Where You Belong

It had been almost two weeks since Anna had seen Tyler last. His season was busier than ever and with her job she had even less spare time than she thought. Anna loved her new job to pieces. She was getting paid to work out and have fun with a bunch of great coworkers and the athletes at Boston College.

However, Tyler was keeping a keen eye on Anna through his good friend at BC just to make sure that none of the players there were getting too friendly with their new trainer.

He had been especially busy in the season lately and felt bad that he hadn’t been able to spend any time with Anna, but he knew she was just as busy as well. It had been days since he had seen her last and he really missed being around her and even just her familiar face.

Waking up, he looked out his window to see her car parked in her driveway. Today was a rare day – no practice, no optional skate and no game. He wanted to spend his one free day with one person in particular.

Grabbing his phone off of his nightstand, he sent off a quick text.

To: Anna
Can I see you today?

He jumped into his shower and rinsed off quickly, knowing that either way he’d want to shower today. When he got out, he toweled off and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater, it was cold in Boston now that winter was in full force and approaching the holidays. Checking his phone, he smiled upon seeing the message from Anna.

From: Anna
Yeah, I can do that! Let’s go get something to eat.

He knew that breakfast was her favorite meal and he knew exactly where she would want to go. Sticking his wallet and phone in his pocket, he headed downstairs and got into his car, figuring he could pick her up.

After Tyler had pulled into her driveway, he smiled upon seeing her come out of her front door. It felt like years since he had seen her smiling face and he couldn’t deny how cute she looked all bundled up in a hat, scarf and mittens along with her winter coat while he opted for just his pea coat over his sweater.

“Hi.” She smiled upon entering ostentatious car he loved so much, giving him an awkward hug over the center console. It felt like it had been months when they had last seen each other when in reality it had only been a few weeks.

“Hey there.” He smiled, taking in the scent of her perfume and shampoo mingled together. Tyler was tiptoeing around her, unsure of their status seeing as the last time they saw each other, she was crawling out of his bed.

“How’ve you been? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” She insisted, giving his knee and excited squeeze.

“It’s been good.” He shrugged, pulling out of her driveway. “Just busy and all that, ready for Christmas break.” He sighed. “Even if we get like two days.” He added.

“But it will be fun to watch the Winter Classic! The Caps and the Penguins? I mean, that should be a great game!” She enthused.

“Look at you talking like a seasoned fan.” He joked, driving down into the older part of the city where there was a historic café with killer breakfast.

“Well I try to keep up, I mean how can I not? Plus, the guys at BC – all they want to talk about his hockey, so I need to sound like I know what I’m talking about.” She giggled; reminding him of all the time she spent around more young, athletic guys that he was sure had more than a great time being around her. “The only downside is now I really don’t care to work out after I get home, which I know is like – why would I do that if I’ve been working out all day – but it used to be that I liked to work out to wind down at the end of the day, so now I’ve kind of lost that.” She sighed, venting in the slightest as he snuck his hand into hers over the console, proud of his accomplishment.

“Well I mean, I’m sure under all those layers you’re in great shape.” He grinned, his thoughts completely X-rated with his compliment.

“Ugh, you’d think so but I’ve been eating like a madwoman.” She giggled. “My sweet tooth is absolutely out of control and I’m on first-name basis with all the people at China Pearl.” She added, making him grin, knowing just how much she loved her take-out. “I mean, my body is a temple, but sometimes, my temple wants cream cheese wontons!”

“Well you look just as fine to me.” He smiled, as she softly pulled a ball of lint off of his pea coat.

“Sometimes you just cannot turn it off.” She shook her head, crossing her legs in her dark jeans.

“Well I’m going to be eating a lot, so feel free to try and show me up.” Tyler grinned, parking his car in front of a meter and grabbing a few quarters out of his cup holder.

Tyler was glad to be back in her presence after so long. To go from spending all of their time together to hardly any, it just wasn’t good for him – and he hoped she felt the same.

•••

Tyler’s eyes scanned the stands as he skated back to the bench. There were a few moments left in the second period and he had yet to spot her in the seats. After their morning out together a few days ago, she agreed to find time to get to one of his games and she said she was going to be there tonight.

“Sega, what’s on your mind?” Horton jabbed his elbow into Tyler’s side as they sat on the bench, watching the final seconds tick down.

“Anna’s supposed to be here.” He frowned, straining his eyes under his visor. Those were where her seats would be, right? “I can usually see her once or twice but I don’t think she’s here.” He added.

“I’m sure she’s here somewhere.” Nathan shrugged, having had met Anna before, he thought she was a really nice and relaxed girl, not the type to just up and ditch Tyler.

“What about Anna?” Patrice asked, ears perking up at the mention of Tyler’s blonde not-girlfriend that he was just the tiniest bit fond of.

“She was supposed to be here tonight but I don’t see her anywhere.” Tyler replied before taking a seat in his stall and adjusting the tape on his sock as it sagged.

“If anyone forgot, we’re losing a game!” Milan cut in, effectively ending the conversation, but that didn’t keep Tyler from worrying.

When the game against Columbus had wrapped up with the Bruins emerging victorious over the Blue Jackets four to three, Tyler showered quickly and hopped in his car. Anna hadn’t been waiting in the family lounge like she usually did after games so they could follow one another to get something to eat or back home.

Driving into his development and passing the clubhouse, he didn’t see her little Prius parked out front, so chances were she wasn’t swimming or working out. He shook his head upon seeing her car in her driveway and quickly parked beside her, not bothering to stop off at home before walking up to her door.

