Different Stars

Sidney was throwing a house warming party at his new house. Although strictly speaking it wasn’t really that new because he’d been living in it for months now. Given the fact that the season was always so busy, they were lucky to have a party at all. Cadence was living with Sidney. It was strange to live in such an enormous house after being on their bus. She was enjoying the feeling of having a home, and living with Sidney was easy. It probably had to do with the fact that she lived with men regularly. She’d convinced the boys to come stay in Pittsburgh while they took a break from touring and were beginning to work on ideas for the new album. They were just getting rough ideas right now, trying to get beginnings to new songs, but it was easier to do when they were near each other.

She was standing in the kitchen getting ready to refill her glass of soda, when Max strutted in. “Cadee I know that you like Sid, but I do not think he’s right for you. What are you doing with a man that’s entire wardrobe consists of t-shirts?” Max questioned her as she was getting refilling her drink. “I have many wardrobe choices. Lots of options.”

Cadence laughed. “I like his t-shirts. They’re cute and I can borrow them.”

“They are too big for you. It’s obvious that they are a shirt belonging to a man. I do not think he would like you calling his shirts cute. You should say manly or belonging to a beefcake.”

“Fashion? Again?” Jordan entered the room and opened the fridge to get himself a fresh beer.

“Just because you are too tall to appreciate Dolce and Gabana, does not mean that I am not allowed to talk about it.” Max said.

“Cadee could school you in fashion.” Jordan said with disbelief.

“I was talking to her about Sid and his t-shirts.”

Jordan nodded. “At least I throw in a Polo every once in a while.” He opened his beer against the counter. “You could buy him clothes.”

“I don’t want to be one of those women. He can dress however he wants.” Cadence said, but was grinning at them.

“What if he wanted to dress in a different Halloween costume every day? Would you still let him dress however he wanted to then?” Jordan posed as he took a swig of beer.

“As long as they were either superhero costumes or uniforms I wouldn’t complain.” Cadee said with a lecherous grin.

“Does that mean that if I start dressing up as a policeman or Batman you would be unable to resist my charms?” Max asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“Eventually you would have to speak and the illusion would be ruined.”

“I think he was Batman for Halloween last year. Too bad you weren’t around then. Maybe Sid can borrow it.” Jordan said. “I have a Royal Mountie costume that he can borrow. I don’t know that I’d want it back knowing that it inspired you to jump his bones.”

“Does it come with the hat?” Cadence asked.

“Oh yeah, and the boots. It’s the complete ensemble. You two are responsible for your own condoms though. Even if Sid has to run out in the middle of the night, you two have to get your own protection.” Jordan said, taking it too far.

“Ewww…” Cadee said with a wrinkled nose.

“I know. I always take it a step too far.” Jordan shook his head.

“He really does. I remember one time we were in San Jose. We’d been on a long roadtrip and he had a can of whip cream and these two girls -

“Ok!” Cadence cut Max off loudly. “I don’t need to hear the details.”

“It’s a good story.” Max said with a little sniffle, pretending to be hurt.

“An even better time.” Jordan’s tone was unrepentant. He saw Cadee’s expression and added, “I’m different now. All grown up, more responsible.”

“M'kay, sure.” Cadence said and turned to wander off and find Sidney.
--

“This house has obviously been decorated by a woman. You must have told him what would be acceptable. I salute your style.” Marc Andre said as he sat on the couch beside her.

“Actually, he did most of it.” Cadence said and Marc Andre frowned.

“I don’t believe it.”

“He did have a decorator help him, but it wasn’t me. I’m hopeless with this kinda stuff.” Cadence waved around the room.

“It looks good.”

Cadence just sat there for a moment in the silence. She could sense that Marc Andre wanted to say something to her, but he was hesitating.

“Sid, he told me about your fight.” Marc Andre said, apparently opting for honesty being the best policy.

“About his being over protective of his privacy?” Cadence asked, not really sure what to call it, but that about summed it up.

“Yes, that.” Marc Andre paused and took a moment to ponder overdramatically his next words. “What you have to understand is that he was raised to be a star. He has always known that people would be curious about him. He likes his privacy. He has learned the difficult way that you keep your life private.”

“I appreciate that you’re doing this as his friend, but it feels kind of sordid for us to be talking behind his back.” Cadence told him honestly.

He huffed and made a dismissive noise. “I am his best friend. He won’t tell you these things, then I will. He hasn’t ever been with a woman like you. I would find myself wondering if he was ever going to get laid on a regular basis, and then you came along and now are living together. The world is perfect.”

