Man Behind the Mask

Vivienne knew quickly that the club was not a remedy to Flower’s problems. “Hey boy hey. Movie night again?”
“It is my turn to pick this time, right?” Vivienne mmhmmed. “Then yes. No more sappy love stories or children’s cartoons. One more and I might turn movie night down.”
“But those are the best movies.”
“Not to me. What is so good about crying women and men who treat them poorly, then ‘change’ and get the girl back? Stupid…”
“They aren’t all like that. Just most…”
Thirty minutes later, Marc-Andre let himself into the loft. “Honey, I’m home,” he joked and plopped down on the couch next to her. On the floor he placed a box and a bag. Vivienne gave him a sideways glance. “I realized that if we are going to continue to be friends, there is something you must learn about my teammates and myself.” He reached in and pulled out some video games.
“No. I only play SEGA and Game Boy Color. No, no, no.”
“Yes, yes, yes. You must learn. When we are on the jet, you can still be involved all the way from here. And it is fun. It’s the third…” he stopped mid-sentence, “second biggest part of my life right now.” Vivienne knew he was thinking of Vero.
She quickly got him back on track. “Fine. Go set it up.” The energetic goalie leapt off the couch and hooked up some foreign machine. It looked out of place on Vivienne’s coffee table next to glass sculptures. “I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.”
“It’s my accent,” he quickly replied. Vivienne shook her head, but thought deep down that maybe he was right. “Here is your controller. This one,” he wiggled a stick, “moves your camera. This one moves your gun. Press this to aim, this to shoot, and this to use a grenade. We can play a one on one for you to get used to it, but after that, we’re joining the party. Kris, Gronk, Sid, and Bylsma’s son are playing.”
“You guys play with your coach’s kid?! Does he know? I can only imagine what his reaction would be. Your language is horrendous!”
“The kid grows up around hockey, Viv. He’ll be ok. And he’s pretty good. Gets more kills than Gronk…”
“So why am I pulled into this? Shouldn’t Lemieux’s son get in on this action instead?”
“Eh. Lemieux isn’t as comfortable with the online world as Coach is.”
The two played their “training round”. Vivienne was not excited. “Come on. Enter our world,” Marc-Andre begged her.
“But I’m terrible! I can draw and paint and make food, but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out the camera and aim thing in these games!” As expected, Vivienne lost, getting three kills and dying 12 times. “Told you so!”
“But we love you for trying. That’s all I wanted. We had fun, right?”
“Yea, I guess…It wasn’t so bad.”
The guys were talking through the headset Flower was wearing. Vivienne only heard his few little words and his laughter. “Good idea…oh definitely. In no time…no way dude. Long way to go…maybe he will play too…alright. I gotta go. Bye fuckwads and _ba’s son_.”
After he disconnected the game system, Marc-Andre popped in a dvd. Vivienne made popcorn while he did that. The two sat on opposite ends of the couch, making comments about loop holes and bad effects and stupid one liners.
This is the kind of thing Marc-Andre and Vivienne shared together. Their time spent together was comforting, fun, and distracting. Both needed these things for different reasons, but it bonded them in a close friendship, and neither complained. Just goofing off and being themselves while battling with inner demons and insecurities was more than enough to keep the two happy.
On the other hand, Eric and Vivienne had a great time drinking and partying together. When they were together, they drank pretty heavily and were always all over each other. Monica would try to get Vivienne to tone it down, but she would always have too much fun with Eric to care. Vivienne’s partying would sometimes get so out of hand that, though he wasn’t doing great himself, Marc-Andre would step in cut off her alcohol and her dancing. Eric and Vivienne tore up the dance floor until they were too tired to move anymore. The two rarely ever tired out, though, and tended to be the last ones kicked out of the clubs at closing time.
It was mid December already. They’d been together for about a month and a half. Thanksgiving came and went; Vivienne’s family was eager to have Eric over for their “traditional American celebration”. Aside from half of them being star-struck and the other half pretending to be interested in sports (you know how old women and moms are), the night went very smoothly. No one fought, burned anything, or said anything stupid the entire time; it was better than Vivienne had imagined.
The boys were currently getting ready for a road trip. The line up was the Hurricanes, the Lightning, the Panthers, and then the Hurricanes again. It was going to last about a week and half, eleven days in total. Vivienne wasn’t worried. Her relationship was young, so whichever way it swung wasn’t a huge deal. The break was actually going to be nice. She could rest her tired legs and go to work more than three days in a row without a headache to start off. She would definitely miss Eric though.
Since the beginning of their relationship, she found out all about his family and his early career. He talked about his friends and what it was like back home in Philadelphia. Eric told her why he was happy to play for the Pens as opposed to his hometown team, the Cryers [lol I have to I’m sorry]. During the All-Star break, he was going to take her back home there, show her off to Mom and Dad, and give her a tour of his childhood. Then they were going to go to Niagara Falls. It was close to two months away, but Vivienne was very excited. She didn’t get the opportunity to leave Pittsburgh often. Earlier this week they went to renew her passport. He stood in the background making funny faces, so they had to take six pictures before they could use one. Like most of the other guys on the Penguins, she was finding out her boyfriend was very much a boy, and not a man at all. It was fun and kept her on her toes.
The two were on their way to the airport. Eric drove out and she was going to drive back so she could see him off. They held hands while they jammed out to a play list Eric created for hockey games; it was 700 songs long and on shuffle so he never ran out of music or got bored of listening to it.
