No Soul

April 10th had come and thankfully it was plenty warm. Sidney was no closer to playing hockey than he was months ago, the Penguin’s prospects for a postseason weren’t the best, and ultimately, today, Noah and Emma were turning four years old. Balloons and streamers decorated the large, Shadyside home while children in face paint ran rampantly all over the backyard.

Sidney had spared no expense when it came to their birthday. There were magicians, bounce-castles, cotton candy machines, face-painters, inflatable slides and pony rides. Emma and Noah had their own separate cakes, Emma’s shaped as a ballet slipper and Noah’s as a hockey skate. Noah ran through the yard, exploring the celebration while Emma had already hit her midday wall, curled up in Sidney’s lap on the patio, napping quietly as he drank a Yuengling.

“Oh, baby.” Nathalie smiled affectionately, passing a hand over her granddaughter’s hair as the little girl’s thumb inched towards her pink lips. Sidney gently caught her tiny hand lowered it back to her lap. He had been weaning the twins of their thumbs for a few weeks now and wasn’t about to spoil her now just because it was her birthday. “How are you, Sid?” Nathalie asked, pressing a kiss to Sidney’s head as she set presents down on the table across from him. The glass patio table was no match for the generosity of his friends, family and teammates.

“I’m good. Reike is getting settled in downtown, he’ll probably swing by later today.” He spoke casually of his new concussion specialist that Mario had paid to move into town to monitor Sidney that summer.

“I see this one’s had enough excitement for the day, where’s our little power forward?” Mario asked, stepping up behind his wife. Sidney glanced over to the bounce castle where he and Taylor were pelting one another with Nerf gun pellets. His sister was the only member of his family to make it down for the twins birthday. She had been staying with him for a few days and would stay a few days after to get to know her niece and nephew that she had instantly fallen in love with.

“Last I saw him, he was having a showdown with Tay.” Sidney smiled. Nathalie knew that he was having a hard time lately. His smile never reached his eyes anymore, not even when it came to the twins who were the light of his life.

“Mon Capitan,” Max boomed as he stepped out onto the back patio, effectively waking Emma who squealed upon his arrival, Kara in two carrying bags and bags of gifts for the twins. Emma reached for her favorite Frenchman right away and he swung her up into his arms, letting her nestle into his chest as she closed her eyes again. Sid stood, shaking Max’s hand and embracing Kara softly as she kissed his cheek, jokingly wishing him a happy birthday.

“We are going out tonight. You, me and the boys.” Max insisted. It was no secret that Sidney was in a dark place at the moment with no return date set and his life being overrun by the responsibility of his children with no one to share the burden with.

“Max, I can’t, it’s their birthday, I can’t just take off.” Sidney insisted.

“Those two are going to be dead to the world by seven o’clock. Plus you have a sixteen year old girl in your home who is more than willing to hang out and open any juice boxes should the occasion arise.” Max said pointedly. “You can either come willingly or by force.” He said with finality.

“I’ll think about it.” Sidney replied, knowing that he decision had already been made for him. Max wandered through the backyard with Emma, prompting her to pet the pony and they shared a plume of cotton candy while Kara mingled with some of the mothers from Emma’s dance class.

“Hey bro.” Taylor smiled, finally reappearing with Noah on her hip about half an hour later.

“Hi Tay.” He smiled as Noah let out the biggest yawn.

“You holding up okay?” She asked as her nephew reached for his Daddy.

“I’m glad it’s slowing down a bit,” Sid nodded, “I’m ready to pack this up and tuck in for the night.” The party had been in full swing for about four hours and the kids were starting to crash from sugar while the parents were drinking cups of coffee.

“Want me to take him inside?” She offered. “He’s about ready for an n-a-p.” She commented. Sid nodded, transferring his son back to his sister’s arms as he scouted the backyard, which had been expertly groomed for the occasion, by a lawn company. Sid’s attention snapped across the yard as he heard a scream that he knew all to well to be Emma’s. He scanned the crowd and instantly found her on the ground just outside the bounce castle with Max and Kara hovering over her as she sat on the grass in her pink princess dress.

“Daddy!” She wailed, tears instantly streaming down her cheeks, her squinty eyes searching for her father. “Daddy!” Sidney dodged across the lawn, weaving between toddlers and parents as the adults tried to keep the children from looking on, but keep enjoying the party.

“Princess, hi baby, what’s the matter, huh?” Sidney asked as he scooped her up into his chest. “What’s wrong? Something hurt?” He asked.

“I – fell – down – and – hurt – my – knee.” She managed out between loud gasps and sobs.

“Oh, let Daddy see.” He dropped down to a knee, setting her to sit on his leg as he inspected the damage. No scabs, but there would definitely be a bruise the next day. “Here, let me kiss it better.” He insisted, leaning down and gingerly kissing her tiny leg. “Does it feel better?” He asked, rubbing her back and running a thumb across her cheek as she looked up at him with her big brown eyes. She nodded with a soft whimper.

“Still hurts.” She mumbled, placing her face into his chest, instantly wetting his t-shirt.

“I know baby, let Daddy make it better.” He coddled her to his chest as he carried her through the yard and into the house where it was a little warmer and she could cry in peace and quiet.

“Daddy, I want Tank.” She mumbled.

Sid pursed his lips together and whistled lowly, something he had Tank trained to respond to. It wasn’t long until Tank’s wobbly body had entered the family room, complete with his own tutu to celebrate the occasion. The dog hopped up on the couch as best as he could beside the little girl, resting his head on her lap.

