Part 7 - Nobody's Perfect

About an hour after Dion and Coly left my phone rang. I waited a minute or two to answer knowing full well who it was. “Hello?” I answered after the phone had rung four times.

“Took you long enough.” Sidney grumbled in reply.

“I’m sorry.” I said in a small voice, unsure what had happened to piss him off.

There was an awkward silence for several long moments and then Sidney sighed. “Sorry baby.” Sidney said in a tired voice. “I’m just a little pissed off and I shouldn’t take it out on you.”

“You’re right.” I told him honestly. “You shouldn’t take it out on me.” I paused, letting that sink in before asking. “Would it help if you told me about it?”

“I’m just… tired Drew.” He replied. “So many games and so much travel and its just tiring.”

“You haven’t left the rink yet have you?” I asked softly, sensing that he was irritated because he’d spent about an hour with the press after the game and he didn’t want to go out those doors because when he did, he would have to spend at least another hour signing autographs.

“No.” He said in a small voice. “I wanted to talk to you first.”

I could have kissed him that was so sweet. In fact, I probably would have kissed him if he was anywhere nearby. “Awe, sweetie.” I murmured, so pleased that I was unsure of what else to really say.

“I just needed to hear your voice.” He said gruffly, and I knew then that some of the guys were still around.

“I love you too Sidney.” I whispered.

‘Thanks baby.” He replied, and I knew that he needed to hear me say that, but didn’t want to have the guys hear him tell me he loved me.

“Are you going to go out and sign autographs now?” I asked, after a few more moments of silence.

“I don’t want to yet.” Sidney said. “Tell me about your day or something Drew.” He said. “I can’t, well, I can’t go out there just yet.”

I smiled softly. “Well it wasn’t exactly a wild and exciting day or anything like that Sid. I mean, I went to work in the morning, I taught a Social Studies class, a Law class and two History classes. None of the classes were really well behaved, but none of them were really bad.” I told him. “After school D picked me up because I’d lent him my car for the day, and we went and picked up Coly and then went and grabbed some booze, since Friday did some real damage to my stores.”

Sidney chuckled at that. “Well you were still totally hammered at 5:30, so you must have gotten good and drunk.”

I shrugged. “Dion and I were celebrating.” I pointed out.

“So was I, but I didn’t get that drunk.” Sidney replied with a laugh.

“I would so be sticking my tongue out at you if I were anywhere in your general vicinity.” I told him a little petulantly.

Sidney chuckled. “And I would say don’t stick it out if you aren’t going to use it.”

“I’d lick something sweetie.” I told him. “It just probably wouldn’t be what you were wanting me to lick.”

Sidney grumbled. “Yeah, you would cheat like that.” He muttered. “So what did you do after you got the drinks?”

“D and Coly came over and we watched the game and they drank, while I sat there feeling ill at the mere thought of more alcohol.” I told him. “They poured me a drink, but almost all of it is still sitting on the computer desk.”

Sidney laughed. “Can’t keep up with the boys anymore?” He asked.

I shrugged. “I do have to work tomorrow Sid.” I pointed out.

“But you couldn’t even finish one drink.” Sidney teased me.

I stuck my tongue out at him. “I so just stuck my tongue out at you.” I told him.

“I wish you were here right now.” He grumbled.

I smiled. “Well you win one more and I’ll see you in London sweetie.”

“You’re planning on going anyway aren’t you?” Sidney asked. “Because Dion’s going?”

“If I was going to get tickets and a flight sweetie, I had no choice but to book early.” I said. “D and Coach helped with the tickets, since he’s up for Defenseman of the year, and all.”

“Well I’ll be there either way too.” Sidney said. “So I don’t need to win one more, I’ll still get to see you.”

“Like you’d want to be there if you weren’t playing.” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Well no, but if I wasn’t playing then I could spend more time with you.” He said.

“And after the Memorial Cup, and the NHL Combine, you are going to sneak off and spend a couple of weeks with D and I in Red Deer, so you’re going to get to spend a lot of time with me.” I told him.

“I’m looking forward to every minute of it.” He said softly. “I’ve missed you baby.”

“I’ve missed you too sweetie.” I replied. “But I think that you need to go and sign some autographs. We’ve been on the phone for a long time, and there are probably still people out there waiting for you.”

“Can I call you back when I’m done?” He asked quietly.

“Of course.” I said with a gentle smile. “It’s still early here sweetie.”

“Good.” He said. “I’ll talk to you soon.”

It was nearly two hours before my phone rang again, and this time, I hurried to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hey baby.” Sidney’s voice replied, sounding tired.

“How’d it go?” I asked.

“Like always.” He said.

“So there was some asshole there who had you sign like, fifty things which you know are going to end up on Ebay?” I asked, knowing immediately why he was bitter.

“Not only one of them baby.” He replied. “There were at least four of them.” He said. “And I fucking hate that.”

“I know you do sweetie.” I told him, my voice soft and gentle. “Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do about those kind of jerks, and you don’t want to stop signing autographs for people who are actually going to treasure your autograph.”

“I know.” He said. “It just irks me that people are trying to make a dollar off my name.”

“I think you need to get used to that Sid.” I told him honestly. “I don’t mean to sound pessimistic, but people have already been making a buck off your name. Hockey Canada has, the QMJHL has, and the CHL has sweetie. It’s just going to get worse if the NHL comes to some kind of agreement this summer.”

Sidney sighed. “I guess you’re right.” He said. “But at least I get something back from Hockey Canada and the CHL and the Q. I don’t get anything from these people who want me to autograph a ton of stuff and then sell it on Ebay.”

“Well then, try thinking about it this way.” I told him. “These people are making a buck off your name, but the people buying the stuff you’ve signed are probably big fans who live too far away to see you play. So they are going to treasure that stuff just as much as the people who get to meet you and ask you personally for your signature.”

“Thanks baby.” Sidney said softly. “I knew that you’d be able to make me feel better about it. You always make me feel better about everything.”

“You do a pretty good job of making me feel better too sweetie.” I told him. “And just think, only one more to go and then you and I will get to see each other.”

“I can’t wait for that.” Sidney said, emotion evident in his every word.

“Neither can I.” I told him. “But I can’t lie. I’m more anxious to have you come see me here.”

“Am I going to stay with you?” He asked. “Or do I have to stay with Neufy?”

“D’s pretty much living with me right now.” I told him. “Almost all of his stuff is in my guest bedroom, so I don’t see how there could be a problem for anyone, if you stay here on the couch.”

“Not in your bed?” Sidney teased me.

“Not until you’re out of high school and 18 years old honey.” I replied. “I’ve got rules about who can share my bed you know.”

Sidney snorted. “They aren’t very strict then.” He said. “Don’t forget, I talked to one of the guys you allowed to share your bed, and damn Drew. You could do way, way better baby.”

“Is that your way of telling me that you’re way, way better?” I asked, with a smile.

“Pretty much yeah.” Sidney replied, and I knew that he was smiling.

I glanced at the clock. It was nearly ten now, which meant that it was nearly one out in Halifax. “We should both go to bed though sweetie. Alone I hope.”

“Only if you go to bed alone.” Sidney replied.

“I swear there is no one else in this apartment, though I cannot promise that Dion will not crawl drunkenly into my bed because Coly’s in his.” I told him with a smile.

“Well I suppose that I’ll have to put up with that.” He grumbled. “But I can’t promise that a gorgeous brunette isn’t going to crawl into mine at some point.”

I burst out laughing. “Well tell Taylor that I say hi.” I told him knowingly. “Now I’m going to go to bed sweetie, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow night.”