Part 38 - Pure Gold

Downstairs the boys had made their way to the dressing room and were stripping off their gear (slowly). Some of the guys had even been dragged to the press conference area. Anthony Stewart was clearly in control of the music, and had it pumping. He had most of his gear off and was wandering around topless with his gold medal on. It was funny.

Sidney, D, Ryan and a few other guys were already dealing with the major press conference, but we knew that the press wouldn’t end there. There were all kinds of reporters in the dressing room (it wasn’t really allowing the guys to do that much dressing or undressing for that matter).
But Reggie caught my eye the minute I walked into the room.

“Drew!” He cried, wrapping me up in a tight hug, which didn’t bother me, since he’d spent the game on the bench and was not particularly sweaty.

I kissed him enthusiastically on the cheek. “Way to go Reggie! Congratulations!”

“Thanks sexy.” He said, putting me on my feet and leaning down to kiss me.

“Oh no Beauchemin.” I said pushing him away firmly. “No you don’t.”

“Can’t blame me for trying Drew.” He replied with a shrug. “Especially since last time was so much fun.”

I grinned at him, but hit him softly on the shoulder. “You are bad Beauchemin.”

Reggie shrugged. “Usually it works for me.” He told me.

I laughed. “Well you do live in P.A…” I teased him.

He laughed and picked me up and swung me around again with a whoop. I laughed and grinned. I couldn’t blame him for being happy and wanting to celebrate. All the boys parents and siblings were standing around grinning too. Some of the parents were talking to their kids and brothers and sisters were clapping each other on the back. As Reggie set me down, I saw Trina and Troy Crosby and smiled at them, heading towards them.

I shook Troy’s hand. “He played well.” I said, by way of opening statement.

Troy shook my hand enthusiastically. “He did.” He said.

“It’s nice to see you Drew.” Trina said, hugging me (to my immense surprise). “We haven’t seen very much of you.”

I smiled. “I’ve hung out with the boys, spent some time with Ryan and D’s brothers, and basically just enjoyed myself.” I paused. “Actually I haven’t seen as much of Sidney since the tournament started as I would have liked.”

Trina nodded. “He has been busy.”

“Very.” I said. “And cranky too.” I added as bit of an after thought.

Trina laughed. “He gets that way from time to time I must admit.”

I shrugged. “At least he talks, even when he’s angry. D just puts his Dion-on-game-day face, and doesn’t say anything until you get him drunk.”

Troy smiled. “Dion doesn’t seem to be the talkative type.”

I grinned. “D’s my honey and he is definitely NOT the talkative type. Next to his yearbook picture his first year in Red Deer I wrote ‘who knew Neufy could smile?’” I told them with a laugh. “I mean, I get to see him smile more often then most people, but as he always says, I’m special.”

The Crosby’s laughed. “Well the boys certainly all seem to agree on that.” Troy said.

I shrugged. “Not all of them. I only really got to know a few of them. Sidney, Mikey, Reggie, Brent and Getter, but Getter and I already knew each other, and I’ve known D and Fraz for as long as they’ve been playing in Red Deer.”

Trina nodded, sending her husband a look. “Sidney said that he’s looking forward to you going to visit him in Rimouski.”

“Umm yeah, we talked about it briefly.” I said, trying not to show my surprise. “But, well we didn’t make any concrete plans. I have to think about my work schedule and there’s Sidney’s schedule to consider as well.” I grinned. “In fact, it’s probably far more important then mine.”

Troy smiled. Clearly he liked that I thought that Sidney was far more important then I was. Just then though, I saw Dion enter the dressing room. “Excuse me.” I said to the Crosby’s flinging myself on D. “I am soooo proud of you honey!”

“I’m sweaty and I smell.” He said with a grin as he hugged me tight.

“I don’t care.” I replied. “This is the only time I’m going to get to hug you immediately after a game, since you’ve just won a World Junior Championship.”

He hugged me tighter. “I am so glad that you came Drew.” He said. “This wouldn’t be the same without you.”

I kissed him firmly on the cheek. “I love you too Phaneuf.” I said happily.

He hugged me tighter. “Thanks Drew.” He said, before whispering into my hair. “I love you.”

I grinned as he set me down. I’ve spent enough time around hockey players to know that they don’t like to say the ‘L’ word that much. I just kissed him one last time before being swept up in Getter’s arms. “We did it Dely!” He said loudly. “We did it.”

“You did RyRy.” I said hugging him tight. “I am so proud of all of y’all you killed it out there. Your goal was beautiful.”

