An Unexpected Something New

“What do you mean he isn’t coming?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I’d heard of these kinds of things happening but never imaged they actually did. It was something I would imagine only existed in the movies.

“I just talked to his cousin—one of the groomsmen. He... he said he just got off the phone with Derek after everyone had been trying to call him for almost two hours. He said Derek isn’t coming, he couldn’t handle it so he just bounced. Oh fuck me,” he sighed clearly shaken and rubbed the back on his neck. “Poor Hannah has to be devastated.”

“I saw her for like a split second when I went to the bathroom. She ran into the bridal room I’m assuming, and I saw that she was crying. Makes a shit load of sense now.”

“I can’t believe he would do that to her. I just can’t believe anyone would do that to anyone.” His disbelief was evident still. I couldn’t blame him, I was just as shocked.

“What now?” I didn’t know what the proper thing to do next was. Would there still be a party? Would she go home? Where the fuck was Derek? In my mind he was a grade A asshole to leave his girl at the alter, something I wouldn’t have expected from him.

“Well you get to get an early start back to Pittsburgh cuz there isn’t going to be a wedding today.” Answered at least one of my questions.

“You don’t know where Derek is? Like where he went? Is he still close...is there any way he’s just super late…?”

“No Crosby. He’s gone. He took off.” He shook his head again and let it drop. “I just don’t understand why.”

“I can’t believe he’d just bitch out like that. You’re sure he didn’t have a girl on the side or something?”

“I- I don’t think so. I’d never gotten an indication that he did. I thought he was crazy about Hannah. I don’t understand why he’d go through all the planning…why he even bothered to propose if he was just going to flake out.” The same questions were buzzing through my mind and sadly neither one of us would be satisfied with an answer tonight. I wasn’t sure if we ever would be.

“Maybe he didn’t think he would.” I offered any kind of advice I could. I realized there was no rationalizing the situation because it was still a shitface thing to do.

“It’s not that hard. I could imagine having nerves and shit but if he made the choice to buy a ring and go through the proposal, he had to at some point looked into his future. If he didn’t see her there then he should have ended it instead of hurting her this way.”

“I agree. Does everyone know yet? How are they going to find out?” This was still way too much to wrap my head around. I couldn’t believe a guy would stand a girl up on their wedding day—especially after how Pat had described Hannah—it was just a cowardly thing to do.

“I’d imagine some of them have a good idea at this point. I mean, we’re approaching an hour late and still nothing is happening. Oh man, she’s got to be mortified.”

“Did Derek say anything, give any indication that this wasn’t what he wanted?”

“No,” Pat adamantly shook his head. “Nothing. He never gave any hint that he’d ditch her at the alter.”

“Wow. Just wow.” I didn’t know what else to say. It was surreal.

“This isn’t going to turn into a good night. So, I’m gonna go ahead and give you the okay to bounce. I know you drove for a while to get here, but you have a game tomorrow so the sooner you get to leave, the sooner you get home, the more sleep you get.”

“Yeah…I feel bad just leaving though. Is there anything I can do?”

“No Sid. I don’t even know what to do in this situation. You’re a good man for coming, but there isn’t anything you can do. I’m gonna go tell the rest of my teammates, have a safe drive home, alright? Give me a call sometime, or I’ll just see you when we come to Pittsburgh.”

“Sounds good man. Again,” I lifted my arms, “I’m sorry about this.”

“Hey this isn’t my wedding, don’t apologize to me. I’m just as shocked as you are.”

“I realize. I’ll see you soon.” I turned to leave with nothing else in sight to do.

“Drive safe man.” I nodded my head without turning around and continued outside. When the air hit my face I let out a deep breath and felt my throat tighten. Who the fuck leaves someone at the alter? That’s something you just don’t do. This wasn’t how I anticipated my day being when I got up this morning, and I can’t believe I’m already on my way home.

*****

“What a pussy!” Jordan screamed as he laced up his skates. I’d just finished telling him what happened only a day ago and still couldn’t believe I had this type of story to tell.

“Yeah, tell me about it.” I looked at him still in amazement. I wasn’t able to shake it all night even after I was home. The selfishness Derek demonstrated bothered me as did the obvious pain Hannah had to be experiencing.

“Who doest that? Seriously.” Jordan wasn’t a man with many morals, but when it mattered, he had them. He might have been a slut, but when it came to other men treating women like shit, he was disturbed.

I turned to him, “I’ve been asking the same exact question. It’s just so brutal.”

“You’re telling me Roy left a girl waiting for him, who by what you’ve described is hot… and what Kaleta said is top of the notch…wow.”

“Yeah. I brought the wedding program home, I’ll show you. It has their picture on it. She’s gorgeous and Kaleta said she’s sweet as pie. Who leaves that?” I shook my head as I finished lacing up my own skates and stood to test how they felt.

Jordan laughed and looked at me confused. “Why would you bring that home?”

“What? The program?”

“Yeah. Did you want a souvenir or something?” He was making fun of me, that much was clear.

“Nah,” I paused for a moment. Why did I bring it home? “I don’t know, it was in my hands and I felt bad. What else was I supposed to do?”

“Well at least you got home early. So I guess if anything good came out of it, that’s something.” He nudged me on the shoulder with his attempt at optimism.

“Yeah, I guess so. Still though. The entire situation just makes me sad.” Though I couldn’t imagine why I was as shaken up about this as I was. It wasn’t like it was me, or my brother, or my best friend. I had no investment, no ties.

“Sad?”

