The Crosby Life

Marc’s PoV:
“Careful, love,” I whispered to Erra in my native tongue as I caught her small body in my arms.
Her body was limp as I held her close. I could tell from the look in her eyes that her head was swarming. She couldn’t focus on anything. Even walking to the bathroom.
She slowly stood back up to her full height, but I kept my hands on her just in case. I didn’t want her to hurt herself.
I helped her to the bathroom that connects to our room, and watched as she cringed when I turned on the light. I kissed her cheek before leaving her, knowing she would be ok as long as she holds onto the sink or something of the sort.
I sighed as I sat on the edge of our bed, running my hand through my thick hair.
Tomorrow is the Classic, and there is no way Sierra will be able to play. On Christmas day, she was feeling so much better, we all thought that maybe the concussion wasn’t as serious as we expected. However, the next morning, she woke up feeling worse than she did right after the hit. She can’t walk a few steps without her head swarming, her vision failing. She can’t keep much down, minus Kraft Dinner and soup with water, and she’s pretty much been in bed since.
I waited for my fiance until she slowly opened the door. In all honestly, she looked like shit. Her hair lacked the usual luster in it from laying down all the time, and her skin was beyond pale. Her eyes were faded to a dark brown, not showing any of the beautiful green that makes her eyes hazel.
But she’s still my beautiful Sierra, no matter what. I just feel so bad for her.
We thought, maybe, she’d only miss a week. But now, she may miss up to a month. She only missed a few games before this, and now, her perfect season is crumbling down as she may miss a month of games.
I held my arms out to my girl, and she slowly made her way over to me.
Her eyes displayed a wince with every step, until she sat in my lap, curling her body so that she fit perfectly against me and resting her head on my chest. I rested my chin on her head.
“Jenna can stay with you,” I said quietly.
She shook her head only slightly. “She should go with the rest of the family,” she murmured. The thought of not playing in the Classic kills her. It was the best part of her last season, and now it wouldn’t happen.
“Anyone?” I asked, not wanting her to be alone in the house tomorrow. I feared for her safety. Who knows what could happen when she can only walk a few steps without feeling the affects of the concussion.
Sierra sighed. “I’ll be ok for a few hours,” she said. “I have Riley and Aislinn.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better, darling,” I said gently to her, caressing her tangled hair.
Her body shook for a second, and I heard her sniff. “Oh, Sierra, I’m so sorry,” I said, feeling horrible as I hugged her close to me. “I don’t mean to upset you, my love. I’m so sorry. Please don’t cry.”
Her slim arms wrapped themselves around my neck, and I just held her closer to me as she buried her face into my neck. I could feel the tears from her wet eyes.
“Please don’t cry, Sierra. I’m so sorry for upsetting you.”
“It’s ok,” she said, her voice muffled against my neck. “You’re only worried.” She sniffed.
I kissed her hair gently, still holding her close to me. “I’m sorry baby.”
Sierra sniffed and choked on her sobs a bit, but she didn’t answer.
I put my arm under her legs and stood, carrying her body in my arms. She didn’t unhide her face, and I felt horrible for upsetting her.
I walked down the stairs with her in my arms, and set her down at the kitchen table before letting both the dog and the cat out, even though Aislinn immediately came back in when she realized how cold it was out there.
Sierra wiped her red eyes as I turned back to her, and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. I got out the waffle maker, and whipped up some batter to make her her favorite breakfast; chocolate chip waffles with strawberries on top.
Our home phone rung, but we both let it go. Anyone important always calls either our of cells and anyone who calls the home phone is usually just a telemarketer.
But, not long after, my phone rung from my pocket. I answered it awkwardly while balancing the bowl of batter in my arms. “Bonjour?”
“Marc-Andre! How is she? Is she ok? I tried her cell but she didn’t answer! Please tell me she’s alright. Oh, my God. Did she hurt herself?” a familiar voice exclaimed in French.