Getter grinned as he set me down on my feet. “It was beautiful wasn’t it?”

I laughed at him. “You are a goof Getzlaf.”

He shrugged. “I’m a goof with a gold medal around my neck, who scored the opening goal in a World Championship final.” He told me, with what can only be described as perma-grin on his face. “So that’s really all that matters.”

“True.” I said, as I saw Mikey. “Congratulations Mikey.” I said, giving him a quick hug.

“Thanks Drew.” He replied, perma-grin being a condition he was also suffering from. “Want to see the medal?” He asked. “I doubt Getter or Reggie was very concerned with letting you see the medal.”

I giggled. “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again Mikey. How’d a nice boy like you get caught up with guys like Getter and D… and Reggie for that matter?”

He laughed and held out the medal for my inspection. “Be careful.” He warned. “If you bite it or anything it will leave marks because gold is soft. That’s why people used to bite coins, in like, the middle ages and stuff.”

I laughed. “I know Mikey.” I said. “I am a history teacher after all.”

He grinned as I handed the medal back to him. “And I’m a World Junior Hockey Champion.” He replied. “I wonder what’s more important.”

I laughed. “You of course.”

“Nah.” He replied, with a smile. “I wouldn’t be where I am without teachers and coaches. None of these other guys would be either.”

I hugged him impulsively. “Thanks for appreciating me.” I joked.

“I do appreciate what you do.” Mikey replied seriously. “You and every other teacher and coach that I’ve ever known.”

I grinned and shook my head as I patted his cheek. “You are too nice a boy Mikey.” I told him. “Far too nice for your own good in fact.”

I looked up at the door right then for some reason, just as Sidney walked into the dressing room. He was greeted immediately by his parents, but his eyes were looking for me. He took the congratulations offered by everyone between him and me, and brushed them off as he made a beeline for me. I stood there, anxiously awaiting him. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do when he got to me, but I knew that I wanted to kiss him. I also knew that I couldn’t do that.

So I wasn’t sure. I just stood there, starring at him. Watching as he made his way towards me. Then he was in front of me, just standing there. “Hey.” He said softly, his hands reaching for mine.

I let him hold my hands briefly, before flinging my arms around his neck, surprised to find tears running down my cheeks. I wasn’t quite sure why I was crying, but I was just crying. “I am so proud of you sweetie.” I whispered fiercely into his neck, which was disgustingly sweat drenched AND now it was mingled with my tears.

“Why are you crying baby?” Sidney whispered, his arms still holding me close. “Don’t cry. We won!”

“I know.” I said with a watery smile. “And I am so happy for all of you.”

“Then why are you crying baby?” He asked, gently wiping the tears from my face, his look concerned.

“Because I’m covered in sweat that isn’t mine?” I tried to joke.

Sidney laughed, but he continued to gently wipe the tears off my cheeks as the tears kept on falling, despite his soft smile. “I know its traumatic Drew, but that still doesn’t explain why you’re crying.”

I looked up into those big brown eyes and tried to keep myself from completely falling apart. It didn’t really work all that well. I turned away, and pulled Sidney into a quiet corner of the room, away from the glare of the cameras. I continued to look up at him. “Well?” Sidney asked softly, more concerned about me then he was about celebrating for the moment. “Why are you crying Drew?”

“You are going to think that I am the most selfish person on the face of the planet.” I told him, shaking my head.

“Drew I know you far to well to ever think that you could be selfish.” He told me firmly. “Now tell me what’s bothering you?”

I looked away. “It is selfish of me Sidney, no matter what you say.” I told him. “But its over now, and I don’t know when I’m going to see you again.”

Sidney pulled me back into his arms. “Drew, I’m coming west in a few weeks for the Top Prospects Game.” He said. “Come to Vancouver, we can hang out then.”

I gave a watery chuckle. “You always have a solution for everything huh?”

He shrugged, letting me go slightly. “I have to Drew. I don’t like the idea of not seeing you again. What I hate even more is not knowing when I’m going to see you again. So I think about every single chance I might get to see you and pretend like its going to happen.”

I stretched up and kissed him on the cheek, wanting nothing more then to kiss him deeply and passionately, and knowing deep down that he felt the same way. His fingers buried themselves in my hair and he forced my head back. “You know I want nothing more then lose myself in your lips right?”

I nodded, unable to say anything as I lost myself in the passion I saw in his eyes. We stood there, starring at each other for a long time, before I finally managed to shake myself lose from his gaze. “Come on sweetie.” I said softly, taking his hand in mine again. “You’re a world champion…
let’s go celebrate it.”