Days of Black and Gold
Turn the Key and Spark the Wire
“I’m sorry. Where are you?”
“Philly.”
“How did you plan that without my knowledge?”
“I’m sneaky,” I giggled, looking around me at the fans. Most were in Flyers gear, but a few seemed to brave the crowd in Penguins paraphernalia. “I even made it to the game.”
“Are you still at the arena?”
“I am. It’s not easy to get out of here when it’s unfamiliar. I’m not even sure which door I entered from.”
“Do I need to come find you?”
“Sidney, you will be destroyed if you do that,” I gasped, pushing through the people. “My flight gets in early tomorrow morning. I’m assuming you will already be in Pittsburgh.”
“We fly back tonight. Give me a time and I’ll pick you up.”
“10:30 AM.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Don’t you have practice?”
“Tomorrow is a late practice.”
“Really?” I asked, skeptically.
“Yes,” he laughed. “The day after is a day off. We have a charity event that I’ve been meaning to ask you to.”
“Is that an invite?”
“Please be my plus one?”
“I can do that,” I agreed, smiling like a maniac. “Wait, do I need to wear something fancy?”
“A dress is usually a good idea.”
“Right,” I breathed, finally leaving the arena. I pulled out a cigarette, and wasted no time lighting it.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure that I have anything appropriate.”
“What?” He laughed. “I don’t even know what that means. Is it too short? Too revealing?”
“Uh.” I drew in the nicotine, and slowly let the breath back out. “Both? I’m not really sure. I don’t go to charity events.”
“What does it look like?”
“Off the shoulders, black dress.”
“That sounds appropriate.”
“It stops above my knees.”
“That’s fine. Most of the wives and girlfriends wear dresses that go to their knees.”
“I have tattoos,” I admitted, taking another drag from the cigarette.
“Why didn’t you just say so?” He laughed, again.
“I wasn’t sure how you would react. I never really pinned as someone tattoo tolerant.”
“A lot of the guys on the team have tattoos.”
“Are you dating the guys on the team?”
“Well, no.”
“That’s a relief,” I joked. “I should probably go. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“You will. And if we have to go get a dress for you, we will.”
“Thanks, Sid.” Hanging up the phone, I continued to work on my cigarette. I had only been to Philadelphia once before, however never got the chance to explore. After a hockey game was not an ideal time for a stroll, but I wasn’t willing to pay for another cab after dropping over a fifteen hundred dollars on flights and a hotel.
I was more than thankful that Sidney had offered up a room in his home. The thought of paying for a week and a half in a hotel was horrifying. The Capitals paid me well, but not nearly to the extent that they paid their players.
As I continued down the street, my phone began to ring. Rolling my eyes, I hit the green button and put the phone to my ear. “Mother, it’s late.”
“Margot Elisabeth Fayne. Why did you not tell me that your girlfriend left you?”
“Where did you hear that?” I loved my mom, but sometimes she was much too snoopy.
“That hockey playing friend of yours might have said something.”
“Hockey playing friend? Who do you know that I know?”
“Alexander, I believe is his name.”
“You’re joking,” I groaned. “How the hell do you know Ovi?”
“Is that what you’re calling him?” She laughed, softly. “Anyway, he called last month. Gushed about how well you take care of the team. You’re not doing anything illegal now, are you?”
“Mother!” I exclaimed, looking around frantically for anyone who might have heard. “You know I pride myself in professionalism.” I stopped dead in my tracks. “Wait, did you say he called you? How did he get your number?”
“I think he took it from your phone. You should really be more careful with such a personal item.”
“I am going to murder that man,” I mumbled. “What exactly did he tell you about Robin?”
“Just that she left.”
“Can’t keep his bloody mouth shut.”
“Are you okay?” She asked, sincerely.
“I’m fine,” I admitted. “Just a bit confused. She didn’t really cut it off in a definitive way, but I don’t think she will be coming back.”
“You two were together for a long time. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yes, Mom. I’m great.”
“I’ll be checking in with your friend, Margot.”
“Good thing I won’t see him over the next week or so.”
“Why not?”
“I’m on a vacation while the boys are on a road trip.”
“Where are you vacationing? I would say this time, but you never take a break.”
“I’m in Philly tonight, then I was thinking about heading to Pittsburgh for a few days. We’ll see where the days take me.”
“Well, have fun and stay safe, my darling.”
“Will do, Mom. Love you.” Hanging up the phone, I noticed that I had somehow managed to make my way back to my hotel. “So much for sight seeing,” I grumbled, before entering the building. Making my way to my room, I realized just how exhausted I was. I quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, and cuddled under the duvet to try to get a good night’s sleep.
