Rocking The House

"Hey Sid, wake up. Can we stop for coffee or something? And how come you are making me drive in Quebec? I can't understand the signs."

"Stop whining Jack, I've been driving for a week, and yes, we can stop for coffee." I replied, my eyes still closed and my arms crossed on my chest. I turned my head towards the window and opened my eyes. I could tell that we were almost in New Brunswick, I had made this drive many times when I was a kid and the terrain was familiar. "There should be a Tim Horton's coming up off the next exit."

"Good. I hope you get free coffee for life with the amount of stuff you do for them." Jack didn't even look away from the road while he said that. My brain was becoming less fuzzy and I was actually able to focus. I might be good to drive the last stretch but I didn't want to say anything, I was enjoying Jack's suffering. Now that my hangover had worn off my butt was really starting to hurt, the constant schaffing on it from sitting on it in the car didn't help. I figured we would have to stop at a drug store to get something for it. "Don't worry Jack, you won't have to pay for your coffee."

We pulled off the highway and into the Tim Horton's. "What do you want? Stay here and I'll run in and get it."

"Coffee, black. And maybe something to eat. You're the expert, get me whatever." I walked into the restaurant and looked up the menu. My stomach started to growl as soon as I looked at it, telling me I needed to put some food in my belly. I ordered our coffees and a couple sandwhiches and donuts. Maple glazed for me nad Boston Cream for Jack.

I opened the car door and Jack was laying back with his eyes closed. Long day for both of us and I couldn't wait to just get home and sleep in my own bed. I handed Jack his sandwhich and coffee. "I can drive. Let's eat and then we'll switch."

He took a bite of this sandwhich and mumbled with his mouth full "Thank god." We switched seats and were on our way again.

As we approached Cole Harbour I began to get excited. My mom had no idea that I was coming, and she loved Jack so she would be extra excited to see him as well. Soon we had crossed the border into Nova Scotia and I could almost smell the ocean. By the time we got to my parents place it was nearly ten o'clock. The lights were out and my dad's truck was not in the driveway. I had a key for the house but decided not to scare the leaving pants off of them if they were home so I drove to my place first.

As soon as I opened the door to my house I smiled. This was my first big purchase when I made it in the NHL and I loved it as much now as I did then. It was secluded and quiet and I could just be me here. I turned on the heat as Jack made his way to the guest room. He was familiar with my place, spending at least a week here with me every summer. I grabbed my phone and dialed my mom, it was Friday night so it wasn't unusual for them to not be home. Her phone rang and rang and rang, until finally her voicemail picked up. "Hi you've reached Trina, leave a message."

"Hi mom. Just wondering where you are. I tried calling the house but no answer. Call me back."

I threw my phone on the counter and opened the fridge. It was empty, of course it was empty. I hadn't been here since Christmas. I walked upstairs towards my bedroom and yelled to Jack that I was going to take a long overdue shower. I put it as hot as I could bare and stood under it until I couldn't take it anymore. I turned the water off and to my horror the smoke detectors were going off. All of them. Shit. I opened my bedroom door to see smoke billowing up the staircase.

"Jack! What's going on? Are you okay?" I asked, panic in my voice. I grabbed my pants off of the floor and tried to navigate my way downstairs. The whole lower level of the house was filled with smoke.

"It's okay. I just tried to start the fire. You're house is freezing!" I could see him standing in the fog, waving a magazine above the smoke detector. I went to the kitchen to open the windows and doors.

"How the fuck did this happen? Didn't you open the flue?" I said through my coughs.

"What's a flue? At my parents place we just throw wood and paper in the woodstove and off we go."

"It's not a woodstove Jack, it's a fireplace, and since I'm not usually here at this time of year the flue is closed! Crap!" I could hear the sirens in a distance and was sure that they were becoming louder. "I bet the neighbour called the fire department! No one knows I'm home. Shit."

"Relax Sid, they'll just come and check it out." Jack was opening all the doors on the main level as I raced upstairs to open the windows there." By the time I got back downstairs the sirens had stopped and I could see the flashing red lights parked in my driveway. I opened the door to the firefighters and tried to explain the situation.

"Good evening Mr. Crosby. Is everything okay here?" The fire chief asked.

"Yes, sorry. Forgot to open the flue and things got a little out of control."

"Okay, well we'd like to do a parameter check if that's ok, and then we'll leave you to it."

'Sure, do whatever you need. I'm sorry for the false call."

"It's alright Mr. Crosby, we're just happy that no one got hurt and there isn't any damage. I might suggest getting someone in here to deep clean, it might take a while for the smell to dissipate."

"Great, thank you sir." I closed the door and leaned against it. Laughing to myself that I had been home for all of thirty minutes and Jack nearly burned my house down. "Remind me again why I continue to be friends with you?" I asked Jack.

"Because you love me." He laughed. "But not in a gay way. You know."

"Yeah yeah, now let me show you how to build a real file. Didn't you go to boy scouts?"

"Yes, but in boy scouts they teach you how to build a campfire, not this." He waved his hand in front of the fireplace.

I set up the perfect teepee, making sure the flue was open and was about to strike a match when my phone rang. "Don't touch anything!" I put the match down and ran to grab my phone. It was my mom.

"Hey Mom"

"Hey Sweetie. I got your message. Are you okay?"

"Yes fine." I stopped because I could barely hear her. "Mom where are you? Do I hear bagpipes?"

"We're at the Scotties! At the Lounge. We are actually hanging out with players! This is amazing!"

"Scotties?" I asked. What on earth was she talking about.

"Yes, we're in Charlottetown watching the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Curling nationals!" She was definitely excited.

"Since when have you been into curling?"

"Didn't I tell you? You're dad and I joined a league this winter. It's so much fun. So when we found out that the Scotties were in Charlottetown we decided to make a mini vacation out of it." I rolled my eyes at her, she knew it too. "Don't roll your eyes at me Sidney, there are other sports besides hockey and fishing. Curilng is a great social sport."

"Sure mom. How long will you be there?"

"Oh, all week! Games start tomorrow."

"Okay, well maybe I'll call you at the hotel tomorrow so I can hear you better. Where are you staying?"

"At the Great George. I'll talk to you later Sid. I love you."

"Love you too mom." I hung up and looked over at Jack before going back to the fireplace and lighting the fire. "Wanna hit up the Island tomorrow?"

"Do you even need to ask? As long as there will be some hunnies there, I'm up for anything."

"Good, and then I don't have to worry about you burning down my house either." I laughed and headed down to my games room. "We gotta watch Bon Cop Bad Cop tonight since we're leaving tomorrow. Let's go." Jack sighed as he followed me downstairs. He may complain now, but I knew it would only be a matter of minutes until he started laughing.