Just One Cup

~8 Days Left~

With Sidney and the team gone, life was pretty plain. Maddi and I would just have work or school to go to and after that we'd just spend our time at home.

Work was slow compared to usual but that might be because our best customers were out of town.

We were half way through the week when Vero came over for dinner. All of us lonely after just a few days.

"I miss the guys." Maddi said as we all sat around the island in the kitchen. Vero and I just grunted in agreement.

"I can't wait for the guys to come back. There's going to be a big Christmas party at the our place and I can not wait!"

"That's nice you guys have a Christmas party."

"Wait...you didn't know about it?" I shook my head. "Well how do you not know?"

"I...wasn't told?"

"Sidney didn't tell you about the big party?" I shook my head again. "Why not?! It's the one of the biggest team parties! They skate at the arena then have a big dinner and presents and it's just fun! Why wouldn't he ask you to go with him?"

"He probably forgot Vero," I shrugged, "He's had a lot on his mind with the games and the road trips, plus all the charity events he does. It's not a big deal."

"Of course it's a big deal! You guys are official!"

"Whoa there Vero. Sidney and I just kinda started getting serious. I don't think we're 'official'."

"Well you need to be! What is taking so long?"

"Vero,Sidney is a busy guy. He's got a lot riding on his career and people are constantly watching him. We're going to take things slow and see where it goes before anything becomes 'official.'"

"See that...is exactly why he should just take you to the nearest jewelry store and marry you. No other woman would be like this. The ones that he's kinda been with are pushy and want to broadcast their private life."

"Look, if he wants me to go to the party then he'll ask me. It's not a big deal."

"He will defiantly be getting a phone call later." She grumbled, "Come on Maddi, let's go put a movie on." She took the girls hand and led her to the living room.

I started putting away the dishes when my phone vibrated on the counter, "Hello?"

"Hi there." I smiled.

"Hey Sid. How's it going?"

"I miss you." I bit my lip holding back that 13 year old girl squeal. Get a hold of yourself woman!

"I miss you too."

"So what have you two been up too?"

"Pretty boring with all of you gone. Vero stopped by today."

"Yeah? That's nice."

"Yeah she's just as bored as we are."

"Whatcha girls doing tonight?"

"Dinner and a movie probably."

"Danni, we need popcorn...who are you talking too?" Vero asked coming into the kitchen.

"Sidney."

"Oh Sidney...can I talk to him for a second?"

"Um...Sid...Vero wants to talk to you."

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it. It was all Flowers fault." He told me. I handed Vero the phone and walked upstairs. I got some popcorn popped so we can get this movie started.

Maddi was just waiting on the couch, the movies menu playing over and over again, "Can we start the movie yet?"

"In a sec, Vero's talking to Sidney."

"Sidney called?" I nodded and she sprung off the couch and up the stairs.

--------

"Sidney Crosby!"

"Vero, I swear it wasn't me." I defended.

"Why haven't you asked Danni to the Christmas party yet?!" Shit, I knew I was forgetting something.

"I totally forgot."

"I can see that! I was asking her about it earlier and she had no idea what I was talking about. You better ask her soon or I will not be happy."

"I promise to ask soon."

The door to the hotel room opened and in walked Marc and Max. They were chatting away and didn't see that I happened to be on the phone which was also on speaker phone, "Sidney you will not believe this girl we saw down in the bar. She was smokin'."

"Max, is that you?" Both guys froze when they heard Vero come from the phone.

"Vero?"

"Tell me about this girl Marc."

"Girl? What girl? There's no girl, right Max?" Marc answered elbowing Max in the side.

"No of course not. There's no girl. How are you today Vero?" He asked changing the subject. I just laughed at the two of them.

"I'm upset with Sidney because he hasn't asked Danni to the Christmas party yet." The guys looked at me.

"Sid, you haven't asked her?"

"I forgot! I've had a lot of things going on." I defended.

"You better do it soon or I will." Max said.

"Vero! Vero! Vero!" We all smiled at the small voice that call out for Vero, "Are you talking to Sidney?"

"Hi Maddi." The three of us said. Vero must have put the phone of speaker.

"Hi Sidney. Who else is there?"

"Max and Marc are both here." I answered. "Did you watch the game yesterday?"

"Yes, you did really good Flower." She said. The tall Frenchman smiled.

"Thank you Maddi."

"So Maddi, would you like to be my date to a Christmas party?" Max asked the four year old.

"Really?" She replied. I could just picture her smiling on the other end.

"Of course!"

"Okay!!"

"Maddi, why don't you had downstairs? I'll be there in a second." Vero said to her. We could hear the door open and close then Vero turned to us, "Sidney Crosby you better ask her to that party or you'll regret it." The line went dead.

"Flower...your girlfriend scares me sometimes."

"I'll tell her you said that."

-----------

~4 Days Left~

More days passed. This long trip was almost over. Christmas was almost here. Sidney was coming home soon. Its the wait that's killer.

I was sitting in Tim Horton's on my break. The store was slow since the usual lunch break ended and I could finally relax. I sipped my hot chocolate and played with my phone, willing it to receive a text or a call, anything!

"You're going to hurt your eyes if you keep starring like that." Ashley interrupted my starring contest with my phone.

"I was in deep thought."

"No, you were praying for Sidney to call."

"Shouldn't you be at school?"

"...It's Saturday. Wow Danni, you're really out of it." She said with a roll of her eyes.

"Just a lot on my mind."

"Mmhmm, right."

Suddenly, my phone went off. As the name appeared on the screen, I smiled. "I wonder who that could be." Ashley said.

"Don't you have some work to do?" She rolled her eyes and went back behind the counter.

"Hello?"

"I didn't catch you at a bad time, did I?"

"No Sid, you're fine."

"Good. How's your day going?"

