Chapter 28 - An American Flavour

Not now turned into no time at all in short order. It wasn’t like it was intentional or anything like that… Sidney was just playing hockey… after that night he didn’t really bother going out anymore. The fact was, Sidney was busy with hockey, and I threw myself head first into school. There wasn’t much else that I could do.
I mean, I definitely didn’t want to spend my time thinking about what was going on with Sidney and I, because for all I knew, we were all but over. We never talked anymore and in early December, Sidney was off to the Team Canada selection camp.
I missed him and all, but I had Danny and Mark and Patrick and Cédrick around to keep me occupied and out of trouble (well as much as it was possible for anyone to keep me out of trouble… it’s a challenging job, trust me). Even though I missed him, part of me was still angry with him for everything that he’d done… and of course for all the things he hadn’t.
I still loved him too, so that made it even harder on me. All too soon I was writing my final exams and I was starting to wonder about coming back in January. I wasn’t sure that I should if Sidney and I didn’t patch things up by then.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t sure that the problems that Sidney and I were having were patchable. I mean, we weren’t having the regular little high school relationship problems. We were having major, potentially life altering forever problems. Could you patch problems like that?
Having never been in this kind of relationship before, I wasn’t sure, and I wasn’t sure whether or not Sid knew either. So I focused on school during the day and tossed and turned at night, as I tried to ignore all of the bad thoughts that kept me up first and then caused me to have nightmares later.
To no one’s surprise, Sid made Team Canada as a third line centre. He would be the only kid on Team Canada forced to wear a cage… a full face shield, which was apparently required by the IIHF for all kids under 18. They were already in Finland when Dad and I flew over on the 22nd of December.
When we got over there, Team Canada had already played their first exhibition match against Sweden (in Sweden) and had won 3-2. Dad and I were met at the airport by one of the Team USA Chefs de Mission. He had a limo waiting that took us to the hotel in Helsinki where a Team Canada Chef de Mission took over.
The two teams were going to be playing in different cities. Team Canada would be playing all of their games in Helsinki, which was the official host of the tournament and the USA would be playing all of their games in Hameenlinna, which was about an hour north of Helsinki… or something like that. Dad had apparently worked it out so that if the USA and Canada were playing on the same day we’d go see the better game.
Before the tournament started though, Hockey USA invited us to join the players and their families for Christmas dinner. Hockey Canada extended a similar invitation for New Year’s Eve. Dad didn’t even bother asking me before he accepted both invitations, but I couldn’t really be mad at him. He didn’t know what was going on with Sidney and I, and I wasn’t exactly about to tell him.
This meant that on December 25th my Dad and I were in a formal dinning room in Hameelina, Finland, waiting for the guys from Team USA to show up. More than anything else in the world, I wanted to see Zachie. I needed one of his hugs, and his reassurance that everything was going to be all right.
The Team USA guys made their way into the dinning room and Zachie’s face lit up when he saw me. “Kally!” He cried running over to give me a hug.
The joy on his face and in his voice was my undoing. I burst into tears, and cried as quietly as I could into his Team USA jacket. Zach, knowing that if I was crying it was damned serious, held me tightly. I cried for a few minutes and then sniffed and said with a small smile, for the benefit of my Dad and the other people in the room. “I’ve missed you Zachie.”
“I missed you too.” He replied with a concerned smile. “So how’s my best girl been doing up in the wilds of the north?”
I glanced around. Everyone was watching us now. “Wow has it ever been a crazy year so far in Canada.” I told him with a big fake smile on my face. Well Zachie would know it was fake. Drew might too. But no one else would. I am very good after all. “I’ll tell you all about it after supper.”
“If you say so Kals.” Zach said, giving me an odd look.
I turned to Drew, who was standing there starring. “Have I changed so much since June Stafford?” I demanded, my hands on my hips.
“Of course not Kally.” He replied, still starring.
“So then why are you standing there starring at me instead of giving me my hug?” I replied, actually smiling at him… I mean, it was Drew after all.
Drew immediately wrapped me in a tight hug. “I want to know what’s going on too Kal.” He whispered in my ear as he did so.
I shook my head. “It’s hard enough for me to tell Zach.” I told him. “Maybe Sidney will tell you.” I said, unable to hide the disgust in my voice. “God only knows he’s told enough other people.”
Drew nodded. “Well if you feel like telling me, you know where to find me.”
I kissed him on the cheek. “Of course.”
My Dad chuckled and smiled. “In case it wasn’t abundantly clear, my daughter Kallista attended Shattuck St. Mary’s for nearly 6 years.”
“Unfortunately.” Zach, Drew and I all said at the exact same time, grinning at each other.
Supper was a bit of a blur from there. There were toasts and stuff, but I couldn’t touch my champagne, something that didn’t go unnoticed by either my Dad or Zach, though both of them chose not to comment on it during supper thank goodness.
After supper (and dessert of course), Zach and I excused ourselves and headed straight for the hotel room that he was sharing with Drew. He pulled me inside, knowing full well that with Team USA chaperones around every nook and cranny of this hotel we wouldn’t have a lot of time. “What’s going on Kally?” Zach demanded the minute the door closed behind us.
I collapsed, crying. My legs literally gave out and Zach caught me. “I… I… it’s too hard Zachie.” I sobbed into his chest.
