Last Chance

By the time we got back to the Crosby's I was exhausted. I think Taylor had taken me into every single store in the mall. I was happy when I finally put my feet up and have a glass of wine with Trina. We didn't have to wait too long for Troy and Sid to get back from their golf game either, which was nice.

Sid dropped his keys on the counter before coming over to give me a kiss. "Did you have fun shopping? I hope you bought more than books." He teased.

I smiled up at him, "Of course, we had a great time catching up, and I only bought two books. Stop making fun." I stuck my tongue out at him. "I can never have too many books."

"Yes you can, but that's beside the point." He stuck his tongue back at me. "So now you're mine for the rest of the night right?" He winked at me and then ruffled Taylor's hair.

"Still mad at me Tay?" He asked.

"Nope. And I really like this new pair of jeans you bought me." She smacked his arm. "Stop messing my hair!" She turned back to the TV show she was watching.

"You're hair is fine. Relax." He replied. Sid turned his attention back to me.

"Ready to go?" He asked

Trina looked over at us. "Leaving so soon? I thought we could have dinner." She said with hint of disappointment in her voice.

Sid looked at me and raised his eyebrow. "It's up to you. Are you sure you're not sick of them yet?" He teased.

"Nah, I could never get sick of your family."

"Well, that settles it then." He went to the fridge, grabbed a beer, and joined me on the couch.

----------------------------

Trina went all out for dinner and my stomach hurt from laughing so much. There was never a dull moment when all of the Crosby's were together.

I helped Sid with the dishes before we said our good-byes. I promised Taylor I would help her plan a BBQ for the following weekend and told Trina I would be by soon to visit.

The drive to Sid's house was quiet. He put his hand on my thigh and drove quietly the few kilometers to his cottage. He pulled up his drive way to a beige three level house.

"Cottage?" I questioned, trying to keep my mouth from falling open.

"Technically, yes. It's on the lake." He chuckled.

"Yeah, more like a Villa." I murmred. Sid came around and opened my door for me.

"You'll see, it has a cottage country feel to it on the inside." He grabbed my hand and guided me towards the door.

We entered through the garage which was just off of the kitchen. The kitchen was bigger than my apartment back in Calgary and had floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lake. It was amazing. He wasn't lying though, the house did have a very homey, country feel to it. Nothing extreme or over the top. There were leather couches in a formal living room with a flat screen that hung above a very inviting fireplace.

"I've been wanting to show you my house since the first day I laid eyes on it." He said, pulling me through the kitchen and up the stairs. "It's not too big, but big enough for me. For friends." He paused. "For Family." He hesitated at the last word. "Three guest rooms upstairs, plus my room. And a full en suite and a guest bath. Office is downstairs." He was now pulling me down the stairs and back to the main level. I didn't even get to look around upstairs. "Downstairs is my media room and game room as well as a bar. A walk out into the back yard to the hot tub and beach" He was speaking a million miles a minute and I had a hard time keeping up with him. "Plus two more rooms and another bathroom, laundry, and storage."

"Wow." It was all I could say. "I love it. It is totally you Sid."

"My mom helped me decorate it. I really could have cared less if the walls were beige or purple, but she insisted that i make it somewhat homey."

"Well, then your mom did a great job. She definitely knows her son."

Sid look at me and smiled. "I have something planned for us tonight."

"Oh really? What's that?"

"Surprise." He gave a mischevious grin. "Go upstairs, first door on the left and meet me in 20 min."

"Meet you where?" I asked.

"You'll figure it out." He turned and grabbed my butt. "Now go."

I turned and looked at him trying to decipher what was going on. I just shook my head in bewilderment and followed his instructions.

I climbed the stairs and looked back to see him staring at me from the bottom. When I got to the top I hesitated, before slowly opening the door.

I opened the door to what must have been Sid's room. Laying in the middle of his queen sized bed was a red rose and a pair of binoculars with a small folded note beside it. I opened it and smiled when I saw his terrible messy writing. "Welcome Home Baby. I've been waiting to watch the sun come up with you for what feels like an eternity."

Star Gazing! My heart lept with excitement at the thought of watching the sun come up with Sid again. I quickly pulled open the bottom drawer of his dresser and grabbed a hoodie, then raced downstairs only to find it empty. I walked out the back door and looked up at the roof.

"You found me!" He yelled from above.

"How do I get up?" I asked.

"Climb the lattus on the side. I'll meet you at the top." I walked around to the side of the house to see a lattus that went straight from the ground all the way to the top. I wondered if he had done that on purpose.

Sid grabbed my hand as I reached the top, pulling me up easily. We got settled up on the roof just as the sun was going down and we spread out our blanket and opened opened the cooler. I snuggled up next to Sid and put my head against his chest.

"Are you happy?" He asked as he poured me a glass of wine.

I closed my eyes and smiled. "Yes. This is perfect. Thank You. I couldn't think of a better way to spend the night."

I felt Sid chuckle silently against me.