“Yeah Staal, sad. Put yourself in her shoes. It’s gotta be the worst feeling in the world.”

“Hopefully I’ll never find out—hey if it’s up to me, I won’t. I don’t plan on getting married. So if I never get married, I’ll never be stood up.”

I looked at him and shook my head, “Please. Who are you kidding. We both know you’d be the one doing the jilting.”

A devious smile spread across his lips, “Yeah, that’s probably true.”

*****

It had been about a month since the wedding that never was. The more time passed the less I thought about it, though it still gave me a good story to tell. Whenever I would give the details it always elicited gasps from my shocked audience as their eyes went as wide as the moon.

The last few days had been extremely frustrating. They just weren’t going right- everyone goes through periods like that in their life…and it just sucks. I’d been busy and tired, we weren’t playing well…I wasn’t playing well. I just needed a break. Or a distraction. Something.

So when Jordan and the boys wanted to go out to blow off some steam, naturally I obliged. I sat at the bar with a scotch in my hands watching the scene unfold around me. I didn’t care for crowds to gather around me, I got enough of that when I was at work, when I was out I just wanted to be discreet and do my own thing.

“What’s with you lately?” Jordan and his sweatiness sat down next to me and I could hear he was winded. Probably from all the dancing heavy petting he was doing on the dance floor. That, and all the alcohol he undoubtedly consumed.

“What do you mean?” I swirled my scotch around in my glass without showing much enthusiasm.

“I don’t know, you’ve been different lately. You just seem blah.”

“I guess I am. I don’t know Staal. I feel like I’m in a funk.”

“What kind of funk? Why?” He motioned for a beer and the bartender slid it across the table, something like you’d see in the old time saloons.

“That’s the thing. I don’t know. I just don’t feel like myself. I don’t know why.” I was so fucking pathetic I was getting on my own nerves, but I hated feeling this way. It was irrational.

“What?” Jordan still didn’t get why…but then again neither did I. “Do you need to get laid or something?”

“No. I don’t want that. I mean, I want that, but you know what I mean.” I ran my fingers through my hair and let out a sad little sigh.

“I’m not so sure I do. Explain it to me Crosby cuz I’m not getting it.”

“I want something different than the same old shit we do everyday.”

“Crosby…dude. We’re always busy. There’s never a dull moment. We travel constantly. You especially.”

“No, I know that. It’s not that though. I just want something to shake it up. I want… I don’t know what I want.”

“You’re starting to piss me off. I realize everyone goes through little ups and downs but you really have nothing to be down about.” He was right, I was being a pussy. I hated complaining and I was sure I’d get over it within a few days, but I’d felt that way for a few days to say the least.

Instead of pressing my non-existent issue, I nodded my head and let out a faint smile. “You’re right. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. Maybe I do just need to get laid,” I half attempted a laugh and looked at Jordan who’s eyes were glued to the door.

“Hey,” I waved my hand in front of his face in a ‘what the fuck’ motion.

He snapped out of whatever had his attention and finally focused back on me. “Sorry dude. But I think I just spotted what I’ll be going home with tonight.”

A slick smile spread across my face as I turned around to look at Jordan’s newest claimed conquest. There, walking through the door was a girl who probably turned heads wherever she went and didn’t even realize it. She was beautiful, blonde, tall and…very familiar looking.

“As much as I’m loving hearing about how cruel the world is treating you, if you’ll excuse me…” he threw some cash down on the bar and walked away without even looking at me. “I have to introduce myself to this beautiful creature…since I’ll be riding her in about an hour.”

Normally I’d be making some sly comment back, teasing him as his tall, blonde self went over to what could be considered his equal in appearance. Tall. Blonde. Very noticeable. But I couldn’t stop staring at her. She was stunning, yes, but that wasn’t it.

I knew her. Or met her. Or something. It was driving me crazy that I didn’t know how.

“Tanger come here.”

Kris looked at me confused and quickly came to my aide.

“What’s up Crosby?”

“Look at the girl Jordan’s talking to.” I nodded over to him without taking my eyes off of the scene unfolding in front of me.

“Yeah…wow, she’s hot.” Kris cocked his head back and gave an approving nod.

“Yeah, I know her.” My frustration was starting to shine though. It was like trying to put a face to an actor from a random show that you know you’ve seen before you just can’t think where.

“You do? Have you fucked her?” He had no clue where I’d know her from. He clearly didn’t know her, so it wasn’t a team thing,

“No, no. Maybe I’m just crazy.” I shook my head and took a whiff of my scotch.

"Well maybe you should. If I were you, I would." He was clearly impressed by the girl who didn't have her sex on display. I suppose that made her more interesting than most. It certainly worked on Jordan and apparently Letang.

Suddenly it dawned on me and I let out a loud gasp. “Fuck!” I looked at Kris and threw my head back letting the realization sink in. “That’s Derek’s fiancée…ex-fiancee…that’s the chick he stood up, the one I was telling you about.”

What was she doing here, I couldn’t help but wonder. I kept my eyes glued on her and Jordan as I watched him put the moves on her; try to touch her so he could drag her onto the dance floor and hopefully get her liquored up.

I couldn’t imagine how or why she was here instead of New York and I found myself really wanting to know why. I wasn’t sure if she would knew who I was or if she would have a clue I showed up for her would-be wedding. I had all these questions I was dying to have answered but not sure they were appropriate to ask. One thing was certain- I wanted to know why and how in the world this creature of mystery made her way from New York to Pittsburgh and just so happened to walk into the exact place I was sitting.