Chapter 15 - How I Spent My Summer Vacation

After that night, Sidney and the guys had been out of town the next Friday and Saturday first in Chicoutimi and then in Drummondville. We lost both games big, and Sid only managed one goal, but he added 4 assists, putting him closer and closer to the record. His parents, he told me when he called after Friday night’s game, were going to arrive in town sometime Sunday afternoon. He was going to be back in the early morning hours of Sunday morning, and he wanted me to be at his place when he got home.

I was only too happy to oblige him. We spent a few quiet hours together, Eric having managed to find somewhere else to be. It was nice of him really. I was feeling domestic so I made breakfast for us around noon, a skill that Sidney was not aware that I possessed (mainly because I could burn water most of the time, but I seem to have a talent for breakfast) before I kissed him and headed home.

As of that afternoon, with Sidney’s parents (and his little sister Taylor) now in town, I knew that Sid wasn’t going to have a ton of time for me. The first night his parents were in town they decided to go out for supper as a family, and with Tante Amèlie out of town for some kind of meeting, Mark and I decided to throw a little get together.

Most of the team made their way over, including Eric. I saw him making his way around the house and I headed over to him immediately. “Hey.” I said, hugging him around the waist.

“Hey doucette.” He said, having taken up Mark’s nickname for me. “How’s it going?”

“Not bad, how are Sid and his parents?” I asked.

Eric laughed and shook his head. “Fine I guess.” He shrugged. “You two are pathetic you know that?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Why is that?”

“Sid told me to tell you he would call as soon as his parents went to bed… maybe even try to sneak over if he got the chance.” Eric told me. “He’s been missing you all day.”

I laughed. “Okay we are pathetic.” I admitted. “But I’m nervous about meeting his parents.”

Eric gave me the once over. “Well if you dress like that, you probably have a reason to be.”

“I don’t intend to dress like this. But Sid hasn’t even told me when I’m going to meet his parents.” I said taking a swig of my drink. “I’m assume that I am going to be meeting them the night of the next game, because Sid hasn’t seen them in awhile.”

“Like Darryl can stay away from you for that long.” Eric said rolling his eyes. “You should see the guy on road trips.” He finished taking a long swig of his beer.

“What do you mean?” I asked, curious. Sid always told me he’d missed me, but he never said anything else. On top of that Eric was the one who told me about what I’d said to Catrine on New Year’s Eve, so if there was anything to tell, I had a feeling that Eric was going to be the one to tell me.

“We like to have a little fun on the road.” Eric said taking another swig of his beer. “I mean, its not like all the guys fuck around on the road trips.”

I rolled my eyes. “I know that Eric. Mark and Danny are another story of course.” I said.

Eric laughed. “Sorry doucette. Sometimes I forget that you aren’t like other girls.”

I laughed. “No big.” I said. “But that still doesn’t answer my question. What do you mean I should see him on road trips?”

“When we have a chance to go out and party or whatever, he doesn’t go.” Eric said, telling me something I already knew. “Instead he goes straight to the hotel. Then all he ever talks about is you.”

I shrugged with a grin. “What can I say? I have that effect on guys.”

Eric shook his head with a snort. “Yeah and you completely ruined Darryl.”

I shrugged good-naturedly. “I’d like to think I improved him. I guess its all a matter of perspective huh?”

Eric laughed. “I guess that’s it.” He said. “But I mean, the other guys get a break from “I hope Nickie’s sleeping okay,” and “I wonder if Nickie and Michelle are drinking tonight,” I have to live with the kid here too.”

“Poor baby.” I said kissing his cheek softly. “I think you’ll survive.”

“That’s what you think.” Eric grumbled. “I have to live with hearing how wonderful you are twenty-four seven and then I have to live with the fact that you aren’t a puck.”

I laughed. I know that would have offended a lot of girls, but Eric didn’t mean any harm, he was just horny. He needed to get laid. “Well I think Bianca came with Catrine if you’re looking.” I informed him.

Eric grimaced. “No thank you. She’s such a frickin’ drama queen.”

I laughed. “Well is there anyone else you’d like me to help you with? I can put in a good word for you.”

Eric hugged me around the shoulders. “Thanks but no thanks doucette.” He said. “Since you and Darryl became totally official the only girl in Rimouski who actually likes you is Michelle.” He said. “And Stewie already has that taken care of.”

I pouted. “Well it’s the thought that counts isn’t it?” I asked flirtatiously.

“You are a very bad girl doucette.” Eric said, laughing appreciatively.

“Sidney likes me that way.” I replied, taking a long hard swig of my drink, finishing it off.

“Any guy would like you that way doucette.” Eric said, answering my swig with one of his own.

“Well I’m gonna go get another of these.” I said, raising my glass. “You want?”

“I’ve got beer somewhere around here.” He said. “So I’m cool. But yeah, Sid said to tell you that he’d make it over here tonight if he could.”

I hugged him again. “Thanks Eric… and thanks for this morning too.” I added.

He grinned. “No problem doucette.”

