Changing on the Fly

“Hello Ma,” I answered my phone after getting home from the little screaming match I had with Ciara.

“What’s the matter Sid?” She asked immediately picking up on my bad mood.

“Nothing” I replied not really wanting to talk about it.

“Sid I know it’s not nothing, I am your mother, talk to me.” She said in a stern tone.

I took a deep breath before answering. “It’s Ciara Hartmann.” I say.

“Oh Ciara, she is a great player, she reminds me a lot like you.” She said excitedly into the phone causing me to groan.

“She sucks.” I say causing her to take a sharp breath intake.

“Really Sid are you going to go this route?” she said. “I thought you would be ecstatic about having her on your team.”

“No, she is so, I can’t explain it, annoying.” I huff out.

“How is she annoying?”

“She is a girl, she doesn’t know hockey.” I explain.

“Sidney Patrick Crosby, this is not how I raised my son.” My mother scolded me. “I love you Sid but you are being an asshole. Where is the boy I raised?”

“I am right here mom.” I said trying to defend myself.

“No, you just look like the boy I raised, the real boy I raised wouldn’t say that a girl doesn’t know hockey, and defiantly wouldn’t complain about a teammate who is helping the team win.” She says.

“She isn’t” I say back.

“Sidney, I am not going to talk about this anymore with you. Call me back when you become the kid I raised.” She said before hanging up.

“Fuck.” I said hanging up the phone.

*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*

For the past month I have not even talked to my mom. She just wasn’t seeing what I was seeing. My father and sister won’t even talk to me now. But that’s not the worse part most of the team won’t talk to me or hang out with me. Now I am having a meeting with Ray Shero and I really don’t want to deal with him right now.

“Good morning Sid.” Ray said as I reached his office.

“Morning Ray.” I said shaking his hand.

“Well I am going to get right to the point. It has come to my attention that there has been some tension between our team.” I nod. “Well we figure it’s Ciara so we have found a few teams that are willing to trade.”

“Really?” I question not quite believing him.

“Yeah, however we want to get your opinion since your captain.” He said taking out papers. “Read over these trades and ask other players what they think if Ciara was traded and get back to me tomorrow, please.” He asked.

“Sure thing.” I said taking the papers and going home.

Who would actually want Ciara, I said to myself as I got to my office at home and started to look through the papers.

Possible Trades

Chicago Blackhawks

Buffalo Sabres

Vancouver Canucks

New York Rangers

Philadelphia Flyers

St. Louis Blues

Boston Bruins

Nashville Predators

Tampa Bay Lightning

San Jose Sharks

New Jersey Devils

Seriously why would all these teams want to have Ciara on their team? I thought as my phone went off.

“Hello?” I answered the phone.

“If Ciara gets traded you better believe the team will never talk to you again.” Max said.

“Seriously? What is so good about her?” I asked.

“You as captain should not have to ask that.” He said.

“Are you questioning me as a captain?” I asked getting really upset.

“Yes Sid, captains are supposed bring their team together as a whole but you are splitting our team up. If you fuck this up I am putting in for a trade because I can’t handle your ego. Get over yourself man, she is better than you deal with it.” He said hanging up.

“Whatever we don’t need Max I can think of other players we can get to take over his place.” I said out and then my phone rang again.

“Taylor?” I ask surprised that my sister is calling.

“Yeah” she said shortly.

“How are you?” I asked missing our chats.

“Oh you know, just sitting here thinking about how fucked up my brother is.” She said harshly.

“What did I do?” I question.

“Sid am I a girl?” she asked.

“Yes?” I said confused.

“Do I know hockey?” she asked.

“Yes.” I answered

“Am I good at hockey?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Okay now if I had your skill for hockey, would I be able to play in the NHL?” she asked.

“As a girl?” I asked back still confused.

“Yes as a girl.” She replied bitterly.

“With my skill yes.” I answered.

“Then what problem do you have with Ciara playing in the NHL?”

“Tay, I don’t know.” I said sounding defeated.

“Okay let’s try something else now.” Taylor said. “Answer truthfully.”

“Alright.”

“How is Ciara’s puck handling skills?” she asked.

“Decent.” I answered

“Sid.” She said sternly.

“Fine, they are amazing ok. I have never seen someone move the puck like she does, she doesn’t even look at it, it’s kind of like the puck is speaking to her.” I admitted to not only Taylor but myself.

“Good this is a start. Now does Ciara prefer to pass or shoot?” she asked.

“Neither she reads the situation and chooses what is the most likely one to get us a goal usually she is right.” I said as realization started to hit me.

“Now Sid, final question, how hard does Ciara work during practice?” Taylor asked.

