Status: One and Done
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One
Pittsburgh was different, to say the least.
Grace was used to warmth. Growing up in Phoenix before moving to Dallas for school had trained her not to accept temperatures under fifty degrees.
It was fifteen outside of the Pittsburgh airport.
She shivered under all of her layers, bundling in closer to her newly purchased winter coat. She couldn’t believe she was here.
“Gracie!” She turned to see Matt exiting his car, a fancy Range Rover she had taunted him for buying. She preferred his old, banged-up car he had all throughout college and rookie year. But his teammates had redecorated it ridiculously and auctioned it off for charity, so instead he drove what she referred to as “the beast.”
“Matty,” she signed in relief, hugging him as he walked up towards her. “I’ve missed you.”
He gave her a quick kiss before replying. “I’ve missed you, too. But unpacking all of your boxes has kept me busy,” he said, grinning at her. She wrapped her arms around him in thanks.
“I can’t believe this is where we live now.” Her green eyes took in the limited view, snow falling and piling up on Matt’s pristine car.
“You’re gonna love it, baby, I promise.”
Grace would be lying if she said she suspected Matt would get traded. Sure, she heard his name in rumors but those rumors had been there since the beginning. When it finally happened, she was in shock.
She supposed it was for the best. He wasn’t going alone to Pittsburgh, as James had been part of the deal as well for somebody named Goligoski. And she was happy that Matt would get more recognition in a hockey centric town like Pittsburgh. All of the players were pretty anonymous in the Cowboys-crazy Dallas.
It came at a good time as well. Two months before, she had been laid off from work. The economy was in the tank, nobody seemed to be hiring unless you had years and years of experience, and she struggled hard to find a job. When she got Matt’s text about the trade, she had just finished up her ninth unsuccessful interview.
Still, she would rather be in Dallas. It was home.
“You’re gonna love this condo,” Matt said surely, pulling out of his parking spot towards the airport’s exit. “It’s right in the Southside, near all the restaurants and nightlife. It’s pretty modern. You’ll love it, swear.”
I’ll have to learn to, Grace thought to herself. “Alright. Is James staying with us?” She asked.
Matt shook his head. “Penguins put him up in some corporate apartment, I think. It’s closer to the rink.”
She nodded, pursing her lips. She forgot about this part. A whole new team with its own system and completely different families. A lot of Matt’s closest friends on the Stars had been single. Grace had been the mother of the group, cooking dinners and organizing parties for the team. She had a feeling it was going to be different here too. She would be a newcomer just like Matt.
“I forgot! The Penguins said they can help you search for a new job, they understand how hard it is when you move,” Matt said as they drove into a tunnel.
“They really go above and beyond for you here,” she said, eyebrows raised.
He smiled. “It’s great. You can tell they really care.”
They came out of the tunnel, the city spread out before them. It was so… small. And white. The snow had been coming down hard.
“Isn’t it awesome? It reminds me of home, back in Minnesota,” Matt commented happily from the driver’s seat. Grace made a noise in response, hoping he didn’t realize just how unexcited she was to be here.
Grace glanced at the map again. She could have sworn she was headed in the right direction before. Pittsburgh had too many little side streets that confused her.
She decided to go into the closest building to ask for help. There was a woman at a desk with a computer beside her that she was clicking through. She looked up as Grace approached, a friendly smile appearing on her lips.
“I’m sorry, do you know where the high school is close to here?”
“Yes, of course! Are you interviewing for the math position?” Grace nodded. “My niece goes there, she absolutely hated the old teacher. I bet you’ll be much better,” she said reassuringly. She began to explain how to get to the school but Grace got distracted as she glanced at the computer and saw a giant image of James and Matt.
The woman paused, noticing Grace’s stare. “Pretty exciting, isn’t it? I just love trades. Sad to see Goligoski go, he won the Cup with us of course. But this Neal’s supposed to play with Crosby when he gets back.” The receptionist leaned back in her chair and raised her eyebrows as if she was unsure that was a good idea. “I haven’t heard much about him or the other guy – what’s his name?”
“Niskanen,” Grace muttered quickly.
“Oh right, Niskanen! I guess he’ll be a good replacement for Goligoski, lord knows we need help on defense.” The woman tutted, looking at Grace as if she understood completely. She didn’t.
“I heard it he did pretty well in Dallas,” she commented casually, waiting to see the woman’s reaction.
The receptionist merely shrugged, going back to the map. “Just take a left onto Fifth Avenue and then turn right when you get to Penn. Go straight and you’ll get there. Oh, and go Pens!”
Grace smiled. “Go Pens.”
The interview had gone great. Better than great, it had gone perfectly. Better yet, Matt had won his first game with the Penguins and even scored his first goal of the season. Grace couldn’t help but feel things were looking up.
It was a lazy day. The only thing Grace was doing was looking for decorations for the bare, boring walls as she waited for Matt to come home from lunch. She was happy for him as he continued to bond with his new teammates. She wanted him to fit in and love his new team.
“Hi, babe,” he called out as he entered the condo. He walked into the living room, swooping down over Grace and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “We got invited to Staalsy’s St. Patrick’s Day Party next Saturday. Apparently it gets pretty crazy,” he wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her giggle.
“I bet. So you had a good practice?”
He grinned. “Yeah. I think I’m busting out of my slump. Something about this place just makes me feel comfortable. It’s becoming home.”
Grace smiled. “I think we’re going to love it here.”
