needed for our new family member.
Since we took two cars, Marc would be taking the dog in the Escalade since I didn’t want to ruin my nice Mustang. Ok, that’s a lie. He was just too big to fit in my vehicle.
As we got the dog home, I locked Aislinn in the bathroom so Riley could wander the house without getting mauled by my poor old cat.
Marc and I got his bowls and toys all set up, and after about a half hour, I let Aislinn out. She immediately hissed at Riley and ran up the stairs, probably to lock herself in one of the spare bedrooms, hoping he’ll go away.
I laughed and made myself comfortable on the couch, and soon enough Marc joined me. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him. “Merry early Christmas, angel,” he said with a grin.
I kissed his grin and the dog made himself comfortable at my feet. “Thank you.”
Marc smiled and held me to him, and we sat in a comfortable silence at our new dog chewed at a bone we got him.