Chapter Ten
"I'm not avoiding you," Michael said over the phone, closing the door to the spare bedroom. "I'm hiding out."
"Isn't that the same thing as avoiding me?" Sidney said.
"No, if I was avoiding you, I wouldn't care about being around other people, I just wouldn't want to see you." Michael had been staying with her father for the past couple of days, avoiding the world. The man Michael struck during her attack filed charges, and for the first time, Dan was stepping up for his daughter.
"What did the Prosecutor say?" Sidney's stomach dropped. He was sure the news would be bad.
"We are meeting with him tomorrow," Michael said, letting her annoyance with the situation overcome her.
"So what does that mean? Will you have to go to court?" Sidney asked, more quickly than he should have. In the back of his mind, court was the last thing Sidney wanted to go through. He witnessed the whole attack, he even stepped in to restrain Michael, but his name in the papers linked to this was the last thing he wanted. Sidney didn't feel like they had done anything wrong, he was just familiar with how something printed in black and white could take on a color of it's own.
"Don't worry, your name wasn't mentioned. My dad is still clueless that you were even there." Cynical, Michael laughed at the simplicity of the situation. "You know, you could probably walk anywhere in this city, only to have a mob of people bombard you. All you have to do is take one step into my world, and suddenly you are a nobody, just another face in the crowd."
Sidney smiled on the other end, knowing she was right. "I think you like that."
"I kind of do. It makes me think what we are doing is normal, like everyone else." Michael laughed sarcastically, knowing nothing about this was normal.
"It would be normal if I could see you right now. If we didn't have to hide this anymore," Sidney said with a tone. "What are we doing anyways?"
"I told you," Michael said, backing down a little, "not yet. It's not a good time. I just don't want to screw things up."
"Is that how you think of me," Sidney said, more defensive than before,"that I will just screw things up for you?"
"Come on Sid, you know what I mean. My dad and I are finally getting along, and now he has to deal with this," Michael said, trailing in the conversation.
"You know," Sidney said interrupting, "don't bother calling me again until you decide to grow up. I'm tired of this. You won't see me, you won't acknowledge me to your family, you've been walking around feeling sorry for yourself long enough. I'm done with this."
"Sid, wait," Michael said with little effort, but the line went dead despite. Michael laid on the bed, in the dark, not caring about what happened. Paris had haunted her for the past year, and now, she felt like it had followed her all the way to Pittsburgh.
The driver was late, causing Michael to be the last to arrive. For the first time in her life, Michael wished her dad would have driven her. Then, at least, she wouldn't have to arrive alone. The woman in the lobby directed Michael to the fourth floor where the rest of the team would be. It was Penguins day at the Children's Hospital and the whole team would be there, including Sidney.
There was still a bit of a sting to the day, knowing she had been forced into it. The Prosecutor agreed to drop all charges in exchange for community service. Michael's Lawyer said it was the courts way of appeasing the man that Michael attacked. Although everyone agreed that Michael couldn't control her actions at the time, Dan told her to suck it up and be thankful that was all she received. They made a deal, expunging the charges if she would fulfill two months of community service, teaching ballet at the city rec center. Michael was also to join the team with an appearance at the hospital, talking to the kids about what it's like to have a disability. Michael acted like a baby about the whole thing. She wasn't mad that she had to help kids, she was made that she was being punished, once again, for something she had little control over. Michael felt like her life had been an uphill battle, trying to do the things she wanted to do. But each time she turned around, someone was taking something else away from her.
Deep down, Michael wanted to cry. She watched Sidney walk in and out of each room, with a constant smile on his face. They hadn't spoke in over a week, something that had Michael spending her nights, crying into a pillow. She knew this had been her fault, but didn't know how to fix it.
"Were you even going to say hello?" Sidney said, quietly approaching Michael from behind.
"I didn't think you wanted to speak to me." Michael said, avoiding his warm brown eyes.
"I don't," Sidney said, brushing his elbow against Michael's. "Not unless it's with the Michael I know, I miss her."
"I don't know if she's ready to come out yet," Michael said quietly, still avoiding Sidney's stare.
"You don't get it yet, do you," Sidney said angrily.
"Please, can we not do this now?" Michael said, trying not to raise her voice. " I mean, I don't even know what I am doing here. Nobody could care less who I am. How am I supposed to make anyone feel better?"
