Keep Your Girl Out of My Shoe Cabinet, Your Wife

When Viviane woke up the next morning she shifted a little and wondered about her solid, moving pillow. A pleasant noise reached her ears over and over again. It took her a few seconds to realize where she was. Slowly she tried to shift a little but she couldn’t move.

Sidney was fast asleep and laid flat on his back without a pillow. His arms held something warm and cozy but it began to slip away. He locked his arms closer around it and breathed in the scent.

Viviane giggled lightly when Sidney refused to let her get up. His eyes were still shut and his breathing was really even. Somehow she managed to get up and start her day.

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The mood in the Crosby family was good again. Sure Viviane wasn’t at a point yet where she could say that she forgave his actions with Rebecca and try to forget them but Sidney was trying hard to show her his side of the page and that he still had parts of the Sid she used to know back when they were kids in Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia.

It was Friday 7pm, Sidney had left the house long ago to get to the Consol Energy Center to go through the pregame activities with his team mates and to meet up with Mario.

Viviane on the other hand paced through Pittsburgh International. She had dressed down into an oversized Reebok Hoodie –from Sid’s side of the closed-, Jeans and Converse. Her hair was simply thrown in a messy bun and instead of a handbag she had put the car keys into her pocket and held the wallet in her hand.

The plane she was waiting for had landed about 20 minutes ago and the first passengers started to exit the airport with their luggage. She was bouncing around a little trying to not get recognizes. Suddenly the doors slid open and she saw her. The girls smiled at each others and met half way. The younger girl hugged Viviane as if there was no tomorrow.

“You got so big. You almost look pregnant now.” She said when they headed towards the car.

Viviane showed her the house and gave her some time to settle in their guest room. Just in time for the 2nd period the girls gathered in front of the TV and watched the Penguins slam the Stars 3-1.

About 15 minutes after the game ended Viviane’s phone went of. When she saw that it was Sidney she quickly answered.

“Hey Sidney. Nice win.”

“Thanks… yeah I had a pretty good grip on ice and am pretty proud on what I accomplished.”

Viviane laughed a little and continued.

“Shut it. I wanted you to tell that the guys. What’s up?”

“I was just going to tell you that Flower had a small get together, just some Dallas guys we know and some of the guys and their girls. No one else. Maybe 20 people. I wanted to go there for an hour and thought you might wanna join. Vero asked about you all night.”

Quickly she glanced over to the blonde girl wrapped in a blanket with tiny eyes and a constant yawn.

“Thanks for asking but I think I have to pass. I’m really tired. But have fun and tell everyone I said hi. Big breakfast tomorrow? Maybe a little later? I could use a little sleep in and Dan told me to keep you away from the morning skate he said-I dare to quote- ‘Tie him to a chair or something. Just make sure he gets a day off.’ So come home whenever you want and we’ll have breakfast 10ish sounds good?”

“Sounds perfect. See you then.”
Before Viviane could say bye she had to yawn.

“Well in that case good night and sleep tight. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

“Thanks Sid see you tomorrow.”

After she hung up the two girls stared at each others for a second then started to laugh. They cleaned up the little mess they had made and retreated to their respective beds.

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Sidney wore a big smile on his face when he arrived at Marc-André’s house. His team had won, the vibe between him and Viviane was better again and he was looking forward to spend a nice time with his friends. Not many guys had come out because of the back to back games. Basically there were only 10 people. Vero was very tired from the day so she excused herself to bed soon after Sid arrived. Jordan and Alex disappeared early because Alex had the team plane to catch and Jordan wanted to swing by the Canes hotel before heading to bed. Sid sat on the couch between Kris and Evgeni and watched the recap of the game and the other results. Flower handed him another bottle of beer and sat down on the other couch. Kris looked at the tactics sheet with a big question mark on his face. There was something about the Carolina offensive system that didn’t make sense.

“This is just confusing. What can’t everyone just play trap, we lay down and sleep?” He groaned and yawned.
Everyone laughed and Evgeni took out the current roster.

“Staal not good right now. No too big danger. We have to focus on Skinner. Need to have a D man on him. His feet wicked.” The Russian looked over the line up of their last game. “Sid you two cent on Ward?”

The night went on with the four discussing tactics. This was something Sidney liked a lot. Spending time with his best friends focused and willing to work.

“Oh crap”, Flower at some point exclaimed. “It almost one. You should head home. Game day tomorrow.”

Everyone groaned but followed the orders of their goalie. Marc-André quickly copied the sheets and notes and handed everyone their pile.

When Sidney put his car into park he saw that all the lights were out but the little lamp on the porch. He smiled a little and quickly went inside. With as little noise as possible, he laid down his keys, took off his shirt and jacket and headed upstairs. He went to the office to drop off the tactics so he could go through them again in the morning. Then he headed to the master bedroom to get changed and ready in the bathroom.
It was silent in the house and all he could hear was the repetitive ticking of a watch in the living room. The door to Viviane’s room was opened a little so he decided to go in. Carefully he pushed the door open and tippled inside on his toes. When he arrive by the side of her bed and squatted, Viviane turned around to face him. She extended her hand which he accepted gladly. He sat down on her bad and looked at her with a smile on his face.

