The Fleury Life

“You know I don’t want you to go over there.”
“And I don’t understand why.”
“You could get hurt! They’re ruthless over there! If you were to get hurt, again, I...I...I...”
“Sierra, calm down.” I shut my mouth. “I can’t just sit back and not play. Not when I’ve barely played the past two years. I need this. Especially since~”
“Especially since it looks like there won’t be a hockey season at all this year,” I finished my brother’s sentence.
“Precisely.”
I huffed. “Fine, ok, whatever.” I pouted, even though my brother couldn’t see since I was on the phone with him. “But I don’t like it!”
I could sense the smile as he spoke. “Never thought you did. Love ya, sis.”
“I love you too,” I grumbled. “I gotta go. I’m going for a run with Luc and Riley.”
“A run? You hate running.”
“I have to get back into shape some how since I don’t play hockey anymore and we aren’t getting any ice time at practices in or anything since, well, there are no practices. So I’m running.”
Sidney stifled a snicker. “Ok. Enjoy your run.”
“Smart ass!”
“Don’t you know it!”
I rolled my eyes. “Goodbye, Sidney.”
“Goodbye, Sierra.”
I hung up my phone as I pulled on my sneakers and tied the laces. Marc wasn’t home. Where he was, I couldn’t tell you. He went out with Max, who is visiting, and I haven’t heard from him since. I can guarantee two things have happened: they are either playing golf, or they got in trouble and are sitting in jail, neither one of them willing to suck up their fear of calling me to actually call me to bail them out.
I’m betting the second option, but it probably is the first since Marc dug out his golf clubs last weekend.
But the second option is funny, yes?
Anyways, I finished tying my sneakers and pulled on a light sweatshirt. It is unseasonably warm here, like it is in pretty much everywhere else in North American, even though it is October.
I went into Luc’s room, who was cooing and gurgling to himself. He’s almost four months now... and I can’t get over how fast the time has just flown. I picked up my son, who smiled happily and I put him in some warm clothing just to make sure he wouldn’t get cold, and I put an adorable little hat on his peach-fuzzed head.
Together we went downstairs and I settled him in his stroller. Once he was all buckled in, I whistled for the dog, who came running eagerly. I latched him on his leash, tied the leash to the handles of the stroller, and the three of us all set out for a run.
Luc enjoys being outside and loves going for walks and runs in his stroller. Sometimes he will even fall asleep. Riley also loves to go for walks and runs. He’s such a good boy that he stays right next to me; he never tries to surge ahead, which is why I can trust him by tying him to the stroller’s handle.
With a water bottle in the cup holder and my phone safely in the bottom of the stroller, we set off.
I took us all through the neighborhood we live in, including around the large pond and playground sitting in the back of the subdivision. At the pond I even stopped, let Riley off the leash to he could go do his business and chase some geese around, and I sat on the ground with Luc in my lap, giving him his bottle as we watched the pond scenery. There were ducks and geese galore, and the sounds of crickets and croaking frogs filled the air.
And Luc smiled the entire time.
“You enjoying yourself, buddy?” I asked, kissing the top of his head as he reached one hand out and grabbed at the air, as if he was imagining petting one of the birds.
Once Luc finished his bottle, I sat him up and burped him, and Riley came over and laid down next to me. I propped Luc up against him, with his back resting against Riley’s belly, who didn’t have a care in the world what we did to him.
“Stay,” I ordered my dog.
Riley stayed as I stood up and went a little distance away, holding up my phone and taking a picture of the two together. I grinned at how perfect the picture was, with the falling leaves in the background and sent it to Marc-Andre.
As I came back, I picked Luc up and put him back in the stroller. Riley followed and I latched him back on the leash.
The rest of our run was smooth and I felt rejuvenated afterwards. Not just because of the run itself, but because I got to spend time with two of my boys.
And that’s all anyone can really ask for, isn’t it?