“Wow.” Cadence said, for lack of anything else.

“I know. You need to give him time to change his habits and accept the changes. It’s not easy for him.”

“Do you have any idea how it feels to have someone deny that you even exist? Because that’s what he does and I wish that it didn’t bother me so much, but it does. I can’t help it.”
“I cannot. I have no idea what that feels like. But, I do know him and he cares about you. He’s let in you into his life in ways that I have never seen before.”

Cadence shook her head. “Don’t they say that goalies are total crazy people?”

“I do not listen to them. I just listen to me and my own mind. It sounds really complicated, but it’s actually quite simple.”

“Your mind?”

“No, Cadee.” He said and patted her hand condescendingly. “This whole thing with Sid. It’s simple if you let it be.”

“We’ll see.” Cadence paused to change the subject. “Is there something I can call you besides Marc-Andre? That’s kind of a lot.”

“Only kind of a lot? Not simply a lot? Only kind of?” He asked.

“Yes, exactly.” Cadence said with a grin.

“You can call me El Conquistador.”

“Isn’t that Spanish?”

“Yes. I’m multilingual.”

“I’ll stick with Marc Andre. Or maybe Flower. Although that seems awfully diminutive for you.”

“Yes, I am pretty manly. Not like a flower,” he shrugged, “but what can you do? You usually don’t have much o input in your nickname. Sidney would not have chosen “the kid.””

“I know. He hates when people call him that.” Cadence said. “That’s one of the first things he told me.”

“See. Even that only his friends know. He doesn’t trust that many people.”

“I get it. You can stop reminding me.” Cadence told him with a small grin. She knew what he was doing.

“I’m just looking out for my friend.”

“I know. You’re a good friend. Sid’s a lucky guy.”

“He is. In many ways.” Marc-Andre said with a wink.

++

While Cadence didn’t completely agree with Marc-Andre, she knew that he presented a valid point. She considered the idea that she needed to give Sidney more time, and secretly she thought that the time they’d been together should be enough. Still she wanted their relationship to work. She loved him and that wasn’t an emotion she was used to dealing with. She thought this was why she was also so sensitive to him acting like she didn’t exist. So maybe she was just overreacting.

She called her mom. It was her mom’s birthday and she never failed to call on her birthday before, she would not be deterred now.

“Happy Birthday!!!” Cadence yelled when her mom picked up the phone.

“Is this Cadee? You’re so good to me.” Her mom said with genuine warmth.

“It’s your birthday. I would never ever forget that! You’re my mom!”

“Well, you’re so busy these days. I miss my little girl. I can’t wait to see you! And we get to meet your boyfriend! I’ve never met a boyfriend before since you’ve moved out and grown up! I’m excited!”

“I can tell. You’re yelling! Ugh…Mom. I told you that Sidney plays hockey. He’s quiet though and low key.” Cadence smiled when she heard her mother’s reply.

“Oh. I thought you said he was a jockey.”

“No Mom, not a jockey. He plays hockey. His name is Sidney Crosby.”

There was a pause. “He’s a good hockey player, right? I feel like I’ve heard that name before.”

“You have. He plays for Pittsburgh.”

“That’s who you cheer for, right?” Cadence rolled her eyes, but was smiling. No matter how hard her mother tried, she couldn’t understand sports or even find them remotely interesting. That’s probably why her step dad always made Cadence watch sports with him instead of her mom. It was one more thing they bonded over. He would know who Sid was. Although, he wouldn’t fail to give him the boyfriend treatment.

“For the record, I don’t know how someone that is quiet and low key is a star hockey player. Aren’t they rowdy and rough?”

“I don’t know, but it works for him.” Cadence said with a shrug.

“Cadee, I’ll say this once and then not again. You are a smart young woman who deserves to be treated like one. Remember that, please, Sweetie.”

Cadence paused, taken aback slightly. “Why do you say that?” Thinking of her current issues with Sidney and his obsessive protection of his privacy.

“No reason. I just know you, and I worry about you. I’m your mother. I’m allowed. I worry about everyone that I care about. But you’re my favorite daughter, and you have never talked about anyone like you talk about Sidney.”

“I love you, Mom.” Cadence said and meant it.

“I love you too, Cadee.” Cadence could hear her mother’s smile in her tone.

“You can judge for yourself when you meet him. He’s great though. I really like him, obviously.”