I wandered into the kitchen to get another drink. It was only 9:40. If Sidney was able to get away from his parents it would be a few hours from now. I poured myself a drink, but instead of pouring a 50-50 mix the way I usually I did, I went 20-80. I didn’t want to be too drunk, just in case Sid could get away. Wandering around, I realized that Eric really was right. We were pathetic.

Here I was, at a party surrounded by my friends, and all I could think about was the fact that my boyfriend wasn’t here. That was pathetic. I should be having a good time. It wasn’t that I wasn’t enjoying myself, it was just that I was thinking about Sidney isn’t of thinking about what was going on around me. I mean, I was hosting a fricking party. I should be, like talking to people and stuff, but instead, I was sitting in a corner, sipping my drink.

Nickie Roy. Sitting in a corner sipping a drink. Typically at these things I was the centre of attention. I was doing a wild and crazy strip show, or I was playing drinking games or doing body shots off of every single hot guy in the place (and trust me, there were a lot of them in the house). But tonight I just wanted one hot guy to be here.

I’d been sitting there, nursing my drink in the corner of the living room for about 45 minutes before Mark found me. “Doucette what on earth are you doing?” He demanded, slurring slightly.
“Sitting.” I replied with a grin. “Isn’t it obvious Tobin?”

“Haha.” He said sarcastically. “Come on, you’re just sitting here. Where’s the party at?”

I shrugged and glanced around, looking for Catrine. She was talking to a couple of drunk people who had been making out earlier. “Sidney might come over later if his parents go to sleep.” I explained. “I don’t want to be too drunk just in case.”

“And if the kid doesn’t fucking show up then you’re going to be sober and you won’t have had any fucking fun.” Mark replied. “And Darryl wouldn’t want that.”

“I know he wouldn’t.” I said, downing what was left of my drink. “But he also wouldn’t want me to be so wasted that he felt as if he wasted his time sneaking out to see me.”

Mark shrugged. “I suppose that’s true.” He said. “But you need to relax a little.”

“I have to meet his parents this week.” I said, taking the beer he handed me and taking a swig. “That means that I can’t relax. Not until that’s done.”

Mark rolled his eyes. “Doucette, you’ll be fine.” He said. “And its not like you’re meeting Darryl’s parents tonight. You can relax tonight. It’s not like either of us care about Mme. Paradis’ house getting trashed. Hell, she won’t care either. So you’ve got nothing to worry aboot.”

I giggled. “You just said aboot.”

“Doucette, I’m from the Rock. What do you expect?” Mark replied, taking a long swig of his beer.
“Not that.” I said with another giggle.

“Westerners.” He snorted.

“Maritimers.” I replied, knowing after having lived with him for a couple of months that there was nothing Newfies hated more then being called Maritimers.

He glared at me. “I am not a Maritimer. I am a Newfie.”

I giggled. “But Newfie sounds so goofy.”

Mark just glared at me. “Nickie you can be a real pain in the ass sometimes.” He grumbled.

I grinned at him and kissed him on the cheek. “You know I’m you’re favourite Albertan Mark.” I paused. “Of course, I’m probably the only Albertan you know, but that’s besides the point.”

He laughed. “Go have fun doucette.” He said, smacking my ass as I walked past him.

I grinned back at him. “Moron.” I said.

I wandered around for about an hour, drinking a couple of beers and stopping to talk to people here and there. Everyone was having fun. That was good. I was bored. My cell phone beeped at me, indicating that the battery was low. I wandered down to my bedroom and walked in without knocking. “Pardon-toi nous sommes occupe ici!” A voice came from the bed.

I burst out laughing. “Je m’excuse, umm its my room and I need my extra cell battery.” I said. “Just give me a minute, whoever you are, and for God’s sake, please strip the bed when you’re done.”

I ignored whoever was in my room while I got my cell battery and left. I had no idea who was actually in my room, but I did need to get my extra cell battery. I didn’t want the battery to be dead when Sidney called. Whoever was in my bed was from the high school and probably a friend of Catrine’s. I grumbled. She’d probably told them that they could have sex in my room.

I wandered upstairs. Catrine was wrapped around Mark in the kitchen. “Mark ask your girlfriend if she told her friends that they could have sex in my room?”

Mark turned to Catrine. “Tu n’as pas.” He said.

I raised my eyebrows. “I’m so sure she did.” I said. “Why else would people be having sex in my room? I go to get my cell battery after I’m done talking to you and there are naked people in my room. The same people SHE’D been talking to while you and I were talking.”

“Catrine…” Mark said in an aggravated voice. “Tu n’as pas.”

She glared at me. “Oui je l’ai dit ou alle pour fair le chose. Tu etais entrain de parle au poutain ici.”

“That’s it!” Mark yelled to my surprise. “Nous sommes finis Catrine! Finis!”

Catrine glared at me. “C’est ta faut!” She screamed. “Ta faut!”

“Non, cheri.” I said sarcastically, walking away. “C’est tout ta faut.”