Bay Boy

I flew back to Montreal, smiling from the heart stopping kiss Jordan had given me at the airport. I wouldn't see Jordan for at least two weeks. We still hadn't determined when I'd even see him next. It really sucked not being in the same city as him. There were so many other women, like the waitress at the diner, who would be better girlfriends to him. There were so many prettier, funnier, better girls in Pittsburgh. Girls who didn't have to balance their family life and medical school and who didn't have to fly out to see him. Girls who would drop everything for him in a second, who would wait for him at his house, dinner cooking for when he came home from a road trip. But with me he would come home to a cold, empty house. I shook the thoughts out of my head, he wouldn't still be with me after two months if he didn't want to, right?

I dressed for school, excited to get to microbiology. The class was so much fun and the workload was ridiculous but I managed. I took out my notebook and pen and flipped I to a blank piece of paper, ready for the oncoming lecture.

I walked home, my hair a mess and my bag heavy with assignments. I wanted to collapse, I was beyond exhausted. My phone started ringing, Jordan's ringtone. I picked up.
"Hello?"
Hey, everything okay Mila?"
I sighed. "Yeah, just a long day. What's up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to come to our season opener. The preseason's almost over and it's a big deal."
"When is it?"
"Thursday, December third."
I bit my lip. I technically shouldn't miss school but two days wouldn't hurt, right? It would be harmless, just two days of skipping, I could say I was sick and I'd have my professors' sympathy. They'd let me make things up. Besides, what kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't go support Jordan?
"That sounds good Jord, I'll be there."
"Awesome! I'm so excited Mila, it means a lot that you're coming. You okay with sitting with the WAGs?"
Jordan's voice sounded so happy and he seemed ecstatic that I was going to his game. I smiled, his happiness made me happy.
"Yeah, that's fine, thanks Jordo."
"Alright, I gotta go Mila. Bye."
"Bye Jord."
I hung up and rushed into the brownstone.

Three weeks later, Jordan and I were still going strong. He texted and called a lot and we Skyped too. Things were going well. I threw my bag into the back of a taxi before the cabbie slammed on the gas and headed to the airport. I boarded my flight and frowned at my ticket. Jordan had gotten me first class. I'd confessed to him two weeks ago that I was running out of money to keep visiting him and he'd insisted on paying for my ticket. I was not at all amused that he was wasting money on me, buying me first class when I'd be perfectly happy in economy.

The 737 landed in Pittsburgh and I looked out the window, seeing the Pittsburgh skyline. It wasn't half bad. Nothing like DC but pretty in it's own way. I took a cab to Jordan's, he was at morning skate. I punched the code into his security system and entered through the garage, his Range Rover was gone. I showered and stole a yogurt from his fridge before brushing my hair. It was a frizzy mess as usual. Most girls looked hot with wet hair but my hair managed to frizz and stuck up as it dried, it was not attractive. I looked like the opposite of a Pantene commercial. I sat on Jordan's comfy leather couch and watched Friends. The show was a classic and I was laughing so hard I was almost crying. I must have been quite a sight.

After an hour and a half of Friends I retreated to Jordan's guest bedroom and changed. I got into a tee shirt and jeans. I sat on the bed, waiting for Jordan to come back. I wondered what was taking him so long. God, I felt like such a 50s housewife, waiting for the man to come home. I could never be a stay at home wife. I'd die of boredom.

I heard the door slam loudly and I heard Jordan's distinctive voice and another one I didn't recognize, one of his teammates maybe?
"Jared what the fuck? You can't just show up! My girlfriend's here! She's staying in the guest room." Jordan fumed. Wait, Jared? As in his brother Jared? Jared was here?!
"Look Jordo, I just thought I'd come see your season opener. Chill. What's the big deal? I'll be in your guest room for two days, you won't even know I'm here." Jared's voice sounded chill whereas Jordan had sounded angry.
"She's staying in the guest room dumbass!" Jordan seethed.
"You guys are fucking, can't you stay in the same room? Jeez."
"I'm going to go to the closet to get some sheets for you and you're going to stay in the room I used to use for my one nighters. You better fucking pray Milena didn't hear any of that."
I heard Jared agree.
His room for one nighters? Jordan had a room in his house dedicated to one night stands? But he hadn't done that since he'd been with me, right? I mean it was no secret that Jordan was a physical guy and we hadn't slept together, had he been getting his release through puck bunnies? I'd just have to trust him as difficult as it was.

I tromped downstairs where I found Jared, who was just as tall as Jordan with bright red hair. "Hey," he said.
"Hey, I'm Milena. You're Jared right?"
He nodded and pulled me into a hug. "Yup. It's nice to meet you. I can't believe Jordan finally got a girlfriend."
I laughed.
"Okay, so don't get mad at me but you play for the um, Charlotte Checkers, right?"
I had racked my brain trying to remember which team the youngest Staal played for. I could remember hundreds of chemical compounds but my brain turned to mush when it came to sports.
"Yeah!" Jared said smiling.
Jordan came downstairs and saw Jared and I chatting. His angry expression eased and he planted a kiss on top of my head. He wrapped his arms around me and leaned down close to my ear.
"Mila, baby, I'm so sorry, I didn't know he was coming."
Baby. He'd called me baby. Holy fuck.
"It's okay Jord. He's nice," I whispered back.
"You're the best," Jordan said before giving me a kiss on the cheek.
Jared looked uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot.
"Do you guys want lunch?"
Jordan nodded, before telling Jared I was an awesome cook.

I quickly made sole fillets with mango salsa and chopped up veggies for salad while Jordan and Jared watched ESPN. The Staals lived, breathed, ate and slept hockey; their entire lives revolved around it.
"Lunch!" I called.
Their huge hockey player feet thudded across the wooden floor into Jordan's kitchen and I smiled at just how loud they were.