Part 1 - Nobody's Perfect

*** PLEASE NOTE

This is the sequel to Pure Gold!

*

“But I miss you….” Sidney trailed off sadly on his end of the line.

“I miss you too sweetie.” I said, as I wrote a quick note to one of the parents of one of my students. “But I can’t come to Quèbec right now. I just don’t have the time. There’s so much that needs to be done.”

Sidney sighed. “But I didn’t go to the Top Prospects game because of my back and you were only able to come to Nova Scotia for four days at Easter. We’ve barely seen each other in like, three months.”

“I know Sid, and it totally sucks.” I agreed with him as I wandered around my apartment picking things up that were out of place. “But Sid, we knew that this was how it was going to be. I’m on contract. I have to fill out a form if I want to take time off, and then I have to wait for it to be approved… it takes time.”

Sidney sighed again. I was trying to talk some sense into him but the fact of the matter was, I missed him just as much as he missed me. We hadn’t seen each other in months, and we’d really had no time together at Easter. I was busy marking and he was kept busy by his parents and by friends from home. When we’d spent time together it had been at night, watching movies in his family’s living room. It had been a good time. Not quite as nice as when we’d been together in Grand Forks, but so much had happened since then.

First and foremost, the red jersey that he’d worn in the Gold Medal game had been stolen in the airport in Montrèal. It had been missing for almost two weeks. Some airport employee basically saw the hockey bag, rifled through it and took the jersey. The guy’s DAUGHTER wore the jersey to school later that week, despite the fact that it smelt absolutely disgusting.

After the emotion of having the jersey stolen, then having it returned, Sidney had missed the Top Prospect’s Game. His back was in horrible shape still and he’d been taking massive pain killers just to play for Rimouski every night. He didn’t think his back could handle a 7 to 8 hour flight across the country to Vancouver. He was probably right.

But that didn’t stop the vultures. The fact that he was missing the game but had been playing well (well that was a bit of an understatement, he’d been tearing it up hard core in the Q since his return from Grand Forks) meant that he had to have something against the west, or Don Cherry for the whole hot dog scandal a year or so earlier. Or he just thought he was too damn good to even bother playing in the game.

None of that was true of course, but they went on and on and on. About how he’d let down the fans and how he’d behaved like a spoiled brat. We’d spent a lot of time on the phone that week, as Sidney had needed someone to vent and rant to. He didn’t deserve the treatment that he received. In the end, I was probably angrier about the whole situation then he was. However, I just saved my ranting for D and Fraz.

Then Sidney signed an endorsement deal with RBK Hockey around the same time that the NHL season was officially cancelled. The deal was reportedly worth 2.5 million USD (that’s American dollars) for 5 years. The media jumped all over him again, but at least this time it was somewhat controlled. His agent and the PR people for the Ocèanic’s were able to keep it under control.

In the meantime, Sidney and his Ocèanic squad continued to tear up the QMJHL like there was no tomorrow. Sidney took a huge lead in the points standings as he scored 40 goals in 27 games (compared to 26 goals in 35 games before the World Juniors). I think the funniest thing I heard anyone say about this was when a TSN reporter asked Sidney if he hadn’t gotten the memo about how the play of players who played in the World Juniors is supposed to drop off after they come back.

So not only did Sid need only 27 games to tally 94 total points, his Rimouski club just hadn’t lost. They played out the regular season and ended on a 28 game unbeaten streak. They were playing phenomenal offensive hockey. True their defense could probably have used some work, but hey, when you’re scoring 6 + goals a night, who needs defense?

I had followed all of the games in Rimouski (well not all of them… if they were playing on the same night as my Rebels I depended on Troy Crosby to text me with updates) through the internet. I listened to them live online as often as I could. In the playoffs they began televising the games the on net, which was cool.

I watched as many as I could, and when Getter and Andy and the Hitmen knocked my Rebels out of the playoffs, D and I watched every game together. Since the streak began, the Ocèanic had now lost one game to Chicoutimi before taking that series 4-1. That’s why Sidney and I were on the phone. He wanted me to go to Quèbec to watch him play in the QMJHL Finals, and I simply didn’t have the time.

“But Drew, this may be the last time I ever play major junior hockey and you have never seen me play live baby.” He said softly, I could hear the disappointment in his voice.