“Come to think of it she is always the first one there and almost always the last to leave. Even on off days I see her running the streets or working out at the arena or doing something that involves hockey. Oh my god she is just like me.” I finished.

“Ding, ding, ding we have a winner.” Taylor said. “Since you realize that, don’t let Ray trade her, you and her on the same team is unbeatable, Stanley Cup worthy.”

“I will talk to Ray tomorrow.” I say into the phone.

“Good and what will you do tonight?” she asked innocently.

“Apologize.” I said defeated.

“You grew up.” She joked. “I am so proud.” She said before hanging up. I got up from my desk and headed over to Max’s.

*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*

Things with Sidney have gotten worse, I thought to myself as I ran along the streets of Pittsburgh. He is just so frustrating; I don’t know what to do to get on his good side. I mean I work my ass off every day to prove myself to everyone but he doesn’t even seem to realize. I might have to ask for a trade just so I actually feel part of a team. I shake my head at the thought; I am not a coward like that.

I started to make my loop back towards Max’s when it started to rain. “Just what I need” I said out loud running a little faster. I was waiting for a light to turn when a car came up to me.

“Do you need a ride?” None other than Sidney asked me. I was about to say no but the rain got heavier “We can’t have you getting sick, besides I was on my way over to your house anyways.”

“Fine” I said getting into his car soaking wet. We got back to Max’s when I noticed his car was gone and I left my key in the house.

“Um can you bring me to Jordan’s?” I ask Sid hopeful that his generous mood didn’t run out.

“Why?”

“Because I left my key in the house and Max is gone.” I explained.

“I’ll just bring you back to mine, since I came to talk to you anyway.” He said tensing up a bit.

“Really why?” I asked now really curious.

“We will talk when we get to my house.” He said simply I just nodded.

The ride to his house was completely quiet but when we got there he handed me a change of clothes and a towel “Your welcome to take a shower too if you would like to warm up.”

“Thanks” I said surprised at how nice he is being. I quickly showered and changed.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” I asked after a few moments of sitting awkwardly in Sidney’s living room.

Sidney cleared his throat before answering. “I uh, just wanted to apologize.” He said and I gave him a confused look. “I have been treating you terribly.” He said which made me want to punch him.

“You think?” I said sarcastically.

“I deserve that. I was a dick. I know but I am trying to fix my mistakes, change my wrongs to right.” He explained

“Alright.” I say simply not really knowing what to say, which caused him to relax.

“So Ciara, tell me about yourself.” Sid said trying to learn more about me.

“I am one of three. My brother Matt is in college he is a year older than me. People think that we are twins because we are so similar. My sister Elaina is like the total opposite of Matt and I, she is a complete girly girl, but I love her to death. She is a year younger than me. We are usually inseparable, so it’s really weird not having them around.”

“I know what you mean, even though my sister is so much younger than me it’s hard to be away from her especially at the beginning. It does get easier though.” Sid said inserting his sixth sense.

“Yeah, Elaine is planning on going to college down here, and my brother hopes to transfer here next fall so we would all be together.” I smile slightly at the thought.

“That sounds exciting.” He said honestly. “What do your parents think about that idea?”

“My dad loves the idea, he has a job offer down here to open a Tim Hortons down here.” I say really excited that they a Timmy Hos could come to Pittsburgh.

“Like as Tim Hortons the best coffee ever?” Sid asked me completely happy, I just nodded. “So what does your mother think of the idea?”

“She doesn’t care where we are.” I said which caused Sid to give me a questioning look. “She left us when I was 10, her words when I left ‘I can’t have a girl who would rather play hockey and wear sweats and t-shirts than dresses and heals besides she is a girl she won’t get into the NHL.’ Before this she kept trying to take me out of hockey but I didn’t want to leave hockey and my dad wouldn’t let her.”

“Sorry.” Sid said.

“It’s ok I am over it, I proved her wrong, I got into the NHL and I didn’t need her.” I said proudly.

“Good prove her wrong.” He said pulling me into a really awkward hug before his front door opened breaking us apart.

“Sid, Ciara isn’t back to the house and she should have been back like 2 hours ago.” Max said freaking out.

“Max, it’s ok.” Sid said causing Max to look up from his phone.

“It’s…Ciara?” he asked confused as to why I was here.

“Yeah, I left my key in the house and Sid picked me up when it started to pour.” I explained.

“And no one was murdered.” He asked and I laughed.

“Nope, Sid apologized.” I said simply which caused Max to give Sid a hug.

“Oh, by the way Ciara, you have a missed call from a random number” he said handing over my phone that I left on the counter.

I grabbed it and listened to the voicemail that was left and dropped the phone. “That Bitch” I said punching the couch.