Knocking briskly, he reached for the doorknob to find it locked. That was unusual of her and now he started to really worry.

“Anna?” He called out, trying to peek into the small pane of glass in her front door, able to distinguish a shadow moving towards the door through the curtain on the other side of the door. When the door opened, he was surprised to see Anna standing there in a pair of sweats, her hair piled on top of her head and nerves visibly frazzled.

“Hey Ty.” She mumbled quietly.

“Hey, are you alright? You weren’t at the game.” He pointed out, wondering if she was going to invite him in or make him stand out in the cold.

“No, I wasn’t.” She replied, obviously not surrendering any information to him quite so easily.

“Are you sick?” He asked, tucking his hands down deep into the pockets of his coat as the cold got to him. “Can I come in?” He asked, sidestepping her and making his way into the house, not waiting for a response.

“Sure.” She offered lamely, closing the door behind him.

“What’s up? Is something wrong?” He asked, taking off his coat and hanging it over the banister that lead to the second floor.

“I – um, I don’t know really if I want to talk about it right now, I –”

“Anna, you’re really starting to freak me out.” He frowned, walking over and placing his hands on her arms, steadying her as she seemed to visibly shake in his presence. “Are you okay? Are you safe?” He asked, wondering if maybe one of the guys at BC did something, he’d need to call his friend and find out right away.

“I’m safe, I’m okay.” She mumbled, wiping under her eyes with her thumbs as her eyes watered. “I just, I think – no, I…” She weighed the words in her head, tossing her options. “I’m leaving, Tyler.” She muttered out.

“You’re leaving? What like, you have plans tonight? You’re getting a new place? You’re going on vacation? What do you mean you’re leaving?” He could feel the heat creeping up his neck as his heart began to beat irregularly. Stepping out of his grasp, she turned her back to him; it was then that he saw a few brown boxes on her kitchen table, already beginning to fill with her belongings. “Anna what the fuck is going on?” He asked, getting scared and confused.

“I’m going home, Tyler.” She whispered, “I’m heading back to Pittsburgh.”

“What – what, why? Why are you going? What about… what about your job? Your house? What about me?” He asked, talking a mile a minute. He couldn’t lose her, not when he was so close to finally making her his.

“Ty… you are such a great friend. I care so much about you and you know that.” She began, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

“But what? What is it? Did I do something? I can fix it, Anna. I know I haven’t been around much lately, but I can make more time.” He fought for words, wondering what was driving her away when she had such a great life here.

“The job isn’t going to work out, I need to go where there’s work.” She lied with a shrug.

“I – I can get you a job, I swear I can. You can’t leave, Anna.” He finished, turning her back to face him finally to see how rattled she was. “What can I do, Anna? I thought everything was fine! I thought things were good, we were hanging out and you love your job and…” He shook his head, finally feeling the effects of being blindsided by the person he cared for most – loved even. “I love you, Anna. You can’t just go.” He insisted, taking a step closer and wrapping his big arms around her petite frame

And just like that, it became much clearer.

“I’m pregnant.” She whispered while in his embrace, words muffled by his shoulder but he heard them loud and clear. A moment of silence passed between the two of them.

“Preg-pregnant?” He asked, feeling his throat go dry and pupils dilate. “Like pregnant, pregnant?”

She simply nodded against his shoulder. “I was late. I stopped at Walgreens after we had our breakfast and I picked up a test. I thought it would be funny, to actually think that could be the problem. But one positive lead to three more and then I went to the doctor’s last night.” She explained. “I can’t be a pregnant conditioning coach. I can’t ruin your career with a baby – and I surely can’t ruin your reputation. You’re nineteen, Tyler. You… we can’t do this.” She shook her head.

“Pregnant?” Tyler choked out as she walked into the kitchen.

“My friend is letting me move into her place back in Pittsburgh. I can pick up a job at my cousin’s legal firm doing some clerical work.” She shrugged. “It’ll all work out in the end.”

“No, you can’t go.” He shook his head. “I – I won’t let you.” He frowned defiantly.

“You won’t let me?” She spun around to face him.

“That’s… that’s my baby. I know it is and you can’t just take it away from me.” He was angry with her. She couldn’t leave him; she couldn’t take his baby away from him. “You can’t leave me.”

“I can’t stay.” She shook her head. “I know that you think this the right thing now, but you can’t raise a baby, Tyler. You’re a super star and you won’t have the time or energy. You can still see the baby when it’s born, you can still be in it’s life, but you can’t be a full time parent.” She shook her head. “I can’t take your youth from you. You’ll hate me for it.”

“You have to stay. I’ll get a lawyer, Anna, I’ll do everything to make you stay. You can’t tell me what I will or won’t do without even giving me a chance. You have to at least give me a chance.” Anna scoffed at his mention of getting a lawyer. “You can’t leave without giving me a chance.” He finished, dropping to his knees. His head was swimming and he didn’t know what to do, but he knew he couldn’t let her leave.

“Tyler, don’t be ridiculous.” She blushed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his face into her tummy.

“You can’t leave, Anna. You have to give me a chance. Move in with me, and we can do this together.” He pleaded.

“Ty…” She sighed, placing a hand on his head as she began to cry again.

“You have to.” He repeated, now crying as well, “you have to let me try.”

Anna was silent as she let the events of the night soak in before she let out a defeated sigh.

“We can try.”