“I know Crosby, but honey, there isn’t much I can do.” I said with a sigh, flopping down on the couch. I glanced at my calendar. The Memorial Cup was set to start in London, Ontario in on the 23rd of May… that was less then a month away, but I could get leave for it if I requested it right away. It would be unpaid, and I’d probably have to do some very fast talking, but I could pull it off. “How about I make you a deal?” I asked feeling horribly guilty about not being able to be there for him.

“What kind of deal?” Sidney asked, sounding intrigued.

“If you guys win the Q, I’ll take a week off and be in London for the Memorial Cup.” I told him. “How does that sound?”

“You’ll spend the whole week?” He asked.

“The whole week Sid, I promise.”

I could almost hear him grinning. “You’ve got yourself a deal Drew.” He said. “If we win this thing I’ll tell the team that you need tickets, because the tourney is totally sold out.”

“Thanks Sid.” I said with a smile. “I do miss you… I really do. I just can’t drop everything for you honey. I wish I could.”

“I wish you could to.” He said with a sigh. “Next year you should just be a substitute.” He informed me.

“Excuse me?” I asked, feeling a little cranky. “Planning my life much?”

Sidney chuckled. “Don’t get upset Drew, I just meant it as what I think you should do. You can take it or leave it… and knowing you, well you’ll leave it.”

“That is so not true.” I said. “I can take advice.”

Sidney laughed again. “Have I mentioned lately that I love you baby?” He asked quietly.

“Not in this particular phone call.” I said with a smile.

“Well I love you.” He said softly, so I knew full well that he was probably hanging out with some of the guys and he didn’t really want them to hear what he was saying. Either that, or there was a girl there.

“I love you too.” I replied. “Is someone there Crosby?” I asked pointedly.

“Just Eric and Mario.” He said.

I raised my eyebrows. “No girls?”

“None Drew, I promise.” He said with a bit of a chuckle. “Jealous?”

“Naw.” I said with a shrug. “I love you and I know that you love me too. Fuck whoever you want kid, just don’t expect me not to do the same.”

“I don’t have time for sex right now Drew.” He said.

I snorted. “Yeah and D and Getter haven’t gotten laid since the playoffs started either.” I rolled my eyes. “Sidney, don’t try to feed me that bullshit. You should know better then that by now.”

“I am not feeding you any bullshit. Ask Eric. He lives with me.”

I could hear him handing the phone to someone. “Bonjour?” A voice said.

“Bonjour Eric.” I replied. “Comment-ca va?”

“Bien est toi?” He replied politely.

“Other then thinking Sidney is trying to feed me bullshit, I’m fine.” I said.

“What bullshit is Darryl trying to feed you?” He asked in a heavy French accent, and I could imagine the shit-eating grin that was so totally plastered on his face.

“He said you’d tell me the truth.” I warned him. “So I expect the truth Eric. Sidney tells me that there are NO girls there and that he doesn’t have time for sex right now so he hasn’t been sleeping with anyone.”

Eric snorted. “I don’t think he is counting head as sex Drew.” He said. “Because he has been getting enough of that from what I know.”

“Thanks honey.” I said with a grin. “Remind me to kiss you when I see you.”

Eric laughed. “Bye Drew.” He said. “Talk to you soon.”

“Ha.” I said teasingly when I heard Sidney on the other end. “You are so getting some. You little liar.”

“What about you?” He asked pointedly.

“Same as the last time you asked.” I replied. “Aaron and I see each other every few weeks, and that’s about it.” I said. “Nothing has changed.”

“Good.” He said firmly. “Because you’re mine Drew.” I could hear the steel in his voice as he said it. “Mine.”

I shook my head with a grin and went back to the papers that I’d been marking earlier. “Whatever you say Crosby.” I said, the smile on my face so big that it was probably goofy, meaning I was very grateful for the fact that he was in Rimouski and couldn’t see it. “Whatever you say.”

“So since you couldn’t make for the Golden Pucks….” Sidney continued and I couldn’t help but giggle every time he said that. “And since you won’t be able to make the QMJHL finals I expect to see you in London baby.”

“Well you’re going to have to get there first then now aren’t you Crosby?” I teased him. “I mean, if you really want to see me as badly as you keep saying you do.”

“Consider it done Drew.” He said confidently. “Consider it done.”