Chapter 19 - An American Flavour

“Thanks baby.” Sidney said, kissing me softly as I hung up the phone. “I was just about ready to hang up on her.”
I shrugged. “No big deal kid.” I said, kissing him back. “She’s a good Mom you know. She worries about you. I’m surprised she didn’t ask me if I was sure that you were eating your vegetables.”
Sidney rolled his eyes. “I know.” He said. “But I’ve been away from home before Kally. I mean you were with me last year at Shattuck’s and I managed just fine. Mom has called EVERY night since I’ve been here. She never called that much at Shattuck’s.”
I shrugged. “You have to admit that boarding school is a little different Sidney.” I pointed out. “I mean, at boarding school you have teachers supervising you like, 24-7, you eat what the cafeteria serves, and the oldest people there are like 17 or 18. Here, you’re on your own most of the time with guys from the team. You don’t actually GO to school here, so except for the time you spend with your tutor, and doing official team stuff, your Mom has no idea what you’re doing. There are guys who are 20, and going to be 21 before the end of the season on your team. The legal drinking age here is 18, and your Mom knows that there are lots 18-year-olds on the team. Plus, she knows I’ll be 18 before Christmas, and I’m sure she’s aware that I am not always the best influence in the world.”
“We drank at Shattuck’s.” Sidney said petulantly.
“Yeah and like your Mom knew about that.” I said rolling my eyes. Then I kissed him on his cheek. “Thanks for not telling her the party was at my place.” I said.
He shrugged, but blushed a little too. “I guess.”
I elbowed him in the side. “You don’t guess kid, you know.”
He stuck his tongue out at me. “You’re annoying.”
I shrugged. “And the boy who doesn’t even bother to leave his girlfriend a note when he leaves her asleep after sleeping over at her house isn’t?” I asked pointedly.
He looked at me a little shocked, as we all made our way out to the car. “You wanted me to leave a note?” He asked.
Eric laughed from the backseat. “Je tes dit.” He said.
I shrugged again. “It would have been nice kid.” I told him. “I mean, I woke up, rolled over, and you weren’t there.”
“Sorry Kally.” He said, dropping a kiss on my forehead. “I did clean up though and make everyone leave. You just looked so beautiful asleep. I couldn’t wake you.”
I smiled softly. “You did get points for the cleaning.” I said. “And you also get points for saying I’m beautiful when I’m sleeping. Except we both know that I wasn’t asleep, I was totally passed out.”
Sidney shrugged and smiled boyishly. “But that wouldn’t have gotten me any points and since I didn’t leave a note, I need them.”
Eric and I laughed. “You were dead to the world.” Eric told me. “We made a ton of noise getting Jean-Sébastien out of there. For a little guy he sure can drink.”
“You mean he drinks more then he can handle.” Sidney said, rolling his eyes. “He was still drunk when we got him out of there.”
I giggled. “I probably would have been if you’d woken me at some un-Godly hour.” I pointed out. “I mean, I was passed out cold.”
“Hence why we didn’t try to wake you.” Eric said with a grin. “Otherwise we would have had you to contend with too, and you wouldn’t have wanted Sid to leave.”
I smiled softly at Sidney and squeezed his thigh. “What woman on earth would let THIS go willingly?” I asked, eyebrows raised.
Sidney blushed, and I giggled. I’d only said it to make him blush, because well, I like making him blush. Why else would I have teased him about his “equipment”? I like seeing him blush. It’s cute. He’s even cuter when he blushes.
Eric rolled his eyes. “He is a kid.” He said. “As you constantly say.”
It was my turn to blush. “Yeah, well you know.” I muttered.
“No actually I don’t.” Sidney said, looking at me. “Why do you call me kid?” He asked. “I mean, you have since we first met, but I never really got it.”
I glanced at him shyly. “I was doing it to keep you at a distance kid.” I said pointedly. “Because you reeked of trouble from the moment we met.”
Sidney and Eric both snorted. “You are far more trouble then I could ever be Kally.” Sidney pointed out needlessly.
I shrugged and winked at Eric in the rearview mirror. “And that’s half the fun sexy.” I told him. “I mean, I’m here to party this year. You have to play hockey though, so you won’t always be able to join the fun.”
