Keep Your Girl Out of My Shoe Cabinet, Your Wife

Chapter 2

July 25th

Lisa had been in town for 2 days.
The majority of those roughly 48 hours we had spent laying around by the lake bordering to my parents backyard. I hadn’t told her the news yet and neither had I told him. The largest part of those time by the lake and the largest part of the time laying awake in bed at night I had spent thinking about how you approach a person and that persons family, when you pretty much haven’t talked to either of them for almost a decade, let alone breaking that kind of news to them. RIGHT, there was no right way to do so. And it wasn’t only a question of what to say. What should I wear, should I tell him first and have him break it to the family? What is the right time of the day for it? Should I walk there or drive there. If I drive,... which car?

You could sum it up as I was nervous as shit when it came to breaking the news. The fact that I actually had to talk to him was one thing. Even worse was that he wasn’t just some average guy that had just managed to knock up the currently probably most famous Canadian model-quote of Jacky...I would never say something like that about myself-. He was the face of Canada, the face of hockey. Everyone’s darling.
Yeah I know... sucks right?

Lisa and Jackie were laying in the backyard once again while I was standing in my walk-in closet trying to decide what the right outfit was. I had promised Jackie to tell him before my parents returned from their cruise. Unfortunately that was in less than a day.
I picked out a dark washed jeans, a black tank top, a thin, oversized golden pull over and some flip-flops.
On my way out I grabbed my keys and said the girls good-bye. I had decided to walk the way to his family’s house because it was just ridiculous to drive the short distance.

For July it was unusually cold and even though the sun was shining I shivered. Maybe it was also just the nervousness. I didn’t have to think about they way I was walking. My feet were moving on their own, having it mesmerized from all the times walking, riding bikes or running there. Too many memories were attached to the short distance. Every inch of the streets I was walking held tiny pieces of my past and there were stories to be told about.
Like the bench at the very corner I was passing now.

FLASHBACK
„Thanks Viv for joining me. I really had an awesome time and I’m glad that I asked you out.” Christian said.

„So am I. Thanks for taking me.“ I replied blushing slightly.

„You know, maybe we could do this again. I never thought I’d have a chance on you. You’ve seen everyone’s reaction when we appeared. The whole school thinks you and Crosby are and item so uhm... since it obviously isn’t the way that you are more than friends would you like to go out with me?“ The moon was perfectly mirrored in his ice blue eyes and his blonde hair fell perfectly over his forehead onto his eyebrows.
He reached over the middle console and grabbed me hand. His statement both flattered and hurt me. One of the most popular guys in high school was interested in me. But then again he had to remind me of the rumors about Sid and me. I opened my mouth to answer, when I saw someone sitting on the swing that hung from a tree in my front yard.
„Uhm Chris, I’m really flattered... uhm maybe... I uhm really have to go now. It was nice... uhm...“
I quickly unfastened the seatbelt and moved to open the door.

„Viv, what’s wrong? Is it to forward or something?“
Confusion flashed across his face.
„No, no it’s not your fault but I really have to get going uhm bye.“

I jumped out of the car, closed the door and left a confused Christian behind. Picking up my full-length dress I walked over to the swing, hearing the car pull away.
The slightly wet grass tickled slightly as I got closer and closer and saw the person, sitting there with the hood pulled up, swinging a little.

„Sid?“ I asked softly when I was close enough. He lifted his head, looked over to me and started to smile.

„Hey...“ he got up, closed the distance between us and engulfed me in a hug: „you look beautiful. Had a good time?“

„Yep“ I answered, popping the p, wrapping my hands around his neck and leaned back to look my best friend straight in the face. „Why are you here? It’s like 2 in the morning.“

„I haven’t seen you all day so I got over at some point. When your mom told me you weren’t here yet I decided to wait for you.“

„Wait...“quickly I glanced over to the house and saw that all lights were off. „How long have you been waiting?“

„Two hours? Maybe three.“

Aww... I hugged him closer again. „Why... I mean you’d see me tomorrow anyways.“

„Let’s take a walk okay?“
He looked straight in the eyes.

„Okay“
I dropped my clutch on the porch and slipped out of me heels. When I returned to him, he offered me his hand and we stared to walk down the road. When I started to shiver he handed me his Cole Habour Red Wings hoodie. At the bench on the corner of our roads he told me to sit down. Of course I did so, as he started pacing.

