No Soul

“She’s late.” Sidney mumbled, checking through the blinds to see that the Lemieux’s driveway was empty of any unrecognizable cars.

“She is not.” Mario clicked his tongue. “She still has ten minutes.” He insisted. Mario insisted that Sidney interview his potential Nanny at his home rather than at Sidney’s home just to be on the safe side – that, and Mario wanted to be a part of the interview process as well.

Sidney stretched his arm and checked his watch, twelve-fifty-one. “Nine minutes.” He mumbled, looking back towards the stairs that lead to his old wing of the mansion. “Maybe I should go and check on Noah and Em.” He moved to leave the sitting room.

“They’re asleep, Sid, they are just fine, I’m sure Nathalie will check on them.” Mario tried to ease his protégé by placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Sidney nodded, sitting down on the couch before he could spring up at the sound of the doorbell. “Take a breath, huh?” Mario tried to ease Sidney’s nerves.

A woman who looked like she was pushing seventy emerged from a Buick Park Avenue, hobbling her way up the expansive driveway. Sidney gave Mario a very unamused look and Mario simply kept his eyes forward.

“How is she going to keep up with Emma and Noah? I hardly can and I’m an elite athlete.” Sidney sighed.

“Sidney, she’s very highly recommended and deserves a fair interview.” Mario insisted, but Sidney could see the hesitation on his role model’s face as well.

Sidney sat through the interview and thought for a moment that Olive, the prospective nanny, almost fell asleep twice.

“Thank you, you’ll be hearing.” Sidney walked her to the door as she gave him a warm smile. Closing the door behind him, he rest back against it and gave Mario a long, hopeless look.

“So it wasn’t the best prospect.” Mario sugarcoated. “But you have to remember this is just one interview, we could end up going through twenty before we find the right one.” He reminded as Sidney dropped his head in a slump, feeling a migraine building up at the base of his skull.

“I just want it to be someone I know. Someone I know I can trust.” Sidney insisted, rubbing his hands over his eyes and figuring he was about due for his afternoon nap as well. “I’m gonna crash for a little while. I’ll set an alarm for dinner.” He finished before turning and heading further into the house, grabbing two sippy-cups of juice for the twins who would surely wake up thirsty in the next few minutes.

“Hi Daddy.” Emma mumbled sleepily, her curly hair mussed as she raised her head from the pillow on his big bed. Nathalie had tucked the two of them into his old king since she had recently moved the two toddler beds from his suite.

“Shh, go back to sleep.” Sidney insisted, sliding in beside her after kicking off his shoes and removing his watch.

“Snuggles.” She mumbled, cuddling into his chest and wiggling against him softly as he stuck his nose down into her brunette curls, inhaling the scent of her baby shampoo. It still amazed him to see that her tiny body was just hardly bigger than his own arm as it wound it’s way around her waist.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust people with his kids. But he wasn’t about to leave them with a stranger. Not now, not ever.

“Daddy, thirsty.” Noah whined, turning over to face his father with his identical milk and honey eyes. Sidney simply handed him a cup from the nightstand and Noah contently curled up with the plastic cup before closing his eyes once again.

He needed to find someone to watch and love them as much as he did, even if he knew it was impossible.

Sid slept like a rock and didn’t wake up to his alarm half an hour later, but woke up to giggling and tiny hands all over his face.

“Daddy, wakes up.” Noah said, tumbling onto Sidney’s chest. “Daddy I’m hungry.” He poked and prodded at Sidney’s lips. Sidney grumbled before opening his eyes to see his two twins looking down at him expectantly.

“Give Daddy five more minutes.” He insisted, looping his arms around each of them and hugging them tight to his chest. Emma simply smuggled in while Noah wiggled and whined.

“Daddy! Food!” He huffed, struggling to get out of his grip.

“Okay, okay.” Sidney sighed, sitting up in bed and bending the two of them over each of his shoulders before hauling out of bed. Emma laid quietly and enjoyed being carried while Noah giggled and screamed all the way down the stairs to the kitchen where dinner was being plated up. Mario had grilled up beer can chicken and Nathalie had roasted some vegetables in the oven. That, and she was making homemade malts, a great summertime dinner.

“I’m having some of the guys and their kids over tomorrow.” Sidney spoke up from his seat on the patio. The kids were spread out in picnic fashion on a blanket on the grass while the adults and the older Lemieux children sat at the table. “We’re just going to grill and swim if you want to come by. Brianna and Kris are coming around at five, everyone else shortly after.” He informed. “I’m running with Vero tomorrow to get Emma signed up for ballet class. She’s been very adamant about being a princess ballerina.” He laughed, making Lauren and Nathalie ‘aww’ at the same time.

