Changing on the Fly

“Hi, Mom” I said bitterly which caused her come over and wrap me in an awkward hug. “What are you doing here mother?”

“I just wanted to see my wonderful daughter.” She paused. “Can’t a mother see her daughter without having her motive questioned?” My mother asked.

“Yeah, if it was a mother who didn’t up and leave her family 8 years ago then yes, but you aren’t that type of mother though are you?” I asked.

“Ciara Lynn Hartmann, that is not the way to talk to your mother.” My mom scolded me. This caused me to shrink into a shell that I haven’t been in since I was 10 when I saw my mother last.

“Sorry” I muttered looking down at my feet.

“Don’t tell her you’re sorry.” Sidney said standing up for me as he put a hand on my lower back in a way to comfort me.

“And who are you?” my mother asked Sid.

“I’m Sidney Crosby.” Sid introduced himself.

“Oh, Sidney how long have you known Ciara?” my mom asked putting on a more friendly demeanor.

“I met her the week after the draft.” Sid responded a little confused as to why my mother was asking these questions.

“Oh when was the draft.” She asked showing how much about hockey she really knew.

“The draft is at the beginning of summer.” Sid answered still confused.

“So how did you two meet?” here we go I thought as I figured out where this conversation was headed.

“I am her teammate; I met her with the rest of the team.” Sidney explained.

“Figures, it would take a miracle for Ciara to have a boyfriend.” My mother said rudely quickly losing her friendly disposition.

“Why is that?” Max said coming up from behind where the rest of the team stood watching this whole scene go down.

“Have you seen Ciara? She is the hideous.” My mom said.

“How could you even think that, let alone say that?” Vero asked from behind my mom where the WAG’s stood and watched as well.

“Have you not seen her?” My mother motioned to me. “She dresses like a boy most of the time. And if you can see past the clothes she wears and take a look at her face, she wears no makeup. She needs to wear makeup in order to cover up those repulsive scars.”

“Her scars show she work hard, they aren’t repulsive, they sexy.” Geno said in his broken English.

“That’s why you are just standing in line to date her right now, right.” My mom said sarcastically.

“If I could date her I would but I am not allowed.” Geno stated.

“You’re not allowed to date her because she plays hockey right?” Geno just stared at my mother. “That’s what I thought.” She said before turning back towards me. “See Ciara you should have listened to me when you were younger and quit hockey. You could have had a boyfriend perhaps a fiancé by now.”

“Wait, from the voicemail you left Ciara, you said you were proud about how far Ciara made it and how you supported her throughout all the struggles.” Max said confused about what was happening.

“Fuck no! Girls are not supposed to play hockey. I only said that to get Ciara to believe I had changed so I would be able to get down and see her.”

“So what you are saying is that you only want to get back into Ciara’s life because she is famous now and you want to be part of the fame even though the fame is through hockey.” Max said starting to get pissed.

“No I am trying to fix my wrongs. Even though I don’t condone her playing hockey every girl deserves to have a mother figure in their life so they can learn how to be a girl.”

Out of nowhere I got bunch of courage and decided it was time for me to speak up. “You will NEVER be a mother figure to me.”

“What did you just say?” My mother asked starting to get a little bit pissed herself.

“You heard me.” I paused while she just glared at me. “Ever since I can remember you have been bringing me down. I didn’t wear the right clothes, I didn’t play with dolls, I did act like a stuck up bitch, I wouldn’t go near make up. Everything I did was never good enough for you. Then when you left without a word except for the note that blamed me for everything I believed you and quit hockey for the remainder of the season. However Dad knew I would regret not playing hockey for the rest of my life if I didn’t pick it up again so he made sure I played the next season. Ever since then I vowed that I would never quit hockey again unless I didn’t enjoy playing it. I also vowed that I would try my hardest to prove you wrong and you know what I did. I achieved my dream that you told me I could never make. I achieved a life that you could never dream of and I did it all without you.” I let go of all my pent up anger.

My mother just stared at me shocked that I spoke up against her. “I am not that 10 year old girl any more mom. You can’t push me around, I am my own person and I will do what makes me happy not what makes you happy.”

“You will regret that Ciara. I am your mother I know what’s best for you.” She said but before I could the rest of my team surrounded me and stared at my mother.

“No she won’t” Sidney spoke. “The only thing she may ever regret is wasting precious time with her family on you.”

“Now I think it would be a good time for you to leave.” Staal said very intimidating.

“And don’t ever think about coming back here.” Cookie said.

“No matter where I am in this in the world I will never need you in my life ever again.” I said trying to make her leave and never come back.

“Fine you will never see me again but one day you will regret this.” My mom said as she turned on her heel and left.

“Who wants to go celebrate the win?” Flower says after a few moments of awkward silence. The team all cheered there agreements.