“Congrats for the win, coach” she whispered.

Sidney smirked: “You know that’s Dan’s. job I just try to keep them motivated and help where I can.”

“You’ll be back on ice soon, Champ.” She smiled and reached up to ruffle through his hair. “I can’t wait till this month is over… Not a fan of the pedo stache.”

“Hey don’t insult it.” He giggled silently.

“I’d never.”

“How was your night? Anything exciting happened?”

“No not much… did a little around the house, watched the game… yeah…”

“Okay… I’ll let you get back to sleep now. Just wanted to check on you two.”

“Thanks daddy. Good night.” She answered, pulled her hand back and snuggled into her pillows. Sidney smiled back at her and sait:

“I like the sound of that somehow. Good night Mom.” He caressed her messed up hair for a second, pecked her on the forehead and left the room.

Once the door was closed Viviane let out a content sigh and smiled. Their road had many bumps and they had gotten many bruises on the way here and she was sure their relationship and friendship would be put on IR many times to come but little things like this made her pregnant heart swell.

Down the hall Sidney pulled back the blankets of his bed and slid under them. They smelled like fresh air and he knew that Viviane had taken his old one’s off. He smiled. It were the little things she remembered that made him happy. As a kid he loved to fall asleep in fresh sheets that were a little cold and smelled like fresh air from drying in the wind and sun. Soon he fell into a dream filled sleep but instead of seeing tactics or sport goals he saw a woman with long slightly reddish brown hair with a sleeping baby in her arms wrapped into a penguins blanket. She smiled happily but didn’t stand up so she would wake the baby. Everyone else in the building was cheering but she just sat there, smiled down to him on ice and held the little bundle of joy.

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The girls woke up early and after getting dressed they started to prepare breakfast. It was a feast with eggs, pancakes, bagels, granola, pickletts, coffee, tea, fresh orange juice, fruit, you name them. With a smile Viviane watched her long time friend head upstairs as soon as they were finished.

“Sidney???” Viviane called through the house some minutes later.

“Jup?” She saw him appear half way down the stairs with wet hair just wrapped in a towel. She had to swallow a little. “Get dressed… breakfast is ready… oh and you got a blonde visitor last night. Mind picking her up in the other guest room and bringing her down to breakfast? I know what she means to you so I couldn’t not let her in and I don’t want her to starve.”

Sidney looked at her with an unreadable expression.

“ Don’t worry too much… get dressed and follow my order.”

He nodded and disappeared from her view. Viviane quickly send her a text message that their plan was up and running.
Soo she heard him walk towards the other room and the door open.

“Uhm, hey I… TAYLOR????” Sidney’s reaction made Viviane smile and she skipped up the stairs. When she arrived in the doorway she found the siblings in a close embrance.

Sidney leaned back a little and looked at his sister.

“Oh my god, what are you doing here? When did you come here?”

“Good morning big brother, how have you slept? Oh I slept fabulous yeah my flight was great.” Taylor laughed a little on herself then continues: “Well I don’t have games and practice this weekend so I talked to my teachers that I wanted to visit my brother and my sister in law. Because of who you are they gave me off my last period friday and the whole Monday. So yeah here I am visiting you because I missed you guys. I came in yesterday around 7.”

Sidney let go of his sister, turned around and hugged his wife.

“Thank you so much. Is it because of what I said the other day or what?”

“No that was planned way before that. Not everyone is as last minute as you are.”
Taylor laughed at this comment. Sidney wrapped an arm around her and was happy with his two girls in his arms.

“Didn’t we have a breakfast to kill or something?” he asked after a while when Viviane’s stomach growled.

They all laughed and headed downstairs.

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After breakfast Sidney took the girls to a car dealer because winter was coming closer and neither one of them was looking forward to driving the Jaguar in the snow.

Viviane wasn’t a fan of the fact that Sidney insisted on paying the car because she felt like this car was only bought because she was there. Before her arrival he had his all around car and his fun car. Now he had to share them. Still he didn’t even make her offer and handed the salesman his credit card when they decided on the car.
It was early November and usually they wouldn’t get the car earlier than Christmas. But after Sidney took a picture with the salesman, promised the company a signed jersey and tickets for two, the owner of the shop called the factory and managed to make it urgent.
He promised the couple that they would have the car in 2 to 3 weeks with all the specialties they ordered.

“Tay do you want a car?” He suddenly asked out of the blue when they waited for the final papers. The blonde head shot up and her expression clearly said ‘Are you kidding me?’

“I don’t even have a drivers license you idiot.”

Sidney blushed a little.

“Do you know how old I am?”

“Of course I do… 5719 days” he said without hesitation. Taylor and Viviane looked at him as if he had grown another head.

“YOU are weird.” Taylor said and shook her head.

“Fine you’re a little more than 15 a half. Fine?”

The girls just laughed and headed towards the car in the parking lot so he could take them home.