„I’m not really sure how to tell you this... uhm I have told you about that school in Minnesota I applied at right? -No don’t say anything. Anyways a scout came here some weeks ago and the school decided to take me. Now I’m going to move there.“

„Well that’s awesome. Really. I mean that’s like everything you’ve ever dreamed of right? Isn’t that like Harvard but for sports?“

„Yeah pretty much but uhm... that’s really far away...“

„I know but it doesn’t matter. You know I got this summer job and I’ll keep the money to fly there and visit you. I promise. And we still have the summers. We still have this summer.“

„No. My dad and I leave in the morning. I’m sorry. And I don’t want to put you through that pain. I know this might hurt first but I just want to start anew. It is better for everyone believe me.“

He had left me at this very bench years ago to go to Shattuck St. Mary’s and become the oh so great player everyone knows him as. That officially was the beginning of the worst summer I ever had. I spent like half of the time locked away in my room. Losing my best friend since I could think clearly wasn’t an easy thing but for me the worst thing wasn’t the fact that I had lost my best friend, but the fact that my best friend had chosen to lose the friendship. To deal with it I had started to turn any feelings towards him into hate. Not the smartest thing to do but a method that worked.

From the bench it was less than a minute to the white house I had spent a large part of my childhood. In the past years I had tried to avoid this street as much as possible but still it felt like it was yesterday, when I ran up the street just to see the car pulling out of the drive way and Trina, with little Taylor standing on the stairs in front of the house waving good bye and giving me a sad glance when she saw me before disappearing behind the heavy door.
Not only had I tried to avoid this street but also the entire family what turned out being harder than expected because my mom was pretty close with his mother.

After some minutes I gathered up all my inner strength and walked over to the house, up the steps and rang the bell.
A matter of secounds later a dog started to bark and the door was opened. Trina looked marginally baffled but still managed to smile at me. Nervously I shifted my weight from one foot to the other.
“Hey Trina” I tried to smile.
“Hey Vivian, what a surprise to see you here. Well come on in.”
Slightly relieved I followed her in and was welcomed by a white Labrador retriever.
“Well hello do I know you?” I sat while bending down to pat the dogs head.
“Oh that’s Sam. Sid brought her a few years ago.” My head shot up and I saw Taylor standing in the door to the kitchen. She smiled at me. “Never thought you’d ever enter this house again.”

I smiled back. I always liked her when we were little. As a kid I had always hoped to get a younger sibling, which I never got, but when Taylor was born it was like I finally had gotten the sister I never had… well until that one night.

“Yeah… little weird to be back here… uhm… yeah I am actually here to talk to Sid. Is he home?”

Taylor’s smile droped. “Yeah you’re lucky. We have family lunch today so he’s here…in the back yard but he brought her over… ugh…” she rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. “I don’t like her.”

I just laughed at her and made my way through the living room out in the garden. Sam, the dog, followed me close and when I opened the back door I found Troy preparing the grill for a barbeque. He turned around, grinned and pulled me into a hug.

“Vivian, how are you? What a surprise. It’s been forever. I see you found Sam.”
In the past I had read the one or other article about Sid and his family and also some things on the internet. From my point of view people often had a wrong picture of Troy. He might be intimidating or seem like a drilling person but when he’s with his family he is one of the most genuine persons I ever met. He simply cares a lot about the people he loves.
When he released me he looked at me and said: “You need to eat more… models are so thin.”
I just smiled and replied: “Well I sort of retired so now I can eat whatever I want. I had my first Timbits in like 6 years some days ago… sooo good”
Troy started to laugh and Sam barked, what caught the attention of the young couple that was laying in the way back of the garden.
“What brings you here? Not that I mind.” Troy hadn’t noticed Sid’s bewildered face yet.

“Oh I’m just here to talk to Sid.”

“Okay… well he’s back there with Becky. His girlfriend.”
I just nodded and started to walk over to the couple.
Sid turned over, looked me straight in the face without showing any emotion. Perfect faceoff face.

“What do you want?” he asked.

“I need to talk to you and I guess it would be better for you if it was just you and me to listen.” I answered.

