Fragile Bird
four.
Two weeks since the accident and Emma had yet to see or speak to TJ. She was angry with him; he knew he drank that night yet he still drove. He could've killed them all. For the sake of the team, Patrik quickly made nice with TJ, but everyone in the locker room knew there were unresolved problems.
"I'm heading off to practice now, Em. Do you need anything?"
Emma shook her head, "Nope, thanks again, Matt for really helping me out. I doubt you were really planning on spending the past week doing pony tails and dressing me. I feel so helpless..."
Matt D'Agostini nodded, "No problem, darling. Glad I can help."
He waved goodbye and walked out the door. Going into the guest room, Emma slipped on the shoes Leslie had dropped off a few days ago. After skillfully applying her makeup with one hand, she made her way back into the kitchen.
Emma readjusted her sling and poured herself a cup of coffee and opened up her laptop. The second she signed into her e-mail, a message from Saint Louis Magazine. It was a reminder for her interview later that afternoon.
About an hour later, her phone started beeping. She walked over and saw a message from Matt.
forgot my wallet. Called a cab, its on its way over to bring you to the rink. Thanks
Emma sighed as she wandered into Matt's room and grabbed his wallet off the bedside table. She did a once over in the mirror by the front door and walked out locking the door behind her. With perfect timing, as soon as Emma stepped out of the elevator and out the door, a yellow cab pulled up.
"To Scottrade Center, yes?" The driver asked happily.
She nodded, "Yes please, thanks."
The drive was short and the driver was pleasant. Emma handed him a few bills from Matt's wallet and thanked him before rushing inside. As she wandered the familiar halls of the building, Emma tried to avoid any familiar faces. The last thing she wanted were all the sympathetic looks.
Just as she reached the locker room, Jaden walked out of the trainer’s room. When he saw the cuts and stitches on Emma's delicate face, he looked like a deer in headlights. Jaden tripped over his words before being able to really form a sentence.
"Em.." He scratched the back of his neck nervously, "How ya been? Haven't really seen you around much. Leslie misses you; we were just talking about you when we were out at that seafood place we went to on that double date."
Emma smiled, "Hi Jay, I've been alright. That reminds me I need to give Les a call." She laughed softly, "Yeah, that little hole in the wall off Main? T-.... He loves that place."
There was tension in the air, thick and suffocating. The whole time, Emma felt the hockey player's studying her face and taking a long hard look at her sling. "Well, I better get back to practice. OH! Matt wanted me to tell you- wait here, watch practice, and he'll take you to your interview after."
Emma nodded giving the rambling athlete a small wave as he jogged down the hall to the weight room. The clock read 10:40. Emma spent the next 20 minutes trying to blend in with the crowd of fans watching practice. Some recognized her and made sure to ask how she was doing while others just stared.
By the time practice ended and Matt was dressed and showered, Emma was already out waiting next to his car, "How's the collar bone?" He asked as he neared his vehicle.
She shrugged one shoulder, "Eh, pretty sore. I just want to get this interview done and over with. I need to start working so I can get out of your hair and on my own."
"You can't ignore this forever."
Emma watched the car pull out of the parking lot, “Yeah, but I can sure try.”
He shook his head putting on his directional, “I just don’t understand. I mean, yeah, he did something stupid but what you’re doing right now- hiding and running from your problems, is just as stupid.”
“How don’t you understand? He could’ve-“
“Just stop, okay? He could’ve killed you all, but he didn’t did he? I mean, yeah, it sucks that you broke your collar bone and the guys needed some stitches, but it could’ve been much worse. I love you to death, but TJ is my teammate. I’m sorry, but you two need to figure your shit out because it’s really taking a toll on the team and it isn’t fair to the rest of us.”
The car was silent. Emma sat in the passenger seat while Matt continued to drive. She mulled over what the athlete told her. The words were seeping into her brain. It really made her think. Had she been so selfish? Before she got too deep in her thoughts,
Matt cleared his throat, “We’re here.”
Emma mumbled a quick ‘Thanks’ before stepping out of the car and tossing her briefcase over her good shoulder, “I think Leslie is going to pick me up when we’re done. She said she wanted to do lunch so I guess I’ll be back at your apartment a little later.”