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

“Who is going to by me the first round of drinks?” Ciara asked as soon as we got into the club. Something changed in her ever since her mother showed up and I had a bad feeling that Ciara was going to do something that she might regret later.

“I will” Flower volunteered instantly and made his way over to the bar. When he returned Staalsy asked Ciara to dance.

I just stood up in the VIP section at Diesel and watched them dance. A couple girls had asked me to dance but I politely declined wanting to keep an eye on Ciara to make sure she doesn’t do anything stupid.

“Hey would you like to dance?” The third bleach blonde girl of the night came up and asked me.

“I am sorry I am not doing any dancing tonight.” I politely declined.

“That’s ok we can just talk.” She said placing her hand on my chest flirtatiously.

“Sorry but I don’t feel like talking.” I said declining her again.

“Well then let’s just leave and go back to my place then.” She said not getting the clue.

“I am good here, besides I bet there are other guys who would love to go home with you.” I said trying to be a little more direct.

“But I want to go home with you.” She whined getting on my nerve.

“Look, I don’t mean to be rude but I am not interested in sleeping with you or dating you so if you wouldn’t mind I would like to be left alone.” I said trying to be as nice as possible.

“Fine.” She scoffed before stomping away.

I turned my attention back toward the dance floor but I couldn’t find Jordan and Ciara dancing anymore.

“What cha looking at?” Jordan asked as he snuck up next to me.

“Nothing.” I relaxed figuring that Ciara came back with him but then I tensed up again when I didn’t see Ciara with him.

“Where’s Ciara?” I questioned.

“Oh, she started dancing with one of the interns, I think his name was Joshua.” Jordan answered I quickly scanned the dance crowd to spot them but couldn’t find those two.

“Dude, should I’ve stopped Ciara from leaving here with that intern?” Letang asked me.

“She what?” Max said before I could say anything.

“She went home with the intern Joshua?” I asked. Letang just nodded his response. I grabbed my jacket and made sure I had my keys, I didn’t drink anything so I knew I was good to drive.

“I am coming with you Sidney.” Max said buzzed grabbing his own jacket.

We got outside and looked around for Ciara and Joshua but couldn’t find either of them. So I decided to drive to Joshua’s place but as soon as I started the car I realized I didn’t know where he lived.

“Max, do you know where Joshua lives?” I asked he shook his head no.

“Maybe they went back to my place.” Max said hopeful but I decided it was our best chance of stopping something that Ciara would regret.

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

Why is my head pounding? This isn’t my bed, I thought calmly until I realized that I WASN’T IN MY BED? What did I do last night? I heard someone groan next to me so I turned my head to see who it was hoping it was Max and that I just fell asleep watching a movie with him but I secretly knew it wasn’t.

“Morning.” The intern Joshua murmured.

Shit I screamed in my head. I quickly got out of the bed and wrapped a sheet around me.

“Ciara, are you ok?” Joshua asked confused.

“Yeah, I just got to go.” I lied regretting everything that happened at the club last night.

“Oh, ok.” Josh said getting out of bed and pulling on a pair of boxers.

“Uh, do you have any sweats and a t-shirt I can wear so I don’t have to wear the club clothes?” I ask.

“Yeah, sure.” He said handing me the clothes.

“Thanks” I said heading to the bathroom and changing. “I’ll see you around.” I said to Josh implying that this was the only time that I would sleep with him and booked it out of his apartment.

I hailed a cab and went back to Max’s. As I walked through the door there was Max and Sidney sitting on the couch with worried looks on their face.

I couldn’t hold it in anymore I just broke down, I can’t believe I just slept with someone I barely knew.

“Ciara are you ok?” Sidney asked me as he ran over to me and pulled me into him.

“I am so stupid Sid.” I said. “I don’t know why I slept with him. I didn’t want to sleep with him but my mom just got me so pissed off that I lost control of myself.” I said crying more.

“Ciara, we all make mistakes.” Max said coming over to me.

“But this went against everything I believed in. I never wanted to lose myself to a one night stand.” I said letting the secret slide.

Sid cleared his throat. “Does that mean you were a?” Sid asked not able to finish the statement. I nodded and cried harder.

“Shhh, it’s ok, you’re going to be ok, and you have us.” Sid whispered into my ear. “Do you want to go take a shower?” I nodded again and he lead me to my room.

“I feel like a slut.” I said not able to look at Sid as he grabbed me some clothes for after my shower.

“Ciara, you are the farthest thing from a slut.” Sid said as he made me look at him. “Now go take a shower and clean off the memories of last night and then we can talk if you would like too.”

“Thanks Sid.” I said.

“Anything for you Ciara.” he said kissing my head comforting, which surprisingly made me relax a little bit.