Sidney grinned lazily. “Kally I intend on keeping you far too busy to party that much baby.” He said pointedly, causing me to blush for a change.
Eric chuckled. “Well don’t wear yourself out Sid.” He cautioned, clearly the experienced older player. “You don’t want to be too tired to play well, and the Bèlangers are going to expect you to come home at night, ‘cause you’re underage.”
“So you don’t have to go home at night?” He asked Eric. “And why didn’t we get in shit for last night?”
“Because they knew we were ivre… drunk.” Eric explained. “They are not stupide Sid. Do not expect to get away with it often.”
I grinned wickedly at Eric. “Well I guess I’ll just have to sneak over there.”
“Kally you can’t do that….” Sidney said, first sounding shocked then trailing off as he realized that I was totally kidding.
“Relax sexy.” I said with a nonchalant shrug. “I’m just goofing around.”
“Sexy?” He replied eyebrows raised.
I shrugged as I pulled into the driveway. “Well you clearly don’t want me calling you kid anymore, and I am not going to start calling you “honey” or “sweetie” or anything. So sexy it is.”
“What did you call Zach Parisé?” Eric asked wickedly a grin on his face.
“Zachie, but I can’t really add the –ee sound to Sidney’s name now can I?” I replied, as I wandered into the house. “Sid come help me in the kitchen. I need your help ordering super.”
“Food?” Danny asked, perking up from the video game he was heavily involved in.
I shrugged. “You guys haven’t eaten have you?” I asked. “Because I am totally starved. All that alcohol last night and all.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Sidney said. “As you’ve pointed out, we’re guys. We’re always hungry. What are you thinking of ordering?”
“That’s why I need your help sexy.” I said as he followed me in to the kitchen. “I have no idea what there is to order here.”
“Pizza is probably easiest.” Sidney said. “And I’m sure it’s cheapest too, ‘cause I don’t know about the rest of the guys, but after paintball and lunch, I’m a little tapped.”
I raised my eyebrows. “I’ve got it.”
“Kally no, baby, you can’t pay for everything.”
I shrugged. “Sure I can.” I said. “Whether or not you’ll let me is another story entirely sexy.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him, my head fitting perfectly on his chest.
Sidney gently stroked my hair. “I don’t want you to pay for everything Kally.”
“It’s just pizza Sidney.” I pointed out. “It’s not really that big of a deal.”
“And you bought the alcohol last night.” He replied.
“Sidney, my Dad bought the alcohol last night. He didn’t like the idea of his little girl being stuck up here with Upper East Side Essentials like Cristal and Absolut.” I smiled. “Sid the way my Dad is going, I’m going to have a maid and a security guard. He worries about me now that he knows me.”
Sidney glanced around with a smile. I clearly hadn’t done anything since the cleaning Sid had given the place that morning. In fact, I’d managed to make a bit of a mess. “Well how about we make a deal?” He said. “You get the maid, and I get the security guard.”
I giggled. Sidney was big news up here. Kind of like Lebron James was in the US. I’d quickly discovered that and the season hadn’t even started. “Don’t go getting ahead of yourself there kid.” I warned him.
He raised his eyebrows as he took a sip of my drink. “You seriously think I’m going to flop here?” He asked with a grin.
“Of course not.” I said, smiling. “But see, there is this thing called the NHL that even I’ve heard of, and from what I understand, its really, really popular on this side of the 49th. Something tells me that for the moment, that’s more important to people then you are sexy.”
“You really do think I’m sexy don’t you baby?” Sidney asked rhetorically, as he wrapped his arms around my waist and licked his way down my neck, stopping here and there to nibble… basically making me go absolutely CRAZY in the process.
“Sidney….” I moaned low as his hands worked their way up my shirt.
“Hey you two.” Danny called from the living room. “Less fooling around more dealing with the food issue.”
I laughed as we broke apart. “You’re no fun Danny.” I replied, as I picked up the phone.
“I’d be more fun if the kid were willing to share Kally.” He replied wickedly.
Sidney glowered in Danny’s direction and I hip checked him gently. “He’s just bugging you sexy.” I told him. “It’s far to easy where I’m concerned I think.”
