He Shoots, She Scores

With Carrie
Since Carrie had decided to take a semester off from school she spent most of her days bored with Lacey still in school and Nate playing hockey. Deciding to get out for the day Carrie was sitting on the bench at First Niagara Center watching the guys practice and talking to the players and the coaching staff.
“Carrie, we are about to run some drills ok?” Ron Rolston the interim head coach says and Carrie nods “So I need you to keep your head up dear, the last thing I need is you getting pegged in the head with a stray puck”
“No problem” she says putting her phone away to watch the play carefully
Carrie was watching intently and tossing water bottles and towels to the guys that needed them when her phone rang
“Hello?”
“Carrie”
“Lacey, what’s up?”
“Carrie listen my phone is about to die but I need you to come get me, I got into an accident I slid into a guard rail coming home from school”
The line went dead and Carrie panicked
“TYLER!!!” She screams across the ice mumbling profanity under her breath, the sheer panic in her voice causes the whole team to face her wide eyed
“You, short one come here, now” Tyler skates over to her confusion on his face
“What’s up Carrie?”
“Accident” he raises and eyebrow looking at her even more confused “Lacey was in an accident, something about a guard rail”
“I need to call her”
“Her phone died”
“Shit” he mumbles and takes his helmet off handing that and his stick to Carrie
“Where are you going?”
“To change I’ll meet you at my truck” He says walking towards the dressing room taking his jersey off as he walks
“You, the little one I’m married to come here” Carrie says pointing at Nate
“What’s wrong baby?” he says skating over to her
“We gotta go”
“What happened? Calm down and tell me what happened”
“Lacey was in an accident she hit a guard rail and her phone died so I don’t know if she’s ok or not”
“Come on” he says lightly pushing her towards the locker room.
Carrie picks up Tyler’s practice jersey and gloves off the floor as she walks and hands them to Nate before he enters the locker room
“I’m sure she’s fine Carrie, if she were hurt she would call 911 first I’m sure” Carrie only nods as he walks into the dressing room to change
They emerge only minutes later and head for the door. Nate unlocks his car as they all pile in
“Where is she?” Nate asks and Carrie shrugs
“I can’t say for sure but she should have been on her way home so I’m going to guess the 990 on ramp to the 290”
“Normally can’t make coherent sentences when panicked, yet gives perfect directions”
“Shut up, and drive”
Nate nods and drops the car in drive taking off towards the University at Buffalo campus. As they make their way towards the on ramp they see 2 cop cars and Lacey’s vehicle with Lacey standing on the side of the road talking to the 2 cops. Before Nate puts the car in park Tyler is out of it walking towards Lacey
“Babe, are you ok”
“I’m fine Tyler”
“Are you sure? Does anything hurt?”
“Just my back a little bit I’m fine I promise”
“Lacey!” Carrie just about yells walking over to her friend “You don’t look broken”
“Cause I’m not, I’m fine”
“Then maybe you should start a phone dying conversation with ‘I’m fine but’ and then I wouldn’t have panicked!”
“She screams louder than you think she could” Tyler says “I mean really you wouldn’t think someone that short could have the lung capacity to do that”
“You had us all worried Lacey” Nate says
“I am fine, and I want to go home”
“You’re not going home you’re staying with me so I can make sure you are ok”
“Carrie I’m fine”
“She’s staying with me, so I can make sure she’s ok”
“Tyler”
“Lacey, how many times did I say I was fine?”
“I dunno a lot”
“And did you still stay at my house and check on me at least 4 times a night to make sure I didn’t die”
“That’s different you hit your head”
“And you could have damage done to your back, I can’t let you go home”
“My parents can take care of me, they have for 20 years”
“No you’re staying at my house, it will make me feel better”
Lacey sighed and finally mumbled a fine before walking towards Nate’s car “Nate, will you please take me home now. And by home I mean my home”
“Yeah, sure Lace, come on guys lets go”
“My poor car” Lacey says shaking her head and sliding into the back seat
“Hey, you guys are leaving for Ottawa tonight aren’t you?” Carrie says as Nate drives towards Lacey’s in the Falls
“Yeah, so?”
“So Lacey is staying with me cause you won’t even be home tonight or tomorrow”
“Why can’t I stay at home?”
“Cause I said so and I am older than you so you have to listen to me”
“I’m Kevin I’m the oldest”
“Don’t you dare pull Jonas brother alter ego age comparison on me, this is real life and I am older!”
“I don’t even want to know” Nate says turning up the radio to drown them all out
With Lacey
"Carrie I really am fine I swear but I'm going to be extremely miserable if you don't let me go"

"I really don't think it's a good idea I mean what if you make it worse."

