The Fleury Life

“You can count on me like 1, 2, 3.”
I moaned and rolled over, pulling myself out of Marc’s grasps as I reached for my cell that was sitting on the side table next to the bed. I didn’t even have to glance at the caller ID; I know the ringtone.
“You better have a dance good excuse for waking a sleep deprived mother of a two month old up at,” I glanced at the clock, “six in the morning.”
The familiar voice of my twin brother answered on the other line. “I’m sorry,” Sid said earnestly. “But the negotiations are beginning soon.”
I sighed, turned my head to stare at Marc-Andre’s sleeping form. His eyelids fluttered as he dreamed, so I tossed the covers off of my body and hauled myself out of bed. “We already know its not looking good, Sid,” I said to him, closing the bedroom door behind me.
“I know,” he sighed. “I was hoping we wouldn't have to deal with this in our generation.”
“Feel sorry for those who’ve had to endure this twice now,” I said, glancing at my bedroom door as I headed into my son’s room.
“Like Flower?”
“Mmhmm.” I looked down at my son, whose eyes blinked open as he cooed up at me. “Are you really going to go overseas?”
Sid sighed again. “Maybe. Geno talked to them over there. They’ll have me.”
“Of course they’ll have you!” I exclaimed, balancing my cell against my cheek and shoulder as I picked Luc up. “You are Sidney Crosby after all.”
I got a chuckle. “I am.” He was silent for a bit. “Jordan is planning on visiting you, is he not, if there is a lockout?”
I sat in the rocking chair in the corner of the nursery and set Luc in my lap so he could nurse. “Yeah, he and Heather are going to come up for a week or so. I haven’t talked to Jordan since last week so I’m not entirely sure.”
“And mom?”
I chuckled to myself. “She was here for the first three weeks after Luc was born, I think she’s done putting up with us for a while.”
Sidney laughed. “Hey, we weren’t that bad!”
“Let’s see,” I said, stroking Luc’s chubby little cheek. “A baby is enough stress, but then I had you, Kris and Marc in here. Together. For weeks. Because none of you would go to your own damn houses five to ten minutes away. You were all loud, made mom cook every night with only Marc offering to help, and you broke I don’t know how many of my plates and such. At least Kris had the decency to replace them. You also made mom do all of your laundry. All of you. The only good thing that came out of so many people in my house for weeks on end was that we all took turns with Luc at night so we could all get sleep.” Sid was laughing pretty hard at this point. “So yeah, I think you guys were pretty bad and I’m pretty sure she’s sick of us. She loves us and all, but living with us, especially all of us together, is not exactly and easy task.”
“Ok, ok!” Sid said as he tried to suck in air. “You win. We’re terrible house guests.”
“Yes, yes you are.”
Sid took a few minutes to control himself. “Ok, I’m good.” He let out another small chuckle but he coughed it away. “Sorry.”
“No need to apologize, bro.”
A voice in the background could be heard, and Sid responded with a statement that didn’t make any sense to me seeing as I didn’t hear what the background voice said. “I have to run, Erra. I’ll keep you updating on everything.”
“There’s only a few days left, Sid,” I sighed. “I’m not getting my hopes up.”
“I know. Either am I.”
I stared into Luc’s big, lovely eyes as he stared at me with such a loving innocence that only a baby can have. “This sucks.”
“It really does.” Silence. “I’ll talk to you later, Sierra.”
“Bye, Sidney.”
“Love you.”
“Je t’aime aussi.”
I could hear the slight smile in my brother’s voice. “Later, Erra.” With that, the line went dead and I set my phone beside me.
Luc cooed and reached one tiny hand up at me as he finished nursing, and I grasped his hand lightly in my own. “The lockout won’t be fun, little man,” I said quietly to him as he squeezed my fingers as much as a two month old could squeeze. “But at least mama will be here with you all the time.” I grinned as he gurgled cutely and started laughing. There is no sound better than a baby’s laugh. “I’m not sure what daddy is going to do though. I think he might do some coaching with little children. That would be fun wouldn't it?”
Luc squealed with glee and I couldn't help but just look down at him with as big of a smile as I could muster.
A rustle at the door caused me to look up quickly, and Marc’s half asleep form stood in the doorway, half way through a yawn, and his hair in bed-head disarray. “Bonjour, mon amour.” He walked over and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “And to you, mon petit.” He pressed a gentle kiss to Luc’s forehead too.
“Good morning to you too,” I said with a loving smile as he wiped the sleep from his eyes. “I didn’t wake you up, did I?”
“Non.” He yawned again. “A restroom urge got me up.” I chuckled and reached for Luc’s pacifier, before Marc realized what I was going for and handed it to me. “What got you up? I didn’t hear him crying.”
“Sid called,” I replied as I shifted Luc’s weight. I couldn’t help but smile as he stared at his father with those big eyes of his. “This guy was awake though. He was just being quiet.” I looked up at Marc-Andre, and then stood up. Marc immediately held out his arms and I gently passed our son to him. He cuddled Luc close to his chest, who cooed happily and tried to grasp at Marc’s chin. “What’s not he agenda for today?”
Marc’s dark eyes glanced at me with a peaceful happiness. “I’m thinking a trip to the rink. Some of the guys are working out today. It’s never to early to get our little one in the ice rink.” He winked at me and I burst out laughing, gaining a curious glance from my son.
“That sounds like a plan,” I said with a smile, then stepped forward and hugged both my husband and my son at once. “That sounds like a fantastic plan.”
The threat of a looming lockout can’t ruin my good mood. Not when I’m with two of the people I love most in this world, plus the guys at the rink.
I’ve never been happier than I have been the past few months.
Life is just... complete.