Chapter 19

kinda on fire this week with this so hope you're keeping up

“I saw Mrs. Crosby at the club today.”

Rolling my eyes, I manage, just, not to groan out loud. I know Trina knows how I feel about my mother but I also know how much Trina loves to talk about her beloved Sidney and I can already tell by the tone of my mother’s voice that she knows something I really wish she didn’t.

“Really?” Playing dumb has always been the best and most used defense with my mother. “How’s Taylor?” The only other thing Trina loves to talk about is her daughter. Always second to her son, but still.

“Never mind how her homely daughter is. Do you have something you’d like to tell me?” Clenching my teeth I let myself fall back on my bed and stare up at the popcorn ceiling and count silently to ten before I answer, keeping my breathing even and shallow as I do.

“I’m guessing you’re not looking for the fact that I’m STD free and not pregnant?” I offer, sarcasm being my second favorite defense.

“Melody Kelly, are you dating Sidney Crosby and not telling your mother?” I mouth the words as she says them, because my mother is just that fucking predictable and then I clench my teeth again.

“I wouldn’t really describe it quite like that,” I mumble, reminding myself to kick Sid in the shin the next time I see him because I can’t do it to Trina, much as I’d like to right now for landing me in this cess pit of hellishness.

“And what’s this I hear about a ring?” Oh for god sakes. Troy and Trina were sworn to secrecy on that. Not that I didn’t know better even when Sid was asking them to keep it to themselves. I had seen the gleam in his mother’s eyes. She was already counting baby booties in her head.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about mom. You must have gotten confused in another conversation. I’m pretty sure if there were any kind of jewellery involved you’re be reading about it in Hello magazine, I mean, after I’d told you of course.” Like that was ever going to fucking happen. I had dreams about eloping to somewhere sandy and sunny and not having parents involved at all but for now, that was just a dream. No, it was probably a dream full stop but it was a nice dream all the same.

“So are you seeing him?” The terseness in my mother’s voice reminds me of all the times she’d stood in the door to my room, wooden spoon in hand, counting while she waited for me to tell the truth about something and much like then, I’m counting right along with her, albeit silently or at least under my breath, preferring to take the beating than share any information with my mom that she can use against me later.

“I wouldn’t call it that. We’re just friends and now that I’m in Manhattan he can visit me and it’s a quick train ride down to Pitt to see him. So do me a favor and don’t book the Church huh mom?” I add, giving a little shudder as I think about just how much she’s got to be dying to tell everyone she knows and rub it in the faces of a few people.

“If you’re keeping something from me....”

“Mom...I thought we went over this before with the whole pageant thing. You can’t keep trying to live vicariously through me. How far away do you want me to move? Because I’m pretty sure L.A. would be a lot warmer right about now,” I add, in a snarl that she doesn’t really deserve. But the last thing I need is for something to go wrong between me and Sidney had for either one of us to have to explain it the next time we set foot in the Harbour.

It’s funny how I’m beginning to understand just why he’s waiting to see if everything is going to work out. There is a lot more to this than just us.

“Ready to go?” Kensie bounds into the room in her newly acquired Penguins jersey and bounces on the end of the bed, a huge shit eating grin on her face.

“Gotta go mom. I’ll call in a few days.” I don’t give her a chance to object, or even to say goodbye. Not with Max standing in the doorway in his charcoal and silver pin striped suit with matching fedora. “Damn, you look like our pimp,” I grin, which makes him laugh.

“If I was your pimp I’d say you bitches aren’t dressed well enough to go out,” he replies dryly, just managing to deflect a fairly well aimed kick at his groin by Kensie as she slides off the end of the bed.

“Well I, for one, am not dressing like a puck and walking down Madison or sitting in a drafty arena. However, what I’m wearing under this, I can pretty much guarantee that Jordan will be more than pleased with,” Kennedy adds with a grin, starting to lift the oversized jersey, which I just manage to stop her from doing, putting my hand over hers’ and shaking my head.

“Did I say that I’m sorry you’re injured but I’m so glad you’re taking us to the game Max?” I laugh, hip checking Kennedy out of the way. “At least I won’t have to hear about the size of Jordan’s....”

“I’ve seen that and it’s not that big. I mean not compared to mine which is....” Max begins to spread his hands apart and both of us squeal and grab his arms to stop him from actually miming a certain part of his anatomy and steer him towards the door instead.
______________________________________________________________________

“I couldn’t help overhearing earlier,” Max begins, leaning to whisper in my ear while reaching into my lap for the popcorn. Had he been TK or Jordy and had they not been out on the ice, I would have slapped his hand away. But it was only Max so I didn’t.

