She's a Lady

James’ POV

I looked at Oshie who grinned at me. I raised an eyebrow at him and he just laughed and skated away. Ok what the hell is going on? I haven’t done shit to him and I am not in the mood for a guy instigating stuff. I shook that off my head and took a deep. Clean slate, clean slate.

“What’s you and Oshie?”

I looked at Geno and shrugged.

“He just keeps grinning like an idiot at me” I said sitting down on the bench and reaching for my water bottle

He passed by and grinned towards me. He skated over to his bench and I looked at Sid.

“He’s starting something” I said.

Beau and Sid looked at me. Sidney laughed and shook his head.

“He is not. He’s just grinning at you”

“Why is he smiling at me? I don’t even know him” I said.

Sidney laughed again and I looked at him.

“What don’t I know?” I asked him.

Sid noticed how confused I looked and started doing that horrible Sid laugh.

“What year did Bella go to UND?”

I looked at him and Beau looked at me. He grinned at me and I rolled my eyes.

“Think really hard James. Real hard, I know it hurts to think but you do it anyways. It’s hard since your uneducated ass hasn’t used your brain in years”

I rolled my eyes at Beau and I thought about it. Bella was Toews age and TJ is older than me. This made no sense. Oshie passed by again and laughed as he looked at me.

“She knows Oshie?” I asked Beau realizing something.

He shrugged and looked at Sid. Sid sighed and looked at me like I was stupid.
“She didn’t exactly tell me but Chris was talking with someone named TJ from St. Louis and I put two and two together. She calls him Teej or Timmy. They talk often I don’t get how you didn’t know him. He’s like her bestfriend”

It all made sense. She went to school with Toews, so obviously she knew Oshie. Oshie and Toews had a bromance, how could I not remember that?

“Your shift James”

I hopped over and Kunitz gave me a smile. I skated over following the puck and I heard a laugh. I looked up and Tj grinned at me. He stood next to me and I looked at the puck, as Kuni got ready for the face off.

“How’s Bella?”

“She’s well. Working” I said batting him away.

He nodded and smiled. He was small for his age, then again so are most Americans.

“Good for Bella. You and I will talk after the game”

He skated away and I sped out after him as he skated away with the puck.
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“Good game” I told Oshie as I shook his hand.

He gave me a smile and looked at me up and down. He was reading me by the looks of it. He was still in his uniform, except he had no shoes on or his gear, just kind of the shorts. His hair was matted on his face and all.

“Tell Bella she needs to call me soon because I need something”

I nodded and he turned around. A girl walked over to him and smiled at him. She looked at me and smiled. She looked at me up and down and nodded.

“Tell Bella that Allison says hi”

I nodded and she looked up at TJ. I then realized she was the Ali, Bella and Eric were talking about the other day. I looked at her stomach and I noticed she was indeed pregnant.

“When are you due?” I asked her as I stood up a little.

TJ looked at her and she laughed lightly.

“I’m due in March, I’m pretty big for my time right now though”

I nodded and she smiled.

“Girl or boy?” I asked.

“We find out in a few days”

I looked at Oshie and he looked at her.

“Well congrats to both of you. Adrian and Charlotte just had their little girl and she is big” I said.

“I know! Bella send us a picture and she is so long. Then again she is Adrian’s child”

I laughed and nodded. Alison looked at me and hummed.

“Bella sure got a looker. Way better than Toes, his face remind me of a foot. An ugly foot”

I felt a sense of pride when she said that. TJ laughed and looked at her.

“How are you friends with that douche again?”

“He’s nice sometimes, he just resentful that Bella rejected him. He will get over it, eventually. At least I hope he does”

We shared a laugh and Allison said her feet were starting to hurt. TJ nodded and we said goodbye. I was about to turn around when TJ cleared his throat.

“Oh one thing”

I looked at TJ. Here comes the threat.

“If you hurt Bella, Chris will chop your penis off and make it look like an accident. I’ll visit him in prison if that ever happens. He will do it, I am not making this up. You should have seen how he left that douche bag that hurt Bella last time. Him and his brothers sure kicked his ass”

I nodded and he grinned.