I met Sierra’s dull eyes as she wiped them again, and sighed. “Emelie, take a breath would ya?” I replied, also in French. “She’s fine. We’re downstairs and her phone is upstairs.”
Em let out a long breath of relief on the other side of the call, and I rolled my eyes. “How is she?” she asked, calm now.
I stole another quick glance at Sierra as I pretended to reach for some more chocolate chips. “Now well,” I muttered quietly so she wouldn’t hear as she let the dog back inside. “She almost collapsed earlier.”
Emelie had a quick intake of breath. “She didn’t hurt herself did she?”
“Em, you make her sound like she’s a five year old child,” I stated, a little annoyed. But I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap like that.”
“It’s ok, really. You probably didn’t sleep much did you?”
I sighed and took some of the waffles out of the waffle maker and onto a plate. “No, I didn’t. I have to wake her up every hour still, just in case. Not until her head starts to get better can I let her sleep.”
“Sleep tonight, Flower!” Emelie scowled. “We need you at your best.”
“How is it that you go from freaking out about Sierra to scolding me about sleep?” I asked, annoyed again. Although, it was more the lack of sleep that was making me so easily annoyed with her. I’m usually very calm.
And Emelie picked up on it very quickly. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said earnestly. “I’ll leave you be. Just try to sleep whenever she sleeps today. Should I tell Coach you won’t be at practice?”
“Yes, please.”
“Alright, take care of her.”
“Like I wouldn’t.”
“Bye, Flower,” she said in a sing song voice that made me sigh.
I turned around to give Sierra her waffles, and I was met with her big eyes staring intently at me... or as intently as possible. “Who?” she asked.
“Emelie. She’s worried about you.”
“Who isn’t?”
I didn’t answer that one, because we both knew the answer.
I piled the strawberries on her waffles and handed them to her. She poured the syrup on top and ate slowly.
I watched her carefully, just making sure. This is the first time I’ve tried giving her some solid food since Christmas, and I was hoping that she would be able to keep this down since she loves it so much.
Sierra ate slowly, also aware of this fact, but she seemed to be ok a few bites in, so I got my own waffles now.
I sat next to her, taking her much smaller, and softer, hand in mine as we ate. She coughed a bit, and I tensed, preparing to help her to the sink. But she swallowed and her whole body relaxed, causing my own to relax too.
“I want to play,” she said suddenly, tears filling those beautiful eyes of hers again. “My last season ruined... by stupid Alex asshole Ovechkin.” Her bottom lip quivered.
I grabbed a hold of her waist and pulled her into my lap, wrapping my thick arms around her. “Oh, Erra,” I said, pressing my lips to her temple as she, again, curled into my body. “I wish I could do something to help you. I hate seeing you so upset.”
Sierra sniffed and I kissed at her bottom lip, which got a slight smile from her. “He didn’t get as many games as he should have,” she whimpered.
“I know, sweetheart. He shouldn’t be allowed to play in the Classic at all either.”
“My head hurts,” she said out of the blue, which actually made me chuckle. She’s too good at changing the subject.
I pressed my lips to her head, and I noticed the small smile on her own lips. “Anything else?” I said innocently.
“My eyes, from crying.”
I chuckled and kissed each of her eyes very softly.
“My neck.” From being slammed into the boards.
I kissed the back of her neck, getting shivers from her.
“My lips.”
I turned her in my body slightly, wiping the last tears from her eyes, and pressed my lips down on her gently, relishing in the small smile that I felt on her luscious lips.
“I love you so much, Sierra,” I said to her as I pulled away, tucking some of her dark hair behind her ear. “Try to cheer up, just a bit, for me? I hate seeing you like this.
She nodded and wrapped her arms around my neck, and I held her close to me for a good long while.
“What hurts, my sweet?” I asked her as her body shook a bit in my arms.
“Nothing, right now,” she said, her voice quivering. “Because I have you.”