Live In Reality

“Where are you going?” Chantal asked Lenore the next morning.

Lenore glanced up from slipping on her shoes. “I was-um- going back to the house.”

Chantal’s eyes went wide. “Like, back to the house you share with Sidney?”

“Yeah,” she said quietly. “I am. I don’t know what I’m going to do when I get there, but I’m going. I should probably have an idea of what I’m going to-,”

Chantal cut her friend off with a hug. “I’m so happy that you’re doing this!”

Lenore smiled, glad that her friend was back to her normal self.

“Call me when it’s all done with, okay?” Chantal said holding her friend at arm’s length. “I want to talk with you before Vancouver.”

“I will,” she nodded. “Wish me luck?”

“You don’t need luck, sweetie,” Chantal assured her. “You just need faith.”

“Have faith then?” Lenore asked.

“Of course, Len,” Chantal embraced her friend one last time. “Of course.”

After Lenore was in her car, Chantal sent another text to the team.

‘Lenore’s on her way. Get out of the house!’

*****

Lenore sat in her car for a few minutes after arriving in the driveway of the home she had moved into with Sidney just before Thanksgiving. It didn’t even look like he was there. His Range Rover wasn’t in the driveway like it usually was and it looked like his Audi wasn’t in the garage. Sighing, Lenore got out of the car. At the very least, she could start to pack and think about what she would say to Sidney.

Taking her time getting up the front steps, Lenore let herself in the front door. But walking over the threshold, she couldn’t help but gape at what she found.

Covering the walls of the front hall were post-it notes of all colors. On each were a few words written in different Sharpies. Lenore read a few and recognized the handwriting. There were some from Kris, Tyler, Jordan, Marc-Andre, the whole team and even some of the WAGs.

Walking all the way down the hall, she turned towards the kitchen and found pictures. There were photos of Lenore and Sidney from their time in Cole Harbour and his day with the Cup. There were photos from Lenore’s 21st birthday that past September and even more photos that Lenore had snapped just hanging around with Sidney. Every photo was held together on the corners by fishing twine and they were put together to look like a quilt. It was definitely Vero’s and Chantal’s doing.

Sitting on the counter, Lenore found another sticky. This one, from Sidney.

‘I love you. Always have, always will.’

Lenore felt tears brimming across her eyelids and eventually, they spilled over.

“I do love you,” a voice behind her said.

She turned around to find Sidney standing there with his hands in his jean pockets and his eyes looking directly at her.

“I didn’t think you’d come back,” he said.

“I had to,” Lenore said quietly. “I’m supposed to be on a flight to Vancouver at 3 o’clock.”

“Will you be on that plane with me?”

Lenore looked at him directly. “I don’t know. That depends on a few things.”

“What few things?” Sidney asked.

“On whether you’ve figured out what’s important to you.”

Sidney pulled Lenore into his arms and held her firmly.

“Watching you walk away from me again, pretty much killed me,” he said cupping her face. “I can’t let that happen again.”

“What are you going to do about it?” she asked in a small voice.

“This,” he said.

Sidney got down on one knee slowly and held Lenore’s left hand in his own. Her right hand flew up to her mouth to cover the soft sob that was threatening to escape.

“I messed up,” he said. “I won’t deny that. But what you thought I was hiding was this,” Sidney took out the ring box he had carried with him for the past five days. “I was going to propose in Vancouver, but then decided I wanted to propose before. I know that we're young and that we haven’t been together very long, but I love you and I hope that after everything that’s happened over the past few days, you’ll still love me.”

“I do,” Lenore choked.

“Okay, then,” Sidney breathed a sigh of relief. “Lenore Marie Chambres, will you forgive me for everything I’ve done and agree to marry me?”

Tears spilled down Lenore’s cheeks and onto her sweater. She locked eyes with Sidney.