Grace was used to warmth. Growing up in Phoenix before moving to Dallas for school had trained her not to accept temperatures under fifty degrees.
It was fifteen outside of the Pittsburgh airport.
She shivered under all of her layers, bundling in closer to her newly purchased winter coat. She couldn’t believe she was here.
“Gracie!” She turned to see Matt exiting his car, a fancy Range Rover she had taunted him for buying. She preferred his old, banged-up car he had all throughout college and rookie year. But his teammates had redecorated it ridiculously and auctioned it off for charity, so instead he drove what she referred to as “the beast.”
“Matty,” she signed in relief, hugging him as he walked up towards her. “I’ve missed you.”
He gave her a quick kiss before replying. “I’ve missed you, too. But unpacking all of your boxes has kept me busy,” he said, grinning at her. She wrapped her arms around him in thanks.
“I can’t believe this is where we live now.” Her green eyes took in the limited view, snow falling and piling up on Matt’s pristine car.
“You’re gonna love it, baby, I promise.”
Grace would be lying if she said she suspected Matt would get traded. Sure, she heard his name in rumors but those rumors had been there since the beginning. When it finally happened, she was in shock.
She supposed it was for the best. He wasn’t going alone to Pittsburgh, as James had been part of the deal as well for somebody named Goligoski. And she was happy that Matt would get more recognition in a hockey centric town like Pittsburgh. All of the players were pretty anonymous in the Cowboys-crazy Dallas.
It came at a good time as well. Two months before, she had been laid off from work. The economy was in the tank, nobody seemed to be hiring unless you had years and years of experience, and she struggled hard to find a job. When she got Matt’s text about the trade, she had just finished up her ninth unsuccessful interview.
Still, she would rather be in Dallas. It was home.
“You’re gonna love this condo,” Matt said surely, pulling out of his parking spot towards the airport’s exit. “It’s right in the Southside, near all the restaurants and nightlife. It’s pretty modern. You’ll love it, swear.”
I’ll have to learn to, Grace thought to herself. “Alright. Is James staying with us?” She asked.
Matt shook his head. “Penguins put him up in some corporate apartment, I think. It’s closer to the rink.”
She nodded, pursing her lips. She forgot about this part. A whole new team with its own system and completely different families. A lot of Matt’s closest friends on the Stars had been single. Grace had been the mother of the group, cooking dinners and organizing parties for the team. She had a feeling it was going to be different here too. She would be a newcomer just like Matt.
“I forgot! The Penguins said they can help you search for a new job, they understand how hard it is when you move,” Matt said as they drove into a tunnel.
“They really go above and beyond for you here,” she said, eyebrows raised.
He smiled. “It’s great. You can tell they really care.”
They came out of the tunnel, the city spread out before them. It was so… small. And white. The snow had been coming down hard.
“Isn’t it awesome? It reminds me of home, back in Minnesota,” Matt commented happily from the driver’s seat. Grace made a noise in response, hoping he didn’t realize just how unexcited she was to be here.
Grace glanced at the map again. She could have sworn she was headed in the right direction before. Pittsburgh had too many little side streets that confused her.
She decided to go into the closest building to ask for help. There was a woman at a desk with a computer beside her that she was clicking through. She looked up as Grace approached, a friendly smile appearing on her lips.
“I’m sorry, do you know where the high school is close to here?”
“Yes, of course! Are you interviewing for the math position?” Grace nodded. “My niece goes there, she absolutely hated the old teacher. I bet you’ll be much better,” she said reassuringly. She began to explain how to get to the school but Grace got distracted as she glanced at the computer and saw a giant image of James and Matt.
The woman paused, noticing Grace’s stare. “Pretty exciting, isn’t it? I just love trades. Sad to see Goligoski go, he won the Cup with us of course. But this Neal’s supposed to play with Crosby when he gets back.” The receptionist leaned back in her chair and raised her eyebrows as if she was unsure that was a good idea. “I haven’t heard much about him or the other guy – what’s his name?”
“Niskanen,” Grace muttered quickly.
“Oh right, Niskanen! I guess he’ll be a good replacement for Goligoski, lord knows we need help on defense.” The woman tutted, looking at Grace as if she understood completely. She didn’t.
“I heard it he did pretty well in Dallas,” she commented casually, waiting to see the woman’s reaction.
The receptionist merely shrugged, going back to the map. “Just take a left onto Fifth Avenue and then turn right when you get to Penn. Go straight and you’ll get there. Oh, and go Pens!”
Grace smiled. “Go Pens.”
The interview had gone great. Better than great, it had gone perfectly. Better yet, Matt had won his first game with the Penguins and even scored his first goal of the season. Grace couldn’t help but feel things were looking up.
It was a lazy day. The only thing Grace was doing was looking for decorations for the bare, boring walls as she waited for Matt to come home from lunch. She was happy for him as he continued to bond with his new teammates. She wanted him to fit in and love his new team.
“Hi, babe,” he called out as he entered the condo. He walked into the living room, swooping down over Grace and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “We got invited to Staalsy’s St. Patrick’s Day Party next Saturday. Apparently it gets pretty crazy,” he wiggled his eyebrows at her, making her giggle.
“I bet. So you had a good practice?”
He grinned. “Yeah. I think I’m busting out of my slump. Something about this place just makes me feel comfortable. It’s becoming home.”
Grace smiled. “I think we’re going to love it here.”