Chapter 31

“Jordy’s right, you could put your eye out with that thing,” Tish exclaimed as she examined the ring on Mya’s hand. Quickly withdrawing her hand and putting it back on her lap, under the table and out of sight, Mya rolled her eyes.

“I should get him to trade it on something smaller, less...conspicuous,” she mumbled, reaching for her Venti vanilla chai and sucking noisily at the straw.

“Don’t you dare,” Tish laughed, sitting back and reaching to give the double stroller a little push. The twins slept better if she rocked it every once in a while. “You wear that thing like a god damned homing beacon, and even if your hands get swollen in your next trimester, you wear that fucking thing around your neck and be proud of it. Are you kidding me? That’s god damned gorgeous. Paris Hilton would be fucking jealous as hell.” Mya glanced across the small table at her friend and couldn’t help but smile.

“Your kids are going to get their mouths washed out with soap on their first day in kindergarten,” she admonished Tish who only shook her head, quite decidedly and quite firmly.

“If anyone so much as touches my kids without my say so, I would kick their ass,” she answered without so much of a twitch of a smile, lifting her brand new, precariously high heeled, Cesare Paciotti black leather boots. “I will insert these directly up anyone’s ass that so much as even breaths hard on either of them...although that would be a kind of waste. Fuck these are great boots.”

“They should be for a thousand bucks,” Mya muttered, knowing that it was unlikely Jordan would care about the cost, or even notice the thousand dollars as more than a blip out of his bank account. It was more likely he’d just be very, very appreciative of the way they looked on his tall, long legged wife. Still, Mya knew it was going to take her some time to get used to being able to spend money like that. Tish had done her best to talk Mya into purchasing a pair of ferocious wedges for half the amount of money that she’d spent, but Mya couldn’t bring herself to do it. Not even with the platinum American express card that Sidney had insisted on giving her. It was for necessary expenses she told herself, for things they needed for the apartment, not for frivolities.

“Honey, he has more money than you two will be able to spend in a lifetime,” Tish sighed, reaching across the table to place her be-jewelled hand over Mya’s, “and if I know anything about our Sidney boy, he’d want you to have a little fucking fun with it.” Mya smiled at her friend but kept silent. That wasn’t the way Sidney spent money. Oh sure, he’d take her out to eat at nice restaurants, even close them down if he had to, but he didn’t just go crazy on the most expensive clothes either. Not that he had to, he got so much free shit from Reebok, he hardly ever had to actually buy clothes, aside from jeans, and those he had specially tailored for his...hot ass. Mya grinned at the thought of the special package of new jeans that had arrived at the apartment that morning. It had never occurred to her such a perfect body couldn’t just wear things off the rack. “You two deserve each other, you know that?” Tish sighed, removing her hand and going back to pushing the twins back and forth. “You’re both so...small town.”

“Is that a bad thing?” Mya asked, partly amused at the idea of Vancouver being called a small town, although in comparison to most of the cities in the US, it probably seemed like that to an outsider.

“No, it’s just...don’t even listen to me. You’re perfect for him. You’re so not even interested in the money. It’s cute. It must make daddy Troy very happy,” Tish added with a wink as she let go of the buggy long enough to drag one of her bags closer so she could peer in at her other purchase. Another pair of buckled boots that made Mya wonder just what she and Jordan got up to when the twins were sleeping.

“I don’t think Troy likes me much,” Mya sighed, thinking about the thunderous look on Troy’s face when Sidney said he wanted to celebrate his gold medal with her and not with the entire family.

“Don’t worry, I don’t think Troy likes anyone much, aside from Mario. He looooves Mario,” Tish drawled sarcastically, throwing her head back and laughing while Mya shuddered at the idea of Troy kissing up to Sid’s boss. “Speaking of the big sweaty bear,” Tish added, raising a single, perfectly arched eyebrow, “do they know yet?”

“Know?” Mya narrowed her eyes, and then, as Tish gave her own, now completely flat stomach a pat, opened her eyes wide. “Oh that...no...no, and I don’t even know if they know he’s asked me yet and I’m not sure I want to be part of that conversation.”

“Wise choice,” Tish laughed, and then gave a shudder. “I can just imagine how well daddykins is going to take the news that he’s about to become a Grandpa.”
_____________________________________________________________________

“Here?” Sidney looked out the window at the grey sky and made a face. “Do you really think that would work?”

“Not outside. I mean, well, we can check what the weather will be like on the weekend but...we could even do it in the living room with a little work. But think about it Sidney, where else are you going to have the kind of privacy to keep this quiet?” Nathalie reached over and Mario’s hand automatically covered hers’. Sidney smiled at his mentor and sometime foster father. He’d taken the news so much better than he’d anticipated, and Nathalie, well she seemed ecstatic.

