Physical Therapy

Roxy’s POV

The days following Thanksgiving were crazy, from my meeting with Ray and Jen the PR person, to the meeting about HBO filming for the month of December. The meeting with Ray and Jen went as good as it could go and I came out unscathed. The meeting about HBO was exciting, they showed an episode of the 24/7 show we will be participating in. Everyone’s questions were answered and almost everyone was put at ease; I could tell Sid was tense and didn’t really like the idea.

After the meeting was over I got Sid’s attention “Hey can I talk to you in my office for a minute?” I asked and he nodded.

After walking back and getting settled in a seat I shut the door and made my way to my chair. “What do you want to talk about?” he asked

“I could tell during that meeting that you are not 100% comfortable with HBO being here” I said getting straight to the point.

“What are you talking about I am fine with it” he said and shrugged his shoulders

“Sidney, don’t lie to me. I can tell when people are lying” I said and gave him a look

“Fine, I’m not 100% comfortable with it” he said and sunk into his seat

“Why?” I asked “And just so you know, anything you say here is confidential, I won’t say anything”
He looked at me for a minute before sighing “I don’t want them to be in the way, I am scared the guys are going to be unfocused” he said but I could tell he was holding something back

“And?” I asked

“I also don’t want them to paint me as something I’m not” he said in a hushed tone

“What are you afraid they will portray you as?” I asked

“The serious captain that can’t have fun, this OCD person who can’t let go, someone who has to win at everything he does.” he said

“But that is only a fraction of your life, you are the most passionate person I have ever met and that is in all aspect of your life. Whatever you do, you do it with a purpose and I admire that. It is what makes you, you. Yes you might be a little OCD with your routines on game days and you like to win but who likes a loser? I think the best thing you can do is to pretend the cameras are not even there, unless you are doing an interview.” I told him with a smile.

“Thanks Roxy” he said with a small smile “I will try to ignore them the best I can”

“Well you better be off to practice, can’t have the captain slacking off” I said with a laugh while I got up to go see Jordan practice.

He went into the locker room as I made my way down the tunnel then up into the stands on center ice. Practice had been going on for about 20 minutes when I saw it. Jordan was with the guys and they were doing a passing drill then a shot on goal, when he would pass and shoot he was grimacing. It wasn’t very noticeable, just a minor wince but I could tell his hand was hurting him. I made my way down to the bench and Dan was standing there with a whistle in his mouth.

“Hey Dan, next time Jordan’s line goes can you watch his face and tell me if you notice anything?” I asked

“Yeah, what am I looking for?” he asked

“Just tell me if you see anything odd” I told him and Jordan’s line was up next. He blew the whistle and they were off. Again every time he passed or shot he winced, I heard Dan sigh next to me and I know he saw it too.

“I saw it, the wince” was all he said before yelling out “Jordan, come here!”

“Yeah coach?” he asked a little breathless.

“You need to go see the trainer, on every pass or shot you took you winced in pain” he said

“What? No I didn’t” he said

“Let me see your hand” I said

“I have practice” he said and started to skate away.

“Jordan Staal, give me your hand” I said but he ignored me. “God dammit” I said and opened the door to the ice. I marched out there and right up to him, I pulled his hand to me and threw his glove off.

“HEY!” he yelled at me and tried to snatch his hand away but I already saw the damage. The back of his hand was red and swollen from pushing it too much.

“Dammit Jordan, what did I say? Don’t push yourself too hard or you will do more damage than good”

“I am fine” he said

“No you are not fine, you just set yourself back a good three weeks, maybe a month” I said and I saw him start to get angry.

“You can’t do that!” he yelled as he skated towards me, by this time practice is pretty much stopped and everyone is just watching us.

“I can and I will” I said “Now off the ice, you have a date with an ice bucket. You can thank your pride for that one” I said and turned away from him and walked off the ice.

“I thought you were my friend?” he said angrily

I turned around “No, right now I am a physical therapist telling my patient what they need to do for maximum recovery” I said and with that I passed Charlie, one of the trainers, on the way to my office and told him Staal needs an ice bucket and if he doesn’t do this to come tell me.

I get to my office to find I am too worked up to sit still so I grab my iPod and make my way to the Gym. I plug my headphones in and start running; running helps me sort through my thoughts. After I ran for a mile I got onto the bike, I am going to be a little sore tomorrow. I was lost in my thoughts so I jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked to see Geno standing over me with a concerned look on his face.

“Jesus, you scared me” I said after I pulled my headphones out.

“Sorry, noticed not in office and came to find you” he said and I saw some other guys walk in to start their after practice workout. “How long you been in here?” he asked

“Pretty much since I walked off the ice” I said and got off the bike to find myself really sweaty.

“That an hour ago” he said as he followed me to the kitchen that was off the locker room for a bottle of water.

“Yeah I had to clear my head and you know how working out does that” I said “Are you working out today? I can help you if you want?” I asked

“Sure” he said and we made our way back to the gym to see it fuller than when we left. The music was going and the guys were either focused on what they were doing or goofing off like usual.