My phone vibrated and I pulled it out of my pocket. TJ noticed it was Bella calling so he patted my shoulder.

“Nice meeting you!”

I waved and answered the call.

“Hey Beautiful” I said watching them leave.

TJ turned around when I said beautiful. He gave his girlfriend a squeeze and they smiled at each other.

“Just getting to know a few people here” I said when she asked what I was doing.

“That’s good, how’s your leg?”

“It’s well. I’m a little tired but I’ll live” I said yawning as I began making my way over to the away lockers.

“I know I saw a few guys pushing you around”

I smiled because Oshie shoved me a few times. I found Sid waiting for me telling me to hurry up.

“Listen Beautiful I have to go. Got a flight to catch” I told her.

“Ok then have a safe flight I’ll see you later”

“Will do. I should get to your place at like 2am” I said.

“Ok then you know where the spare is, and Chris should be awake by then anyways so he’ll open the door for you”

I smiled.

“Ok” I said.

“Good night beautiful see you in a bit” I said as I heard her tell me goodnight.

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Bella’s POV

“So I met Tj Oshie last night”

I looked at him and saw James was smiling.

“Told me that you need to give him a call”

I laughed and nodded. HE would tell James that.

“You went to school with him?”

I nodded and he cocked his head to the side. It is story time!

“He lived next door and I had some classes with him my freshman year. He’s a really smart guy as well, so we joined up and did most of our homework together. He helped me in my GE’s and I helped him in what he didn’t get. It was a win win and well TJ is adorable” I said.

James laughed and nodded.

“He was there with his girlfriend. She says hi as well”

I nodded and looked at him.

“He’s planning on proposing. He’s had me look at like 5 rings and he chose one. He just needs her ring size but I’m being a bitch and not giving it to him. She’s pregnant as well so he’s just having a great year” I said looking at my nails.

“How come you don’t do your nails?”

I looked at him and laughed.

“Because I can’t. That’s super dangerous James” I said.

“Hmm never thought of that”

“Also I pick on them” I said.

He smiled and my phone rang. I looked at the phone and put it against my ear.

“TEEJ!” I said.

“BELLA!”

I smiled and looked at James. James smiled and turned his attention to the TV.

“James was just telling me you two talked” I said.

“Yup, we talked about how huge your ass is. Like you could give Crosby a run for his money”

I rolled my eyes and I leaned back on the couch.

“You shouldn’t be talking. You look like a girl with your hair like that, and your ass is huge as well” I said.

TJ laughed and I heard him shuffle around.

“Touché”

I laughed and I heard him shuffle around. I heard something drop and I rolled my eyes. The idiot was probably in his living room in just boxers, watching cartoons.

“How’s work?”

“I’m tired all the time, so you can say I’m living the life” I said groaning as my back cracked when I leaned back on the couch.

He laughed and I smiled.

“Well you chose that career. You love it, so quit whining”

“I do, but the hours kill me. I do 80 hours a week” I said.

“So you’re pulling 11 or 12 hour shifts?”

“Basically” I said.

“I can see why you’re whining then”

I nodded and leaned back.

“So, how’s your brother doing? I saw his performance and that was a clean routine”

I smiled and looked up when I heard the door open. Adam walked in with a duffle bag on his arm. He coughed and I looked at him.

“Well he’s sick” I started.

I stopped when I heard shuffling and puking noises. I made a face and smiled when
Adam groaned as made his way over to the kitchen. I leaned back on the couch and looked at the TV. I tried to hear what was going on over the phone, but all I could hear was TJ puking his guts out. I heard the toilet flush and the sink run. I looked at James who was wondering why I had stopped talking.

“You ok?” I asked when I heard him near the phone.

“No”

“Drink some ginger ale” I said.

“Hmm no this is worse than those hangovers Bells”

I nodded a little and I heard him move around.

“So when are you coming to visit me? You always came and it’s been like a year and a half. You don’t love me anymore”

“You’re an idiot. Of course I love you Teej” I said.

