Northern Wind

Wednesday morning came much sooner than I had realized. I was trying to hide from Trav the fact that I wanted to know more about Jonathan Toews. But looking at his profile on the NHL website made my head spin. There was all this lingo and terminology that I had no idea about, but didn't have time to research. I watched a game with Trav during dinner a couple days before but had a very hard time keeping up. I did however find some joy in the fact that he was from Canada as well. Winnipeg, but still Canada.

Travis and I arrived at the back door to the arena at 8:00 AM sharp and made our way through
doors and hallways that all looked the same to me. Trav had obviously spent a lot of time here by the way he navigated his way around. I just followed silently trying to keep up with his brisk pace while making sure that my photography equipment didn’t get too banged up as we walked.

I had changed my look for today. The purple hair can be quite loud for someone who is as quite as I have been lately. I asked Travis and he agreed that a French braid was the best way to go. Since we were at a hockey arena I grabbed the rather largest parka I owned to keep my cold urticaria under control. Travis immediately grabbed it from my arms and told me that the arena wasn’t that cold and that if I wore that giant parka I would hide in it the entire time we were there.

I put on my normal black pea coat but just to be sure I added a fleece lined jacket over top of my cardigan. I looked bulkier than I usually did, but that wasn’t something I was worried about. The hives were what I worried about.

We eventually arrived at a door that had Head Coach with a little Blackhawks logo labelled across it. It was safe to assume that this was the office of the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Travis knocked a few times and then waited.

“I've been renovating down the hall.” He told me. “The arena wants a new lounge for people to watch the game. Coach Q's been coming down every now and then to check it out.”

“I've been hoping to get you to fix up my office Travis. Or at least give me some pointers.”

The new voice came from the now opened office door. The man that it belonged to was older and greying. But his gruff voice and appearance was still friendly as he smiled at Trav and I.

“Maybe.” Travis said as he shook the Coach's hand. “All depends on how this interview goes.”

I laughed quietly, and a little uncomfortably. One thing that I both loved and hated about Travis was his ability to make friends and be comfortable around anyone. He could relate to people on so many levels that I knew I could never reach.

“Oh I wouldn't worry about that. I just want to ask you a few questions Stella.” He said to me. Then he ushered us inside his office. “Come on in. My name is Joel Quenneville and that's Will Jardin back in the corner and don't mind Mr. Toews over there, we were just chatting.”

My eyes widened a bit. I had been perhaps expecting to see him in the near future if I got this job, but I hadn't been excepting to be at my interview.

Jonathan stood up from his chair as Travis and I entered. When we made eye contact his eyebrows raised in surprise. I heard Trav cover up a laugh with a cough. Coach Q was getting seated behind his desk with another man perhaps in his 30's with a black hoodie on. Coach and the man beside him were oblivious to the interactions going on with everyone else.

“Jon, Will, meet Travis and Stella.” Said the coach. Jon's surprise subsided, as did mine. He smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back. He looked as if he was about to say something but his coach started talking again. “Boys if you don't mind, Stella, Will and I need to talk.”

I looked at Travis and he came over to me and gave me a kiss on the top of my head.

“Just be you. You're amazing sweetheart.” He whispered in my ear.

Jon gave me another smile which I returned again. Both of them exited the office and I was alone with the man that would hopefully grant me a job and someone else who's place in this room I hadn't quite figured out. I sat down in the chair opposite to them and removed my coat.

“You don't talk much, do you Stella?” Will asked me, a ghost of a smile and a twinkle in his eyes made me realize that he was just poking fun at me.

“Well... they say that a picture is worth a thousand words so technically I say a lot.” That was the first time I had spoken since we arrived. My voice was a little lower than I intended it to be. I hoped that I didn't sound to shy.

“Good answer.” Coach laughed. “Now I really don't know much about photography. Usually the media experts on the team deal with hiring them. However, our head photographer is on leave and this is why Will is here. He's a friend of mine's son who owns his own photography business.”

“Did you bring a portfolio?” Will asked me.

I nodded and opened my bag to take out the book of what I believed to be my best work. I handed it to him and he was quick to be submerged, flipping though pages.

“Now Stella,” Coach started again, Will still looking though my book. “How much do you know about hockey?”

“Not too much.” I admitted. “You'd think growing up in Toronto I'd know at least the rules of the game. I grew up with no TV and in a family of musicians, sports really weren't our forte.”