“Well I don’t have any secrets so I don’t mind if Becky listens right hun?” He turned over so his girlfriend and kissed her on the forehead just as he had always done some weeks ago and as he had done multiple times a day back when we were kids. His girlfriend was the girl I had seen him at the airport with. She opened her eyes and smiled at him.

“Yes sugarplum?” she said. Sugarplum???? Okay….

“Viv wants to tell me something and I told her you could stay since I don’t have anything to keep away from you.”

“Ooooh that’s so sweet of you honey.” Saying this she turned over to me, her eyes grew wild and she squealed. “OHMIGOOOOOOOD are you Vivian Laraque? Ohmigod. I’m like your biggest fan. Sweety you never told me you knew her.”

In my mind I rolled my eyes and focused on Sid again.

“Are you sure about this? I mean do you really keep NOTHING from her.” I asked trying to hint what I was going to talk about.

“Yeah I’m one hundred percently positive, so go.”
I looked at him one more time, let out a breath I didn’t remember holding in and started.

“Well I guess you still remember how we met again some weeks ago when I was out in Halifax with Jacks…”

“Oh shut up don’t even go there… there’s nothing left to be said about it.” Sid said and turned away.

“Pleeeeease go on telling me. This is so exciting you two are friends. I swear he never told me. I really didn’t know. Otherwise I would’ve told him to introduce us a long time ago. We are going to be good friends. Believe me.” Becky rambled.

“Ugh… seriously believe me… YOU don’t wanna hear the end of the story.” I replied now rolling my eyes for real.

“No, no tell me.”

Sid faced us again and shot daggers at me.

“Well I think your boyfriend doesn’t want me to tell you so anyways… it was nice meeting you. Sid… bye.. whatever.”
With giving him one last meaningful look I turned back towards the house and walked back to Troy.

“Well obviously your son doesn’t want to listen to me so… it was nice seeing you again…”

Sidney’s dad just nodded. I passed him and went back in. When I reached out to open the front door I suddenly felt a hand close around my wrist. Sid stood right behind me and whispered in my ear: “What the hell are you doing here?”

I spun around and answered: “Didn’t I already tell you? Like 2 minutes ago? I need to talk to you about that party.”

Sid let out a sigh and pulled me away from the door towards his childhood bedroom. When he closed the door behind us, he sat on the bed and looked at me. “Go ahead what’s it?”

“Long story or short story?”

“Short story please… lunch is ready in like 5 minutes.”

“Okay well then… you managed to knock up your best friend from back in the day. See ya.”

I walked back to the bed room door when he said: “What? Nooo right?”

Looking back at him I saw anger and angst flash in his eyes. “You are kidding me right? I mean you are just jealous and want to destroy my relationship right? I mean you are a model that would ruin your career and mess with your contract… you are like genetically infertile while you are running and shooting right?”

I just laughed: “Nice illusion you have there… and no I’m not jealous of whatever and I’m not here to destroy anything I just thought you should know so… I’m not asking for anything as I already said I just wanted you to know that you are going to be a dad next spring.”

“There’s no way I can be a dad. I mean I’m too young. I’m just starting my career and I live in Pittsburgh, you in Europe or Nova Scotia. There’s no way I can handle it. I can sent you money for the kid but I won’t be a dad and no one will know about it okay?”

“WHAT?” a voice from the door suddenly said. Taylor stood there. “Sorry guy I didn’t mean to eavesdrop I just wanted to tell you that lunch is ready and that mom wants you to stay Viv.”
She closed the door behind.
I tilted my head to the side and said in a mocking town : “Plan failed. Whatever uhm have a great lunch. You know where to find me. Not that I want you to, after all.”
By the door Trina waited with her arms crossed over her chest, trying to look stern but with joy and a smile in her eyes.
“Tay already told me.” She said when I appeared next to her. “You have to stay for lunch and we’ll sort everything out. I mean your mom and I have always talked about it when you both were in Kindergarten how you would grow up, fall in love, get married and get kids.”

“Trina… It’s true but uhm there is not such thing like falling in love and getting married. It was an accident it just so happened and I’m gonna handle it on my own somehow. I’m a grown up woman with a ridiculous amount of money on my bank account and now I have a purpose to spend it on so I’m not asking for anything I just wanted Sid to know and yeah. I really have to go home now. My parents will be back from their cruise in some hours.”