“Then come visit me and Ali. I don’t like leaving her alone especially pregnant”

“Where is Ali anyways?” I asked.

“She and some of the wives went to dinner. She said she would bring me something so I’m kind of just here in my apartment, in my boxers. I’m puking and all, you know living the life”

I laughed because I had thought about that a while ago/

“Don’t change the subject. When are you coming?”

“I don’t know Teej I’ve got work now. I can’t exactly do things in advance” I said.

He huffed and I smiled.

“You can come visit me though, eat some steak” I said.

The line stayed quiet and I smiled because he was considering it.

“I am dying for that steak. I am seriously considering having him ship me some overnight. I got the morning sickness and the weird cravings Bella. The guys made fun of me because following the puck during practice the other day got me sick”

I laughed and leaned on James.

“Hey you aren’t the one carrying a child” I said.

“You are right there, but Bella what can I eat or drink to get rid of that. Ask Charlie because I’m dying right now. I had to leave practice early today because the smell of locker room killed me.”

I frowned a little and hummed. He made a little whiny noise and I smiled. He was sick because he was starting to beg.

“Come take care of me Bella. I’m dying”

I rolled my eyes and sat up.

“What are you doing thanksgiving?” I asked.

James looked at me and then ba at the TV.

“I think we have a game that day I honestly don’t remember. I am down to fly down there for Christmas though. I want some steak and Ali said something about your feet rubs”

I smiled; the girl must be exhausted if she’s asking for my foot massages.

“Teej rub her feet. She’s carrying your child” I scolded him.

He made a little whiny noise.

“I’m tired, and sleepy too”

“Yea but she’s going to have to give birth you’re your child and it takes two to tango Teej” I said.

“I know I know, when are you having children?”

“Oh TJ I still got time. I’m still young you old fart” I told him.

He laughed.

“I always forget that you’re like 2 years younger. You have plenty of time to breed”

I laughed and sat up.

“I’m not a dog” I said.

“I know you aren’t Bells. You have your career and you won’t be done with it anytime soon. You don’t want to have a kid in your thirties”

I laughed.

“I know, but I guess when everything is set I’ll have a kid. Enjoy drinking some wine” I said.

“That’s true, look at you now with a boyfriend like Neal. You’re team USA all the way though”

“Hell yea Teej” I said looking at James.

James looked at me and laughed when he heard TJ chant “USA USA USA!”.

“I’ll send you a Oshie jersey”

“I know you are though Teej, you’ve worked your ass for this” I told him.

“If I can’t get my day with Stanley I wouldn’t mind being an Olympian”

I smiled.

“I know Teej” I said.

“You’d be a great Olympian” I told him.

“Hey, is your brother skating in the team final? I want to see that. You know if I do end up going”

“By the looks of it he is, I don’t know though” I said.

“Well tell me cause I want to go see. Your brother makes that look easy. I tried that and I couldn’t walk because I fell and strained myself”

I laughed and nodded.

“Yes I am going” I said when he asked me if I was going.

“Don’t know when though. I’m going to try to get some days off” I added when Adam walked into the room.

I laughed when TJ asked me if Adam was in the room.

“Yea” I said.

“That explains it. I’ll let you go”

“Ok then TJ, sleep tight my short friend” I said.

“I’m taller than you!”

“Barely” I joked.

He laughed.

“Ok bye Bella. Remember to do me that favor”

“Yea yea yea” I said.

He laughed.

“Bye Teej” I said.

He said bye again and I hung up. I looked at James and he smiled.

“How many jerseys do you own?”

I got up and walked to the closet.

“I own a few” I said opening the closet.

I pulled out a black box and took it to the couch. James sat up a little and I opened the box and tossed the top part to the floor.. I took the jerseys out the bag they were in inside the box and I looked at James. He counted the jerseys and nodded.

“How many Team USA ones?”

“I have a couple” I said.

He lifted a Team USA one and turned it around. He looked at the back of that jersey and raised an eyebrow. I know why he raised an eyebrow and saw HERNANDEZ in the back. There was no one in the league with that last name, and he only knew one Hernandez.

