The Fleury Life

The day after the frightening experience while taking a walk around Pittsburgh, the wrist that the man gripped so tightly was throbbing in pain. He happened to have his death hold on my bad wrist, the one I had surgery on, and the pain pretty much lined the huge scar that I have there. I tried bracing my wrist, wrapping it, like I did when I initially sprained it back in the 2009 Playoffs, but because the injury I sustained ended up being so much worse, of course simple techniques now didn’t work.
And the worst part is that my hip, that I also injured due to hockey (thanks to Mr. Asham, but we try not to bring that up), is also getting stiff and painful. I usually get a cortisone shot once a year in my hip to keep it from locking up like it does, but because I’m pregnant, I can’t get the shot even though I’m due for it.
And I can’t take pain meds.
Yup... feeling like a hundred bucks right now.
Jordan came over the next day and gave me a Pittsburgh Penguins pillow pet, which I loved to death, and I added it to my penguin stuffed animal collection on my dresser that includes good old Pen.
After much consideration between Marc-Andre and I, we decided to let Ben stay with us until he can get himself on his feet. Mario has already said that if he’s still with us when I hit my eighth month of pregnancy, Ben can go live with him since Marc and I will, obviously, want it to be just us and family.
So he has been occupying one of our 3, soon to be 2, guest bedrooms. And he has actually been a great help around too. He’s helped me with cooking, but most importantly, he helped a group of the guys on Monday afternoon clear out the guest bedroom closest to my room so we can officially start turning it into our baby’s nursery.
Marc was very grateful for his help, as were the other guys.
For hockey, we left him at home and from what he’s told us, that’s when he goes job searching. Mario is even getting the kid into a recording studio in order to make an audition recording.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so grateful. If it wasn’t for self control, I’m pretty sure the kid would have started kissing Mario’s shoes.
However, despite the upbeat nature of everything around home life, hockey is a totally different matter.
For the first game of the Playoffs, I was sentenced to stand on the bench closest to the glass and the Flyers in order to prevent any... vocal attacks against each other between the coaches. Originally I wasn’t to happy about being a barrier, but I was able to give my opinion of the game and give out pointers, which I’m quite good at.
After the first period, I was very pleased with the boys.
After that... not so much. At all.
I could not believe that I was standing there watching them blow game one. And when I got into the locker room, I let it rip.
“What the fuck was that?” I screamed at them once they were all seated in their respective lockers and I entered the locker rooms.
Silence met me as they slowly took off their gear.
“How the hell did you blow a crucial three goal lead? You think playing like that is going to win this series? You think you can rely on refs to call every call? Yes, that was an offside call, but you can’t let that get to you!”
No one met my gaze, and then I really saw red.
“You humiliated yourself beyond all belief! I hope you guys feel like shit and I hope you’re humiliated. I hope it makes you pissed, pissed at yourself and your teammates, because you can’t just blame a single person,” I let my hand swish the air towards Marc, “because this is a team game, you win and lose as a team. And you sucked as a team. You humiliated each other as you humiliated yourselves. Get pissed off! Now you sure as hell better take anger and put it to work. Let it make you hungry to go out and win Friday’s game. Don’t take it out physically on the Flyers, no, take it out on them by showing them who the Penguins are! And we are not their god damned door mat!”
I few grumbles met my words, but there was a fiery look that sparked in their eyes.
“I swear that if you lose the next game as stupidly as that, I will personally come after you and beat you all with your own sticks.”
A few nervous chuckles, because they knew I wasn’t kidding.
And I was done ranting, at least on the outside to them. I stormed away to let them shower and change and I went into the training room, gliding past Chris and Scott. “I don’t want to see a single one of them right now,” I called over my shoulder as I headed into the office and slammed the door shut.
As soon as I closed the door, I leaned back against it and slid down to the floor. Once there, I put my head in my hands and just started bawling.
Gotta love hormones.

Marc-Andre’s PoV:
I sat silently through Sierra’s yelling, staring at nothing in particular, but primarily the scar on her left wrist, just to give myself something to look at without looking into her eyes.
It’s easy to tell that she was beyond furious at us, especially since the anger was almost tangible. I felt miserably not only because we lost, but also because I let her down, my sweet Sierra... I let her down as I let my teammates down.
When she finally left, all of us in the locker room looked at each other and then the commotion started. Everyone was shouting how she was right and there was comment of her being a badass, which my girl definitely is.
But still, I was silent. I felt sick to my stomach, so I just got up and out of my gear, and headed to the showers.
Once done, Sidney stopped my as I headed towards my locker. “Hey, smile, ok?” I gave him an odd look. Smile, the way I feel? He must be out of his mind. Of course, he read that look almost as well as he can read his twin’s. “Even if it’s a fake one. You know her, better than I do by this point, and even a fake one will help ease her pain.”
It dawned on me, and I couldn’t believe that I didn’t think of it myself. “You’re saying that she’s miserable because she can’t be out there to help.” It wasn’t a question.
Sidney cracked a smile. “I think you know the answer to that.”
I’m so stupid... I should have seen it, but I was too swallowed up in my own hurt pride and disappointment to really dig into her feelings. And I’ve become very good at knowing how Sierra is feeling just by the way she stands. I know my girl, but the fact I didn’t pick something up so obvious really pissed myself off.
I said nothing else to Sidney. I just turned on my heel and quickly packed up my gear before heading to the training room. Once there, Scott nodded towards the office so I headed over even though I couldn’t see her through the glass.
When I knocked on the door and saw her figure stand up from the floor, my heart squeezed in my chest.
She opened the door, stared at me with swollen red eyes, and I quickly wrapped my arms around her tightly, holding her close to me. As soon as I did that, she just started crying, heavy and hard.
I rested my chin on top of her chocolate colored head, stroking her back with one of my hands and just holding her with the other. I could feel the gazes of the guys behind us on my back, but I didn’t do a thing. I just let her cry.
Eventually she hiccuped and twisted slightly in my arms, turning her head to the side. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.
I tilted my chin down and kissed the top of her head. “Don’t be,” I whispered back. “I’m the sorry one. I’m sorry I didn’t realize how you were feeling sooner.”
“It’s ok.” She sniffed. “I understand. You’re really upset about the loss. I don’t expect you to be on top of my emotions all the time. You are about 99 percent of the time, and I believe that you are one of the only husbands in the world who is that in tune with your wife’s feelings and stuff.” That made me smile a bit. “I love you.”
I gave her a squeeze. “Je t’aime aussi, ma chérie.” I pulled away slightly and gently put my finger under her chin to get her to look at me. “And I may be upset about the loss, but I’m more upset that you’re upset.” I wiped under her eyes with my thumb, taking away the tears. “Don’t cry, my love. I’m here for you. We’re all here for you.”
She nodded and pulled herself tight against me again.
My sweet Sierra, I hate to see you like this, so upset. I want nothing more than to take all of your hurts away. My love, my soulmate.
“I’ll never let you fall.”
“I know.” She lifted her head and pressed a kiss to my lips, to which I kissed back. “I know.”
I promise you, my Sierra. I will never, ever let you fall.