Keep Your Girl Out of My Shoe Cabinet, Your Wife

The evening after Sidney left, Viviane called Vero and the girls settled on having a girls night with watching movies, eating together, gossiping together and catching up.
Soon after they had hung up, Viviane’s mobile went off again.

“Hello?”

“Hey… how are you? How’s your back? Is Vero with you? Call me if you have to go to the hospital and I’ll be on the next flight home.” Her husband rambled.

“Sidney… relax. I’m home and fine. I told you I was a little uncomfortable from sleeping and it was just a muscle or nerve.” She answered and smiled.

“Is Vero there?”

“No Sid. She is at work and she’ll come tomorrow. We’ll have a girls night with both our little boys out of town. I’m on the couch not moving one finger okay?”

“Good… I don’t want you to be alone tonight…”

“How old do you think I am? I’m totally capable of taking care of myself for some hours. In case anything should happen, what I don’t think will, I will call one of the girls or and ambulance. Don’t worry okay? I won’t drive when I’m in pain and I’ll call you the next morning.”

“No I want you to call me the second something is wrong. I don’t care what time it is… I want… no demand to know. I swore to god that I’ll be there for you in good and bad times and I don’t intend to break my word now. Call me and I’ll be home as soon as possible no matter what it may cost.”

“Sidney don’t be hilarious. You make it sound like I’m in labor… We’re still like 2 months away from that. Don’t make your pretty head even more. Stop thinking too much okay? You will go see your doctor, I’ll be here at home and when you come home I’ll still me laying around like a beached whale okay? I’m not going anywhere.”

Not really convinced Sidney agreed she could stay alone that night and promised her to not call Natalie.

The day went by without any further events. Viviane watched a DVD and had a salad for dinner. Afterwards she went to bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.

----Same time in Austin----

Sidney sat on his bed staring on his phone. He was unhappy with the situation. It was the right thing to go to Austin to see his doctor. This was the only way to find a path that led him back out on the ice as soon as possible. Hockey was what brought food onto his family’s table every way and Sidney felt like through not being able to play he wouldn’t contribute what he was supposed to bring into the house. His parents had raised him to stand up and provide for his family. On a weak day he had talked about it with Viviane. All she had done was laugh and pointed out that each one of them so far had earned more money in their careers than a family would ever need to live.
Sidney knew she had a point put still he wanted to provide his family and he wanted to go back out on the ice and do what he loved since they were little kids.

On the other hand he felt bad. What if she went into labor and he wasn’t there? What if the baby would come and he would be there? To get his hands crushed during contractions, to get screamed at and to cut the cord? To hear the little one’s first scream and to hold the tiny baby in his arms for the first time? Still covered in the white creamy substance. To see the little eyes open for the first time before squeezing them together again because of the lights.
Sidney let out a frustrated sigh… for nothing in the world he wanted to miss this.
His team mates who were fathers had told him so much about this moment. Remembering every single detail about this moment no matter how often they had gone through it. They had a happy glitter in their eyes thinking back to that day. He was jealous of his and if he would miss it he already knew he would regret it forever.
Hell he was dreaming of that moment since days.

Sidney sank into the pillows and looked at his phone. The display ignited and he saw a picture of Viviane in a Crosby penguins jersey.
Vero had taken it during Sidney’s come back game. It was the only game so far Viviane had attended at the Consol Energy Center.
Mario had invited the girls to sit in his box. Viviane stood right at the glass of the box, looking out into the rink. It must have been during the intro because everything was fairly dark and only little light shone onto her so you could barely see her long legs in flat boots disappearing under the jersey adorning the number 87. The jersey was really tight around the bump and one hand laid on the top of it. The engagement ring sparkled into the camera and if you looked really closely you could see a proud smile on her face.

Sidney didn’t think Viviane knew about the picture but when Vero send it to his phone in the locker room and he looked at it right after the game before facing the press, he was really happy and it felt like his heart jumped a little. Viviane had told him when he left to the rink that she would think about staying up and watching the game but never would he have thought that she would actually attend the game.
Never had a press conference felt so easy. He had come back doing what he loved and Viviane was there to witness it.

He sighed again. Right now this picture symbolized everything he was longing for. His little family and hockey.

Suddenly his phone went off and he jumped a little.
Without checking the caller ID he answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey you jerk.” A smiling voice of a certain young blonde greeted him.

“Why am I a jerk now?”

“You promised to see me during the Christmas break and now I have to learn that you won’t be home for Christmas this year?”

“Yeah Viviane isn’t good.”

“Viviane… every time we talk you mention her like a gazillion time. It’s like your world revolves around her and you forgot about me.”

“Sweetie I will never forget about you. After mom you are like the woman I love the most on this planet.”

“More than you precious wife?”

“As far as I remember you were there when this whole thing blew up right?”

“Yeah I was… now what about Christmas? I haven’t seen you in forever?”

“I really want to see you during the holidays… let me make some calls and see if I can get you down to Pittsburgh okay? I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too Sidney… why did we have to grow up huh?”

“I don’t know… everything was so easy…”

“I know… anyways I love you.”

“Love you too… talk to you later.”

“Bye jerk…”

“Bye princess….”

“Ey….”

Before she could continue he hung up and smiled.

FINALLY.