“Injury aside, how is your birthday? Are you a happy girl?” He asked. She nodded in reply.

“I am a happy girl, thank you, Daddy.” She sniffled, placing her head on his chest once again.

“Anything for you, baby.” He said, kissing the top of her head.

•••

“Mon ami, you really need to stop thinking about the twins for twenty minute.” Kris insisted as he pushed a drink towards his captain. “You’re out with your buddies, the twins are safe with Taylor, enjoy your night of freedom.” He insisted.

“I know, I’m just thinking about Emma’s knee and I know Noah was just coming out of a nap, so he’s going to be a ball of energy and Emma’s going to want to sleep…” He sighed, pushing his head through his hair.

“Emma is fine, Noah is fine, you are fine.” Max said with finality. “We are here to drink and mentally womanize women and think about hockey.” He added, to which Kris laughed and Sidney shook his head with a similar grin.

“Kara said she had someone she wanted you to meet.” Max spoke up as he flagged down the waitress for another refill of his gin and tonic.

“Oh, Max, tell Kara I’m not looking.” Sidney sighed, “to be completely frank, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a one night stand more in my entire life.” He shook his head, not wanting to see the expression on his friends’ faces at that moment. Had never been and one night man, and he would never be a one night man, but sometimes the idea of a no-strings-attached night really appealed to him. The problem was finding someone who didn’t know who he was or didn’t try to steal his passport while he slept.

The other problem was finding a place to actually do it in. He would never bring home a quickie to the house he shared with his children and even finding a confidential hotel was hard enough. Everyone would sell your story to the highest price and right now, Sidney was the hottest story.

“Sid, if that’s what you’re looking for… we can make that happen.” Kris insisted, giving his captain a pointed look and nodding his head towards the bar where a few good looking girls were standing with drinks in hand. “It’s not like most concierge in town know Max.” Kris ribbed as Max scoffed.

“In my wilder days, but now I am a one-woman man.” He insisted, “however, I could be of use.” He shrugged nonchalantly. Sid swirled his drink in his hand, staring down into it before looking up and scanning the group of girls. Too short, too tall, brunette, brunette, redhead… bingo.

“Be of use.” Sidney insited, standing up from the booth and walking over to the bar. Max and Kris exchanged looks, knowing that something must be up with the captain if he was willingly looking for a hookup. To anyone else, his walk would have looked confident, but to Sidney, it was normal; it made the girls at the bar stand a little straighter, quickly and discreetly fix their hair. “Hi, I’m Sid.” Sidney introduced himself as he singled out the blonde with the big green eyes.

“Hannah.” She smiled back, a cute pixie nose and dimples. If he weren’t looking for just a one-night stand, he’d read more into her, but tonight he had only one thing in mind.

“Can I refresh your drink?” He offered as the other girls sort of turned away to form a new circle without their girlfriend.

“Gin and tonic.” She replied, handing him her empty glass.

It wasn’t half an hour later that the two were being dropped off at the Hilton just a few blocks away. He held her hand as she crawled out of the taxi, trying her best to keep her legs from flashing her panties as they slipped through the back door of the hotel. No photographers, no problem.

“Maxime.” Sidney spoke tersely to the concierge who was quick to slip the captain of the Penguins a room key. The moment the elevator doors shut, he was all over her, and the blonde didn’t mind at all. She equally wrapped her petite body around him, tunneling her fingers into his hair as he scooped her up, balancing her on the handrail within the elevator.

“This is just for tonight.” He breathed against her neck, working against her bra clasp through the cutout back of her little black dress.

“That’s all I want.” She replied saucily, giggling softly as the doors dinged open on the 28th floor. Sidney didn’t give her the option of walking, wrapping her legs around his waist he all but jogged to the door down the hall. Once the door was closed, he knew he’d feel a lot better in the morning. For once, the last things on his mind were Emma and Noah.

The next morning he was up and out of the hotel room before Hannah could wake up. He paid for the room and left the number for a cab company on the nightstand. He didn’t look to the concierge as he walked past the front desk, spotting Kris’ car across the street, he climbed in the passenger seat before anyone on the sidewalk could recognize him.

“Feel better?” Kris grinned, holding in a laugh as he pulled away from the curb.

“Like you wouldn’t believe.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair, flashing back to the way Hannah did the night before.

“Really? Like I wouldn’t believe? I’ll let you borrow my newborn and hormonal wife for a week or two.” Kris winked.

“Generous.” Sid joked, earning him a hard deck in the shoulder. “You called Tay, right?” He asked, checking his cell phone to see that he had no missed called.

“Yeah, told her you had one too many, crashed at our place.” Kris nodded, pulling into Sid’s neighborhood a few moments later. The car Taylor had been using all week was in the driveway and Noah’s big wheel was sitting in the open garage. It was only nine in the morning, so they had either just woken up or were maybe still asleep.

Sidney thanked Kris for the ride and headed into his home, feeling as though he hadn’t been home in days.

“Daddy’s home!” He called, hearing the faint sound of cartoons from the television. Seconds later, he could hear little footprints pounding against the hardwood floors.

“Daddy! Where were you? I missed you! I’m hungry! Did you see my presents?” Emma fired off a mile a minute.

“I know baby girl, I missed you, too! I slept over at Uncle Kris’ for the night.” He replied, kissing all over her face. “Let Daddy make breakfast then we’ll finish opening presents.” He insisted, carrying her into the kitchen.

And just like that, he felt like himself again.