Chapter 30 - How I Spent My Summer Vacation

I watched in abject horror as Sidney flipped open my phone and searched through the numbers. Finally he appeared to find the one he wanted. He turned the speaker phone on, and turned the radio off. “Alexander Roy’s office.” A woman (who I assume was probably Jenny or Jena or whatever he name was) said.

“I’d like to speak to Mr. Roy please.” Sidney said firmly.

“I’m sorry that isn’t possible right now.” She replied, sounding bored. “May I take a message?”

“No.” Sidney said firmly. “I need to speak to Mr. Roy right now.”

“And I told you that simply isn’t possible.” She told him equally firm.

“Sidney.” I hissed. “Let it go.”

“No.” He said. “This isn’t fair to you.”

“May I ask who is calling?” She demanded.

“May I ask who I’m speaking too?” Sidney replied.

“My name is Jena Thompson.” She replied. “I am Mr. Roy’s personal secretary. And since you have this number I am going to assume that you are someone he wants to talk to. However, I would still like to know who is calling.”

“My name is Sidney Crosby.” Sidney replied.

“Would you care to leave a number where Alex… I mean Mr. Roy can reach you?” She asked, clearly NOT recognizing his name. “I’ll be sure to see that he gets your message Mr. Crosby.”

“The same way you made sure that he received all the messages his daughter has left for him since New Year’s Eve?” Sidney said firmly. “I don’t think so. I am going to speak to Mr. Roy now.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about sir. Mr. Roy does not have any children.” Jena replied.

I starred in abject horror at the phone. “Doesn’t have any children?” I hissed.

“I am fairly certain that Mr. Roy does have children Miss Thompson.” Sidney said firmly. “His eldest daughter, Nicole is 16 and his son, Francis would have been 14 if he hadn’t died in an accident several years ago.”

“I know about his son.” Jena replied. “It’s horrible. But the worst part is that the tragedy made his wife go a little crazy. She invented a daughter who never existed. The poor man. His wife calls from time to time pretending to be this Nicole. It’s so horribly sad. To lose his son and then to lose his wife like that.”

“I do not care what meeting Mr. Roy is in, or who he is on the phone with.” Sidney snapped his voice like ice. “I will speak to him NOW.” Apparently that sent her scurrying. I was crying so hard that I could barely see. Sidney gently wiped the tears off my face as Jena put him on hold. “Pull into the parking lot Nickie.” He whispered softly. “We are going to get to the bottom of this.”

“Mr. Roy says that he doesn’t know why you want to speak to him Mr. Crosby.” Jena’s voice said, sugary sweet. “In fact, he said he has no idea why a 16 year old hockey phenom would want to speak to him at all.”

“Because his non-existent daughter Nicole is my girlfriend.” Sidney snapped coldly. “And she is sitting here next to me in a car on our way home to Rimouski from my parents home in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia and she is crying her eyes out because of him. I am going to talk to him or I will see to it that my parents phone Social Services in Alberta and make sure that the provincial government knows about the years of neglect that Nickie has suffered at her parents hands.”

I had to speak up. “Jena I know full well that you’re fucking my Dad. I’ve caught you going at it in his office. I just left and went shopping instead of bothering to meet my Dad’s latest girlfriend.” I spat. “You know you aren’t the first. Every secretary he’s had since Frankie died has fucked him. Or been fucked by him. So don’t think you’re special. Now put my Dad on the mother fucking line.”

“He does not have a daughter.” She repeated as if she were trying to convince herself of that.

“Oh please.” I said, rolling my eyes. “Get on the other line and ask Uncle Davey’s secretary Emma about my Dad’s kids. In fact, why don’t you just go through your finance records and see about the Mustang that Daddy leased in Rimouski. That’s my car.”

“Just a moment.” She said clearly shaken.

I undid my seatbelt and climbed over the seat and curled up in Sidney’s lap. I couldn’t hear what Jena said to my Dad, she put us on hold, but I heard my Dad’s voice. “Nicole Emily Ashley.” He said firmly. “I want to know what’s so important that you had me pulled out of an important meeting.”

“Yeah right.” I snapped. “More likely your upset because now your mistress found out that you do have another child… one whose ALIVE by your wife. Oh and Dad, Mom might be a drunk, but she certainly isn’t crazy. She still loves you, but you hurt her over and over and over again.”

“Nicole.” My Dad said firmly. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

“I think you do Mr. Roy.” Sidney said. “Nickie caught you with Jena a while ago.”

“Who on earth are you?”

“Sidney Crosby sir. I’m you’re daughter’s boyfriend. I have been for a couple of months now.” He told my Dad. “Of course, if you ever bothered to call your daughter and check on her or see how she’s doing you might know that.”

“I’m a busy man.” Was my Dad’s reply.

“Too busy to let your new personal prostitute know that I’m NOT a figment of Mom’s imagination?” I snapped. “Too busy to CALL your daughter on the anniversary of your son’s death? Too busy to see your daughter off when you shipped her out to Quebec? I know you’re busy Dad, but this isn’t about you being busy. This is about you not loving me enough.”

“Nickie….” My Dad said slowly. “I do love you. I’ve made sure that you have everything that you could possibly want in Rimouski.”

