Perfect Storm

“Okay, what the hell is going on with you?” Kristen says one night as we sit grading our students work. Alright so I’m grading, she is just showing me adorable works of art the kids did. “You’ve been moping around like crazy ever since Sidney left the other day.”

“Nothing…” she just raises an eyebrow at me, letting me know she’s not buying it. “I’m sure that I just misunderstood…”

“Misunderstood what exactly?”

“I asked him if when they got back if he wanted to go get a Christmas tree, like a real Christmas tree. You know how much I have always wanted a real tree.”

“Yea, I get it but that isn’t all…”

“He may have mentioned that he was planning on going to Canada for Christmas. That it is gorgeous there this time of year.”

“Ok? What’s wrong with that he wants to go home for Christmas.”

“I just thought that we were to the point where we planned holidays together, and he makes it sound like he doesn’t want me there. Mom and dad are going on their trip so it’s not like I can go home…”

“And now it makes sense. Kay, maybe he does want you to go. You need to talk to him about it. We can sit here and speculate all night but it won’t change anything until you talk to him about it.”

“Ugh, I don’t’ want to over the phone. I’ll have to wait until he’s back. But they have some team thing the day after they’re back so I won’t see him for two more days.”

“Gives you time to over think it a bit more and make a total Kaylee of the whole situation…”

“A Kaylee? Really? Am I that messed up that I’m a thing?”

“Sorry hun, yea you are.”

“Great.”

“You’re getting better though…”

“Thanks? I think…” I snuggle deeper into my blanket, setting my students work to the side, and contemplate how to bring it up with Sid. I want to spend Christmas with him, but after thanksgiving is it too much? Is it too soon to plan all our holidays together? I pull his sweatshirt up to my nose, I love that his smell lingers on it still. I hope I just misunderstood and he wants me around for Christmas.

“Alright Max, where were we bud?” I ask the handsome little man in the sterile hospital bed. I recently have been stopping in when Sidney is at practice to read and keep Max company, his father is deployed and his mom has to work during the day.

“There were dragons and, and he was going WOOSH WOOSH WOOSH through the air…” he explains pretending he was the one flying on the back of the dragon. To be fair I did change the name of the main character to Max specifically for him.

“Oh, that’s right….” I take a seat next to the bed and open up to the bookmarked pages. “Should we get right to it then? Are you anxious to see what happens to Max the Great?”

“Yes!”

“Ok, here goes… ‘Max was soaring through the air on the back of his trusty Finnish Flaghorn, a rare and magical creature that most people believed to be extinct, when suddenly the air grew quiet and Fairia, his dragon, slowed her pace. ‘This isn’t right’ whispered Max. He listened closely so see if he could hear anything besides thee eerily clam winds. Fairia tried to turn around, but Max urged her on towards a faint dark figure in the distance. The closer they got the larger the figure became, until Max could see that it was a man waiting for him on the shore.’…… Sidney” I stop short seeing Sid and a couple of his teammates walk into the room wearing Santa hats.

“Kaylee, what are you doing here?”

“I thought you had practice… I come here and read to my buddy Max.”

“Ms. Kaylee you know Sidney Crosby?”

“Ummm, yea bud I do.”

“That’s the coolest thing ever!”

“I don’t know about the coolest ever but…”

“I think getting to spend time with this pretty lady might be the coolest thing ever.”

“Yea, Ms. Kaylee is pretty great.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your story, but we have something for you Max” Sidney says walking to the other side of the bed. “We wanted to make sure that you have a good Christmas…”

“Hey Maxie, I am going to get some coffee and let you have a little fun with the Penguins ok? I’ll be back up before your mom gets here.”

“Ok” he says with a smile. I kiss the top of his head and make my way through the excitement, unable to stop the smile from creeping onto my face when I look back and see how happy Max looks, and how handsome Sid looks as he talks and plays with him. I can’t help but wonder if he wants kids someday, how he would want to raise them, how many, if he wants boys or girls, and if he wants them with me. By the time I get my coffee, I am more and more confused and wondering about Christmas and our future together. Can I handle being married to the face of Pittsburgh’s hockey team?

“When did he fall asleep?” I ask seeing that it is only Sidney left in the room with Max.

“Just a couple minutes ago.”

“Yea that happens…”

“How long have you been doing this?”

“Umm a while, since I moved here. A little before… How long have you wanted to go to Canada for Christmas?”

“It was a thought; I have a couple of days without a game. It would be nice to go home.”

“Home…”

“Is that what has been bothering you the past couple of days? Canada?”

“Part of it, yes.”

“And the other part?”

“We don’t know as much about each other as I thought we did. I have a brother; he’s deployed with Max’s dad. That’s why I come here as often as I can, after school when I get out in time before his mom gets off of work. Just a few less minutes he is alone during the day.”

“You never told me about your brother…”

“You never asked.”

“You’re right we don’t know as much as we thought about each other” he whispers almost to himself. Then he looks me right in the eyes and adds, “it doesn’t change the fact that you’re an amazing women and I love learning new things about you every day we’re together. I want to know all there is to know about you.”

“I guess we have a lot to talk about then…”

“I’m ok with that. How much longer will you be here?”

“About an hour or so, it depends how traffic is for Katie.”

“Dinner? Just the two of us at my place.”

“Ok” I whisper as he pulls me into his arms.

“I love you.”

“I love you too”