The Fleury Life

The days following the ‘attack’ were chaotic.
Everyone was furious when they were informed the next day, and Nealer wanted to go have a talk with Emelie himself. It’s a mistake, Nealer, we all told him. Cookie forced him to sit his ass back down and promise.
No one is to have contact with her, not until she calms down and isn’t a threat to anyone.
The team was shocked when they saw the damage to my cheek.
“She really did that?” Gena asked, a pained look on his face.
I nodded and shoved a couple of the guys away as they tried to crowd around me in sympathy. “I’m fine guys, really. Stop fretting.”
“You are not fine,” Tanger said with a strained angry tone to his voice. “Emelie fucking threw a glass at your face.”
I glared at Tanger. “Kristopher.” He backed down, his body language less threatening. “I’m a hockey player~”
“Were,” Brooksy piped up. “You were a hockey player.”
I stared him down next. “Was, yes, in body, but in spirit I will always be a hockey player, just like all of you.”
He nodded in agreement.
“Now, shut up, get dressed, and get your asses out on the ice and go practice!”
They all nodded and started to accumulate around their own lockers as I made my way to the training room, the stern, strong look falling from my face. Once I entered the safety of my office, I popped a couple of pain pills and dropped into my chair with a muffled moan.

About a week later, Sidney was over hanging with Marc. At one point, two loud voices called to me from the living room.
“Sierra!”
I ran down, alarmed at the sounds of their voices. “What?”
Sid pointed at the TV while my husband beckoned me closer. As I looked towards our entertainment system, I froze in my spot.
“The NHL has declared that Emelie Varron will be suspended until further notice, will forfeit her salary by how many games she misses, and is required to participate and excel in anger management therapy before she is considered to return to the game.”
I stared at the TV in horror. “She must be furious,” I muttered.
“Think again,” Sid replied, just as the camera focused on Emmy herself standing behind the NHL executive.
My jaw dropped as Mario Lemieux placed his hand on her shoulder, gave her a look, and stepped back as she made her way to the podium.
“He didn’t say anything about having contact with Em.” Sid ground his teeth.
“He is her god-father,” Marc replied as I was too dumbfounded to reply myself.
“Hi,” Em said awkwardly in front of all the camera. “I.. umm... ok look. I accept the punishment given to me by the NHL. I deserved what I got. It was completely unacceptable of me to harm another player, another human being, especially someone I care about deeply. I’m... uh... going through a hard time right now.”
She paused and shuffled her feet as I just stared at the TV. “I will seek help in order to protect other players, and myself, safe from harm.”
Emelie then looked directly at the camera. “However, I’m not here to show the world that I will be a good girl. I am here so I can publicly apologize to my best friend, Sierra Crosby-Fleury, because she didn’t deserve what I did to her. I guess I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time when I exploded, and ended up hurting her.”
“I am also extremely sorry that the whole world heard about the attack, not for myself, but because her face and her life has been on display since my injuring of her leaked to the public. So, I’m so sorry, Sierra, for hurting you and putting you awkwardly in the limelight in a way you don’t deserve to be. I hope someday you can forgive me, because I still love you.”
My jaw dropped to the ground as a commercial came on.
“Well, that was shocking,” Sid said, apparently as shocked as I was.
Marc-Andre only smiled. “And heartfelt.” He looked at me. “But I would wait until she gets help before forgiving her.”
“I know.”
My phone buzzed from in my pocket and I glanced at the name that showed up.
Max Is Sexy (he put that as his name in my phone).
“Max...” I muttered, getting looks from the two boys.
I pressed the answer button. “Hey, Max.”
“What the hell did she do, and why was I not informed?” Max hissed into the phone.
I sighed. “Nice to talk to you too, Max. I’m doing swell. How about you?”
“Sierra!”
“Fine!” I snapped. “She threw a glass at me and it shatter on my cheek, cutting it open, ok?”
Silence met me. It was so silent for so long, that I thought he hung up on me. “Max?” I asked, my voice wavering.
“How bad?”
“You could see my cheekbone and glass was stuck in it.”
Max swore loudly. “God dammit, Sierra. Why was I not informed?”
“Because I didn’t want you to know,” I said childishly, picking as a string hanging off my sweater. “I didn’t want you to freak.”
“You didn’t want me to freak? Sierra, how do you think I feel hearing some sort of apology from the girl... from Emelie and I have no idea why. And then she goes on saying that you didn’t deserve it. I had to hear that something horrible happened from the TV!”
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, backing out of the living room so Sid and Marc wouldn’t notice the tears swelling in my eyes.
“All of the team knew, and just because I’m in Philly now, I don’t get to hear that my best friend got hurt?” His voice was saturated with hurt.
And the tears fell from my eyes as I couldn’t hold them back any longer. “I’m sorry.” My voice cracked, giving away my tears as I shut my bedroom door.
“Oh, Erra,” Max whispered. “I’m sorry I’m making you cry. Look, I’m driving down to Pittsburgh to talk to Emelie and come see you, ok?”
I sniffed and wiped my eyes. “You shouldn’t. You have a game in a couple days.”
“I’m coming whether you like it or not. Do you want to see me?”
“Yes,” I whimpered.
“Ok. I’l be having a long conversation with Emelie.”
“She’s in love with you.”
Dead silence, and this time, it was an uncomfortable one.
“What?” Max gasped.
“That’s why she injured me,” I whispered. “Because I started saying something about you and her, and she flipped. She’s in love with you.”
“Are you sure?”
“I saw it in her eyes, Max. And I know you love her too. Do something about it, will ay. Because all of us here are sick of all the moping and apparent anger. I don’t want to get hurt again just for saying your name.”
I was met by silence once again.
“Max?”
“I have to go, Sierra. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Wait! Max, I’m sorry!”
But it was too late. He hung up.
Did I just fix things up, or make things worse? I guess we’ll figure it out soon.