"I've had enough of this," Sidney said, grabbing Michael's arm, pulling her down the hall. "Come with me, there is someone I want you to meet." Sidney pulled Michael through the doors, ignoring her protest the entire way. "Stay."
Sidney greeted the nurses on a first name bases, acknowledging each like an old friend. Michael watched as his charm naturally won over each smile in the room. She missed that about him.
"Let's go," Sidney said, once again, grabbing Michael, pulling her towards the children's lounge. "There is somebody I want you to meet."
The lounge was full of doting parents, eagerly awaiting their favorite Penguin to grace their child. Sidney passed each family, smiling, walking directly for the girl on the couch. She wasn't as young as the other kids, maybe fifteen or sixteen, but had been obviously sick non the same.
"Michael," Sidney said, making his introductions, "This is Madison. Madison is a swimmer who had to quit her school's team last year because she needed a new Kidney, she's a severe diabetic. Madison, this is Michael. She is a world class ballerina who has danced in New York and Paris. She is also a diabetic."
"Sid," Madison said, comfortable with her idol, "It sounds like you are trying to set us up on a date. I thought I was your girl." Madison smiled beneath the comforts of her quilt.
"You will always be my girl," Sid said, sitting next to Madison on the couch. I just thought the two of you have a lot in common, more than you think," Sidney said, gazing at Michael. "So you finally got your new Kidney! That's great. How soon until you are back in the water? "
"I don't know, maybe never. " Madison looked down, hiding her face.
Michael looked stunned, taking a seat on the other side of Madison. Immediately, Michael's fire took over, preaching to Madison that she shouldn't let something so simple as being a diabetic keep her from doing what she loved. A crowd began to form around the trio as Michael began telling her story about how she was constantly having to fight for her dream. Michael looked around at all the faces staring back at her, listening intently, thinking for just that moment that they too could accomplish anything. Michael hadn't intended on opening up the way she did, but her audience inspired her.
"So, you aren't allowed to dance in Paris anymore?" one of the girls asked as more kids decided to join the crowd.
"Kind of," Michael said. "I can dance where ever I want to, it's just , not a lot of ballet companies will actually hire me."
"That's so unfair," another girl said.
"No, it's not fair," Michael said tilting her head with a smile, "but, I still wake up everyday, getting to do exactly what I've always wanted to do. So I guess I won after all."
Michael noticed Sidney staring at her with a smile on his face. Michael blushed, returning the look, mouthing the words "thank you." Sidney couldn't take his eyes off the girl he thought he had lost.
"So," another teenage girl said, beginning with the real questions, "what do you do at the beach? I mean, because you can't show your stomach?"
"What are you talking about, " Michael said confidently. "I rock the bikini."
"You're not afraid to show your stomach?" the teenager said. "Even with the cannula showing? How do you cover it up?"
"Nope , I just snap it to the side of the bottoms. It's actually easier than wearing a two piece. And no, I don't cover it up. If that's all people see about me, then they aren't worth my time," Michael said, smiling at Sidney. "Someone I care about very deeply taught me that."
"Do you take it off to dance?" Madison asked, curious how other people deal with their device.
Michael laughed, "I wouldn't make it through the first act without it. No, with the help of a very talented seamstress, I hide it within my costumes."
"Can you dance on your toes?" a little girl asked, inching her way towards Michael.
"Why yes I can, " Michael told the little girl, allowing her to sit on her lap. "Are you a ballerina?"
"Yes," the little girl laughed, giggling at the attention. "Can you show us?"
"Oh honey," her mother said, trying to coax her daughter from Michael's lap, "I'm sorry."
"No, that's fine," Michael said as a sly grin spread over her face. "You know, I normally dance with a partner, but he couldn't come with me today." Michael pulled her slippers out of her purse, tapping them against her hand. She wasn't sure what she should bring that morning before the car arrived. She knew all the players would be in uniform, but Michael wasn't about to trape through the hospital in a tutu, so she decided to bring her ballet slippers as a prop instead. "I think I will need a partner to show you. hmmmmm," Michael said, looking around the room, "does anyone know of a guy who is strong enough and athletic enough to maybe be able to help me out? Anybody?"
The room filled with the sounds of little girls cheering the name "Sidney." Michael laughed, pulling a jokingly protesting Sidney off the couch. Flashbulbs were flying as the strapping hockey player arranged his feet in first position. Sidney was always a good sport about things, but he knew this would follow him throughout the locker room for years.