The Fleury Life

After spending all day in bed, I woke up the next day feeling better. I was still extremely wary about eating though, just in case, so I only nibbled throughout the day. I also didn’t go to work again either. Chris and Scott can handle the game without me. If I did have a stomach bug, the last thing I needed to do was pass it on to everyone.
Tanger and Sid both spent the whole day with Marc and I, mainly to keep Marc-Andre company since I pretty much just slept the day away. That night, Marc slept in the same position Tanger was in throughout the day, keeping my upper body elevated to allow me to sleep. Despite the awkwardness of that particular position to sleep in, he did it for me, and for that, I’m ever so grateful.
I love him so much. He’s just perfect in my eyes.
I continued to feel better throughout the next few days, and I went back to work on New Years Eve for the Devils game.
I sorta wish I waited.
Tanger needs to get his butt, or head rather, healthy. What my team needs is a confidence boost, and having him back in the lineup will help.
Despite the loss, the mood in the locker room wasn’t unhappy. There were talks about what to do for New Years Eve. The chatter was so loud my head was actually beginning to hurt, so I fled into the training room, just dealing with a few of the players as they came in, including Geno to ice his knee, and Jordan who comes in specifically to see me after games to massage out his legs. He complains that the other two are too rough. Jordan is particular, what can I say.
“Hey, how’re you feeling?” the tall blonde asked as he laid down on his stomach on the training bed.
“Better,” I replied, rolling over to him from the bed that Geno sat on after handing the Russian his ice. Chris handed me the massage lotion as he checked out Z. When players return to the ice from concussions, for a couple weeks after they return, we look at them after every game just in case.
“Not 100%?” he asked, turning his head so his cheek rested on his arms so he could look at me. “What are you going to be doing about tonight then?”
I shrugged as I started to massage out his legs. “Eat lightly, drink none. I’ve done enough puking to last me the rest of my lifetime, and until I know I’m good to go, I’m not over doing it on anything.”
Jordan nodded. “Are you guys coming to my place?”
“I thought we were all going to Tanger’s?”
He blinked his blue eyes. “We are?”
“We are,” Marc-Andre said as he strolled in, handing me his necklace. “Can you hold on to this, please?” He had his usual sweet smile on his face.
I pocketed it. “Yes, now go shower. You stink.”
He laughed and exited the training room.
“So no drinking on New Years... that sucks,” Jordan said.
I rolled my eyes. “Please don’t rub it in, or I will hurt you.” I purposely dug my knuckles into his calf harder than normal, causing him to flinch and moan.
“Ow, that hurt.”
“Then be nice.”
“Ok, sorry. I know you like your champagne on New Years.”
I smiled a sweet smile and dug my knuckles in even harder. He actually yelped. “Ok, I’m sorry I’m sorry! I’ll be good!”
I relaxed my arm so my knuckles didn’t dig in so much. “Good boy.”
Geno stifled a chuckle from where he was. I grinned again as Jordan shot him a look.
As I switched to Jordan’s other leg, I caught a whiff of something from the office that smelt a lot like fish. I gagged slightly. “Oh God,” I muttered, quickly shoving myself away from the table/bed as I dry heaved.
Jordan sat up quickly, alarmed, and reached for the garbage can as Chris, who was still outside of the office, leaving Scott to be inside, quickly closed the door to the office to block out the smell. Scott gave him a weird look through the windows of the office as he stopped in mid-bite from his fishy snack, but he wasn’t paying attention anymore.
As I placed my head in my hands, forcing my tense body to relax, Jordan rested his hand on my shoulder as Chris handed me a glass of water. I sipped at it, and it helped ease my stomach.
I sat up, and met the concern faces of Jordan, Geno, and Z. Chris just stared. “Still sensitive to some things, huh?” he said, trying to lighten the mood.
“Yeah,” I said, then looked at Jordan. “Sorry.”
“It’s ok. Are you ok though?”
I nodded. “I think so.”
“You should go to doctor,” Geno’s accent said from the table he sat on.
“I’ll be fine. I just have to shake it off.”
“Could take a while,” Chris mumbled, just before looking at Z. “Alright you’re good. Get outta here.”
“Thanks,” he replied, nodding to me.
I swiveled on my chair to look at Chris before he went into the office. “What do you mean?” I asked, a little annoyed at his comment since he thought I didn’t hear.
He looked at me. “Think about it a bit.” He quickly entered the office to allow as little of the fishy smell out as possible.
I gave him an odd look through the glass and turned back to take care of Jordan. “Whatever,” I muttered.
Jordan watched me in silence as I finished massaging out his legs. When I finished, I rolled backwards a foot to allow him to sit up.
“Thank you,” he said, standing up with a stretch. “Although that little abuse earlier still hurts.”
I smiled at him. “Go take a hot shower and it won’t anymore. You have a lot of muscle, you know, so it won’t hurt for long.”
“You did deserve it,” Geno added in.
I laughed as Jordan gave him a look. “Traitor.”
“I always side with her,” he said, motioning to me. “You know that. She has the power.”
“True,” I said in a vain way, winking.
Jordan rolled his eyes and went to leave as I rolled my way over to Geno to take his ice bag and check out his knee, as it’s our habit.
He paused at the door. “Sierra?”
I looked up at him. “Yes?”
