Chapter 24 - An American Flavour

That Sunday’s game was not exactly fun. Troy hadn’t been in town for the Friday night game, as he’d been in Cole Harbour for Halloween with Taylor. However, he showed up early Sunday morning, surprised that Sidney wasn’t there. I kind of muttered and shrugged. I wasn’t really sure exactly what to say.
I wasn’t about to tell Troy that Sidney wasn’t there because he was upset with me over the fact that my period hadn’t shown up. That isn’t exactly something that you tell you’re boyfriend’s father after all.
So Sunday’s game was a little uncomfortable for me. I mean, my eyes kept following Sidney, every single time he was on the ice. But he hadn’t winked or looked for me the way he normally did.
However, it didn’t appear to be a particularly bad game for Sidney, even if it was a bad game for the Nics over all. They may have lost 10-4, but Sid still managed an assist on a Michal Sersen power play goal in the first. Then he scored late in the first from Zbynek Hrdel. Finally, in the third, he assisted on a Benoit Arsenault power play goal.
So he got 2 assists and a goal, which, all in all was a good game. The only really sour note was a penalty he took late in the 3rd. Cédrick got a chance to play in the game, after Guillaume (who still hadn’t warmed up to me, at least no more than Marc-Antoine or Dany R. had) allowed 6 goals on 18 shots.
Fortunately for me (and probably for Sidney too), Troy was heading home right after the game, so neither Sidney nor I was going to have to explain anything to him. That night, I cried myself to sleep again.
A week later, the boys had a Friday night game in Lewiston, Maine, and they once again lost, this time by a final score of 6-1. Cédrick had gotten the start, but was pulled after he allowed 4 goals on 19 shots. I skipped the Sunday home game. Sidney and I hadn’t spoken since the night he left my house in a huff.
At least not really. We kept up appearances when it was necessary, but other than that, we pretty much left each other alone. I didn’t know what to say to him and I don’t think that he knew what to say to me.
The fact of the matter was, I was just as freaked out by this whole situation as he was. I didn’t want to be pregnant. I knew that I could deal with one way or another if I had to. However, if I were pregnant, my little half-brothers and half-sister were only going to be a few months older then their niece or nephew.
Part of me wanted to call Zachie, since I’d always been able to go to him for advice, however, somehow this didn't seem like something I could ask him. I found out online that there was a blood test that I could get at the doctor’s that could tell me whether or not I was pregnant nearly immediately, but I was too scared to go get the test.
To top it off, the boys lost that Sunday game as well, so they had now lost 3 straight and they were going into Shawinigan on Tuesday (Veteran’s Day or I guess Remembrance Day is what they call it in Canada). So I was kind of surprised when Mark, Patrick and Danny showed up on my doorstep Sunday when the game was over.
I definitely did not look like myself. I’d told Troy that I was sick, and to tell Sidney good luck, but the fact was, I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t deal anymore. So I was kind of surprised when Mark and Danny showed up. “What do you guys want?” I demanded petulantly, acting just as grumpy as I felt.
“You weren’t at the game today.” Mark said, pushing his way in the house. “Troy said you weren’t feeling well.”
“I’m not.” I said. “So you guys probably shouldn’t be here.”
Danny shrugged. “You’re not really sick.” He pointed out.
I shrugged. “Look it’s nothing personal guys.” I said plopping down on the couch. “I’m just not in the mood for company.”
“We could tell.” Mark said with a grin. “But well, that isn’t stopping us.”
“Besides….” Danny said, as he went into the kitchen and came back with three beers and a glass of Cris, that I pretended to sip, clearly making themselves comfortable. “We have news about your boy-toy.”
I snorted. “I wouldn’t call him that.”
“Yeah well, he is only 16 Kally.” Mark said, taking a sip of his beer.
“I am more then well aware of that.” I snapped.
“Either way….” Danny said, playing the part of peacemaker. “He’s been spending a lot of time with Marc-Antoine and the other Dany.”
“Good for them.” I said in a sulky voice.
“Well I happened to overhear something interesting on the bus ride home from Lewiston.” Mark said with a grin.
“And what was that?” I asked, now intrigued.
“That whatever is going on between the two of you comes from him committing to one girl too soon.” Mark told me.
“And I heard from Dany that what is going on is major.” Patrick said.
I sighed. “And I suppose that you guys are absolutely dying of curiosity.”
“Well whatever it is, it’s big.” Mark said. “Or else the kid wouldn’t have gone to the Vets.”
“We know that Eric knows.” Patrick added. “Because he told Marc-Antoine and Dany to shut up because they did not know what they are talking of.”
I sighed. “Well at least Eric’s on my side. That’s something.”
“So come on Kally, you can trust us.” Danny said.
“Can I really?” I asked, looking each of the guys in the eyes and holding their gaze briefly. “Because I don’t want anyone to know about this, but since Sidney has obviously told a few people, I should have someone to talk to too.”
“Of course you can trust us.” Mark said indignantly. “We came here to tell you what was being said after all.”
“That’s true.” I said, worrying about, well everything. “But how do I know that you aren’t just here for the gossip?”
“Come on Kal.” Danny said, rolling his eyes. “We’re here all the time because we like you. It wouldn’t matter that you kept beer in your fridge for us, or that you had a big screen TV if we didn’t like you. We just wouldn’t be here. I promise I won’t say a word to anyone about whatever it is you have to tell me, not even Sidney.”