“I used to play”

James looked up at Chris and Chris gave him a smile.

“I played until I was 18, I was going to get drafted and all. Well I did, but I didn’t play more than like 10 games”

“What happened?”

Chris shrugged lightly and looked at James.

“Lung collapsed and all”

James’ eyes widened.

“Your him?”

Chris nodded and James exhaled some air. At age 17 Chris was drafted 16th overall in 2006 by the San Jose Sharks. He played 10 games with them before retiring. Chris was hit in the throat with a hockey puck. He almost died and well he gave up the sport after that. Chose to go to school and get a degree. TJ tried to convince him not to, but Chris was to determined to never play again He hasn’t used skates in about 4 years or so, but he hasn’t played since that day.

“Anyways”

James lifted a Sharks jersey and turned it around. It had Chris’ last name and his number on it. Number 16 and all.

“Dude you almost died!”

Chris nodded and smiled.

“but I didn’t”

“You had a plan B?”

Chris laughed and shook his head.

“No I kinda wanted to be that guy in the league that had a degree in Biochem. I was 18 and in the league, I never signed with them though. I played 5 games with them through out the season and I played 5 playoff games. Detroit won the cup that year”

James looked at Chris surprised and he nodded.

“You forced a game into overtime. I think it was game 5, you got injured in that game”

Chris laughed and nodded.

“Yup It hit me right in the throat. Let me tell you that fucking hurt”

I rolled my eyes and looked at Chris who patted my head.

“It wasn’t career ending, but everyone I cared for was at that game”

James looked at me and I nodded.

“Your neck was almost broken” I said sitting up.

“I was fine, you wouldn’t stop crying though”

James looked at me and hit Chris.

“You got hit in the neck! And you were gasping for air! Everyone was panicking” I said.

Chris shrugged and I rolled my eyes when he said.

“But did I die?”

“You almost did” I said hitting Chris.

“But did I die?”

Chris grinned at me and pulled me into a hug when he realized I was frowning at him. He kissed my cheek and I hit him in his arm. He laughed and looked down at me

“Jerk” I told him.

“I was fine”

James looked at me and I hit Chris in the arm.

“Oww!”

“I never did get to kick your ass for scaring Jas and I” I said.

Chris kissed my cheek and patted my head as he stood up and left. James looked at me and cleared his throat. He reached for a jersey and he lifted an Olympic jersey. I looked at it and nodded. He turned it around and saw KANE

“Patty gave me one when he played in the Olympics and he bought me that one that Christmas” I said.

He nodded and looked at the jerseys.

“That’s cool. You have a nice relationship with these guys. Like you guys are super close”

I nodded and he lifted the St. Louis jersey. He turned it around and chuckled when he saw OSHIE in the back. He got a UND jersey and looked at the back. It said OSHIE in the back. He let out a chuckle and looked at me.

“Teej is one of my closest friends. I’ve known him since I was 16 years old. He was a hallmate and he was at the university for three years. I saw him everyday and I would go to his games. His girlfriend was my roommate all four years. She moved to St. Louis after her graduation. We used to drive to St. Louis all the time and we watched a few games his rookie season. We would then drive back to school and well go to class” I said.

He nodded and he lifted the black Boston one. He turned it around and saw SEGUIN on it. He lifted a Dallas one and smiled when he saw SEGUIN on it.

“Tyler, I met him at a party in BU. He partied a lot and I would see him a lot. After a while he talked to me. A guy tried to take advantage of me and Tyler kicked his ass. I owe him for that and he’s a sweetheart” I said.

He nodded slowly and smiled at me.

“And Kane?”

“Oh Patty, like I told you he talked to me because of the dress I was wearing. Said his sister had one like it and we kind of just bonded” I said.

“They all seem really pretty chill”

“They are” I said putting away the jerseys.

He gave me a smile and pulled me into a kiss.

“Now James” I said smiling at him.

He groaned as he tried to pull me under him. I was slick enough to get up and smile up at him. He made a face and lied down on the couch.

“Your leg” I said kissing his jaw and walking away.

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