His eyes clouded over as they did when he was conflicted and lost in thought. “I...I think Chris might be right.” I just looked at him, confused, cause I didn’t get Chris’ comment in the first place. “Erra... think about it. Vomiting uncontrollably, nausea at a particular scent, yet no fever and nothing else to indicate a cold or the flu.” He paused. “I don’t know a lot about it, but I know a bit from Eric’s wife.”
I narrowed my eyes, everything clicking in my head, although Geno still didn’t quite get it and he stared at us, confused. “Impossible, Jordan. We’ve been protected.”
“You know better than I that nothing is 100%, Sierra. Use your head.”
A spark went off in Geno’s head. “Oh,” he said, and then his eyes widened. “Oh!”
I looked between them, and then thought in my head. I counted and estimated the best that I could. Then my eyes widened. “Jordan, please go into the office and grab my purse for me.”
He nodded and I could feel Geno’s chocolate gaze on me. “Sierra?” he asked cautiously. “You swaying. You ok?”
“I think so, Genome,” I said, using his nickname to tell him that I mean it.
Jordan returned, and I got a small whiff of the fish and gagged again. But it wasn’t bad. I rummage through my purse and pulled out the pocket calendar in it. I counted backwards until I got to the highlighted mark back in early November.
I looked up into Jordan’s blue eyes. He blinked in confusion. “Give me a minute,” I replied before standing up and heading towards the door. “And don’t you two go anywhere.”
I raced to the locker room, pushing my way to the showers. The guys said their hellos and I nodded my replies. “Marc?” I said as I reached the showers. Duper walked by with a towel about his waist and nodded a hello to me. “Marc-Andre!”
His wet, dark head poked out of one of the showers, confused. “Ma chérie?”
“I’m going out to get a few things for the party with Jordan. The party starts at 5, so I’ll meet you at Tanger’s alright?”
He smiled. “Ok. Je t’aime.”
“Je t’aime aussi,” I replied, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before fleeing back to the training room. Once I got there, I pointed to Jordan. “You’re with me. And you,” I pointed to Geno. “are to not say a word about anything. Ok?”
He nodded. “I understand.”
I grabbed Jordan’s wrist, waved to the two trainers in the office, and marched out. “You’re driving.”
“I figured,” he moaned. “What about my shower?”
I looked him up and down. “You can get it after. I told Marc that we’d just meet him at the party. I need to actually pick a few things up anyways and you’re easier to drag along shopping with then he is. He’s easily distracted.”
“By what?”
“Food.”
He laughed as he got into his car. As we drove to the supermarket, he glanced sideways at me. “Are you ok? I mean... you don’t know yet, but...”
I met his gaze and smiled. “Yes, Jordan. I’m ok. Just nervous.”
He nodded.
We made our way through the supermarket. I picked up some cookies and cupcakes to take to the party, as well as some sandwiches. “I was going to make donairs like I do every year,” I muttered. “Oh well.”
Jordan stayed with the cart as I wandered through the ladies section. I grabbed what I wanted and nodded to him, and we set on our way.
Once back at his apartment, I nodded to TK who was in the living room as Jordan went to shower. I hid my particular item and told TK what I wanted to keep him busy. “Can you cut up the loafs of bread to make separate sandwiches. Please?” He nodded and got to work while I sneaked into the restroom once Jordan got into the shower.
I left him be once I did what I had to do, and I went to help TK pack everything. It was almost five and we’d have to go soon. “Jordan Lee, hurry up!” I called.
“Sierra! Come here.” His voice was anxious.
I smiled at TK and told him to go get in the car as I wandered to where Jordan was. I stared incredulously at him for a minute, but it didn’t last long since we had to go.
He gave my shoulder a soft squeeze before we headed out.
Once at Tanger’s, I found my way to where all the food was being set out, and Jordan helped me put out what we brought. Tanger actually found us and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Bonjour!” He smiled. “Glad you came.”
“Of course.” Over half the team was here anyways.
Just before Jordan was about to leave my side, I grabbed his wrist again. “Jordan... when?”
He thought about it for a second and looked at me. “Wait.”
I nodded and wandered off to find my husband.
Throughout the night, we talked with most of who was there, including my brother and Jenna, and we even danced a little bit as Tanger had his large stereo on. During one slow dance, with my arms wrapped around Marc’s neck and my head pressed into his chest as he hugged my delicately against his body, an idea popped into my head.
The night went on and the party continued. I found myself on the couch for a while, getting off my feet. But my amazing husband was never far away.
For the hour before midnight, everyone at the party stared near Tanger’s large widescreen TV. And then, the last minute came.
As the countdown from 60 began, I looked at Marc-Andre, the man of my dreams, and the one I love more than anything I could ever possess. “Marc, mon chéri, I have something to tell you,” I said quickly in French.
His warm, dark eyes looked down at me as he stopped counting. “Erra?” He was intrigued.
I smiled at him and took his hands in my own, kissing his knuckles. “Marc...” I took a deep breath as the countdown around us got louder. “Marc, I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby.”
Those dark eyes just lit up like the fireworks that were about to happen in a matter of seconds. “Oh, my gosh,” he said, throwing his arms around me tightly, lifting me into the air and spinning me in a circle as we both laughed. “Oh, Sierra,” he looked down at me. “I love you so much.”
“And I love you.”
“We’re having a baby.”
I grinned at him. “We’re having a baby,” I repeated.
And just then, the countdown ended, and everyone in Tanger’s household erupted in cheers, just as Marc’s loving lips pressed against mine, along with the other couples there, all of them happy.
However, no one else knew at that moment just how happy we were.