“And what about the little man, huh?” Mario grinned, knowing that he and Sidney were thinking the same thing. “About time we size him up for a pair of Bauer’s?” He asked.

“Couldn’t hurt.” Sidney grinned right back, making Nathalie sigh and roll her eyes.

“And have you asked Noah if he wants to skate?” She asked. “Had he expressed any interest in playing hockey?”

“He picked out a stick at Target.” Sid pointed out. “Besides at his age, you don’t really want to play a sport, you just kinda go with what your parents put you in.” He pointed out. “I’ll take him to the CEC this weekend, see how he likes it.” Sidney shrugged.

“That’s my boy.” Mario smiled, taking a bite of his dinner before Emma could squeal and run to her father.

“Bugs! Daddy, buggies!” She squeaked, jumping to get up into his lap. Sidney laughed a she hauled her into his chair.

“Well, she’s got the princess part down.”

•••

Sidney rubbed a hand over his face, standing in the aisle in front of the steaks and hamburger and wondering just how much he should buy. Emma wiggled happily, swinging her legs in the toddler seat of the shopping cart as Noah snacked on the bag of pretzels he had opened as he sat in the cart surrounded by groceries. Sidney had quickly learned he was better off in there than walking beside his father and grabbing whatever he pleased off of the shelves.

Grabbing enough steak, hamburger and hotdogs to feed a small army, he loaded up the cart as Noah had the time of his life poking the hamburger through it’s protective plastic.

“What else do you guys wanna eat, huh? Potato salad? Fruit? Chips?” He asked, the cart filling up with so much food that Noah was now holding a watermelon in his lap and smacking it to hear the almost-hollow noise.

Checking out was a nightmare, trying to unload and bag everything on his own while keeping an eye on Emma and Noah. All he could think of how much he wouldn’t mind an extra set of hands, especially at a time like this. But he needed a friend, not a Nanny.

Unloading all the groceries and making sure the family room was clean took a good hour before Sidney began to prepare the meat for dinner. Thankfully, Kris and Brianna were due over any minute now with Arianna.

Sidney’s hands were wrist deep in raw hamburger when the doorbell rang.

“I get it!” Noah shouted before running to the door. “Kris!” Sidney could hear his son’s excited voice. Soon, Kris was entering the kitchen with Noah on his hip and baby Arianna in her carrier in his free hand.

“Hey Sid.” Kris smiled that proud Daddy smile that hadn’t quite come off of his face since the birth of his daughter.

“Hey, I’d give you a hug, but…” Sidney trailed with a laugh as he finished making hamburger patties before washing up.

“I brought cookies.” Brianna smiled, entering the kitchen.

“Auntie Bri!” Emma squealed excitedly, running into the kitchen before launching herself into Brianna’s arms.

“Hey honey.” Brianna smiled, hugging her tightly and dropping a kiss down on her head. “What are you wearing sweetheart? Did you start your ballet today?” Brianna asked.

“No, she starts next weekend.” Sidney began as Kris set Noah down on the counter and began to help Sidney unpackaging all of the steaks. “Vero and I went in today to register her and buy her outfits. We did a dry run of how to get that thing on her so doing it next weekend would be less complicated.” He nodded to his daughter who was donning ballerina pink tights and a black leotard with a poofy pink tutu. “Tights are a killer.” He added, making Brianna laugh. “But once she got it all on, she did not want to take it off.” He shrugged.

“You’re not worried about it getting dirty or ruined before then?” Kris asked.

“We bought ten of everything just in case.” Sidney shrugged. “The receptionist said she’d go through tights real fast, so we got a lot.” He added.

“Are you excited to start your ballet lessons? I bet you are! I bet you can’t wait for Daddy to try and figure out how to put your hair in a bun!” Brianna grinned, tickling Emma all over. Kris gave Brianna a look and she nodded. “Sid, why don’t you help me with Arianna for a second? Kris can take care of that.” She insisted.

“Uh, all right.” Sidney shrugged, washing up again and following her into the family room with Arianna in her carrier. “What do you need help with?” He asked.

“Well it’s not really so much what I need help with, but what you need help with.” Brianna began. “Kris told me that your search for a Nanny started off pretty terribly and the two of us thought that maybe I should Nanny Emma and Noah.” She put it out there quite frankly.

“Brianna, I don’t know if I can cask you to do that.” Sidney looked uncomfortable. “You have a newborn of your own to take care of and trying to watch these two on top of that is going to be way too much work.” He insisted.