Matt nodded and drove away.
"I'm heading off to practice now, Em. Do you need anything?"
Emma shook her head, "Nope, thanks again, Matt for really helping me out. I doubt you were really planning on spending the past week doing pony tails and dressing me. I feel so helpless..."
Matt D'Agostini nodded, "No problem, darling. Glad I can help."
He waved goodbye and walked out the door. Going into the guest room, Emma slipped on the shoes Leslie had dropped off a few days ago. After skillfully applying her makeup with one hand, she made her way back into the kitchen.
Emma readjusted her sling and poured herself a cup of coffee and opened up her laptop. The second she signed into her e-mail, a message from Saint Louis Magazine. It was a reminder for her interview later that afternoon.
About an hour later, her phone started beeping. She walked over and saw a message from Matt.
forgot my wallet. Called a cab, its on its way over to bring you to the rink. Thanks
Emma sighed as she wandered into Matt's room and grabbed his wallet off the bedside table. She did a once over in the mirror by the front door and walked out locking the door behind her. With perfect timing, as soon as Emma stepped out of the elevator and out the door, a yellow cab pulled up.
"To Scottrade Center, yes?" The driver asked happily.
She nodded, "Yes please, thanks."
The drive was short and the driver was pleasant. Emma handed him a few bills from Matt's wallet and thanked him before rushing inside. As she wandered the familiar halls of the building, Emma tried to avoid any familiar faces. The last thing she wanted were all the sympathetic looks.
Just as she reached the locker room, Jaden walked out of the trainer’s room. When he saw the cuts and stitches on Emma's delicate face, he looked like a deer in headlights. Jaden tripped over his words before being able to really form a sentence.
"Em.." He scratched the back of his neck nervously, "How ya been? Haven't really seen you around much. Leslie misses you; we were just talking about you when we were out at that seafood place we went to on that double date."
Emma smiled, "Hi Jay, I've been alright. That reminds me I need to give Les a call." She laughed softly, "Yeah, that little hole in the wall off Main? T-.... He loves that place."
There was tension in the air, thick and suffocating. The whole time, Emma felt the hockey player's studying her face and taking a long hard look at her sling. "Well, I better get back to practice. OH! Matt wanted me to tell you- wait here, watch practice, and he'll take you to your interview after."
Emma nodded giving the rambling athlete a small wave as he jogged down the hall to the weight room. The clock read 10:40. Emma spent the next 20 minutes trying to blend in with the crowd of fans watching practice. Some recognized her and made sure to ask how she was doing while others just stared.
By the time practice ended and Matt was dressed and showered, Emma was already out waiting next to his car, "How's the collar bone?" He asked as he neared his vehicle.
She shrugged one shoulder, "Eh, pretty sore. I just want to get this interview done and over with. I need to start working so I can get out of your hair and on my own."
"You can't ignore this forever."
Emma watched the car pull out of the parking lot, “Yeah, but I can sure try.”
He shook his head putting on his directional, “I just don’t understand. I mean, yeah, he did something stupid but what you’re doing right now- hiding and running from your problems, is just as stupid.”
“How don’t you understand? He could’ve-“
“Just stop, okay? He could’ve killed you all, but he didn’t did he? I mean, yeah, it sucks that you broke your collar bone and the guys needed some stitches, but it could’ve been much worse. I love you to death, but TJ is my teammate. I’m sorry, but you two need to figure your shit out because it’s really taking a toll on the team and it isn’t fair to the rest of us.”
The car was silent. Emma sat in the passenger seat while Matt continued to drive. She mulled over what the athlete told her. The words were seeping into her brain. It really made her think. Had she been so selfish? Before she got too deep in her thoughts,
Matt cleared his throat, “We’re here.”
Emma mumbled a quick ‘Thanks’ before stepping out of the car and tossing her briefcase over her good shoulder, “I think Leslie is going to pick me up when we’re done. She said she wanted to do lunch so I guess I’ll be back at your apartment a little later.”
Matt nodded and drove away.
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fragile bird outfits :)