“Mmm?” I was busy watching Sidney assume his usual pose, bent over, his stick across his knees over the dot at center ice. I knew if I looked up at the jumbotron I’d see a look of consternation and concentration mixed on his face. I did not. I did not want to be like Kennedy who was practically drooling as she leaned as far out of the box as she safely could every time the tall blonde hit the ice.

“You were talking à ta mère,” Max continues, munching thoughtfully on the popcorn before continuing, which I thought he was smart to do, considering he could only guess at my relationship with my mother by the tone I’d taken with her on the phone and began to wonder just how much he’d overheard. “Why haven’t you told them? About you and la merveilee de garçon?” That made me smile as I took my time chewing on the too dry, almost stale popcorn. Boy wonder, indeed.

“My mother would have the announcement in the paper and have booked the Church, arranged the reception and the honeymoon before I had time to say ‘boo’,” I explain, imagining the look of glee on her face as she rubbed it into the rest of the members of the sailing club. As if my mother ever sailed. “She’d love it, and she’d be the centre of attention too. She’d probably wear some really horrible sequined number and look like some kind of Tranny,” I sigh, knowing her penchant for Bob Mackie gowns, sparkles and too much make up.

“You’re not like other girls are you?” I turned to stare at the injured forward sitting beside me and Max only grinned and turned his attention back to his teammates fighting for control of the puck out on the ice.

“What the hell does that mean?” I demand, to which Max’s answer is to reach into my popcorn and grab another greasy handful, which he then proceeds to much thoughtfully on, although I can clearly see the grin on his face the whole time because he knows it’s driving me crazy.

“Most girls, and by that I mean seulement les filles gentiles,” he begins, reaching for his cup and draining half his beer before continuing. “Most of the girls the guys on the team date start planning their weddings after the third date,” he explains before glancing at me to see if I’m listening before he continues. “Or have you already planned it all out? Is that why you don’t seem...wrapped up in it?”

“I’m not wrapped up in anything and no...I haven’t planned the whole thing,” I grumble, putting the bag of popcorn aside and turning as much as I can to face him. “I may have been in love with him most of my life but I am not out to capture him and tie him down,” I hiss, pitching my voice low and glancing around to see if anyone, and by that I mean Mario and the rest of the ownership group. “If, and I do mean if Sidney ever decided he actually cared about me enough to want to do...that,” I add because I can’t bring myself to actually say it out loud, as if that might jinx it, “then I wouldn’t care if we got married in a paper box wearing garbage bags as long as he loved me. Okay? Is that clear enough for you?” I stare into Max’s green blue eyes and he stares right back, like he’s waiting for me to flinch. When I don’t, he merely shrugs and then drains the last of his beer and hops to his feet.

“Want one?” he asks, cheerfully, as if he hasn’t practically just accused me of being some kind of coat riding gold digger.

“No, thanks, I’m good,” I mutter, turning my attention back out onto the ice just in time to watch Sid slide the puck across to Malkin who skipped around two defensemen, only to ring the puck off the crossbar.

Groaning, I slide down into my seat and try not to think too much about what Max has said. It wasn’t like it was the first time that some ‘friend’ of Sid’s had said as much to me. I’d just hoped Max knew me better than that by now.

“Oh my god, did you see Jordy reach for that loose puck?” Kensie gushes, turning to beam at me. “C’mon, give my boy props. That was awesome.”

“You’re ill, you know that right Kens?” I laugh, tossing a piece of popcorn over towards her, grateful for the distraction. She sticks her tongue out at me and ducks the next handful of popcorn I toss at her, which flies over her head and likely lands on some poor unsuspecting paying client below. I lift my hand to toss another handful when I catch a glimpse of Mario out of the corner of my eye and decide to shove it in my mouth instead.

Troy already hates me and god knows I’m never going to be my mother’s favourite even if I am her only child. I don’t need Sid’s ‘foster father’ hating me too.

___________________________________________________________________

“This one’s empty,” I whisper as I peer into a darkened train car. Mel peers over my shoulder and then back the way we’ve just come before we both slip into the car. I hadn’t exactly cleared her coming back with us on the train. Not that I’m particularly worried about it, but I haven’t exactly been playing my best hockey ever either and there’s no need to give the coach any ammo like that you’ve been canoodling with your girlfriend on the train.

