Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me

True to his word, Steve woke me up at seven o’clock the next morning so that he could take me home. None of the guys had been allowed to come in and see me while I’d been sleeping, and Steve had claimed to be a distant relation, which had counted him as family so he could stay with me. He told me that we’d won the game in a shoot-out last night, and that at least helped me relax a bit. I’d needed help to walk, my hip bruised and sore and the huge gash just above it making too much movement extremely painful. It had been embarrassing enough to need help from a nurse getting dressed, and I hated being weak around someone I looked up to so much. He'd assured me it wasn't a problem though, taking my arm and helping me hobble along after the doctor had given me a prescription for antibiotics and a painkiller to ease the healing of my new gash and to prevent infection in the stitches.

“There you go, easy does it,” he said encouragingly as he helped me into his vehicle. We were fairly quiet during the few hours’ drive to his house, and then he helped me out of the vehicle and inside. Shelly was waiting for us just inside the kitchen, and moved out to the porch to greet us immediately.

“There you are sweetheart!” I moved to let her get past me to go to Steve but was surprised when it was me she pulled into a hug.

“I was so worried! When Steve phoned me from the hospital I panicked, at least you’re in one piece,” she said, before kissing my forehead.

“I’m okay Shelly, thanks,”

“Come on, I’ve made up the bed in the guest room for you so you don’t have to walk up and down any stairs or anything, and Becka is dropping off a bag of clothes for you after her classes this afternoon. Are you hungry? Do you need anything to eat or drink?” she asked, and I shook my head.

“I’m all right thanks, just a little tired out still. Thank you so much for letting me come and stay with you guys,” I said, and both Steve and Shelly shrugged it off.

“Anytime kiddo; you know you’re like family,” he smiled, before ruffling my hair and messing it up.

“Okay, I’ll show you your room and then you can lay down for a bit; if you’re still asleep I’ll wake you up for lunch,” Shelly ushered me down the hall and into a large, spacious guest room, complete with it’s own half-bath.

“I figured this was better; then you can shower and change and everything in here and the kids don’t have to know,” she said, and I nodded, knowing Steve had told his wife. There were no secrets between the two of them, and I was grateful Shelly knew and wasn't fazed by this news, but I knew the kids wouldn't be ready to handle this news.

“Thanks Shelly, that means a lot to me,” she pulled me into another hug, which I returned.
“No problem. So I have to ask, is Cam your real name?” I nodded, pulling my drivers license out of my wallet and handing it to her.

“You bet it is; I had to go and get a new license after I cut my hair though; this is my old one,” I showed it to her, with my hair long and reaching past the border of the picture, my eyebrows shaped and taken care of – something that had bothered me since coming to Pittsburgh – and even a little makeup on my face. Some mascara and a little lip gloss, nothing too obvious.

“Oh honey, you’re gorgeous! My god, if you stopped pretending to be a boy you’d have every single guy on the team drooling over you,” she gushed, which in turn made my face heat up as I blushed uncontrollably. I wasn't exactly 'pretty', I mean, I was about as average as average gets. My skin's a little more tan than the run-of-the-mill blend into the crowd type, but I'm not exotic looking or have that beautiful porcelain complexion or anything like that.

“That’s not true,”

“It is too! God, how could you cut all of that beautiful hair off? I would have cried,”

“I did cry a little bit,” I admitted, before sitting down on the bed; I just didn’t have the energy to stand up any longer.

“Sorry, I’ll let you get some sleep,” she said, pulling the blankets back and then tucking me in.

“It’s fine Shelly; it’s nice to be able to be a girl for once,” I replied, and she smiled softly before there was knocking on the door. Steve opened it a crack before taking a step in. He gave me a smile, seeing the two of us together, before clearing his throat and appearing to remember why he was there.

“Gronk’s here; he said if I don’t let him see you he’s going to break down the door, or take one of the boy’s hostage until I do,” he said with a chuckle. That did sound like something Jordan would say.

“Tell him he can take Ryan; he knows that kid all but worships the ground he walks on,” she rolled her eyes with a playful smile. The oldest Sullivan boy was a huge Staal fan, as we’d all seen before.

“Will do; then maybe he’ll take all the kids and we can go out Friday night,” Steve suggested with a laugh, his eyes twinkling.

“Do you want to talk to Jordan?” Shelly asked me, and Steve stood there quietly.

“I can, I mean, he’ll be upset if I don’t,” I said, and she nodded.

“I can always tell him you’re in and out of it because of pain killers and it’s best if he comes back tomorrow or something,” Steve offered. He knew I was shook up, as much by him knowing as by my injury, and I was grateful he was so insightful and was more than happy to give me a way to get myself together and an out from seeing anybody.

“Thanks Steve, but he is my best friend, he’s probably been freaking out since I left the game,” I concluded, and Steve nodded before going to get him.

“Jordan doesn’t know, does he?” Shelly asked.

“No, no one but you, Steve and Becka know,” I told her and she nodded before hugging me again and then getting up to leave the room.

“He can only visit for a little while; you need your rest,” she decided, making me laugh.

