Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” I stopped dead in my tracks as I witnessed my entire team – as well as Marc and Lindsay – in the boardroom of the hotel. Jordan had told me that we were having a team meeting after the game, which had ended in a shoot out loss for us, so we’d both changed into a t-shirt and jeans before going down to the main floor and finding the room.

“What the…?” I asked, absolutely shocked. I knew the guys had talked about doing something, but I’d figured it would wait until we were back in the ‘Burgh, or just a cake on the plane or something. Nothing like this; somebody had taken the time to put up a ‘Happy Birthday’ banner, and there was cake and other food and pop, the whole bit. There would have been beer had I been turning 21, but with Dan in on it I could rest assured that they wouldn’t be forcing any alcohol into me.

“You didn’t think we were gonna ignore your birthday did you?” Jordan asked, clapping me on the back as I was getting congratulated by everybody.

“Well, I didn’t expect this,” I admitted, but they all shrugged it off.

“We couldn’t not do something!” Pascal insisted, and soon all of them were wishing me happy birthday and giving me some form of a hug, or in Ben’s case, a nougie.

“Happy Birthday Cam!” Lindsay gave me a huge hug, while Marc and Jordan laughed.

“Thanks Lindsay,”

“Congratulations kiddo,” Marc grinned, giving me a hug as well. “Sorry we had to kick your ass on your birthday.”

“I guess I can forgive you,” I rolled my eyes, making him laugh.

“Can we eat cake yet?” Kris and TK asked, but Steve shook his head.

“We have to sing Happy Birthday first!” he declared, and all of the guys gathered around, singing a loud and rowdy version of “Happy Birthday” before Lindsay insisted on taking pictures of me with the cake, and then the whole team with the cake. Dan started cutting and dishing out pieces of cake, and then Lindsay took over, saying that she was more than happy to and was definitely more efficient at it. James had got the huge chocolate and vanilla swirled cake from some kind of custom cake shop he knew of; it was a giant version of the Penguins Logo, with ‘Happy Birthday Cam!’ written in icing over the penguins’ stomach.

“Thank you so much guys; this is awesome,” I said to the room as a whole, receiving some clapping and a chorus of ‘no problem’ and ‘anytime’ from the rest of my team.

“Happy birthday Cam; have lots of fun, yes?” Geno said, and I nodded.

“You bet Geno,” He then pulled a small wrapped package from behind his back and gave it to me.

“Birthday gift,” he explained.

“Aww Geno, you didn’t have to get me anything,: I was touched, but he shook his head.

“Is birthday; needed gift,” he shrugged me off, and when I opened it found a little glass Penguins Christmas ornament, with my name and number on the small base of the ornament.

“Geno this is amazing, thanks,” I gave him a hug, and he looked proud that I’d approved of his gift.

“Welcome; now go eat cake,” He told me, gesturing toward the table as he moved to get something to drink.

“Aww Cam that’s so cute!” Lindsay gushed as I showed her, Marc and Jordan the ornament Geno had given me.

“It’s awesome,” I agreed, and Jordan inspected it.

“Wow, I wonder where he got this made,”

“Oh, Marc that reminds me! Go get my purse for me please?” she asked, and he nodded, retrieving the large Dolce and Gabbana bag for her.

“Happy Birthday!” she said, pulling a neatly wrapped package out of it.

“You didn’t have to get me anything! Seriously guys,”

“Shut up and open it,” Marc rolled his eyes, and when I opened it saw a picture frame with the picture of me and Jordan with my first NHL goal puck from right before we’d went to celebrate. I turned it over and saw a little inscription, “Happy Birthday Cam; here’s to a memory you will never forget,” with Marc, Jordan and Lindsay’s names beneath it.

“Wow, this is…” I was speechless; the stainless steel frame had the Penguins logo in each corner and on the top had “Pittsburgh Penguins” and beneath it “Cam Bates; First NHL Goal” and the date.

“Do you like it?” Jordan asked, worried by my inability to complete my sentence. To be honest I was a little choked up.

“I love it, I’m just… shit I don’t even know what to say guys,” I admitted, much to the delight of the Staals.

“That’s great; Marc was sure that it was too sentimental but I figured you would love it; you seem like the type to like to keep mementos around,” Lindsay explained.

“Yeah; you hit the hammer on the head there Lindsay. Thank you guys so much; this is going in my living room as soon as I get home,” I grinned, before I was pulled into a group hug.
“Here’s to the newest Staal,” Marc said, lifting his plastic glass, Jordan and Lindsay immediately following suit, although I was a little confused.

“Newest Staal?”

“You’re like one of the family Cam; we’ve only met like twice and I feel like I’ve known you all my life,” Marc explained.

“Yeah, you’re like another little brother to me Cam, you know that,” Jordan added.

“And while you don’t give me as hard of a time as the other Staal brothers you’re a Staal through and through Cam; stubborn as hell, passionate about what you love, and as hockey-crazed as the rest of them,” Lindsay finished, making us all laugh.

“And thanks to the Staals for making this the best birthday ever,” I added to Marc’s toast, making them all grin as we clinked our glasses and then drank.