"Then that's my fault and I won't complain about it."

Carrie glared at her best friend who stared back at her with a serious look on her face.

"Fine, but I'm coming with you and if I see that you’re in pain you have to stop."

"Ok I guess so but it will be 10 times worse if I don't."

Carrie frowned at Lacey who was over exaggeration just a bit. Lacey had been a little shaken up but after she relaxed for a little while she seemed to bounce back to normal. Lacey went into the spare bedroom and changed her clothes and then Carrie and Lacey drove over to the gym in Grand Island where Lacey played volleyball. Lacey sat in the front seat and the sensation of being in a car again brought a little fear to her but she managed to focus on her phone and not the road. Just as they were arriving at the gym Lacey's phone went off and as she looked at the screen she suddenly felt her heart drop into her stomach.

"What's wrong Lace do we need to go home?"

"No, um look at who text me"

"What? No way, what in the world does he have to say?"
"I don't think I even want to know."

Lacey opened up the message and read out loud to Carrie. "Hey Lacey I heard about the accident and I hope you’re doing ok. I know I'm the last person you want to hear from but I really am sorry this has happened to you."

"Wow..... Really of all people to see how you’re feeling. Tyler must still be freaking out."

"Probably but I really wish he wouldn't I mean I'm fine."

"Lacey you've been by his side for the past week and you freaked out when he tried to walk Max around the block."

"Yeah but that's different he hurt his head. And we both know that boy is stubborn."

"That's exactly why you two are together because you’re both stubborn and you kinda even each other out."

"Oh thanks Carrie and all this time I was thinking it was because he loved me and now I know he's the only person that will deal with me." Lacey glared at Carrie and Carrie just smiled at her and her sarcastic statement. "So should I text him back?"

"Do you really want to open up that wound again?"

"I really don't know but I have to at least say thanks for his concern it’s only right."

"Whatever you say."

Lacey text Marcus back with a simple thank you and I'm fine. Lacey knew that talking to Marcus was not her smartest idea but he really seemed to show compassion and it was better than being seen as some fragile fine china. When the girls arrived at the gym Lacey took a seat and changed into her sneakers, when her phone buzzed again. Marcus' name once more flashed across the screen. Hesitantly she opened up the message that could have been qualified as a novel. Lacey read the message to herself without letting Carrie know about it.

* I know it's been a while since the whole party thing and the locker room but I know it still bothers you. What I said wasn't right and I wish I could take it back I really do because I made an ass out of myself. I really would understand if you hated me for the rest of your life and never talked to me again. All I want you to know is that I messed up big time you’re a wonderful girl who deserves a good life, I'm actually jealous of Enzo because he has the girl that I stupidly used. I wish things were different but things go certain ways mostly for the best reasons and you and Enzo belong together I mean the guys pacing up and down this aisle mumbling about losing you and how being on the road sucks. The guys out of his mind in love and I'm happy for you both I really am just know that and I promise I will understand if you don't answer I know I'm an ass but I apologize *

Lacey read the message over and over again until Carrie brought her back to reality. "Earth to Lacey, anybody in there?" Carrie tapped her head and Lacey smiled up at her.

“I think so but who knows today." Lacey jumped up from her seat without responding to Marcus and hopped onto the volleyball court and played for two straight hours without once complaining about her back. From the court Lacey heard her phone buzz, she ran over and saw Tyler's name across the screen.

"Hello"

"Hey Lace how are you feeling?"

"I'm actually feeling really good"

"Come on Lacey you’re killing us out here.” someone yelled from the court.

"Where are you? I thought you and Carrie were staying in tonight."

"Well that's what Carrie wanted to do but I had other commitments"

"Lace, you’re not at volleyball are you?"

"Yeah but I'm fine."

"Are you freaking kidding me?! What are you thinking what if there is something seriously wrong with your back?"

"Like I said before it’s no big deal I'm fine, stop worrying about me I know my limits Tyler!"

"So it's ok for you to worry about me and not let me do anything for a week but as soon as I start to worry about you it's not necessary. What the hell Lacey, you’re such a hypocrite sometimes."
Lacey walked out of the gym after apologizing for leaving, and walked outside so her conversation was not heard by everyone.

"Tyler you were laying in a hospital bed while they ran tests on you, I think that's a little more serious than some small back pain which feels better if I'm moving. And you know damn well that if the team doctor and your trainer weren't stopping you from being out on that ice you would have been there the minute you walked into that arena."

"I just don't get how back pain is something small to you. What if something did go wrong and you’re only making it worse. I am going to worry about you because I love you and because I need you to be healthy."