"What?" I asked.

"Well, I could think of something else that would we could be doing that would be pretty comparable to this."

"Is that so?" I turned and looked at him. "Well I'm pretty sure we can arrange something later on." I snuggled closer into his as he squeezed me.

I looked up to see the Big Dipper take centre stage as the stars started to wake up. I traced each star in my mind, just as I did when I was a kid. Trying to memorize the sight. Each time we would return to the roof the stars would move, and every time I would trace them again.

-----September 2001-----

"What ya doing?" Sid asked. "You've had your eyes closed forever.

"Shhh. You're wrecking my picture."

"I'm what?"

"I'm tracing the stars, making pictures. Trying to memorize where each on is in the sky."

"Oh yeah? So what kind of pictures are you making?"

I opened one eye and looked over at him. "Well, besides the Big Dipper, which obviously, looks like a big soup ladel, non of these other constilations look like what they say they are supposed to look like. So, I make my own pictures so I know where to look in the sky. For instance, Leo is supposed to look like a lion. I definitely don't see a lion. What I see is a coat hanger. So that's how I chart it in my brain. I know, don't say it. I'm a total dork."

I heard Sid laugh. "Hey, you said it, not me." He nudged my shoulder. "Now open your eyes so we can make pictures together."

-----

"Are you making pictures again?" Sid asked me.

"You remember that huh." I opened my eyes and turned myself to face him.

"How can I forget. When you were gone, especially when I was home in the summer, I would come up here and make pictures of the stars. It was one of the only things that made me feel close to you. Especially when I didn't know where you were."

"I can't believe you remember that." I whispered.

"I remember everything about you Kel."

I smiled at his words as I watch a shooting star fall over the lake. I closed my eyes and I instead of making a wish, I thanked whoever or whatever was out there that let me live this moment so perfectly with my soul mate. When I opened my eyes Sid was looking at me.

"What were you thinking about?" He asked

"Us. You. How perfect this moment is and how I get to spend it with you."

"I love you so much, and there isn't anyone else in this world that I would want to go star gazing with."

"I love you more." I turned my head and looked up at him. "I'd do anything for you."

"Anything?" He asked.

"Anything." I confirmed

"Marry Me."

It wasn't a question, but a statement. I turned around and looked up at him. "What?" I wasn't sure if I had heard him right.

"Marry me Kelly. Call me crazy if you want and I know it hasn't been that long, but you're all I want. All I need. I've waited for you for too long to wait anymore. Marry Me? Please? I don't have a ring, we can go shopping for one...anything you want. I just can't bare to spend another day without you. I could never leave here and not have you with me. We'll figure out the logistics with your schedule and we'll make it work. Yesterday, when I walked into my house...I had a vision. It was you and our kids and it hit me so hard I nearly fell over. It solidified everything that I have been thinking of. My life will never be complete without you."

He paused and I just stared at him. Was this really happening? I knew we were meant for each other, but was it too soon? I knew that there would never be anyone who would ever make me feel like he made me feel. I knew that I loved him more than anything and anyone and I wanted to be with him every single day. Forever. I knew in my heart that this was what I wanted, so, I nodded.

I saw Sid's eyes light up "For real? You want to marry me?" He asked

"I've never wanted anything more." By this time I couldn't get the smile off of my face. "Yes, of course Sid, Yes I want to marry you."

He threw his arms around me. "I love you. So Much. I don't want to be cliche and say you've made me the happiest guy in the world, but I'm not sure that there is anyone out there who is as much in love as I am with you."

I kissed his neck. "I feel like I could dance on the stars. I'm so, so happy right now." I looked up at him. "And I want to move to Pittsburgh with you, there is no way you are leaving me behind."

Sid eyed me. "What are you trying to say Kel?"

"I'm saying that I always told myself that the only thing I ever loved more than hockey, was you. And if I ever had to choose between the two, there would be no doubt what my choice would be."

"I would never ask you to quit what you love for me Kel. No way. We'll get you a trade, but you're not quitting. I know how much you love the game. I know how it makes you feel on the inside, because it does the same for me. We'll make it work, but no quitting. Okay?"

His warm eyes were on me as he cupped my chin. "Okay." I whispered back. "So when do you want to marry me?"

"Baby, that's up to you. I've waited for you for so long, I could marry you tomorrow. I could also wait if you wanted to plan it out. You could have your dream wedding, whatever you want, we'll make it happen.

How could one person be so sweet? I didn't want to wait. He didn't want to wait. The engagement ring could come later, it was the wedding band that was important and I knew just where to find the perfect ones. For both of us.

"I'm tired of waiting. I want nothing more to call up a Justice of the Peace and get married right here, right now. But maybe give me a couple days to get things organized. Monday, let's do it Monday and announce it on the weekend at your party. I want it to be just us, and our parents and Taylor. You can invite whomever you want to your party, but the wedding, it's just about us."

Sid smiled. "I couldn't agree more."