Keep Your Girl Out of My Shoe Cabinet, Your Wife

The week dragged on slowly. Sidney’s condition was getting a little better but no big changes. He still was at house pretty much all the time resting. The familiar headaches were back and he was trying to get them down by all means. The team doctors at the rink told him to rest and see them eventually.

Viviane did the same. Rest all day and leave the house only to see her doctor. Vero and Michelle Cooke had made it their personal mission to make sure that Viviane and Sidney left their house as little as possible so they insisted on buying their groceries and stuff like that. Sidney wasn’t happy about it but appreciated having such great friends.

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Today was Thursday the 15th Viviane still laid in bed. The last night they had in different beds for the first time in weeks. Sidney spent the night before tossing and turning and he didn’t want to keep her from her sleep again. It was early in the morning and she heard Sidney shuffle through the house. The bright letters of the alarm clock on her night stand told her it was merely 7am. She groaned and pulled the covers over her head. This wasn’t her time to wake up yet and lately it hasn’t been his either.

“Vivy?”

She suddenly heard Sidney’s voice.
Slowly she sat up. 9:34 am. Her eyes were wide open instantly and her head flew around to see Sidney standing in the door.

He was already fully dressed like he was about to leave the house. His woolen coat hung open and he still held his gloves in one hand. Sidney softly smiled at her.

“What’s wrong?” she asked and her eye brows furrowed together. With few steps he was by her side and sat down on the bed.

“I’m flying out to see my doctor now. It’s on really short notice. I got a call this morning. He’s on a conference in Austin and he won’t get any closer before New Years Eve so the team rather wants me to see him now than in 2 weeks so I have no choice. I’ll be back by Monday okay?” he explained.

Viviane’s face fell and she leaned back into the pillows. Wincing lightly from a minor pain.

“Are you okay? Vivy?” Sidney looked at her with greatest concern.

“Yeah… yeah I am… just a little pain… I just didn’t sleep well so I think my back is paying me back on it… do you really have to leave? Can’t you take me with you?” she pouted slightly.

Sidney was satisfied with her answer and smiled again. “No I can’t. Your doctor and our mom’s would hurt me and I’m not that much into pain…”

Viviane laughed and shifted around to place her head against his shoulder.

“I missed my pillow tonight.” She confessed. Sidney laid one hand onto her swollen stomach and rubbed it lightly.

“I missed you two too… it’s weird… I’ll be back before you know. We can talk on the phone or skype… better get used to it… I plan to be back on the road soon and then you will have to deal with this little trouble maker all by yourself.”

Viviane smirked and put her hand onto his.

“By then I won’t be alone anymore. Come back soon okay?”

Sidney nodded, kissed the back of her hand and stood up.

“My ride will be here any minute so I should go down… Flower is taking me because they are leaving to Ottawa shortly after my plane leaves. So I’ll call you once I land?”

“That would be nice… I’ll be somewhere between here and the couch or the cinema…”

“Will do… oh and Flower told me you should call Vero…”

“Have a save flight Siddy.”

“Thanks.”

With these words he left the room to get his suit case from his room. He didn’t feel well about leaving her behind but seeing the doctor was important. After waiting in the kitchen for about 5 minutes he saw Marc-André’s car pull up in front of the front gate so he grabbed all his stuff, yelled ‘good-bye’ one more time and headed into the cool December air.

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His close friend shot him a genuine smile when he sat down on the passenger seat.

“Good morning Sidney. Austin, Texas it is? Not cheating on your precious wifey are you?”

The French Canadian joked and put his car back into drive.

“Good morning Marc. Wouldn’t dream about it. She’s just perfect lately. Couldn’t have asked for a better person to come home to. Other than that our mothers would have me hanging from a tree if I just wasted a thought on that.”

Marc-André chuckled on the response and slapped Sidney’s thigh lightly.

“I’m glad to hear that. Both of you seem a lot happier lately. Seemed a little down right after the wedding. Made me wonder a little. So what’s up in Texas? Rascal Flats concert?”

Sidney laughed whole heartedly.

“No… though Viviane would totally make me go there. She digs their songs. My doc is down there this week and heading to Europe after that until new years so Ray wants me to see the doc down there. So yeah gotta leave my family behind and go there.”

“When’s she due?” Flower asked while pulling onto the high way.

“February 22nd… but the doctor said if she makes it to January 22nd we’re lucky. So yeah we’re at 30 weeks. Last quarter already started…”

“You okay?” Marc-André realized a change in Sidney’s tone.

“Yeah… I’m just terrified. What if I’m no good father? When I’m healthy I’m on the road or the rink all the rink… hell I don’t even know whether I’m a good husband when healthy. At least we don’t have to worry about money… I’m just scared…”

“Sid that’s natural I guess…” he looked at his younger friend feeling left behind for the first time ever… “I’ll let you know how I feel when it’s time okay?”

Sidney laughed. “Oh please you waited 15 years to pop the question… Will Vero have to wait another 10 years for the wedding and another 5 for the baby?”

Marc-André chimed it. He parked the car in the secluded area of the airport and turned serious.

“No the wedding hopefully will be this summer and the baby right after it… well I mean we’ll start you know…”

Sidney just nodded: “Yeah I know… you’re doing it the traditional way.”

“Not everyone knocks the fiancé up before putting the wedding band on.”

“Well anyways thanks for the ride I have to got to that flight.”

Sidney pointed to another plane. The friends bid good bye and promised to talk later today. After going through the security check Sidney flew to Austin, thinking of his little family and smiled at the young couple with mixed twin couple in their arms.

‘Soon’ he thought. ‘Soon we’ll have one of them in our house.’ He sighed and was content.

All he had to do was get healthy and life would be perfect.