Remembering My Childhood Crush

Kate’s POV
It was nice to be back in Washington. Walking the streets of the familiar city felt good.

I hadn’t been on good terms with my parents from the day I started working with the Capitals. My father had always worked hard in the factories, a normal nine to five job. But in Russia the woman marry, stay home, cook, clean and look after the children. But for me I wasn’t ready for that, I wanted to do something with my life.

I knocked and stood nervously at the front door to their townhouse waiting for them to answer.
“Kira,” my mother stood in front of me with a smile on her face.
“Mama…”
“Where have you been?” she wrapped her arms around me.
“Ma, I am sorry,” I began crying.

There is nothing like a mother’s touch and god had I missed hers.

“Sweetie it’s ok,” her hands cupped my face and wiped the tears away.
“Is pa around?”
“He is inside, come on. I am sure he will be happy to see you… you know he hasn’t been the same since his heart attack and when you left,” I saw my dad sleeping in his chair.

“Pa?” I knelt down next to him and took his hand, “Pa?”
“Kira?” he looked confused as he woke from his slumber.
“How are you?”
“I am ok,” he sat up, “Where have you been?”
“In Pittsburgh working for the Penguins with Evgeni,” I had only just realized how little I had to do with them lately.
“Are you home for good?” he squeezed my hand.
“No dad, I am not. I live there now but a lot has been happening lately and I realized that I haven’t been the best daughter and I will be home more often. I just want you to know I am sorry.”
“It’s ok Kira, I love you no matter what,” he pulled me to him and kissed my on the forehead.

“We love you no matter what,” my mother sat by my side and hugged us.
There is nothing like the love of your parents and to know they were alright made me feel more at ease. I just needed to make it up to them.

Evgeni’s POV
Kira: “Alex says thanks for the headache.” There was a photo attached of Alex hiding behind a pair of sunglasses and a beanie with a bruise down the side of his face.
Evgeni: “Tell him to keep his hands to himself.”
Kira: “Don’t worry his hands are safely in his pockets.”
Evgeni: “When are you coming home?”
Kira: “Friday, I should be home in time for the game against the Sabres.”
Evgeni: “Ok see you then, I love you.”
Kira: “I love you xoxo”

I missed Kira already, it had only been a couple of weeks. But since she came back it was the first time we had been apart.

I don’t what I ever did without her. She was my best friend and even though we could fight like there was no tomorrow and it would look like it was the end somehow we managed to make it right again.

******************************************

Some nights I loved playing hockey but tonight it just wasn’t feeling like it was my night. Kira was supposed to have been home by now and it worried me that she wasn’t.

“GENO IT’S YOURS!” Tanger yelled from behind me as I headed for the puck into the corner. My leg got tangled with someone else’s and I knew it was going to end badly.

I heard something pop and I couldn’t find the strength in my leg to even try and get up.

Kira’s POV
My plane had landed in time that I would make it for the second period.

I felt like it was a form of punishment when Chris sent me to work in the medical room sorting out all of the shelves and kits. But just being back and knowing I could surprise Evgeni was worth it.

Sid had been keeping me company and kept a close eye on the television up on the wall.
“Oh shit!”
“What?” I jumped down from the bench and stood by his side staring at the television.
“Geno is down,” he pointed at the screen.

“Zhenya get up, please get up,” I mumbled to myself as Evgeni laid on the ice in visible pain.

Before I even had a chance to move the door was opening and Chris was ushering Evgeni inside.

“Take your gear off and get up on the table,” Evgeni did as he was told. He looked sad and overly tired, “I have told you time and time again, don’t put yourself in a situation where you are going to get hurt,” Chris rambled on.

“Kira can you go get some ice and pack his knee?” Evgeni’s head shot up and he looked around the room before his eyes landed on me.
“Kira,” he smiled and tried to get down.
“No, no stay there,” I rushed to his side and put my hand on his stomach to stop him, “You don’t know what you have to done to your knee, just relax.”

It was already turning out to be a long night but when Max and I spent 20 minutes trying to convince Evgeni not to go upstairs and that he should just sleep in the guest bedroom downstairs I knew the whole injury was going to be difficult because he was so stubborn.

“I am fine,” he started for the stairs.
“Geno I don’t think you should be doing that,” Max stood helplessly at the bottom of the stairs.
“Zhenya please don’t, you’re going to fall and hurt yourself even more,” I put on my best sad eyes and was relieved when they worked.

“Only because I love you,” he turned around and let us help him.
“Or because you are whipped,” Max smiled as Evgeni collapsed into the bed.
“Rather whipped than have herpes…” Max glared as Evgeni smiled from the bed.
“Be nice you two.”

I knew Evgeni’s rather good mood now would be short lived. Give him a couple of days off the ice and he would be going insane.

“Zhenya don’t be dumb,” he put on his ankle brace and was getting ready to stick his foot in his skate boot, “You’re going to hurt yourself even more.”
“I will be fine, it’s been a month my ankle is better,” he moved it around trying to prove his ankle was ok after he had sprained tripping on a rock as we ran home from school one day.
“It’s not,” I could see him wince and his cover was blown.
“It is,” he rushed putting his foot back in the boot and did up his skate before standing up.

“Ouch!” he fell back onto the bench.
“See,” I stood with a purpose, my hands on hips trying to prove a point.
“Maybe just a few more weeks,” he hunched over looking upset.