"Slow. I'm suppose to meet up with Vero to Christmas shop. You?"

"Christmas shopping? Oh! That reminds me, I completely forgot before but would you and Maddi like to go to team's Christmas party with me?" I laughed remembering Vero and I's conversation about this. Now I know why Vero wanted to talk to him; she was reminding him. Though that was a couple days ago, but Sidney and I haven't had the chance to talk because of his schedule.

"We'd love too."

"Good...great! We usually go to the rink in the afternoon to skate with the families then I think the party is at Vero and Marc's place."

"Sounds fun."

"Cool. I gotta get going. I'll talk to you later."

"Good luck tonight."

"You gonna watch?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

---

"Maddi, what do you want to get your teacher?"

Vero, Maddi, and I had been walking the mall doing our Christmas shopping for about two hours. I had gotten presents for my parents, my brother, and my extended family, and now we were just finishing up on Maddi's teacher.

Maddi shrugged, tired from walking around for so long. Vero didn't have as many people to shop for but it was my family that was becoming difficult.

"Okay, I'll just get her some chocolate." I said when I spotted a store that sold chocolate arrangements.

"What are you getting Sidney for Christmas?" Vero asked as I tried to pick out a simple arrangement.

"Um, I'm not sure. I hadn't thought about it."

"You should get him something small since the relationship is new and stuff."

"What does a guy like Sidney not have?" I asked.

"That is a very good question but Sidney's a pretty simple guy. He'd love whatever you give him."

"For this Christmas party, do you get everyone a gift?"

"So he finally asked you? I was starting to get worried. But I usually get the guys something small. They're family too."

"I wanna get Sidney a present!" Maddi said.

"What do you want to get him?" I just checked out and we left the store, continuing down the mall. Maddi never answered my question but when I heard her gasp and tug on my shirt, I assumed she knew what she wanted to get.

She took off for this small craft store, Vero and I following after her. We watched her scan the isles until she found what she was looking for, "I wanna get him that." She pointed to a small wooden picture frame on the shelf.

"You want to make him a picture frame?" She nodded.

"That's so adorable! I might even have a picture for you to put in that." Vero said.

"That is a really good idea. Do you maybe want to make them for all the guys?" I suggested. Maddi smiled and nodded again.

"I have a whole bunch of pictures of Maddi and the guys. They will absolutely love it!"

When we walked out of the craft store, we had paint, paint brushes, glitter, glue, stickers, and a bunch of wooden frames. We will defiantly be busy when we got home.

And that's exactly what happened.

At the house, we set a table up in front of the TV so we could watch the Pens game while we make the picture frames. We started off painting some black, gold, and white. Maddi used foamy stickers to put their names and numbers on the frame with some hockey stickers as well.

Vero had printed out most of the pictures on her camera, making doubles for me. I was looking through the ones she took when Madison spent the night. I laughed at the ones of Maddi sitting on Jordan's back, a proud smile on her face and the guys around her too.

Then there were some from the games I hadn't realized she took pictures at. A few were of us watching the games but most of them were after the games in the lounge. Most of them were candid shots, where others were posed pictures, "I never saw you take these." I commented to Vero. She looked up from her picture frame and smiled.

"I think you were off talking to Sidney."

"Maddi, why don't you pick your favorite ones and we'll put them in the frames." I said to Maddi. I laid out the pictures, separating them by player. Once she finished with one frame, Maddi came over and looked over them. For each player, she picked a photo and handed them to me. She had some really good ones, they really captured the friendship and care between the giant hockey players and the little girl.

"These will look great. The boys will love them." I said kissing the top of her head.

---

11:57 December 23, 2011

The little lamp glowed casting a soft light on the living room. The decorated Christmas tree was dressed in a variety of Christmas ornaments and colorful lights, many were from years ago when Addie was still alive.

I lounged on the couch reading a magazine while Maddi sat on the chair near the front window. She propped herself on the back of the chair so she could see Sidney when he pulled into the driveway, but she was falling asleep as the time went on.

The team was suppose to be in at 10:30. It wouldn't surprise me if it was the snow that was keeping them. I was starting to get nervous as 10:30 turned into 11:30, and 11:30 turn close to midnight. And on the 23rd too.

I tried to stay calm for Maddi as we waiting for Sidney's arrival but with what had happened in the past, you can imagine I was struggling. I needed to stay strong for Maddi. I couldn't run around paranoid. It would scare Maddi and the last thing I need is for her to lose someone else.

Just the thought of loosing someone else on this dreadful day. Madison would be heart broken. Not having a father from the beginning and loosing her mother the day before her birthday already troubled the four year old. She doesn't need to go through another experience like that.

I don't know if I could go through another experience like that.

My thoughts halted when I heard the door knob slowly turn and the sounds of heavy feet on the hardwood floors filled the quiet night. Madison sat straight up when she heard the click of the door shutting and leaped out of the chair to greet our visitor, "Sidney!" Sidney lifted the girl off her feet.

"Maddi, what are you still doing up?" His sleep filled voice whispered.

"We wanted to wait for you." She answered in his neck. Sidney looked away from the girl to see me sitting on the couch. He smiled.

"I think it's time for bed." He said to Maddi. Without hesitating, he carried her upstairs and to her room. I set the magazine on the coffee table and began turning all the lights off. I headed for the kitchen and put my coffee mug in the sink.

Then I felt a pair of arms enclose me in their grasp. Soft kisses trailed from the base of my neck up to the back of my ear. I turned my head to look at him, "Welcome home." Sidney smiled and kissed my lips but pulled away before I was completely satisfied with the feel of them. He turned me around and lifted me over his shoulder, heading towards the stairs, "Sidney, what are you doing?" I asked with a little laugh.

His response was a slap to my backside, "Sshh. You'll wake Maddi."