“I can’t...I mean thank you. I was ready to fly to Vegas but...I mean if you think it would work,” he looked down the hall towards the large formal living room with the French provincial furniture, the cream coloured walls and plush rug. It was the room that hardly ever got used. The far less formal entertainment room downstairs was the one that he and the Lemieux’s had always used. That was where Christmas mornings took place, movie nights, or just watching a Steeler’s game on the tube. The formal room at the front of the house even had one of those sweeping stair cases leading to it from upstairs. It looked like something out of Homes and Gardens.

“Well if someone can pull something like that together at short notice, I think it’s Nat,” Mario said proudly, reaching over to pat his wife’s hand while sharing a look with her that Sidney wondered if he would share with Mya when they’d been together as long as the Lemieux’s had. “She’s got a book full of caterers and floral companies. I bet she can put something together that will be good enough for Hello Magazine back home,” Mario added with one of his warm smiles and a wink towards Sidney, who shuddered at the idea. He’d already been voted one of Canada’s most ‘beautiful’ people in that magazine, but he knew that his mentor was probably right. Even though he wanted to keep it private, no matter how hard he tried, the news was likely to get out, somehow, someway. Even Pat had suggested that they try and control that likelihood by giving exclusive rights to someone.

“I don’t want anything too...crazy,” he said, thinking of the weddings he’d seen in magazine. The completely over the top and out of control pomp and circumstance of Celine Dion’s wedding along with its official book that had come out a week after, or even the full formal church wedding Colby had had. Although that had probably been the most fun he’d ever had at formal event.

“Well it’s not really about what you want is it?” Nathalie grinned and Sidney could see the wheels already turning in her head. “You’d better get Mya over here. We have lots to discuss.”

_____________________________________________________________

“What do you mean called up? You’re like what, over forty? You can’t go to Afghanistan. Phone them up. Tell them they’ve made some kind of fucking mistake,” Mya picked up her phone and shoved it towards Steve who backed away, hands up in a defensive gesture, shaking his head.

“Pumpkin, even reservists are going. I’m going to be working in the bases, fixing trucks. I’m not going to be in the line of fire, promise. I’ll be fine,” he smiled at her like he was trying to placate a crazy person, and that only made Mya even more angry.

“Then tell them you can’t go now. I mean, shit, don’t they even give you some fucking warning? Ship out on Friday? I mean, who does that?” Mya slammed the phone down and turned away so her Uncle wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. Better he leave thinking her angry at him then upset like this, she thought as she brushed at her eyes with the back of her hand.

“The Army sweetstuff,” he said quietly, putting his hands on her shoulders and pressing his cheek to the top of her head. “The President says go and the Uncle Sam snaps his fingers and all I’ve got to do is put some stuff in a duffle bag and go. Besides, you don’t need me now. You’ve got that hockey player of yours to look after you.”

“Yeah but...but...if you’re not here...,” Mya fought against the tears but she knew it was a losing battle. It was most of the time now that her hormones were firmly in control. “If you’re not here, who’s going to give me away?”

“Give you...My...did I miss something?” he asked, turning her around and peering down into her face. Mya refused to look up but sniffed and cleared her throat and did her best to keep her voice calm.

“I’m up the spout,” she explained, sniffing and wiping at her nose with her sleeve, “so we’re getting married.”

“Well at least he’s doing the right thing and I don’t have to fucking kick his ass before I leave,” Steve chuckled, lifting her chin and placing a paternal sort of kiss on her forehead. “So what’s with all the tears? I know you’re nuts about the guy, so is this just hormones or what?”

“We’re getting married this weekend,” Mya sighed, “I’m going dress shopping today with Tish and Vero and I hate shopping. I can’t stop throwing up and...and you can’t go. You have to give me away.”

“Oh pumpkin,” Steve wrapped her up in his arms and held her close, rubbing her back in soothing circles. “I’m so honoured you’d even think of me for that.”

“You know I can’t ask my dad. I mean, not can’t. I won’t,” Mya sniffed, letting herself relax into her uncle’s arms. “I don’t even want him here.”

“My,” Steve stepped back so that he was holding her at arms’ length as he looked at her with that ‘are you serious’ look, his eyebrows raised as he searched her face. “You don’t mean that. He’s your dad. That’s who gives you away. Your dad. Of course you want him here.”

“I don’t,” Mya said firmly, wiping away her tears and returning Steve’s concerned gaze. “I really don’t. I don’t even think I’m going to tell him about the wedding, or the baby.”

_______________________________________________________________

There was a long silence on the other end of the line and it made Sidney wince. He could hear it coming. In fact, as he closed his eyes and pressed his fingertips against the throbbing that had begun in his temple as soon as he’d picked up the phone to talk to Troy, he could picture beads of sweat breaking out across his father’s forehead as his lips thinned out in annoyance.

“There’s such a thing as an abortion,” his father began in his deep baritone, the sound of disappointment causing Sidney to scrunch down in his chair.