“Why don’t you let me worry about what’s way too much work? Besides, you know they’re not going to want to be left with a stranger and you know you can trust me.” She insisted. “This is a win-win situation. Also, it takes a lot of pressure off of you trying to find someone that won’t air out your lifestyle to the public.” She pointed out. “I already know all of your secrets and I don’t really think they’re all that great.” She teased. “Sid, please, we’ve been such good friends for years and after all you’ve done for me, let me do this for you.” She finished, placing her hand on his.

Sidney mulled over his options and weighed the pros and cons.

“Fine.” He sighed, making her grin. “But as soon as it’s too much work, I’m finding someone else.” He insisted. “And I’m going to pay you.” He added, making her open her mouth to protest. “If you’re going to be feeding and bathing my kids, I’m going to pay you, no buts about it.” He held up a hand. Brianna nodded with a small smile before he could reach across the sofa and give her a one-armed hug. “Thanks for doing this.” He smiled gently, knowing that she was doing this probably more for him than for the kids.

“Of course, Sid, that’s what friends are for.” She smiled.

Soon, the other families were arriving for dinner and Emma and Noah had a whole new pack of playmates to run around the yard with. Pascal and his family had all come along with the Adams’, the Lemieux’s and of course, Uncle Max who was currently keeping Emma’s attention in the hammock tied between two trees near the back of the yard beyond the pool. She was curled up on his chest while he read to her from one of the fifty books he had brought over while Daddy made dinner.

Noah was having a blast running around the yard as Maeva Dupuis chased him and her little brother, Kody who was only a few months older than the twins. Rhys Adams sat quietly with his mother and sister, Francesca who was too little to get in on the action.

It was unlike Max to be sporting as much scruff and stubble as he was late in the summer, but Emma insisted it was her favorite thing, so he kept a healthy 5 o’clock shadow on his jaw just for her.

Brianna and Pascal’s wife Carole-Lyn sat together, each holding their daughters even if Lola Dupuis was just a few months older than Arianna Letang.

Thankfully, dinner was finished cooking soon and the children had lots to pick from for their meal. Sidney had grilled and cut up hot dogs for an eating contest and was now separating them onto lots of plates for the little ones who wouldn’t want steak or a hamburger. Using the same picnic method as the day before, Sid spread out a big blanket on the grass for the children as the adults sat around the patio table and pool chairs to enjoy their dinner. It was rare to have such a casual get together like this in the middle of the summer when so many of Sidney’s other teammates went home or away on vacation for several weeks.

“Has anyone heard from Geno lately?” Sid asked, remembering that he hadn’t heard from his Russian friend for a few days now.

“He took Alisa to Russia to meet the parents,” Max spoke up from the blanket where he insisted to eat his dinner with the kids. “I think he’s going to pop the question soon.” He added, making Brianna and Carole-Lyn ‘aww’ out loud.

Sidney looked down to check on his twins when he noticed something very peculiar. Rhys Adams was feeding Emma her fruit.

“Uh, Craig?” Sidney asked, looking to his teammate who was mid-bite through a piece of steak. “What is that all about?” He asked, tilting his head down to the blanket where Rhys was holding up a halved strawberry for Ms. Crosby.

“Rhys.” He laughed, gaining his son’s attention, “Emma can feed herself.” He pointed out, making his wife Anne laugh as Rhys giggled before shoving a grape into his own mouth. “What can I say?” Craig laughed. “He’s a lady killer.” He grinned.

Just keep him away from my lady, Sidney thought, even though he knew that he was being ridiculous seeing as they were just babies and didn’t know any better.

After dinner had wrapped up, Max led the gaggle of children in a game of tag, letting them run wild all over the yard while the mothers at the get together kept a keen eye on how close they were getting to the pool.

Sidney snapped a few pictures as he watched Noah chase Kody Dupuis before tagging him and screaming before running the other way. Kody took off after Emma and being almost a year older than her, caught up to her quickly. All the parents held a collective breath as he all but tackled her to the grass, waiting for the tears. Thankfully, she just began laughing under her new friend and was squealed when he kissed her cheek. The mothers in the yard giggled while Sidney’s eyes narrowed on the oldest Dupuis boy. Sidney gave Pascal a sharp look while his teammate’s ears were already burning with a bright blush.

“I – uh… we’re an affectionate family?” Pascal offered with an embarrassed laugh.

Sidney tried to not let it bother him, but he really hoped that this wasn’t a preview of things to come.