“Shame really. But you're willing to learn?”

“Oh absolutely. It's memorizing to watch how the players interact on the ice, and the way they move. I just don't completely understand it all yet.”

“Are these self portraits?” Will cut in. “They're beautiful but how did you do it?”

My heart dropped a little bit. He was looking at one of the photos I took of Carine about two months before the accident. We decided to go to one of those old Fall Fairs like we used to when we were younger. The leaves were just turning and it was a beautiful day. Carine decided that she wanted to go on the Ferris Wheel, so of course I went with her. It was the typical moment where we were stopped at the very top. We were propelled forward when it stopped and that feeling of adrenaline kicked in where Carine thought we were going to fall, but she was laughing anyways. The sun was shining just over her shoulder, the wind was blowing making her hair sway. She had a look of surprise and excitement as any child would have being at the top of the Ferris Wheel as she looked down. I had forgotten that picture was in my book.

“No they're not self portraits.” I said trying to keep my voice even. “That's my sister.”

“Twins, I assume?” Coach Q asked, peering over at the book.

“Identical.” I muttered looking around anywhere but at them. The subject needed to change, I didn't know if I could hold back a tear for much longer.

“Minus the hair of course.” He said, mostly to himself.

I forced small but polite smile. There was a silence that fell over the room. It wasn't an awkward silence by any means, the sound of Will's tapping foot kept things from being too quiet. I rubbed my hands together to try and get them warm again, but I wasn't expecting much to happen. My hands were always cold, just like the rest of me.

“Well,” Will said while closing my book. “Looks fantastic to me.”

“Great! Now one last question.” Coach said as he adjusted himself to look directly at me. I suddenly felt quite intimidated. “If you want this job, it's yours. In four hours we're flying out to play six different games in six different cities and we'd love it if you would join us and get yourself situated.”

I was taken aback. Firstly, because I had this job if I wanted it, and boy did I want it. But starting today, right away just seemed too rushed. What would I bring? Who was all on the team? Where would I stay? Can I trust these people?

But then I thought of Carine. She was so carefree and always so happy. She never worried, which was the total opposite of myself. If she was here she would tell me to go. Maybe something completely new and uncomfortable is what I needed. Travis was my comfort zone in Chicago. I would never have moved to the city if he didn't live here. He was my constant, and maybe I needed to gain some of my independence back. The only way to find out was to accept the offer.

“I'll do it.” I said smiling. It was a genuine smile, not a forced one.

Coach Q stood up and stuck his hand out to shake mine. I stood to accept his firm handshake and the one from Will as well. The coach then went to open his office door. I heard him say a few things to Trav and Jonathan before coming back into the office with both men in tow.

“Jon's going to take you back to the apartment Stella.” Travis told me. He had a slight smirk on his face but I was sure I was the only one to notice it. “He'll tell you what to pack. I've got to stick around here for a bit and sort some things out.”

And with that, he walked out of the office and left me standing there with Jon, Will and Coach Q. I just kept staring at where he had just been standing wondering what his hurry was to get away.

“So...” Jon began speaking. I looked at him and he was staring at the ground with his hands in his pockets. “Ready to go?”

I nodded. Coach Q shook my hand again with a big smile on his face and Will waved me goodbye from his seat. Jonathan placed his hand lightly on my back and guided me our the door.

“You might have to take the lead. I'm not sure how to get out of here.” I told him quietly as we started walking.

He looked at me a laughed a little.

“It's not so confusing once you get used to it.”

“Have you ever been lost here?”

“Quite a few times actually.”

We fell silent, and the small heel in my boots made a sound as it hit the ground and it was the only thing I heard as we walked. I tried to make it stop by stepping lighter but I had no luck so I distracted myself by stealing glances at Jon who was walking slightly ahead of me. He had his hands in his jacket pockets. I remembered him being taller, probably because I was always sitting down when we had interacted. He had a black Blackhawks toque on his head concealing most of his hair. For some reason I was just looking over every one of his features, and I hadn't yet found a flaw.

Once we reached the doors to the parking lots he stopped and I almost ran into him. He stood in front of me with his hand on the door handle just opening it slightly and letting some cold air in. I looked at him questionably and he just stared back with an embarrassed look on his face.

“So this is our third time meeting.” He said rubbing the back of his neck. “Can I get your number now?”