“Moi aussi.” Patrick said, slipping into French.
“Me too.” Mark said nodding.
I sighed deeply. “This is big guys.” I said, hanging my head. “And it could get bigger.”
“Did the kid cheat on you?” Danny demanded. “Or did you cheat on him?”
“Not as far as I know.” I told him. “And no.”
“Did he find out about you and Zach Parisé?” Mark asked.
I shook my head. “Sidney’s known about that from day one.” I said. “Fuck the last person I had sex with before Sid was Zachie, and since I had sex with Zachie the same night that I caught Sidney in a bathroom stall with his pants around his ankles as some townie gave him head, I don’t exactly feel bad about that. Sidney knows far more about my past than any of you ever will.”
“Then what the fuck is it?” Mark asked. “Because the kid is fucking SCARED.”
I sighed again. “You guys are totally going to regret asking.” I told them.
Patrick shrugged. “Whatever.”
“If you’re sure….”
“We’re sure.” Danny said.
“Fine.” I told them. “I missed my period.”
“You missed your period?!” Mark jumped up and nearly spilt beer all over himself. “You mean you two weren’t using protection?”
I shook my head. “I’ve been on the pill since I was 14.” I told him. “So we didn’t bother with condoms. Zachie and I never did either and I’ve never had this happen before.”
“So you’re enceinte?” Patrick said incredulous.
“Maybe.” I said shrugging. “I don’t know. And before anyone suggests it, no I am not going to go buy a home pregnancy kit. If I did that the entire fricking town would know that the phenom’s girlfriend might be pregnant in like, 2.5 seconds.”
“So what are you going to do?” Danny asked, his face concerned.
I shrugged again. “I don’t know.” I said. “I mean, and I am well aware of how totally LAME this is going to sound, but I don’t FEEL pregnant. Every website I’ve checked says that I should have had some kind of symptom by now, but I’ve got nothing.”
Danny nodded sympathetically. “Well I can understand why Darryl is freaking out.” He said. “But you’re probably freaking out too.”
I nodded. “Definitely.” I said. “But the thing is, and I told Sidney this, no matter what happens, if I am pregnant and I do decide to keep the baby then my family will help me out. We won’t ask Sidney for anything. I mean, after my Dad, I am the sole heir to my Grandparents money. I won’t NEED anything from Sidney. So I guess it makes sense that he’s more freaked out than I am.”
Mark didn’t look very happy. “He doesn’t know how fucking good he has it.” He snapped. “You’re more worried about him and his career then you are about yourself.”
“Will you tell Parisé?” Patrick asked.
I sighed. “Not yet.” I told him. “If it turns out that I am pregnant of course I’ll tell him. In fact, if I am, I’ll probably go stay in North Dakota until the baby’s born.”
“Why North Dakota?” Mark asked. “Why wouldn’t you go to New York?”
I shuddered. “The press would have a field day with that. A young, unwed, pregnant socialite? My Grandmama would be so embarrassed and I’d be all over Page 6, for all the wrong reasons. They’re would be all kinds of speculation over who the Father was, since no one in the press knows where I am right now. Plus, since I was at a private school in Minnesota, as opposed to Connecticut, they really would have no clue who to link me with.” I paused. “Besides, that is a huge NO in the Upper East-Side WASP rule book. If I’m unlucky the baby will be shipped overseas.”
“What do you mean?” Danny asked.
“A girl that I partied with in the Hamptons every year got pregnant when she was just out of high school. Her family sent her to Sweden and the her little girl lives there with a nanny and some old eccentric Great-Aunt.”
“Your Grandparents would do that to you?” Mark asked.
“Yep.” I said with a shrug. “If it meant that my pregnancy… if I am pregnant, wouldn’t embarrass the family, they’d do just about anything. Appearances mean a lot on the Upper-East Side.”
“Wow.” Patrick said, his eyes wide. “Well we will help.” He added, clearly speaking for Danny and Mark.
“Cédrick will too.” Danny added. “He wanted to come over, but you know how his girlfriend gets.”
I nodded, tearing up. “You guys…..” I said slowly. “I don’t want to be the cause of some kind of locker room split.”
Mark shrugged. “I hate to burst your bubble Kally, but you already are. A lot of us like you and think that you’re good for Darryl because you make him happy… which by the way he is definitely not, in case you were worried. Then there are those guys like Marc-Antoine, Dany, and Guillaume, the goalie not the other one, the other one is cool with you, who think that Sidney should take advantage of being the phenom a little more.”
I sighed. “It would be a hell of lot easier to defend myself if those guys actually bothered to confront me about it, instead of being assholes and just talking behind my back.”
"I know Kal.” Danny said comfortingly. “It’s really not your fault, and like you said, you don’t actually FEEL pregnant. There could be something else going on.”
“I know.” I said softly. “But try convincing Sidney of that.”
Mark shook his head. “Give him some time Kally. He’s only 16, but if you give him some time, he’ll realize just how good he had it.”
As Mark said that, the doorbell rang. “Come on in!” I called. “It’s open.”
“It’s probably Cédrick.” Danny said. “He said he’d try to get over here if he could….”