“Actually I will be over here stretching out my muscles so I am not too sore tomorrow. Call if need me” I said and walked over to one of the free spaces and sat down to stretch. I was in my own world and looked up to see a few eyes on me. “What do you pervs want?” I asked and they all snapped their faces away from me.

Finally after a few minutes of silence max spoke up “Doesn’t that hurt?” he asked and motioned to me in almost the middle split.

“No? I grew up doing gymnastics and dance. So I am pretty flexible” I said and almost everyone in the room groaned. “What?” I asked

“You know you just became everyone’s wet dream?” he asked and I blushed “So you can do the splits?” he asked

“Yeah” I said and rolled into all three splits with ease.

“What else can you do?” TK asked with a smirk

“I can pretty much do anything” I said and pulled my right leg up to a heel stretch then pulled it over to the other side of my body. “It doesn’t hurt” I said

“How long were you in gymnastics?” Kris asked

“Um, until I was 16. Then school and being on the dance team got too much to handle and I gave it up”

“Were you good?” he asked

“I was decent” I said with a smile “I should get my mom to send me a video of one of my last competitions and let you decide for yourselves”

“What can you do from gymnastics that you don’t need a mat?” TK asked

“I haven’t done anything in a long time but I can probably do a back walkover” I said

“Try it” Ben said

“I need a spotter for the first time, Geno come here” I said and he walked over

“Why does he get to do it?” Max asked

“Because I trust him not to be an ass and let me hurt myself” I said to him before turning to Geno “Ok, all you have to do is hold your arm out so when I do a back bend my back is on your arm” I told him

“Okay, ready?” he asked

“Yeah” I said and put my hands up, spotted the floor like I was always taught and did a backbend. “Ok, now I have to get momentum hang on” I said and rocked a little before kicking my leg over and landing on my feet. I put my arms up and said “Ta Da!”

“Ok now do it without a spotter” Max said

“Ok I will” I said and got ready to do it without Geno’s help. “It is actually easier without someone because your momentum carries you over” I said before doing it much faster than the time before. A couple people clapped and I did a little curtsy to them.

“Well I will leave you boys to workout, if anyone needs me I will be in my office” I said and made my way out of the gym. After getting back to my office I emailed my mom to see if she could send me some videos of when I was younger, when I was in gymnastics and in dance. I decided to see if Jordan was still in the building and talk to him. After looking in the locker room, the trainer’s office, and asking Charlie, I finally found him sitting on the bench just staring out at the ice.

I sat down next to him and saw his hand was back into the brace, that’s not good. “Hey” I said just above a whisper.

“Hey” he said back and he sounded so sad.

“Look, as your friend it killed me today to kick you off the ice but I am only doing this for your own good” I said

“I know and I am sorry for yelling at you. It just kills me not to be out there” he said

“I know but if I didn’t see the wince today you could be getting surgery tomorrow” I told him “So what did doc say?”

“A couple strained tendons and some bruising” he said looking down at his encased hand.

“That is better than ripped tendons, how long do you have to wear that?”

“Two weeks at the minimum” he said “I don’t want to miss the winter classic”

“I will make it my mission to get you back in time for the winter classic” I told him

“Promise?” he said and looked over at me for the first time.

“You have my word” I said looking straight into his eyes.

“Ok, I trust you” he said

“Good, now I want you to keep that thing on unless you are in the shower and you can loosen it when you sleep” I told him while getting up.

“Yes ma’am” he said with a salute and standing up as well.

“I’m serious if I see you without it on your ass is mine” I said as we walked down the tunnel.

“Ok, I believe you and it will not come off” he said

“Well my work is done for the day so I will see you tomorrow” I said as I stopped at my office.

He turned to me and pulled me into a hug, “Thank you” he whispered to me

“I’m just looking out for you” I said back “You know I look at you guys like brothers and love you guys”

“I have never had a sister before” he said back with a laugh and pulled away “and I love you too, like a sister” he added at the end with a smile.

“I hope so or Geno would have to kick your ass” I said with a smile

“Yeah right that guy couldn’t take me on” he said as he flexed his muscles.

“Well good thing it will never come to that” I said “Well I am going to go home for a much needed shower and going to catch up on some trashy reality show” I said as I shut down my computer and grabbed my purse.

“Yeah me too” he said as we walked down the hallway, we split up as he went into the locker room and I into the gym.

“Hey I am going home for the day” I said to the room and got some goodbyes as Geno made his way over to me.

“Going home?” he asked

“Yeah I will see you tomorrow?” I asked

“Not tonight?” he asked with a pout

“No I think I am going to spend the night with Sarah” I said

“Ok, I will see you tomorrow” he said then bent down and gave me a mind blowing, knee weakening kiss. He pulled away and put his forehead against mine “I love you” he whispered.

It warmed my heart to hear that and it made me so happy so I pulled back and yelled out “YA TEBYA LYUBLYU!!” his face after that was priceless. I just gave him a kiss goodbye and left him with the boys and went home.