"I'm so sick of being looked at like some porcelain doll that's just going to break any minute. I am fine and that's final I wish you would just trust that, and you can't quit pacing and focus on your game tomorrow."

"How did you know I was pacing?"

"Marcus told me you were pacing and muttering on the bus you need to relax."

"Oh great Marcus, why the hell are you talking to him?"

"He just wanted to see if I was ok and when I said I was he didn't push the issue of my health any further."

"Oh because he matters all of a sudden Lacey he's an ass who used you for some sick gain. If I could I would knock his teeth in for even speaking to you."

"Calm down you are not fighting anyone, especially someone who could kick your ass, be smart Tyler don't mess up your career for something stupid"

"Your feelings are not stupid he does not care about you I do, I put a ring on your finger not him your mine he doesn't deserve someone like you."

"Tyler I am not your property and he actually apologized for everything and you might be my fiancé but as easy as that happened it could end just as well. So calm down and focus on your game I'm done with this conversation good luck tomorrow." Lacey hung up the phone before he could say another word and headed back to play. Lacey tried her hardest to focus on the game but her mind kept wandering back to Tyler. She finally gave up and said her goodbyes to everyone.

“Carrie can we please just go back to your house and find the biggest tub of ice cream.”
Lacey picked up her phone and saw that she had several missed calls all from Tyler and a few text messages which also came from Tyler. She threw her phone in her purse ignoring it and walked out to the car with Carrie. The car ride was quiet except for the music coming from the radio. Ed Sheeran sang out while Lacey sat quietly looking out the window. Finally Carrie broke the silence and spoke to Lacey.

“You know he has a point,” Lacey turned towards Carrie with a look of confusion on her face.

“What are you talking about?” Lacey hadn’t said a word about the argument that she and Tyler had so Carrie’s statement made no sense to her.

“Well I talked to Nate because he called me freaking out about how Tyler was pacing and yelling about Marcus and how he was seconds away from walking out of their room to tear the guys face off, so I told Nate about Marcus texting you. Then Nate said that made sense considering that Tyler was muttering something about a no good, girl stealing, blonde haired douche bag, that needs to keep it in his pants.” Lacey chuckled slightly before feeling anger rising once again.

