The Three C's

“There’s my baby!” I heard and turn, laughing when I thought Pat was going to pick me up at the airport, but was pleasantly surprised to see Abby Sharp there with her two year old daughter, Madelyn and her almost three month old, Sadie.

“I missed you!” I laughed as I walked over towards her and hugged her.

“I know you’re a little disappointed to see me and not Pat- But don’t worry- The boys just had to stay a little longer in practice because some bet to Q,” she said and I giggled, “I told him that he was lucky that I was there- Begging me to come and get you as if he thought I wouldn’t,” Abby said and I scoffed, “Honestly, you’re my girl- I’m not gunna leave you stranded!”

I laughed and followed her out to her car, carrying Madelyn on my hip while pulling my suitcase and following Abby as she pushed the carriage that had Sadie in it. We got to her car and she drove to the United Center where I found the boys to still be, I was surprised to see they were there at seven at night.

Luckily we had arrived when they were coming off of the ice and heading into the locker room, I smiled when I saw Pat, he noticed me and hurried over towards me, pulling me closer to him and pressing his lips against mine before either of us got out a word. I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulled back a little, looking up towards him, ignoring the bad odor, actually, a little used to it.

“You’re finally here,” he said and I nodded my head, “Sorry I couldn’t come and get you.”

“It’s all right, but go shower up- You stink,” I said and he chuckled and kissed my cheek before turning around and heading into the locker room.

“How long has it been for you two?” I heard and turned around to see Coach Q standing there, still in his skates and his clip board tucked under his hand.

“Almost two years,” I said and Q smirked.

“Follow me, Marshall,” he said and I nodded my head and followed the Blackhawk Coach to his office and took a seat, “So I hear that your contract ends at the end of the season.”

“That’s correct,” I said and Q nodded his head, sat down and changed from his skates to his shoes.

“All right, do you plan on continuing with the Penguins?” he asked and I just looked at him.

“I think you already know the answer to that question,” I said and he just gave me this look before he looked down and leaned back in his chair.

“Look Maggie- Can I call you Maggie?”

“It was the name I was given,” I said and he chuckled and nodded his head.

“I like you, you’re an amazing player, a kind person- The boys like you, I know you’ve got something going on with Kaner-“

“Something?” I asked him confused, “We’re in a relationship,” I corrected and Q just nodded his head.

“Right, right- He leaves to Pittsburgh, you come to Chicago,” Q stated and I wished he would say what he wanted to say before I got impatient, “That’s all very cute and all, Maggie- But I’m looking for amazing players that are fully concentrated on the game-“

“And how am I not? How is Pat not?” I asked and Q looked at me, “I’m confused on why I’m here, Q,” I stated, “I know that you know that I want to become a hawk for next season- Are you hear telling me that you don’t want me on your team or are you just doubting my talents?”

“Maggie, I mean no disrespect to your talents, but I can’t accept- We’ve never had this problem before because there’s never been a woman in the league. Lemieux might be all right with your relationship with my player, but I’m not-“

“Then I see where you’re going with this and I think we’re done here,” I said and stood up.

“We’re finished when I say we are,” he stated and I just looked at him, “It’s not that you’re a woman, that’s not what this is about-“

“Then what are you trying to say?” I asked, definitely starting to lose my patients.

“You’re an amazing player Maggie, but I can’t accept you as a Blackhawk if you’re going to be in a relationship with a teammate,” I gulped and just stared at him, “Look, this is probably the first you’re hearing this, but Bettman is starting to notice that some women are capable of playing in the NHL, and their adding a rule that teammates cannot be in a relationship with one another,” my eyes widened and I looked at him, not believing what I’m hearing, “This year’s draft, there’s nine girls so far that are going to be signing up. You alone are changing the NHL- You should be happy about this, you’re inspiring people-“

“Are we finished now?” I asked, thinking that I was going to be sick with what I was hearing.

“We’re finished,” he breathed and I nodded my head and headed for the door, “Maggie,” he said quickly just as I was about to open the door, “The Blackhawk organization would be honored if you wore their colors next season.”

“You just want me to not be with Pat for that to happen,” I said and looked at Q.

“These aren’t my conditions,” he said and I nodded my head.

“They’re Wirtz’s?” I asked, talking about the Blackhawk owner, Rocky Wirtz.

“Yes,” Q said and I opened the door and walked out of the office. I wanted to cry because I was so close, so close to being with Pat, being in the same city, in the same town.

I walked down the hall towards the locker room, ‘…If he knew this, did Coach know this too? Did Sidney? Mario? They all know my plan, they all wished me luck! Did they know all along and not tell me?...’ I thought and leaned against the wall in front of the locker room and waited.

“Maggie,” I heard and saw Abby looking at me, “You all right?”

“Yeah,” I lied and she just looked at me.

“You sure? You don’t look so good,” she said and I nodded my head.

-Kane-
I walked out of the locker room and saw Maggie leaning against the wall, I smiled brightly, freshly shower and ready to hug my girl, “There she is!” I wrapped my arms around her neck, holding her close, but noticing that she wasn’t hugging me tight like she usually did, I pulled back, my hands on her shoulders, “You all right?”

“Yeah, just tired,” she said and I looked at her confused, “You know, so close to winning the game today,” Maggie said and I nodded my head, remembering that she was coming straight from losing a game against the Devils, “I’m gunna take a nap before we go out tonight.”

“All right,” I said and she just turned around and headed down the hallway and I just looked at her confused as she walked away.

“What was that about?” Jon asked as he came up behind me.

“I don’t know,” I said and ran my fingers through my hair, “She wasn’t like that when we were going in the locker room.”

“When you guys were in there, Q pulled her into his office and talked to her about something- When she came out, she was like that,” Abby said and I looked at her and looked down the hallway that Maggie had disappeared from, most likely in the parking lot, waiting by my car.

“What’d they talk about?” Jon asked and Abby shrugged her shoulders.

“She wouldn’t tell me,” she said and Sharp walked over towards her and picked up his oldest daughter, “But whatever it was, it wasn’t good.”

“What wasn’t good?” Sharp asked and Abby looked at him.

“I’ll tell you in the car,” she said and he nodded his head.

“Where’s Sparky?” he asked looking around.

“Uh, probably waiting by my car, I better get to her- I’ll see you all at eleven?” I asked and they nodded their heads, “See you then.”

“Later,” Jon yelled and I headed down the hallway, out the door and into the parking lot.

I walked over towards my car and saw Maggie leaning against the back of it. I sighed and walked over towards her and stood in front of her, pinning her against the Hummer and bending down and looking up at her because she didn’t want to look at me, “You gunna tell me what’s eating you? I know it’s not because of your loss.”

“It’s nothing, Pat,” she said and looked up at me.

“That’s bullshit,” I said and she just sighed and looked down, “What did Coach talk to you about?”

“Just starting a new rule to me,” Maggie said and I was confused.

“What new rule?”

“I should feel proud- Ya know,” she said and then looked at me, her eyes a little teary, “Girls are starting to step up and sign up for the NHL drafts.”

“Yeah, you should, they’re inspired by you, Maggie,” I said and sighed, “But you’re not?”

“No,” she breathed out.

“What’s the new rule?” I asked and Maggie sniffled a little.

“Teammates can’t be in a relationship with each other.”