“I love this song. Its one of my favorites,” Vivienne said during the first few notes of “_don’t know what he listens too_”.
“Really? I did not expect you to be a _his fav band_ fan. You know, they are playing at Consol in about a month…”
“Yea, I heard. I’ve been planning on getting tickets. This will be my _might have previously seen them_ time seeing them in concert.”
“We should go together. It will be fun.”
“Are you sure you’ll be here? And that you wont have a game?”
She looked over to see him pretending to think about it. “I hope I don’t, ‘cause I already bought tickets! I was going to drag you with me either way. Works out that you like them.”
Vivienne laughed. “What if I protested not to go?”
“I play hockey. What could you do that I wouldn’t be able to pick you up and put you in the car? You weigh all of 50 pounds. I can pinky curl you.” She stuck her tongue out at him. Soon enough they arrived at the airport. Vivienne frowned as they got out of the car and started taking his bags from the trunk. “I don’t want to be here yet,” she whined. “Why can’t you just play home games?”
“You gonna miss me?”
“Of course.”
“Good. I’ll miss you too. But its not even two weeks. I’ll come back, a few days later it’ll be Christmas, then New Years…”
“Who am I gonna hang out with until then? Monica and Alvin are bores,” she joked. He mouthed “you’ll live” to her and she playfully smacked him. “I’m gonna be so upset if it snows a lot. You’ll owe me a snowman.”
“If it snows I’ll make it up to you. I gotta go though,” he said, looking over towards the other guys throwing their stuff on the belt that carried luggage into the bottom of the plane. He pulled her into a long, passionate kiss. After a minute or so, he jerked forward and broke apart, rubbing his head. They turned to see Gronk, James, Kris, and Zbenik laughing. Gronk had thrown a glove at the back of Eric’s head. “I need to go beat him up. I’ll call you when we land. I plan on sleeping on the plane.” He gave her a short peck, then ran after Jordan, tackling him to the ground (somehow with his luggage and equipment bag, managing not to drop anything or knock Jordan out). Vivienne waved goodbye, then headed back home.
While she watched Breakfast at Tiffany‘s, Vivienne received texts from Marc-Andre. Eric took a nap after immediately taking his seat. Marc-Andre and Vivienne started talking about their plans for the holidays coming up. Vivienne felt bad he would be spending them different than he originally wanted, but was happy he found an alternative.
I’ll be on a plane early on the 23rd. Mom and Dad haven’t seen me in a while so they have all sorts of family things planned. I can only imagine the horrible sweater I’ll have to wear.
I’m sure you’ll look smashing! You’ll have to send me a picture.
As long as I get one in return.
I don’t wear stupid sweaters. Not even for my grandma. But I’ll think of something.
If you don’t, you’ll have to make it up at the game. You’ll be there right? On Boxing Day?
Boxing Day? You mean that stupid holiday the Queen makes all of the colonies celebrate so she can regift the stupid things Prince Harry gets her to her servants?
HaHa. Canada is its own country. But yes. That holiday.
Yea, my family and I will be there. Hanging out with Sid.
Fun stuff *eye roll* jk jk. But yea. If I don’t get an embarrassing Christmas photo, you’ll have to do something at the game.
Sure sure. When are we exchanging gifts? I have some good presents to give you.
Hmm…How bout the morning of the 22nd? We can have breakfast before I get ready for the game that night. I’m sure Eric’ll want to see you later that afternoon…
Sounds good. We can pick a time later. You’re still coming to my New Years party, right?
This reffered to something Vivienne did every year, but with a twist. Marc-Andre, Eric, Monica, Alvin, the Sara’s, Kammi, Joey, Mike, Kris, Kris’s girlfriend (much to her protesting), TK, and Gronk were coming. They were going to watch the Winter Classic and the college bowl games, eat pork, and play games. The boys would be leaving the day after for an away game on the third. She wanted to start their new year off right with some good luck and good fun.
Eventually Vivienne got the text that the boys were landing, and that Marc-Andre would have to go. That worked out, because it meant Eric would be call her shortly. By that time, her movie was ending. Holly and Paul were kissing in the rain. The sentimental moment was interrupted by the expected phone call. “Hey babe,” Vivienne said as she answered the phone.
“Hey there sugar lips,” a voice that was not Eric’s said.
Vivienne looked at the caller id; it said Eric’s name. She realized someone, probably his roommate stole his phone. Vivienne played along. “My man isn’t with you, right? I’ve been waiting all day for a chance to…talk,” she said in a sexy voice.
“Oh, aren’t you just a naughty girl. Straight to the point. I like that in a woman.”
“Alright, that’s enough James. Where is Eric?”
“I locked him out after I stole his phone,” he said. She could just imagine the boyish face James was making. And from her silence he could imagine the scorn on her’s. “Ok hold on,” he said, then away from the phone said, “Oh, hey Eric. Just the person I was looking for. Phone is for you.”
Moments later, after the sound of a thump and an “ow!”, Eric began to talk. “Sorry about that. He can be such an ass. I can’t blame him though. Cookie put him up to it. I’ll have to beat him later, too.”
They both laughed. “How was your flight? And your nap? Dream of nice things?”
“My dreams only made me miss you,” he said cheesily. “Honestly though, I can’t wait to get home.”
“You’ve been gone for only like, four hours.”
“I know. Road trips are hard though. Hotels are uncomfortable, we have to eat out, I have to room with James…”
“Poor you,” she answered sarcastically. The two talked for about half an hour, until Eric had to go.