Next To Me

Nicole:

We were finally in Las Vegas and it was the day of the awards. Taylor wasn't up for anything, but he still wanted to go. I was fine with it, I mean I was getting a pretty good vacation out of this trip. We both got dressed and headed where the awards were taking place. We walked the red carpet and Taylor had a few interviews. We took our seats and the show began. It was a pretty good show and I recognized a lot of the guys who won awards. The musical performances were really good too. Once the show was over it was only four in the afternoon so Taylor and I head went back to our hotel and changed, then we headed off to L.A. We arrived in California and it was nine o'clock at night and I was tired, but I really wanted to go to the beach, so Taylor walked with me there.

We watched the waves for a bit and eventually headed back to our hotel. When we got back we right to bed since we wanted to have as much of a vacation we could since we had to leave for Minnesota the next day. We woke up around noon and we went to the beach to go swimming. We had really great time, it was just us and we didn't have to worry about making sure Mason had his lunch or what time Taylor had to leave for practice or for a game. It was just, relaxing. We probably stayed at the beach for three hours until we left for lunch. We ate at a restaurant right by the beach and the view was so beautiful. "Thank you Taylor." He looked at me from behind his glass. "For what?" "For bringing me out here. I needed it." I held his hand on the table. "We needed this." "I told you. You just needed to get away for awhile. And you're welcome." He smiled and we finished our lunch.

We walked around L.A for awhile just seeing the sites and taking pictures. I decided to text Beau and see how Mason was.

Sent Message: Beau
Hey how is Mason doing?

New Message:Beau
Good. He is eating now.
Download attached file

I smiled at the picture. "Taylor look at this picture Beau just sent me." Taylor laughed. "He is one crazy kid." Taylor and I walked around a little bit longer but eventually went back to our apartment to pack up our stuff for when we flew to Minnesota tonight. "I don't want to leave Taylor." I laid down next to him as he was watching something about the draft on tv. He put his arm around me and pulled me close. "I know, I don't either, but I have to be at the draft tomorrow." "Can we come back after the draft?" I looked at him and smiled. "Maybe we can come back another time and bring Mason." "I agree with that. He definitely needs to take a vacation with us." "I do have to admit I miss the little guy." "Me too." "But we will see him in two days." "That's not too long." We both laughed. "Taylor, do we really have to watch this right now? I mean the draft isn't until tomorrow. It's not like they are going to reveal anything."

"I don't want to go to the draft and then someone ask me a question and look dumb and not know the answer." "Okay." I laid my head on his chest and fell asleep. What seemed like five minutes later Taylor was waking me up so we could leave for the airport. I wish we could have spent more time in L.A, but I enjoyed the time that we did spend here. Hopefully we get bring Mason here someday if we ever come back.

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Taylor didn't have to be in Minnesota long, just for the first day of the draft. He had to go up on stage for the first pick and it kind of made me wish I would have been there when he was getting drafted, but this I'm okay with. I had to wait awhile until I could see him since he had a bunch of interviews to do with their new first overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. I was sitting in the hall of the arena and a didn't expect to see any familiar faces. "Nicole?" "Jordan? Hey." I stood up and gave him a hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were still in Edmonton." "Well, they asked me to come down for the draft. So here I am." "Oh cool. I'm just waiting on Taylor, he is a very popular guy." "Tell me about it." He sat next to me and saw the picture of Mason on my lock screen. "How is the little guy? He's in California right?"

I looked at the picture and smiled. "Yeah, with his dad." "You miss him don't you?" "If you got hurt and it ended your career, would you miss playing hockey?" "Of course." "That's how I feel with Mason, that's how much I miss him." "He's in good hands though, he is safe, it's not like you don't know where he is." "I know, it's not like I don't trust Beau, I do trust him, but I haven't been away from Mason for this long. I just like knowing what he is doing and that he is healthy and safe." "Well, I guess that is just your motherly instinct coming in." "Ya think?" We laughed. "At least you get to see him tomorrow." "Yeah. We fly back to L.A get the car and have a long drive back to Edmonton, but I get to see my son tomorrow and that's all I care about."

We sat there for a bit longer and Taylor came and found us once he was done and it was time for us to leave and fly back to L.A. "Taylor, I liked this vacation, but I really can't wait to be back in Edmonton." "I know, me too." We eventually got back in California and drove all the way back to Edmonton and when we got home we went right to bed. We were so tired, but I couldn't wait for morning to come around and for Mason to be back home with us.

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I woke up and checked my phone. There was one text from Beau saying he would be at my house in about twenty minutes. "Taylor, Mason is gonna be here in like twenty minutes." "Okay, I'm up." He got out of bed and went to take a shower. I sat in the living room watching tv and waiting for Beau to text me and say he was outside. Taylor got out of the shower and I heard honking outside. I looked out the window and saw Beau's car in the driveway. "He's here!" I ran outside and almost fell down the stairs. I got outside and saw Mason standing in the driveway and he smiled when he saw me. "Mommy!" "Mase!" I picked him up and spun his around and kissed him. "Did you miss me?" "Of course I missed you Mase." "I missed you too." "I'm so happy you're home." "Me too." He gave me another hug and then saw Taylor over my shoulder. "Taylor!" I put him down and he ran over to Taylor.

I went over to Beau and gave him a hug. "Thank again for letting me have him, we had a great time." "Of course. He needs time like that, and I'm gonna have to get used to him going away to be away with you." Beau pulled Mason's bags out of the cars and put them on the driveway. "You know I started thinking about that. Him having to be far away whenever he has time with me." "Yeah?" "Well I was thinking about maybe seeing if I could get a trade to Edmonton and move up here. That way he won't ever have to be far away, and the drives for us to pick him up form each other wouldn't be super long." "That wouldn't be a bad idea since he is starting school soon. Plus I'm sure he would love to have you around more."

"Yeah, I just am trying to make things a little easier you know?" "Yeah. Well let me know about all your plans and how it works out. I think it's a pretty good idea for you to move here and it will be better for Mason to have you around." "I think so too. Alright well I gotta head back to California." "Alright. Thank you for bringing him back up." I gave him a hug and he said goodbye to Mase. "You gotta go?" "Yeah I do bud, but I'm gonna be back soon okay?" "Okay. I love you." "Love you too Mase." He gave him a hug and was on his way. "So everything good with Beau?" Taylor carried Mason's bags back inside and Mason and I followed. "Well, he is thinking about moving here to be closer to Mase." "How?" "He is gonna ask to be traded." "How do you feel about that?" "I think it isn't a bad idea, I mean since he is starting school soon, and he deserves to have his dad around more."

"Yeah. As long as you are okay with it, then I am too." We took mason inside and unpacked all his stuff. I kinda like the idea of Beau moving to Edmonton if he gets traded. It will be nice to have him around more in Mason's life. And since Mase is starting school soon it will be nice for Beau to be part of that.