Between Two Cities

“Welcome to training camp!” I heard a familiar voice yell to me as I walked into the practice facility of the Dallas Stars. I looked onto the ice and saw Jamie Benn, the team’s captain, skating around shooting some pucks. I smiled when I saw him and walked up to the glass that was surrounding the rink. Jamie skated toward me and stopped when he reached the glass. I stuck my hand on it and he did the same except his hand was covered with his glove.
“You’re here early.” I told him.
“I just wanted to get warmed up a little before the guys get here.” Jamie answered. I didn’t respond. I just gazed into his gorgeous eyes.
Jamie and I had been together since the end of the last season. We were at our last home game of the season and he’d gotten injured on the ice. I ran out there with the rest of the staff to see if he was okay and it turns out, he was knocked out cold. We had to bring out the stretcher and rush him to the hospital. I didn’t leave his side. I was so afraid; afraid that I wasn’t going to see him again. I remember sitting on the stretcher right next to him as they quickly rolled him down to the ER. I was bending down over his head praying and silently crying. Then the words came out.
“I love you.” Was all I said. I know it sounds cliché. It was one of those “movie moments” where the girl says I love you to the guy who was hurt and he comes back. Let me tell you one thing, it was completely the same thing as that. Jamie’s eyes opened up and the first thing he saw was me with my face all puffy and eyes all red. He said nothing but slowly lifted his hand to cup my cheek. He wiped away my tears with his thumb then brushed my lips with it. I smiled a little then leaned down and kissed him oh so gently. Ever since then, we’ve been together. Happily in love.
“…Millie? Millie.” Jamie said. I broke out of my little trance that I was in and shook my head. I smiled at him before I spoke.
“Sorry. I was just staring off into space.” I said.
“You’ve been staring into space a lot lately it seems.. Have you gotten any sleep lately?”
“Jamie as the assistant director of communications and the assistant GM here for the team, sleep is banished.” I joked. It was true though. I had a huge problem with losing focus. Something had always distracted me. I was a big worrier. I worried about this and that and that and this and I eventually get to a point where I’m way too stressed.
“Millie, you need to sleep.”
“Jamie, I’ll be fine. Last night was the first night that I stayed up all night mainly because of all this paperwork I had to get done.” I lied to him. I loved Jamie, I really did, but he was extremely overprotective of me. He knows a lot about my insomnia, and my constant worrying. He knows the two don’t mesh at all so he tries his best to keep me comfortable and happy.
“Speaking of paperwork, I need to go in the office to get the camp roster finalized. I’ll talk to you in a bit.” I said sweetly. He mouthed the word ‘okay’ then blew me a kiss and skated away.
I walked into my office which was a tiny little room at the end of the tunnel. My desk had pictures of the team and I and a lot of pictures of Loui and I. I picked up the picture of us from a Christmas party back at home in Sweden. I immediately thought of how the staff in the Organization went behind my back to trade him and Reilly. After the movement was made I remember calling Lindy feeling both shocked and furious. Unfortunately, to this day, I’m still furious with the organization but refused to leave. Leaving my years of hard work and dedication wasn’t worth it and leaving Jamie was the last thing on my list. So for the next eight months I’m working with a group of people who I absolutely hate. The team however, would be my family like usual. Except for the new kid. Tyler Seguin, what a joke.
I sat down at my desk and began looking through the paperwork I had organized last night. I took out Seguin’s file and began looking at his stats. For an idiot, he had some pretty high stats. His strength was in his scoring during the regular season. His weakness was scoring in the playoffs. I sighed and closed the folder and glanced at my bracelet that Loui had given me. I was then rudely interrupted by a loud yelling coming from the rink. I quickly rose my head and my eyebrows furrowed.
“The hell is going on.” I started yelling. I walked down the tunnel into the ice arena and saw some guys on the ice warming up with Jamie. Then I looked near the doorway and saw him. A short brown haired, brown eyed boy who was in shorts, a black tank top, and flip flops was standing there looking at me and examining me from head to toe.
“Woah.” Was all he said.
“Tyler Seguin.” I said.
“Yes and who are you? I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that your name is “girl who will be staying with me tonight.”” Tyler said to me. I could feel Jamie’s anger rising as he skated toward Tyler.”
“Okay woah. First of all, I’m your boss. Second of all if you ever and I mean EVER say that to me again, your ass is headed straight down to the AHL and you’ll be their problem. Questions? Comments? Concerns?”
“Well act-“
“Woops I’m out of time. Boys I want you all dressed and ready to go in twenty minutes, Lindy Ruff will be out to begin training in thirty.” I said in a snappy tone. I walked back to my office. When I got back in the office, I saw Lindy Ruff, the coach of the team, sitting at my desk looking at the files I had left there. I coughed a little and Lindy immediately looked up. His business face went to an apologetic face in an instant.
“They’re waiting for you.” I said.
“Millie, I really think that we need to sort this all out before-“
“Just save your breath, Lindy.” I said and I walked out of the office with nothing else to say. I began to make my way to the lockerroom but was stopped by a pair of arms wrapping around my waist. I turned my head a little and saw Jamie’s smiling face leaning into the back of my head. I turned around and he wrapped his arms around me. I buried my face into his smelly chest. I inhaled the sweat slash cologne smell and let out a huge sigh. A happy sigh though.
“I love you.” I whispered. I felt his lips press to my head followed by his chin lying on top of it. Our sweet moment was interrupted by the sound of my cellphone ringing. I let myself go from Jamie and looked at my phone. I saw the name “Loui” across the screen. I looked up at Jamie with a “I need to take this” look. Jamie nodded and walked into the locker room.
“Boy am I glad you called.” I said when I answered the phone.
“Hey Millie. I’m just calling to see how training camp is.” Loui replied. I missed his voice so much. My brother was all the way up in Boston playing for the Bruins.
“Today’s the first day. It starts in a little bit. Loui the new guy that we got from that trade those imbeciles made, he’s a pig. A huge pig. He walked into the arena and gave me a full up and down admiring. It was disgusting. He’s so loud and disrespectful too. I was looking over paperwork and all I hear is his yelling when he walks into the facility.”
“Millie, I have faith in you. You can change him and make him better. You did the same for Reilly and for me. You can do this.” Loui encouraged me.
“Jamie was probably mad about him checking you out though.” He added.
“Loui I could feel his anger from a mile away. Those two aren’t going to mesh this season.” I said.
Boy was I wrong about that.