Pushing the door closed, I click it shut and then turn to Mel who’s watching me with this little grin on her face, half hidden because she’s chewing on her bottom lip nervously.

“Finally alone,” she grins, backing her into the car, until the back of her knees comes into contact with the bench and then she falls back with a laugh. Crawling on top of her, I hover over her, enjoying making her squirm.

“Did you enjoy your date with Max?” I tease and she rolls her eyes.

“You mean your boyfriend?” she replies, nipping at my bottom lip. “Do you know he actually accused me of plotting our nuptials?” This makes me laugh, although I’m not entirely sure if the new Melody who designs ball gowns for Nathalie and obscenely short mini skirts for Lauren is entirely past the point of designing her own wedding gown, but somehow I just can’t see it.

“Not if your mother has anything to do with it,” I growl, pressing my lips down over hers as her nails drag up my side. She tastes like buttery popcorn and vaguely of Sprite or 7-Up. Our tongues twine as she drags my dress shirt out and slides her hands up beneath it until she’s kneading my shoulders and I groan with relief into her mouth. “Damn, you know I can’t resist your back rubs.”

“I also know you’re not going to put me out of my misery,” she whispers against my lips, “no matter how much I beg so one of us may as well be satisfied.”

“Melll,” I groan feeling yet another fight coming on but she only laughs, a deep throaty sound against my neck before she bites down on my earlobe.

“I’m not really complaining,” she replies as we extricate ourselves from each other and I slide down onto the floor in front of her, shedding my jacket as I do so that she can dig her healing hands into my shoulders. “I just keep thinking how tired you’re going to be after you get back from the Olympics and if you so much a use that excuse….”

“I had no idea you were such a nympho,” I grin up at her as she cracks her knuckles before she starts by digging her fingers into my hair and giving me a scalp massage that has me shutting my eyes and yawning in no time.

“You have no idea about a lot of things Crosby,” she teases, working her fingers down to my neck and as my head falls forward I can’t help but think that if she’s this gifted this far up my body….

“Maybe I shouldn’t trust you with Max,” I add, hearing the slurring in my own voice as I vacillate between consciousness and the sleep my body is demanding. If I’d been thinking I would have grabbed some more fruit and nuts out of the dining car and boosted my energy before dragging her back to the sleep cars.

“I don’t think anyone should trust Max,” she laughs, her hands now kneading my shoulders hard, making me groan out loud. “But I had no idea he was such a moody fucker, did you?”

“He can be,” I admit, moaning as she puts her body weight into the pressure of her hands as she bends me forward. “He hasn’t…hit on you or anything?” I ask, thinking there’s no way he would but just to be sure….

“Who Max? No, I think he thinks I’m some kind of pathetic idiot,” she laughs, her hands now digging into the especially sore muscles around my ribs. I hiss in pain and her fingers turn tender, probing the spot carefully before moving onto another, less painful spot. I’m reminded of all the other times that she’s done this for me and I feel a sudden wave of guilt wash over me. All those times, and I had no idea that she had any feelings towards me except to those of an older brother….Fuck! I must have been really blind.

Reaching back, I grab her arm, closing my hand around her wrist and pull her down onto the floor with me and roll onto my side so I can hold her and look into her face and even in the dark, her smile and her eyes light up as she smiles at me.

Fuck Crosby! What were you thinking?

“I’m sorry,” I whisper and without being told for what, she just laughs and nods.

“You’re a self centered, egotistical boy. It’s okay,” she replies and then sighs as I roll her onto her back and kiss her softly, letting my hands roam down over the slope of her breast, and down, down…. “Sidney…don’t.” I feel her stiffen beneath me and I freeze with my hand just at the waistband of her jeans.

“But I thought that you….” She smiles up at me but it’s that sad sort of ‘oh you’re such a stupid boy’ smile and doesn’t reach her eyes.

“It just makes it worse. I want to be with you, I don’t want to play around like a couple of kids in the back of the rink,” she whispers, touching her lips to mine.
“But I’d like it if we could just…I mean if you think you can handle being this close to my completely sexy body, if we could snuggle for a while?”

“Snuggle?” I bite down on the inside of my cheek. I’ve never heard a word like that out of her mouth before.

“Yeah I said snuggle Shut up Crosby,” she laughs, manoeuvring her way closer, laying her head on my chest and I wrap my arms around her and hold her and I can’t help but think it feels pretty good.