“He is going to get his ass kicked, and if not by Marcus for running his mouth, then by me for acting like a teenage boy about one text.”
Carrie stayed silent and let Lacey be angry. They headed back towards Buffalo stopping at Tyler’s to let max out for the night before heading back to Carrie’s house.
The next day after another failed wedding dress attempt Carrie, Lacey and Hannah were sitting on Tyler’s couch each with a stack of invitations in front of them and a list of those they needed to address. Sprawled across the coffee table were sealed and addressed invites and sheets of paper with different floor plans and set ups for the reception hall.
“So when we are done with this we have to do the seating chart right?” Hannah asks and Lacey nods tossing another envelope onto the table
“I feel like I have glue in my mouth where spit used to be, anyone else want some water?” Carrie asks and both girls nod as she gets up grabbing 3 bottles of water from the fridge.
More silence follows as the girls concentrate on addressing envelopes correctly until Max bothers Lacey to be let outside
The front door opens and Tyler walks in saying hi to all 3 girls and only getting 2 hi’s back and he just nods walking into the kitchen “Anyone hungry? I can make you guys some lunch”
“Sure” Hannah and Carrie chorus Lacey once again staying silent and Tyler just nods
He comes into the living room a few minutes later with fruit salad and sandwiches for everyone, he starts picking up the envelopes organizing them and places the food on the table for everyone to grab, as they sit silently eating and addressing Tyler starts putting stamps on the envelopes. He gets to one that makes him stop and look at Lacey, anger in his features
“So, you’re inviting him to our wedding now?”
“Yes” she says and goes silently back to her work
“I don’t even know what I want to say to you right now”
“Hannah, I think we need more uh, stamps yeah we need more stamps want to come with me?”
“Carrie we have extra stamps right here” Hannah says grabbing the stack of them off the end table behind her
“Then we need more, uh we need more envelopes”
“You don’t know what to say to me? How about nothing because there is no problem” Lacey says raising her voice
“Carrie envelopes are right-“
“We need something! Let’s go to the store!”
“But I’m eating”
“HANNAH!” Carrie yells at her in a whisper “Let’s go!”
“Fine!” she gets off the couch and they head out of the back door
“No problem? There’s no problem with the man that used you coming to our wedding? Nothing’s wrong with that?” Tyler yells back just as Carrie and Hannah close the door
“No there isn’t, apparently I know how to forgive someone and you don’t”
“Because what he did to you was unforgiveable”
“What he did was unforgiveable? And yet you just expected me to forgive you?”
“That was different”
“Yeah it was, it hurt worse”
“Is this what we’re gonna be? Every time we fight is it just going to be guilt trip after guilt trip?”
“Don’t try to make this my fault Tyler! You’re the one with trust issues”
“I have trust issues? Says the girl that keeps bringing up the past, if I have trust issues you have mental issues”
“Did you just call me crazy?”
“Yes I did” At that Tyler turns and storms out of the room, he walks out his back door collapsing onto the stairs of the patio and sighs. It only takes a few minutes before Lacey is standing above him.
“Tyler, I don’t know what your problem is, but whatever it is solve it.”
“You don’t know what my problem is have you not been here for the whole argument!?”
“Let me put this in words you can understand, if you can’t get over the fact that I have forgiven Marcus and have decided to invite my friend and your team mate to our wedding, then maybe there shouldn’t be one”
Lacey turns in a huff calls Max and walks into the house, she collapses on the couch and suddenly feels the urge to cry. When the door opens she expects to see Tyler but instead see’s Carrie and her sister holding Tim Hortons and gladly accepts the coffee
“So” Hannah prods gently
“So, we may not need to go dress shopping anymore” Lacey says quietly and Carrie and Hannah just look at each other silently, after a moment Carrie gets up off the couch silently heading out the back door to find Tyler sitting on the patio
“Carrie”
“Fix it”
“And how would you propose I do that?”
“I don’t know but your options are fix it or I kick your ass”
“I’d like to see you try”
Carrie stepped closer to where he was sitting on the stairs giving him a swift kick
“Ow!”
“Ass kicked” Tyler looked up at her laughing and just shook his head “Seriously though fix it”
“I don’t even know how to, I don’t trust him. Please tell me you see this how I do?”
“I can’t, Tyler as much as I don’t trust him either for some reason Lacey forgave him and I don’t know maybe that makes her a better person than both of us; but either way I did not just lick at least 30 invitations on my own and spend money for a dress I will only wear once for her to be saying there may not be a wedding”
“She’s really saying that?” he ran a hand through his hair with a defeated sigh
“Like I said, fix it” Tyler just nodded looking across the yard “Well see ya later”
Carrie walked back into the house quietly and headed towards the living room
“Come on Hannah I’ll take you home”
“Oh don’t worry about it Carrie I’m gonna go home too, I’ll take her” Lacey says getting off the couch and beginning to gather her stuff as Tyler walked into the house and nodded at Carrie
“No its ok Lace I have to stop at my mom’s anyway, really it’s on my way its fine”
“But-”
“Its fine Lacey, come on Carrie lets go”
Lacey and Carrie made their way out the door silently as Lacey continued to pack her things together
“Lace”
“What Tyler”
“I really think we need to just sit down and discuss this, like adults and not having a pissing match. All I’m trying to tell you is that I haven’t forgiven Marcus for what he did to you, and that I don’t trust him”
“Well I have, I’m over it and I don’t know why you continue to treat me like I’m some kind of cracked glass about to shatter. God, maybe all this wedding stuff is just getting to us” with an exaggerated sigh Lacey crumpled onto the couch “Maybe we should postpone the wedding and take a break” she says leaning forward putting her head in her hands and sending her hair flying into her face
Tyler looked at her for a moment waiting for her to look up and tell him she was kidding waiting for her pretty brown eyes to make contact with his and say everything was ok and instead what he was met with was the sound her crying. He knelt down on the floor in front of her and crossed his arms on her legs, resting his head on his arms he looks up at her underneath her hair
“Hi baby”
“Hi” she says with a sniff
“I’m sorry, I think you’re right I need to stop treating you like you’re going to break cause you’re far from it, and maybe this wedding stuff is driving us crazy but the last thing that we need’s to take a break”
“Tyler”
“I’m begging you, don’t you see my knees where the floor is”
“That’s so you can look at me”
“I know that you’ve had moments where you have wanted to erase me from your life and I know your sister and Carrie do not trust me, but no one said relationships would be flawless”
“You called me crazy”
“I know, and you know I didn’t mean to call you crazy, you are far from it. Maybe Carrie is right maybe you are just a better person than her or I am because we both still do not trust Marcus, but Lacey I’m willing to drop it I can’t lose you not over that”
“Oh then what would be worth giving me up?”
“Besides Lord Stanley permanently in my house, nothing”
“Well that first one is never going to happen, unless you move into the hockey hall of fame, which I doubt would happen either”
“So nothing” Tyler says with a smile causing Lacey to laugh “I’m sorry I’m an ass”
“I’m sorry you’re an ass too, why do you have to be so adorable dear fiancé”
“Because if I wasn’t you would be able to stay mad at me”
“I doubt that, let’s go mail these”