“Philly.”
“How did you plan that without my knowledge?”
“I’m sneaky,” I giggled, looking around me at the fans. Most were in Flyers gear, but a few seemed to brave the crowd in Penguins paraphernalia. “I even made it to the game.”
“Are you still at the arena?”
“I am. It’s not easy to get out of here when it’s unfamiliar. I’m not even sure which door I entered from.”
“Do I need to come find you?”
“Sidney, you will be destroyed if you do that,” I gasped, pushing through the people. “My flight gets in early tomorrow morning. I’m assuming you will already be in Pittsburgh.”
“We fly back tonight. Give me a time and I’ll pick you up.”
“10:30 AM.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Don’t you have practice?”
“Tomorrow is a late practice.”
“Really?” I asked, skeptically.
“Yes,” he laughed. “The day after is a day off. We have a charity event that I’ve been meaning to ask you to.”
“Is that an invite?”
“Please be my plus one?”
“I can do that,” I agreed, smiling like a maniac. “Wait, do I need to wear something fancy?”
“A dress is usually a good idea.”
“Right,” I breathed, finally leaving the arena. I pulled out a cigarette, and wasted no time lighting it.
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure that I have anything appropriate.”
“What?” He laughed. “I don’t even know what that means. Is it too short? Too revealing?”
“Uh.” I drew in the nicotine, and slowly let the breath back out. “Both? I’m not really sure. I don’t go to charity events.”
“What does it look like?”
“Off the shoulders, black dress.”
“That sounds appropriate.”
“It stops above my knees.”
“That’s fine. Most of the wives and girlfriends wear dresses that go to their knees.”
“I have tattoos,” I admitted, taking another drag from the cigarette.
“Why didn’t you just say so?” He laughed, again.
“I wasn’t sure how you would react. I never really pinned as someone tattoo tolerant.”
“A lot of the guys on the team have tattoos.”
“Are you dating the guys on the team?”
“Well, no.”
“That’s a relief,” I joked. “I should probably go. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“You will. And if we have to go get a dress for you, we will.”
“Thanks, Sid.” Hanging up the phone, I continued to work on my cigarette. I had only been to Philadelphia once before, however never got the chance to explore. After a hockey game was not an ideal time for a stroll, but I wasn’t willing to pay for another cab after dropping over a fifteen hundred dollars on flights and a hotel.
I was more than thankful that Sidney had offered up a room in his home. The thought of paying for a week and a half in a hotel was horrifying. The Capitals paid me well, but not nearly to the extent that they paid their players.
As I continued down the street, my phone began to ring. Rolling my eyes, I hit the green button and put the phone to my ear. “Mother, it’s late.”
“Margot Elisabeth Fayne. Why did you not tell me that your girlfriend left you?”
“Where did you hear that?” I loved my mom, but sometimes she was much too snoopy.
“That hockey playing friend of yours might have said something.”
“Hockey playing friend? Who do you know that I know?”
“Alexander, I believe is his name.”
“You’re joking,” I groaned. “How the hell do you know Ovi?”
“Is that what you’re calling him?” She laughed, softly. “Anyway, he called last month. Gushed about how well you take care of the team. You’re not doing anything illegal now, are you?”
“Mother!” I exclaimed, looking around frantically for anyone who might have heard. “You know I pride myself in professionalism.” I stopped dead in my tracks. “Wait, did you say he called you? How did he get your number?”
“I think he took it from your phone. You should really be more careful with such a personal item.”
“I am going to murder that man,” I mumbled. “What exactly did he tell you about Robin?”
“Just that she left.”
“Can’t keep his bloody mouth shut.”
“Are you okay?” She asked, sincerely.
“I’m fine,” I admitted. “Just a bit confused. She didn’t really cut it off in a definitive way, but I don’t think she will be coming back.”
“You two were together for a long time. Are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yes, Mom. I’m great.”
“I’ll be checking in with your friend, Margot.”
“Good thing I won’t see him over the next week or so.”
“Why not?”
“I’m on a vacation while the boys are on a road trip.”
“Where are you vacationing? I would say this time, but you never take a break.”
“I’m in Philly tonight, then I was thinking about heading to Pittsburgh for a few days. We’ll see where the days take me.”
“Well, have fun and stay safe, my darling.”
“Will do, Mom. Love you.” Hanging up the phone, I noticed that I had somehow managed to make my way back to my hotel. “So much for sight seeing,” I grumbled, before entering the building. Making my way to my room, I realized just how exhausted I was. I quickly changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, and cuddled under the duvet to try to get a good night’s sleep.