“Fuck Kally I don’t even like to think about you with Zach… and that was nearly a year ago.” He said, running an irritated hand through his hair. “You are my girl.”
“I am your girl.” I told him, snuggling close to him. “And you’re mine too Crosby. Don’t you forget it.”
He grinned. “Not likely Kally.” He said, hugging me tightly.
I quickly called a pizza place and ordered a couple of extra large pizzas and a salad for me. There was enough beer in the fridge that everyone could have a few drinks, but I ordered some soda anyway. An hour later we were standing around in the kitchen, the guys munching on pizza, making fun of me for eating a salad.
“Thanks for this Kal.” Danny said, taking another huge bite. “You totally didn’t have to. We could have chipped in.”
I shrugged. “No worries.” I said, taking a bite of my salad. “I was hungry. I’d be a horrid hostess if I didn’t feed my guests. As it is, Grandmama would faint if she saw me feeding you pizza. She’d take me into my room and basically tear into me.”
“Why?” Alex asked, as he took a bite of pizza and then a swig of beer. “There’s nothing wrong with pizza.”
“Umm in my Grandmama’s eyes if it isn’t cuisine it isn’t fit to eat. Let alone feed guests.” I said. “She’s a bit of a snob.”
“Sounds like it.” Danny said. “You need to like, feed her some really good pizza when she’s wasted someday. She’ll change her mind.”
I giggled. “I’ve seen Grandmama drink heavily, but never, ever wasted.” I grinned. “The older Upper East Side New Yorkers do not do drunk. They drink far to frequently and far too heavily for that. The younger set however, totally does drunk.”
“So do you like know Paris Hilton if your family is that rich?” Danny asked.
I rolled my eyes and Sidney groaned. “Do not get her started on the Hilton’s or on Nicole Ritchie for that matter, please.” He begged me more then Danny. “It’s like a two hour long tirade once she gets going.”
“You don’t like them?” He asked, surprised. “But they’re HOT.”
“And I’m not?” I asked, eyebrows raised, hands on my hips.
“You are my teammate’s girlfriend.” Danny replied after an awkward pause. “So I’m going to keep my mouth shut.”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “And no, I don’t like the Hiltons. They are Upper East Side trailer trash… they break the number one rule of being Upper East Side money… they embarrass the family.”
“And you’ve never embarrassed yours?” Eric asked.
“Nope. I went to boarding school far enough away from New York that no one knew when I got suspended or arrested. And even if some people in Minny knew, like my family would care about what people from the mid-west thought of me.” I said.
“Arrested?” Alex asked, surprised.
I shrugged. “You want to tell or should I?” I asked Sidney.
“You tell baby.” He said. “I wasn’t even at Shattuck’s then.”
I nodded. “It’s not really that interesting a story. My Mom and Dad were total stoners in University and Law School and when I’m 11 they ship me off to Shattuck’s, so I do what any self-respecting kid would do. I rebelled. Hard core. At 12 I was drinking and smoking. By 13 I was having sex and smoking weed. At 14 I was, well 14 was probably my most destructive year.” I explained.
“I was totally self-destructive. Ecstasy was my drug of choice that year, and I got pulled in at a Rave. Some idiot in some summer program at Shattuck’s said I was their dealer which was total bullshit. Especially since I had given them the shit they asked for for free, and my room was searched and all my shit – water bongs, pipes, not too mention my stash, was totally confiscated. Of course, I didn’t sell shit, but that wasn’t the point. I still got to spend a couple hours in lockdown.”
I glanced at the shocked look on all their faces and rolled my eyes. “Don’t worry I am totally clean now.” I informed them. “I have been since lockdown. I was given an ultimatum. It was money or drugs. Clearly I chose money.”
Sidney rolled his eyes. “Like none of you have ever smoked weed.” He said very pointedly at Eric. “Don’t look at Kally like that. She said she’s clean and I know she is. Well apart from the rampant alcoholism.” He teased.
“Darling if you think I’m a drunk you ain’t seen nothing.” I said. “You should meet my Grandmama. She’s probably on her tenth or eleventh drink of the day. Old money likes to start early.”