I rolled my eyes. “Dad do you even know who I’m living with in Rimouski?”

“Your mother’s cousin?” He asked.

“No.” I said. “I live with Sidney.” I told him vindictively.

“WHAT?” He yelled. “I will NOT have my 16-year-old daughter living with some hockey player!”

“Hit a nerve Daddy?” I asked in sugary-sweet tones. “Wasn’t Mom fucking one of the Flames when I left? Is it still one of the Flames or has she moved on? Spring is coming after all, and that means Stampeder time.”

“Nicole Emily Ashley Roy. I do not know who has told you these vile things about your Mother and I, but they are simply not true.”

I laughed and rolled my eyes. “Daddy that is such a lie. Can you quit lying to me? You bought me my new leather jacket because you couldn’t be bothered to see me on my birthday. I accept that you and Mom have issues and that things will never be the same with our family, but for fuck’s sake, you and Mom need to quit lying to me.”

“You aren’t really living with that boy are you?” Dad asked.

“And would you care if I was?” I demanded. “What would you do about it? Would you come and get me? Would you send me home? Hell, do you even KNOW where I am right now and why?”

“Of course I would care. I don’t want my 16 year old daughter living with anyone of the opposite sex that she isn’t related to.” Dad said.

Sidney interrupted him with a laugh. “Well you should have looked into the relative that Nickie’s living with a little bit better. She billets my teammate Mark.”

Dad ignored him. “As to where you are, you’re in Rimouski because your Mom and I felt it would be best for you.”

I snorted. “Umm no.” I said. “I’m on the way home from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, where Sidney is from, because, well, I threw a crazy party – thanks the booze by the way Daddy, and a bunch of townies didn’t go to school the next morning. The school tried to blame the team, who placed the blame on me. So they told Sidney that he and I should go away for a few days before the Nics got ready for their first playoff series.” I told him. “So Sidney and I drove to Cole Harbour, spent a few days with his family, and now we’re, well, somewhere in New Brunswick.”

“Why the sudden decision to call?” He demanded.

“We were talking about our families sir.” Sidney said. “About how my parents waited 8 years after they had me before they had my little sister. And I asked Nickie some questions about you and her Mom, and she didn’t know the answers too.”

“Like what?” My Dad asked, his voice icy.

“Whether or not you were married before you married Mom.” I said. “You never talk about it. Hell, you never talk to me about anything.”

“Your Mother is my first wife.” My Dad said stiffly. “Now is there anything else Nicole?”

“You’re brushing me off again Dad.” I told him. “And I am going to see to it that your little whore knows FULL well that she is just as much of a home-wrecker as every other woman you’ve fucked since Frankie died.”

“Stop using such vulgar language Nicole.” My Father commanded. “Or you will see that your support in Rimouski is significantly reduced.”

I snorted. “Try it and I’ll tell Mom that you told Jena that I don’t exist and that she’s crazy. You want to see a scene Daddy?” I asked him sweetly. “Mom won’t take kindly to be called crazy. How she’ll react to being told I’m a figment of her imagination is anyone’s guess.”

“Nicole….” My Dad said warningly.

“Dad.” I replied.

“Is that boy with you?” He asked.

“Yes Sidney is with me. He’s the one who decided to call you. He’s sick and tired of seeing my parents ignore me.” I told him.

“It is none of his business Nicole. Remember what happens in the family, stays in the family.” Dad said firmly.

“Dad, Sidney is my family now. So are Mark and Eric and Danny and Michelle and Bianca.” I said. “My friends here care more about me then you and Mom do. They keep in touch. Mom only calls when she’s drunk and you don’t bother at all. And don’t tell me you didn’t hear that I called. I am sure that Miss Thompson told you that your “wife” called pretending to be your “daughter”, so don’t try and tell me that you didn’t get my messages.”

“Nicky what can I tell you?” My Dad asked and I could see him, sitting at his desk, running a hand through his hair. “What can I do to make this up to you?”

Sidney and I both snorted. “This isn’t about making “this” up to me Dad.” I told him. “You’ve been making things up to me for years, but you never bother changing. I’d rather you changed Daddy.” I said with feeling. “I don’t need another autographed sports jersey, or concert tickets, or a trip to Europe or whatever. What I need is for you to call me once a week to check on me, and let me know what’s up. I don’t need another leather jacket or another pair of Nikes. What I need is a Father who cares enough about me to worry about how I’m doing in school and whether or not I’m staying out too late.”

My Dad was silent. Sidney decided to jump in. “Mr. Roy I’m sorry for interrupting you at work, I understand that you’re a very busy man. But I really love your daughter.” He said, pausing to drop a kiss on my forehead. “And I want her to be happy. She’s happy here in Rimouski, but the hockey season doesn’t last forever, and I want her to be happy after I go home to Cole Harbour too. I’d love for her to get a chance to go home too.”

“Uh-huh.” My Dad’s voice said distantly. “That’s very nice.”

“You know what Dad, just fuck it all.” I snapped as I slammed the phone shut. “I hope that you and Jena are very happy together. Because Sidney and I are thrilled, and I am sure that Mom is, well drunk enough to be happy with whoever she’s sleeping with at the moment.”