Zach smoothed my hair softly. “Shh….” He whispered soothingly. “It’s going to be okay Kally. Whatever it is, I’ll help you.”
I took a deep shuddering breath as I struggled to control myself. I had to tell him. I had to tell someone who’d known me through some of the best, and worst times in my life. I had to tell someone who just knew me. “I’m late.” I told him in a hoarse whisper.
“Late?” Zach asked, in much the same way Sidney had when I first told him.
I blushed and looked at my feet. This was not exactly something that Zachie and I had ever really discussed… it wasn’t exactly a topic of everyday conversation for us or anything like that. “My period.” I told him. “It’s late.”
“How late?” Zach asked, looking more amused then concerned.
“Umm the last time I had one was September.” I told him honestly.
“Did no one mention to you that it’s now the end of December Kal?” Zach asked. “And that you could very well be pregnant?”
“I am NOT pregnant.” I told him insistently.
“And how on earth can you be sure?” Zach demanded.
“I haven’t had any morning sickness, my breasts aren’t tender. I have NO symptoms Zach.” I told him. “Not one. And I swear I’ve been on every site on the internet that could possibly tell me anything about the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy.”
“Have you bothered to try, like you know, going to a doctor?” Zach asked. “If you aren’t pregnant Kal, something else could be seriously wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong with me Zachie, other then the fact that my so-called boyfriend and I haven’t spoken more then a few words to each other since I found him in bed with another girl… in my own house.”
“HE WHAT?” Zach yelled angrily, his face turning bright red. “That fucking little shit, I wish we were in the same fucking pool so I could lay him the fuck out.”
I kissed him on the cheek. “While I appreciate the sentiment Zachie, I do still want to keep him.” I told him. “I just want him to apologize for being such a dick.”
“You know what we’ve always said about guys like that.” Zach said firmly.
“I know, I know….” I said with a sigh, flopping down on the bed. “Guys who act like dicks are making up for something they don’t have.” I paused and made a face. “However, what got me into this situation in the first place was discovering that Sidney has absolutely nothing to make up for.”
Zach chuckled. “Well then, all we need is a pregnancy test for you.” He said firmly. “Better to be sure.” He added when he saw the look of pure rebellion on my face. He paused. “Why haven’t you done this yet Kal?” He asked.
I raised my eyebrows. “Do you have any idea how big Rimouski is?” I asked. “It’s about as big as Faribault. Hell Faribault is probably bigger. Can you imagine what would have happened if I had gone and bought a pregnancy test when everyone knew that you and I were fucking?”
Zach paused and made a face. “Good point.” He said. “Can’t you send someone?” He asked.
I paused. Dad had his personal assistant (a woman of course) here with him. She’d have to do it if I asked her too, but part of me was too scared that I might be pregnant. “Will you hold my hand?” I asked Zach in a small voice.
Zach wrapped me in a tight hug. “What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t Kally?” He replied. “Now send someone to get a test.”
45 minutes later, after having gone back to mingling with the other Team USA guests Zach and I were pacing impatiently in his hotel room. I’d taken 3 different home pregnancy tests, and we were waiting for the stupid things to give me my results. We were both clearly nervous. Fortunately however, Zach never once asked me what I would do if I were pregnant.
“Is it time yet?” I demanded impatiently.
Zach glanced at his watch. “Not yet.” He said anxiously. “5 more minutes Kally.”
So Zach and I paced for 5 more minutes, growing more and more anxious with every passing second. In fact, I wasn’t sure who was more nervous… Zach or me. My heart swelled. This boy might have thought of me as nothing more then a puck-fuck when we first met, but now he would do anything for me, and we both knew it.
“It’s time.” Zach’s voice (and the beeping from his watch) interrupted my thoughts.
“I can’t look.” I said fearfully. “You check.”
Zach took a deep breath. “Not pregnant.” He said, checking the first one, as he breathed a deep sigh of relief.
I wished that I could do the same, but I still held my breath. I couldn’t breath. If I breathed, the other two would say I was pregnant. I just knew it. So I waited for Zach to read the directions for the other two tests.
“Not pregnant.” Zach said, his grin getting wider.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “It’s official Kal.” Zach said, that big grin of his right there on his face. “You are not pregnant!”
“Thank God in Heaven.” I said grinning as Zachie gave me a big hug.
Zach grinned wickedly. “You know Mrs. Jones would have loved to hear you say that a lot more at Shattuck’s then you ever did.”
I hit him. “Ass.” I muttered sticking out my tongue at him.
“Don’t stick it out unless you’re going to use it Kally.” My Zachie replied immediately with a wicked grin, a teasing glint in his eyes as he reached out for me and pulled me against his chest, as if he were going to kiss me.
I rolled my eyes as I pushed him away gently, playfully. “Doubtful Zachary.” I replied with a smile. “Especially since I am officially not pregnant.”
Zachie grinned at me. “Kallista Ashira Van Steen you’ve just found out that you’re not pregnant.” He said, in a cheesy commentator voice, pretending to hold a mic to my mouth as he asked. “What are you going to do now?”
I grinned. “First.” I said as I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. “I am going to hug and kiss my best friend. Then I am going back to Helsinki and I’m going to tell my boyfriend the good news.”