“That’s not an option dad,” Sidney sighed, shaking his head. He’d known that particular suggestion would be his father’s most likely initial reaction, but that didn’t make it any easier to hear. “I love her. I’m going to marry her.”

“It’s not the god damn fifties Sid. You don’t have to marry her because you knocked her up. We’ll call Brisson. We’ll get some kind of payment arranged. You don’t need to go tossing your god damn future down the drain for the first girl with a working uterus.”

“I’ve called Pat. He’s talking to the lawyers about a pre-nup. We’re getting married dad. I’m not asking for your opinion. I’m not even asking for your blessing. I’m just telling you, we’re getting married this weekend at Mario’s. I hope you’ll be there. Mom and Taylor are coming so I hope you will too,” Sidney said, trying to keep his voice calm and even, drawing on the last reserves of his patience. There was a long silence on the other end of the phone again. Long enough that Sidney began to wonder if his father had actually hung up on him. It wouldn’t have been the first time. “I thought, at least, you’d be happy that we’re keeping it small and private,” Sidney added, the little boy inside of him still needing to placate his overbearing, over protective father. “It’s not even going to be the whole team, just a few of the guys. It’s going to look like a dinner party, that’s all. The only people who even know what’s actually going on are Mario, Nathalie and you and mom. I don’t even want you to Taylor, in case she decides to facebook this too,” Sidney continued, trying to fill the silence, and trying his best to paint a picture he hoped his father could accept.

“So her parents have the good sense to think this is stupid idea too?” his father said finally, sounding just a little too pleased at the idea of more family strife. Sidney pressed at his temple and reminded himself to breathe. This thing of his father living precariously through him, of trying to control his every move, every decision, he’d really hoped it had ended with the Cup. Obviously that still wasn’t quite the case.

“No...her dad is...,” Sidney started to explain about the complicated and strained relationship Mya had with her father, but decided against it. After all, that would only add fuel to his own father’s argument that she wasn’t the right girl for him. The fact that Sidney thought it made her even more perfect made him smile. “Her relationship with her parents has nothing to do with you, dad. Are you coming or not?”

“I’ll be there,” his father said at last, but there was a note in his voice that made Sidney wince. He sounded just a little too happy about it, which only meant one thing. Trouble. “Someone’s got to talk you out of this bullshit.”

“If you’re going to be like that, dad, then don’t even bother coming,” Sidney grumbled, slamming the phone down, despite the fact that he knew that by doing that he was only playing further into his father’s hands.

He could hear it already. The ‘you’re too young to get married’ and the ‘you’re too young to be a father, look what I went through, what I gave up for you’. Sidney had heard his father’s warnings time and again. The evils of women and how falling for their wiles and falling into their clutches would ruin his career. The fact that he’d never actually been happier than when he was with Mya didn’t seem to matter to his father.

There was no point in arguing with the man though, Sidney knew from long experience. Troy wasn’t what you call ‘a good listener’. That had served its purpose early in Sidney’s life, he knew, but he’d long outgrown the need to have his father serving the bull in the china shop role in his life. If he was going to stop being ‘Sid the Kid’ he was going to have to step up and make his own decisions, even if that meant that Troy never spoke to him again.

Sidney grinned suddenly at the thought.

A guy could dream, couldn’t he?

__________________________________________________________

When she’d gotten in Steve’s car, which he’d insisted she take considering he wasn’t going to need it for the next few months, Mya had had every intention of heading to the bridal salon whose address she had printed out Tish had texted to her earlier in the day but instead, she’d been driving in circles, trying to clear her head.

She wasn’t going to call her father. That much she knew for certain. There was no way the she was going to risk ruining her wedding day by having her dour father there, disapproving of everything and everyone. And besides, Max would probably hit on his girlfriend and then all hell would break loose....

Mario would do it. All she had to was ask and considering he and his wife had been generous enough to offer up their home for the wedding, it might be the right thing to do, Mya thought as she sat staring at the stop light in front of her. He was a really nice man, and Sid thought the world of him, but she hardly knew him. The problem was that she’d only met him once, maybe twice, she thought as the light turned green and Mya gave the car some gas and headed across the intersection and into the driveway. She hardly knew him. It didn’t seem right.

As she put the car into park, she felt her hands go clammy, but that didn’t stop her from pocketing her keys and heading towards the front door.

She’d only been here once before. In fact this was as close as she’d come, the driveway. She’d never been inside. In fact she’d never been out of the car. He’d only come here once, to get something he’d forgotten. His wallet, she thought as she walked up the driveway and put her hand out to knock on the door.

This was a crazy idea, she thought as she listened for movement inside. He’d say no. She was almost certain of that, and yet she couldn’t think of anyone else she knew well enough, or cared enough about to ask.

“Can I help...you?” His voice faded away to nothing, as did his friendly, toothy grin as his brown eyed gaze met hers’. “Tabernak. Je dirais que c’est une surprise, but I always knew you’d come crawling back, par la suite.”