“Yes mom,” I rolled my eyes, getting a laugh out of her too as she left the room. Moments later there were heavier footsteps coming down the hall, and Jordan burst into the room.

“Oh my GOD! They wouldn’t even let us go and see you at the hospital, and we couldn’t find out what happened, do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” he burst, and I couldn’t help but smile. I didn’t know any guys who got so worked up and worried about something like this, but Jordan was just such a teddy-bear it was unbelievable.

“Sorry, but I was asleep the entire time, it’s not like I knew,” I apologized, and then found myself in a hug.

“I was worried, really worried,” he admitted, and I hugged him back tightly. This was part of what I loved about Jordan, the fact that as much as he didn’t like to show it he really cared about those close to him, and it spoke a lot to what he thought of you if he showed you that side of him.

“I know, I’m sorry Gronk. Forgive me?” I asked, and he nodded before letting go. The hug had been long, but it hadn’t been awkward, as it should have been after a few moments. It felt natural, and had he known I was a girl I wouldn’t have given it a second thought, but by all rights that should’ve been awkward for us.

“I guess so,” he sighed. “So what all’s wrong?”

“Twenty-eight stitches,” I said, and then debated showing him. It was just above my hip – the doctors said had it been just a shade higher and a shade deeper my appendix would’ve been cut open and then I would’ve had to go into surgery to have it removed - but it was just low enough to be almost… inappropriate. I told myself to stop being stupid; the guys all walked around the locker room completely naked, this wasn’t a big deal as long as I stopped being a girl about it. So I lifted up the corner of my shirt ever so slightly so he could see the long, deep gash in my skin pulled together by stitches.

“Shit, that looks like it hurts,” he decided.

“Just a little,” I agreed, before we laughed. We sat there together without really saying anything, just glad for one another’s company.

“Oh, I want you to see something; best you hear the story from me before it gets blown out of proportion,” he said, pulling out his iPhone and looking for something.

“What is it?” I asked, and when he tilted the screen to me it was loading a video on NHL.com. As I watched the next six minutes of video my eyes widened and my jaw sat open as I watched the replay of the hit that had done this to me. Max honestly had just tripped over me, it wasn’t done on purpose.
But Jordan beating the absolute shit out of him was. I stared in a mix of horror and satisfaction as they showed him completely destroying the former Penguin; throwing punches with both hands, and it took the two refs, Sidney, and Geno to pull him off of the Frenchman who’d hit me. Jordan explained that he hadn’t seen the hit, and while Max had honestly just tripped over me he had lost it, assuming that the hit and everything had been done out of spite, even if Max hadn’t meant to actually slice me with his skate, he felt the need to step in and give the ex-Penguin ‘what he deserved’. His cheeks turned a little pink as he'd admitted that he'd probably over-reacted a 'tiny bit', but he seemed to be happy with how he'd handled the situation.

“Shit Jordy, where you trying to kill him?” I asked, and he shrugged.

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you, and you’re my best friend so I don’t want it to come to that,” he told me, making me laugh once again. It didn't matter what was going on, Jordan could always make me laugh; whether he said something adorable, or gave me that lopsided grin, it was always effortless for him.

“What did he say to you, before that happened?”

“You don’t wanna know Cam; he was just being a douche,” he mumbled, suddenly becoming quiet and embarrassed. I wanted to ask him about it but instead kept quiet, trying to keep from yawning or falling asleep while my best friend was there. After a few minutes he noticed my attempts to keep from yawning, and then Shelly came to check on me. She noticed my condition and immediately made the decision that Jordan should leave so I could get some sleep.

“See you tomorrow or something, okay? I’ll call or text you and come visit,” he assured me before getting up and leaving, thanking Shelly for letting him come see me.

“He’s such a nice kid,” she said moments after he’d left. She sat down on the edge of the bed while I laid there. I was struggling to keep my eyes open now, feeling the wear and tear of the road trip and the last game as well as the after-effects of being in the hospital and under an anesthetic.

“Yeah, he’s great,” I agreed, and noticed that the look in her eyes meant she’d maybe seen through me.

“You two are pretty close, eh?”

“Yeah, he’s my best friend,” I nodded, yawning again.

“Is that all?” I felt my cheeks blaze as I nodded once again. I wasn't about to admit otherwise to anyone. I might just take that piece of information with me to my grave, I hadn't really decided yet but it was looking like a good idea.

“Yeah, we’re best friends. I’m a boy to him, remember?” I pointed out, and while Shelly nodded the look in her eyes said something else.

“What?”

“The way you two act around each other sure looks to me like he doesn’t think of you as a boy,” she said, and my eyes widened. That couldn’t be true, because in order for Jordan to have feelings for me… he’d have to be gay. And Jordan was the furthest thing from gay that I’d ever seen. He liked chasing tail, a lot, and it was no secret among those who knew him.

“Nah, it’s not like that at all Shelly, and Jordan definitely doesn’t swing that way,” I disagreed, and she smiled as she shrugged.

“All right, whatever you say. Now get some sleep, I’ll wake you up in a few hours to eat something,” she said, and I slowly drifted off to sleep.