A little relieved that I finally had the news out to the Crosby’s and I was only left to break the news to my parents, I went back to my house. In the remaining time until I had to pick them up at the airport, I cleaned the house, made the girls tidy their rooms and the rest of the house and prepared some dinner. Lisa and Jackie decided to make it a girls night out with going to the movies, clubs and all to give me and my parents an evening for ourselves.
Around 5 pm I picked my parents up and brought them home. During their cruise they had gotten a nice tan. After dinner we sat together in the living room and they told me about what they had seen and experienced over the last few weeks.

“Oh honey we have had some awesome wine so we just had to buy some bottles. You are going to love this. Trust me.” My dad said and went over to their suitcases to get them. When he returned with a corkscrew, a bottle of white wine and 3 glasses I had to gulp.

“Uhm not wine for me dad, thanks.”

My moms head shot up and her eyes grew wide. My dad just said: “Oh sweetie you aren’t working anymore and no one is watching. You are allowed to let go a little. It’s just your mother and I in our own house. You are free to drink.”

“No dad I really can’t drink…”

Before my dad had time to think about what I had just said my mom started:
“Oh… my… god… it’s not what I think right? It’s not that you can’t drink for another 9 months or something right?”

Now my dad finally realized: “Vivian Lachelle Laraque is there anything you want to tell your mother and me?” His voice was shaking slightly. Not in an intimidating, more in a scared way.

“I guess…” my voice was just a little above a whisper. “I’m sorry.”

My father put the glasses, the bottle and the corkscrew on the table in front of him and sat down next to my mother again. Silence engaged the room and it almost felt like you could hear my heart beat. I hung my head in defeat.

“Wow… honey… can you tell us anything I mean… like who’s the father of the child and what are you planning to do?”

My parents were very open minded and always accepted my decisions.
I took a sip of water, a deep breath and started to tell the story.
“When Jackie came back we were really excited and decided to go out. Partying our reunion in downtown Halifax. It just so happened that I drank a little too much, met Sid and somehow ended up sleeping with him. I don’t know how it really happened but I realized I was late so I went to the doctor about a week ago or so and found out about it. So here I am, retired, knocked up by a international hockey start slash former friend of mine. I went over to tell him today. He naturally was not amused about it, regarding that he is in a somewhat serious relationship it’s quite understandable. He told me pretty clearly that he was thankful that I told him and willing to pay alimony but that he is not going to be a dad to the kid. Unfortunately Taylor overheard it and went to tell Trina and she now wants to figure a way that is going to work for everyone. Him, me, the kid and of course the grandmothers who want to match make.” I finished my speech.

My mom let out a sigh. “I think you don’t want to hear that but I’m glad it’s Sid and not some drunk dude you don’t know. The Crosby’s are like family. Trina, Gordon, Troy and I are going to find a way. Trust me.”

After talking a little more about it we went to bed. I was really tired and dreaded getting into it.

The next morning I woke up to the birds singing and the sun shining through the open window into my room. A light breeze made the curtains move and it looked like and awesome summer day. I went straight to the shower and put a plaid blouse, jeans hot pants and some flip flops. When I arrived in the kitchen I found my mom making cupcakes.
“Good morning mom.” I greeted her.
“Good morning Viv, slept well?”
“Sure… hmmm… yummi cup cakes.”
“Yeah we are heading over to the Crosby’s later today. You know how to go on with the baby and you and Sid.”
“Mom, there is no such thing like ‘Sid and I’. There is the baby and I and there is Sid.”
“No, no we have it all figured out believe me.”

The day went by slowly. It wasn’t like I was anxious to face Sidney and Becky again but I really wanted to know the plan our parents had come up with. When it finally was 3 pm, my mom took the plate with the cup cakes, my dad grabbed some stuff from his office and we started to march over to the Crosby’s house. Taylor opened the door, Sam welcomed us as friendly as she had yesterday and we took a seat in the backyard. Troy and Trina were already sitting around the table and Taylor sat down next to me. When we had entered the house I had heard Becky and Sid having a louder conversation, which was silenced as soon as Sam had started to bark.
Everyone was waiting for the two remaining seats to be filled. Finally the door behind us was opened and the two stepped out. They sat down and Becky immediately started to shoot daggers at me. Well seems like she now knew what had happened some weeks ago.
When I let my eyes wander from face to face, they fell on the paper in front of my dad. My birth certificate…