Perfect Storm

I’m freaking out, like more than normal freaking out. The kind of freak out that you have no idea what the hell you’re going to do next. I’m pacing in the living room, waiting for him to get home, waiting to change everything. Everything will change no matter what I decide, we decide, I don’t even know who gets a choice in this.

I hear the lock turn on the front door and turn immediately towards it, he steps in and smiles at me. “Hey baby” he says, his smile dropping to a look of concern, “what’s wrong? Are you ok?”

“I don’t know” I reply still wrapping my head around this development.

“What do you mean?” he asks setting down his bag as he walks towards me, enveloping me in his arms. “What is it?” What do I say? How do I say it? “Kaylee, you need to tell me what I can do to help you.”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this myself” I whisper against his chest.

“What is it?” he coaxes, kissing my forehead. “Whatever it is we’ll face it together. Just like we’ve done everything else so far.”

“That’s the thing, this could ruin everything, or it could be amazing but I won’t know that for sure.”
“Just tell me” he whispered against my hair. “It’s not like you’re pregnant or something. That would be crazy,” I freeze in his arms, “could you imagine?”

“No, I can’t imagine! Because I’m freaking out about just that! I can’t wrap my head around this, not with you.”

“Not with me?” he asks taking a step back, confusion and hurt running across his face.

“Not with you making it sound like it’s horrible. My family is going to freak out, I’m not ready for this.” I want to burst out in tears, I love him but a baby!

“There’s something else there, it’s not just your family and not being ‘ready’. Why don’t you want this with me?”

“It’s not you, it’s everything that comes along with you. I love you, but having a baby in the public eye, Sidney, it’s terrifying. More terrifying than just having a baby without the public lurking in the background.” The thought of the tabloids picking this up, following me and the baby around for the rest of Sid’s career and probably beyond that, “they already criticize our relationship enough, but add this.”

“We’ll figure it out” he sighs. “You’re sure though? We’re having a baby?”

“Yes” I nod, “I took a test this morning, and then by some miraculous turn of events the doctor had an opening.” I hand him the ultrasound pictures they gave me.

“Wow, this is real.”

“As real as it gets” I reply sitting on the couch.

“Everything will be alright” he sits beside me, “we’ll be alright.” I sigh leaning into his side, feeling a rush of relief run through me. “I love you Kay, I’m going to love our baby too.”

“I know, it’s a lot to wrap my mind around, I mean it hasn’t even been a year yet. 7 months isn’t long, and now we’re having a baby.”

“It’s been 7 wonderful months.”

7 months earlier. New job, new town, new life.

I’ve been in the city of Pittsburgh for almost 2 months and as a Columbus transplant it’s been difficult. The heart of football season, start of hockey season, and I’m a lucky girl to have tickets to the home opener. Since the beginning of the school year I’ve learned that one of my student’s father is one of the players on the team, he’s very proud of what his dad does. It’s adorable. Now that I’m settled into teaching I’m ready to go out and meet new people. Heck maybe even date!
The game was great, they won of course, and now I can tell Kody that his father did a great job. And since it’s Friday and I’m single, I might as well go out and have a little fun. I heard a few people talking about a place nearby that seems pretty popular after games. I find a stool at the bar, order a drink and settle in absorbing the atmosphere.

“Miss Kenley?” I hear to my left.

“Yes?”

“Sorry you have my son in your class” the man says. “Kody Dupuis.”

“Oh, yea. He’s a great kid” I reply, wondering how he feels about his sons’ kindergarten teacher drinking. “And very proud of his father. Great game tonight.”

“Thanks, although I think he has a slight crush on a certain teacher.”

“Oh dear. Well he is handsome just 20 years or so too young for my taste” I chuckle.

“Come with me, you shouldn’t be sitting by yourself. A few of the guys are here” he says taking my arm giving me little room to rebuke him. “Trust me.”

“Alright, but remember I have a reputation to uphold, being an educator and all.”

“And we have reputations as professional athletes. We need at least one beautiful girl at the table and once my wife and I go home, the prettiest one will be Tanger.”

“Now I see where Kody gets his humor” I laugh, walking alongside him to a table near the back. I nearly stopped dead in my tracks when my eyes landed on his. It felt like lightening running through my veins, pulse quickened, heart racing the works.

“This is Kody’s teacher, Miss…”

“It’s Kaylee, please” I reply. It’s bad enough that they know me as Kody’s teacher but to bust out the formal name would be awful.

“Kaylee, you’re here alone beautiful?” one of the men asked.

“Yes, is that a bad thing?”

“Some would rather you have friends along” Pascal responded.

“Some would be disappointed to hear that I just moved here in August and don’t know many people over the age of 7” I reply hearing the melodic laugh from the electrically charged man. I smile at him before taking a sip of my drink.

“Why don’t you take my seat?” suggests Mrs. Dupuis. “It’s good to see that you’re not a perfect robot that our son thinks you are.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing” I replied confused.

“Oh, it’s good. Sidney take care of this wonderful woman I need to get my husband home before he picks up more strays.” I sigh shaking my head.

“Does he do that often?” I ask the electric man, Sidney.

“No he doesn’t. This is pretty unlike him” he replied looking at me from the corner of his eye. “You just moved here?”

“Yes, from Columbus, Ohio.”

“I’ve been there a few times” he smirks.

“What’s that face mean?”

“What face?”

“That smirk, I know you’ve been there I happened to be at a few Blue Jackets games. I know you think we’re horrible.”

“Not horrible. Improving. Still a young franchise so there’s room for growth” he replied.

“That’s very diplomatic, captain.”

“You know exactly who I am don’t you?”

“Hard not to.”

“And you’re not acting like a typical fan.”

“I’m not your typical girl. You’re just another person, doing a job they love. Granted you make a ridiculous amount of money, especially compared to an elementary school teacher, but you’re still just a guy.” This is when I realize our bodies are turned towards each other, like they magnetically gravitated towards one another.

“Just a guy?”

“Yea. Is that alright with you?”

“Yea, it is. You need another drink.”

“Oh, I do?”

“Yea, unless you have somewhere to be? I know there isn’t anyone waiting for you at home, right?”

“That would be correct.”

“Good.”

We spent the next hour talking about anything and everything. Mr. Electric is very charismatic. It’s been a long time since I’ve smiled that much when talking to a guy my age. He’s gorgeous, that smile, those eyes, I can look at him all night. However this is when my stomach starts to rumble.

“Are you hungry?” he asks, “I’m starving.”

“Thank you God!” I sigh, “I mean, yea, I could eat.”

“You know, you’re not just a girl are you? You’re a lot more than that.”

“Oh, stop. You’re making me blush.” Literally, my face is burning up now. He graciously takes my hand and leads me towards the door with just a polite wave goodbye to his remaining teammates.

“Did you drive?” he asks as we step out of the bar.

“No I took a cab.” He smiles, and leads me to his car, opening the door for me. As he walks around to the driver side I can only think about how I hope he doesn’t think anything will happen tonight. I’m not the kind of girl to sleep with someone they just met, famous or not.

“There’s this pizza by the slice place” he starts when he opens his door. “I thought we could go there, eat something. Then I’ll take you to your home.”

“You’re just going to drop me off, no expectations?”

“Yes, you’re an awesome girl. I want to get to know you more. And you don’t strike me as the type to sleep around.”

“Good” I sigh in relief. “I want to get to know you more too.”