Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me

I woke up early the next morning, knowing Uncle Rob was a morning person so I could get as much time in with him as I could. And sure enough, I found him in the kitchen reading the newspaper, a cup of coffee already in his hands.

“Morning,” I grinned, wrapping my arms around his shoulders from behind and pressing my cheek to his. He put down his paper and put his hands on my arms, leaning against me.
“Morning sweetheart; how’d you sleep?” he asked.

“Pretty good, how about you?”

“Great,” he grinned, and I moved to make myself a cup of hot chocolate.

“So, fill me in, what’s it been like in Pittsburgh?” he asked, taking a sip of coffee himself. “I mean, I know the general; whatever’s been in any kind of sports news I know about, but anything past that,”

“Well, um… I don’t know. I mean, it seems like all I do is go to practice, the gym and go to games; I don’t really do a whole lot of anything else. Well, we did a visit to a children’s hospital a few weeks ago but I only got to meet like two kids,”

“How was that?” he asked, leaning forward as I sat down across from him.

“It was great; I really wish I could’ve been there longer. They were so excited to see us, and even though they were really sick they just seemed to forget all about it and be happy for the little while we were there. It was something else,” I told him, and he nodded.

“You are your father’s daughter,” he smiled gently, making fond tears spring to my eyes. My dad had always been the first to volunteer to help anybody with anything, and to be compared to him in that sense was nearly overwhelming.

“Thanks,”

“You know it’s true Cam. So I have to ask, just how much longer are you going to pretend to be a guy to them? Your mother wants to know,” he rolled his eyes, making me laugh.

“I don’t know. I’ll probably wait until the end of the season,” I admitted. He looked surprised, as if that wasn’t the answer he’d been sure to hear.

“Why wait so long?”

“Because I need to prove myself first Uncle Rob; I have to be an important part of the team, they have to need me. That way they can’t give me the boot like Oshawa did,” I told him, and grudgingly he nodded. “That way if we do good through the season and post-season and if my numbers are good I’ll be a key part of the team for next year, and have a more guaranteed spot. That’s when it’ll be safe to tell them,” I sighed, not liking the idea all that much but knowing it’s what had to be done.

“Okay, I guess I see where you’re coming from,” he played with the edge of the paper, not liking the idea at all.

“Is something bugging you?” I asked, and after a moment he nodded.

“That Staal, you said he knows you’re a girl, right?” he asked, and I nodded.

“And you two are really close?” another nod was his reply, and I had a bad feeling I knew where this was going.

“I think you shouldn’t get too close with him Cam; he seems to like you as more than just a friend and from what I’ve heard he’s not the person to get involved with,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, something he always did when he was nervous.

“Uncle Rob I—”

“Look Cam, I know it’s not really my place, but I need to say it, okay? He’s just… he’s too wild, you need somebody a little more supportive than that. And somebody who hasn’t brought home more women than he’s played hockey games,” he added.

“Uncle Rob you don’t even know him! He’s my best friend, okay? And I know you’re trying to look out for me but that’s over-stepping the line a little bit,” I told him, slightly shocked by the way my words came out. Uncle Rob was too, although he looked as if he’d expected it a little.

“I know sweetheart, but I’m just worried about you,”

“I’m a big girl Uncle Rob, I can take care of myself,” I stood up, deciding that I would go shower. This was going to be the best day ever, now I was worried that this would spoil it. I know Jordan had a bit of a reputation, hell, I’d seen the truth behind that reputation; whenever I’d went out to the bar with the guys he’d usually ended up drunkenly taking a girl home. A lot of mornings afterward he was embarrassed about it, and had even been too ashamed of himself to talk to me on more than one occasion after such a night had taken place. He was a good guy, just a little hurt, confused and misled here and there. They didn’t know him like I did; Steve just had my best interests at heart, as did my uncle, but they didn’t know Jordan as well as I did.

“Cam?” I heard the soft knock and question at my door as I was getting dressed.

“One second,” I sighed, pulling my t-shirt over my head and combing through my hair once more with my fingers. I walked out to see uncle Rob standing in the hall, looking awkward.

“Please don’t be mad Cam, I just want what’s best for you. I apologize if I crossed the line,” he said, and I nodded, hugging him.

“I know you’re just looking out for me, but you don’t know Jordan, he’s a really nice guy, and he’s one of my best friends. Don’t write him off just yet,” I advised him. Uncle Rob nodded, and we walked into the kitchen together, he grabbed his coffee while I grabbed a glass of chocolate milk, before sitting down in the living room to watch Sportscentre.