To Sweden With Love

Well here we are.

June 1st. One month has come and gone.

It was also Game 2, which Ellie kindly told me we were going to a few hours before game time.

“Again?” I whined.

“Oh c’mon. He isn’t going to see you.”

I got ready, even taking the time to do my hair and makeup,and then I drove us down to Market Square to grab some dinner at Tavern 245.

After I parked the car, I got out and looked around nervously.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Will you stop looking around? He isn’t here.”

Once we finally got a table, we ordered our food as my phone started going crazy.

The first message was from Ian

hey loser. Come say bye to me after the game before you disappear into oblivion.

I laughed and replied.

i could never leave without saying goodbye to my cuddle buddy

The next one was from Carl

will you please just let me know you are okay?

I groaned as I rubbed my wrist where the bracelet laid.

“Everything okay?” Ellie asked as she stuffed a fry in her mouth.

I nodded. “Yeah. Just ready for vacation.”

After we ate, we made our way to the arena.

I sat in my car once I parked in the garage, trying to talk myself into actually entering the building.

“Okay, seriously. Stop looking around. You don’t have anything to worry about.” Ellie said sounding irritated.

“Sorry, I just don’t know what I would do if I saw him to be honest.”

“Well, I can tell you what he would do, probably shake the living daylights out of you for not talking to him for a month.” She stated matter of factly as we started up to our suite.

We got to our suite in time for the first period to begin. I was in my own thoughts most of the period, which ended 0-0 anyways.

After intermission, I got up and went down the concourse to walk around. Being among all the fans, brought back the feeling of when Ellie and I were just considered fans.

I chuckled to think that was only two months ago.

I heard the crowd cheer to signal that the team was on their way back out to the ice as I made my way back up to the suite.

“Where did you go?” Ellie asked as she handed me a beer.

“Down to the concourse. I needed to take a walk to clear my head.”

We settled in to watch the second period as the puck dropped.

The game stayed pretty tame until a little over halfway through the second period, until Bonino started skating into the zone, hooking up with Kessel and Carl.

I stood up as they made some beautiful passes in between them.

It was like slow motion when Carl got the puck and passed it to Bonino, who set Kessel up with the wide open net shot.

The arena exploded in cheers and Ellie stood up beside me and cheered.

“That was a beautiful set up!” Ellie exclaimed.

I nodded. “It’s like they just knew where one another were on the ice.”

We kept the lead until 4 minutes left in the third, when Justin Braun slapped the puck into traffic in front of Murray, sneaking in the puck.

“Ugh, I hate overtime.” Ellie said falling into her seat.

I nodded not taking my eyes off the ice.

“We got this. I can feel it.”

She laughed. “You know, for someone who didn’t want to come to the game, you are really into it.”

I rolled my eyes. “It was never about the game. I love the game. It was about the people who play the game.”

As the buzzer sounded, sending the game into overtime, I took a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair.

As the puck was getting ready to drop for overtime, I caught myself nervously playing with that damn blue bracelet again.

With a little two minutes gone in overtime, we took a faceoff in their zone. Crosby won it back to Tanger, who then passed it to Sheary.

The next thing I remember is Consol rocking with an overtime win and a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.

“Come on! We need to get downstairs!” Ellie yelled as she pulled me into the elevator.

When we got down to where we met the wives, we all gave each other hugs and started talking excitedly about the series.

I talked with Vero until I saw Ian walk out, still in half of his gear. I told Vero to excuse me as I went and gave him a hug.

“Good game asshole.”

He chuckled. “You gonna hang around? Maybe we can go get some dinner?”

I shook my head. “No, I have an early flight tomorrow. I need some sleep.”

“Alright, let me know when you land.”

We said our goodbyes as I went to find Ellie.

“Hey are you about ready to go?” I asked her when I found her standing with Malin.

“Actually, do you want to go out with the girls for a few drinks?”

I shuffled my feet. “Uh, no. I think I am just gonna go home. Early flight and all tomorrow. You can go though.”

She nodded and gave me a hug and whispered in my ear. “You will be fine I promise.”

I said my goodbyes around the room and started walking out to my car.

I was digging in my purse for my keys when I felt someone grab my arm.

Someone who sent lightning through my body when he touched me.

I slowly turned around and came face to face with Carl.

“Olivia, is it really you?” He said softly as he caressed my cheek.

I closed my eyes as I soaked in his touch. “Hi Carl.”

“You changed your hair.”

I smiled. “That I did.”

He sighed a took a step back. “Where have you been? Are you doing okay?”

“I’m fine. And I’ve been here and there.” I said with a smile.

“So I have been seeing you around town. I knew I wasn’t going crazy.”

I bit my lip and lied to his face. “No, you haven’t seen me. Ellie invited me in just for a couple days.”

His face sunk. “Oh.”

He glanced at my left hand as I tried to cover it up. “How’s Michael?”

“He- um-” I darted my eyes to the ground “actually I don’t know.”

He looked at me confused. “You don’t know?”

I took a deep breath and looked him in the eye. “I never made it down the altar.”

His jaw dropped. “You never- and you-”

I lightly touched his arm. “Just let me explain.”

He sarcastically laughed. “Explain? It’s been a month Liv. A month since I poured my heart out to you in that note and last spoke to you. And you can’t even give me the time of day to let me know ‘Oh hey, by the way, I left my fiance at that altar’.”

I raised my voice, meeting his. “Do you not understand you are the reason behind all of this?” I grabbed my blue bracelet. “You and this stupid bracelet?” I laughed.

“You want to know the truth? The truth is, I have been in Pittsburgh this entire time, hiding out at Ellie’s. That day you came banging down the door? I was on the other side, crying because I couldn’t face you. You have ruined me Carl. That note, that I carry around with me everyday, it changed everything for me. The truth is, I ran from him cause I realized I was in love with you, and I ran from you cause I was scared of those feelings.”

When I finished talking, I finally felt the tears running down my cheeks as I looked into his eyes and saw the hurt.

“You had everyone lie to me for a month. I thought- “ he sighed as he ran his hands through his hair “I thought I was never going to see or talk to you again.”

I wiped my face. “I thought that if you didn’t see me, you would forget about me and move on.”

He reached out and took my hands as he pulled me closer.

“Olivia, don’t you get it? I don’t want anyone else. I wanted to come stop your wedding in the middle of the ceremony, but Patric wouldn’t let me close to the church. That’s why I wrote the note.”

I saw the sincerity in his eyes as I felt more and more horrible.

“I’m sorry. I need to go.” I said softly as I tried to pull away.

“Liv, don’t go. Let me take you somewhere so we can finish talking.”

I sniffled as I shook my head. “Not tonight, I-”

“Then let me take you to lunch tomorrow before we leave for San Jose. I’m not going to let you disappear on me again.”

I paused for a minute. “Okay.”

He gave me a slight smile and kissed my forehead. “I’ll pick you up from Ellie’s about noon, okay?”

I nodded.

Little did he know, by noon tomorrow, I’d be on my way to Hawaii.