Winter of 2006

World Junior Championship, Gold Medal Game, January 2006

Sidney skated out onto the ice, scanning the crowd for merely a second, just like he’d done for every game in his career. It seemed to him that the crowds just seemed to grow and grow. Listening as people cheered in the crowd when they heard his name, made him so incredibly proud. All the hard work that worked up with this moment and every moment to come were worth it.

That’s when he saw her. Her black hair with a bunch of faded blue streaks stood out in the crowd. Jessie was three rows back, holding a sign as high above her head as possible. “We miss you back home, Sidney!” Skating closer, he could see tears running in streaks down her perfect face. It’d been a year since he last saw her. Since she told him to follow his dream and not worry about her, seeing her took him back to that moment.

***

The cold Nova Scotia night air rushed over his skin. “We were fine when I was playing to Shattuck’s.” he whispered to her. Always fearful of her parents coming out of the scenic cottage by the water and telling him off.

“No, we weren’t, Sidney. It was far, really far. How many times did you call me at all?” The tiny droplets falling from her light brown eyes made him feel helpless.

“I tried, you know I tried. I worried the nights where it was too late to call you. I wanted to. I wanted to be with you.” His fifteen year old heart begged for her understanding.

“I know, Sid. I know you did and I want you to be free of that. I mean, we’re so young. It’s okay. I’ll be here when you visit…. Who knows maybe the NHL with plop a team in the middle of Cole Harbour.” A sad laugh made his heart break.

Through his own wet eyes, he stared at her petite face, one that he’d had around his whole life, one that he wasn’t willing to let go of. “I’ll go to Rimouski but I sure as hell won’t like it.”

Jessie pulled him to her body and shoved her face into his chest. “Yes, you will. It’ll just take time for you to forget me.”

“I won’t forget you. I don’t want to. I won’t ever want to.”

***

Coming back, his heart soared. There she was, just for him. It was almost like he was a kid again, playing for her in the crowd. He gave her the wink he used to when he was little and skated past her. Her laugh filtered in his ears above everything.

When he stopped in front of her section and pretended to stretch, she mouthed to him. “Find me after.” It seemed like everything after that moment was a blur. In the back of his mind, he registered breaking a couple more records and winning but all he wanted to do was change and meet her. It seemed to take forever to finish with interviews and get out into the cold British Columbia air.

Once he made it to the parking lot, he scrolled to the number his mother had given him but he’d always been too scared to call. As it dialed, Sid felt his heart race. When the line clicked, he didn’t even get a chance to speak.

“Don’t get in your car. Walk across the street. I’m in the park. Find me.” His eighteen year old heart followed her directions blindly. Making his way through the car, he saw a pair of mittens. They were Jessie’s, pinned to a tree branch. A pair of mittens bright red with a plain white maple leaf in the center, she owned for as long as he knew her, hung in the wind.

Sid grabbed them and walked further into the park, almost to the edge of the water. Finally making it through, he saw her sitting at a bench watching the sky; just like he’d seen her do so many times before. “Jessie.”

The next thing he knew, she was off the bench and on his body, wrapped around him. “You’re such a rockstar.” She breathed into his ear.

“I’m a rockstar? Look at you with all this hair.” He reached over and wrapped his finger around a strand of hair that was streaked blue. “This all used to be blonde.” He had to admit, even with the streaks, the black was more close to her natural brown than her blonde ever was.

“I changed? You grew like a foot and fifty pounds on me. Jeez, you’re built…” An embarrassing blush crept up his cheeks. They both sat in silence, taking in their new selves, remembering everything they could have forgotten with their time apart.

“I missed you so much, Jess.” He finally chocked. Jess only nodded at him, small tiny tears fell from her eyes before she pulled him, with an amazing amount of strength, into her.

“I’ll take that as a, ‘I missed you so much I came all the way from Nova Scotia, Sidney.’”

“No.” Her response took him by surprise. Sidney cocked his head at her and waited for her to collect herself and explain. When she didn’t, curiosity got the better of him.

“What’re you talking about, Jess? Explain it to me.”

“That sign, when I said home, Sidney. I meant Pittsburgh. I go to school in Pittsburgh, Sid. Your mom didn’t tell you? I came all the way from Pittsburgh to see you, to be here for you.” She smiled at him; it was a smile that only heaven could make.

“Don’t pay your next semester’s room and board.” A grin was starting for form on his face. If she was in Pittsburgh, that meant that they could finally, after so long, be together again.

“Sid, I can’t live on the streets of Pittsburgh and starve.” She joked.

“You will never go cold or hungry with me around. Come live with me, Jess. I want my best friend back.” Sid’s voice had dropped to a whisper at this point. They both looked into eyes they’d fallen in love with as children.

Jess only nodded her head and burrowed back into him for warmth. It was like everything Sidney felt he’d been missing for years was suddenly filled. Neither of them knew if it was going to work but he had her back, he had the one who he’d never been able to forget back. Right then that was all he needed.