What You Work For

“Now remember,” Patricia said patting my knee outside my parents’ house. “We’ll be there with you every step of the way.”

We were preparing to drive down to Consol to sign my contract. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous.

“You’ll get a good deal,” Natalie assured me. “It’ll all be over before you know it.”

I nodded. “I’ll follow behind you guys.”

“Don’t worry,” Patricia said as I lowered myself into the driver’s seat of my car. “After today, you’ll be able to buy yourself a new car.”

I frowned. I loved my VW Bug. It was a candy apple red convertible and I had named it Loretta years ago. I’d bought it second hand from Jeremy’s friend in my senior year.

“Or not,” Natalie smiled. She was a bit more reasonable, I’d come to learn.

“See you there!” I called as I pulled out of the driveway. I was in the market for a place, but at the moment, it was more convenient to stay at home.

I drove with the top down and toed the thin line between speeding and abiding by the law. Fast driving was a bad habit I’d formed in my early college years. Late at night, I cruise around State College to clear my head. It was a miracle I’d never gotten caught.

It was a cloudy day and would probably be raining later, but I didn’t mind. The wind was enough to blow my long hair behind me and ruffle the ruffles on my blouse. I had had no clue as to what to wear and was too worried to ask Natalie or Patricia. Instead, I’d gone with dark skinny jeans, and orange sleeveless blouse, and ballet flats. My makeup was light, as always, and I wore my wishbone necklace from my grandparents, my engagement ring, and a pair of studs. My leather purse sat in the seat next to me with my iPhone in the cup holder.

*****

Getting to Consol a good twenty minutes later, I drove up to security.

“Hi,” I smiled to the guard. “I was told to park in the players’ lot. I’m-,”

He cut me off. “Olivia DuPont. Pleasure to meet you,” he extended his hand. “I’m Ralph McDonald, security. We’re glad to have a hometown girl playing for us.”

“Thanks,” I blushed as he handed me a parking pass. “I hope I do Pittsburgh proud.”

“I’m sure you will,” Ralph smiled. “Go on in.” He lifted the gate and waved me through.

I parked my car in an open spot and looked around. There were a few other cars in the lot, but I assumed they were staff. If they had any sense, all the players would still be with their families for another month and a half.

Deciding that I wouldn’t wait around, I got out of my car and headed towards a door that I assumed would lead to the arena.

I was right.

*****

I spent nearly ten minutes wandering around halls before I had the sense to use my phone. Coming the conclusion that Natalie would be a little kinder, I hit ‘4’ and called her.

“Olivia?” she asked. “Where are you?”

“I’ve got no clue,” I leaned against a wall. “I’m in a hallway somewhere.”

“Okay,” Natalie sighed. “Any signs?”

I looked around. “Oh! I know where I am. I’m to the left of the main entrance. How I got here, I have no idea.”

“Alright, we’ll send someone up for you,” she assured me. “Just stay there.”

‘Like I have anywhere to go.’ I thought.

True to her word, someone did come to retrieve me. That someone being Disco Dan.

“Olivia DuPont,” he smiled shaking my hand. “A pleasure to meet you. I’m Dan Bylsma.”

I tried not to squeal. “A pleasure to meet you,” I beamed. “I’m sorry you had to come find me.”

“Not a problem,” he waved it off. “This place can be a bit of a maze.”

We walked in silence for a few minutes before Dan spoke up again.

“I just want to let you know that it’s an honor to have you playing for me this year. We’re a team that likes to make history and this year, we’ll certainly be doing that.”

I stopped him there. “Don’t. I’m the one that’s beyond honored and beyond thrilled to be playing with my heroes.”

“Well either way,” Dan said. “We’re glad to have you. Meeting’s in here.”

*****

“So that’s pretty much it,” Ray Shero said. “We’ve discussed terms and pay. All that’s left is to sign on the dotted line.”

My breathing quickened. My first-of many- contracts. This…was…HUGE. I multiple things to update my Twitter with.

Ray handed me a pen and slid the paper across the table. Natalie and Patricia had already read through the documents and had given me the ‘okay’ to sign.

“Ready?” Mario asked from across me.

I nodded. “Beyond ready. I’ve been waiting for this.” I picked up the pen and flipped to first page. I initialed in a few places before flipping to the last page. There it was.

X__________________ Date__________

I carefully signed my name and put the date at the bottom of the paper. It was done.

“Welcome to the team,” Mario extended his hand.

*****

I sat at a panel table with Ray, Dan, and Mario before the media was let in. I was on my phone, naturally.

‘@Olivia00DuPont- Got lost in the bowels of CEC, had a heart-to-heart with Disco Dan, and signed a contract. #busyday #dayoffirsts’

‘@RNH_93- @Olivia00DuPont Woo! So happy for you, Ollie! #lookathergo #1stwomanintheNHL’

‘@GabeLandeskog_92- @Olivia00DuPont @RNH_93 Let’s get those trending! #lookathergo #1stwomanintheNHL’

I could literally feel my shit eating grin spread across my face.

‘@Olivia00DuPont- @GabeLandeskog_92 @RNH_93 Aw, shucks, guys. I feel all warm and fuzzy. Or maybe it’s my own hotness… #onfire #zinger #butreally’

“We’re letting the press in now,” someone said from the doorway.

I set my phone down on the table and sat up a little straighter. My hands were a little shaky and I could tell that I was sweating a smidge. I wiped my forehead to make it less shiny and hopefully make me less stressed.

“Don’t worry,” Mario said quietly from my right. “They’re not as scary as you think.”

“I’ve never faced this much media before,” I breathed out. “Not even after Vancouver.” My experience as captain of the U.S women’s hockey team hadn’t prepared me for this and neither had my experiences in college or high school.

Questions were beginning to be fired at me and I couldn’t tell what was coming from where.

Mario put a hand up. “Let’s take this a little easier here. You down in front.”

A female red head stood up. “How prepared are you for the coming season, Miss DuPont?”

I leaned into the mic. “Right now, I’m wouldn’t be able to play the way I should. But, I’ve got some time before camp and I’ll be training hard for the next six weeks.”

“Does that mean you won’t be spending any time in Scranton?” another asked.

Dan spoke up. “Olivia will be starting the season up here with us and we’ll take it from there.”

That was news to me. I’d really have to prove myself.

“What have you taken away from your time at Penn State?” a man asked from the back of the room.

“I learned so much in my four years there, academically and athletically. I learned more about leadership and about how a bigger, more national team works. It prepared me for the Olympics and for what was beyond State College,” I smiled at the memories. “The friends I made and the people I met are some of the best ever.”

“You’re engaged, correct?” another asked.

“Yeah,” I glanced down at my ring. “He’s in Iraq right now. Nick was supposed to have a few extra weeks, but he got called out.”

“How do you deal with the separation?”

“It’s hard,” I said. “But I’ve been dealing with it for a few years now. It never gets any easier, but I know how to deal with it. I just have to keep myself busy and not dwell too much on where he is and all that.”

The questions continued to fly for another twenty minutes before the media was ushered out. I leaned back in my chair and breathed a long sigh.

“Thank God.”

‘@Olivia00DuPont- Meet the media? Done! Now, a photo shoot. Wooo!’