Chapter 11 Reflections
I will not be sad. I will not submit to tears. I will present the world with a happy smile and a carefree attitude. I will protect my heart and not think of him as Sid, Sidney, or Sidney Crosby. Instead, I will call him 87 to keep my mind playful and then maybe my heart. I will not sleep tonight because early tomorrow morning 87 flies off with Peeka and David never to be seen again. Well, not in the flesh anyway. I want this day to last forever.
We are lying in our bed together for our last night at Madrona. I am trying to memorize his smell, the feel of his skin beneath my fingers, his breathe in my hair. I have pretty much always slept alone. If I have to share a bed I spend half the night awake getting used to having a bedmate. But here this week, 87 and I have been a tangle of arm and legs whenever we are together when we are here in bed. Or in the soaker tub. I have never slept so well. I am not shy of him anymore. I let my fingers run across his body leisurely taking in the ripples and contours. The sheet moves. Sherwood is shameless. He is always up for it. I tease him with a tickle. He throbs again. And 87 calls me a tart.
Our days have fallen into a pattern. Morning sex, a run/swim, breakfast, sessions, lunch, tennis, fishing or hiking then dinner, fireside, then a swim in the tub and bed. During the daytime, I have tried to give him his space, not to be hands all over him. I want to but I won't. I have tried sitting away from him at meals, or when watching the tennis games or by the fireside but he throughout the days will move to be by me, to sit me on his lap or to pull me in for a hug. 87 picked me up several times carried me off. I didn't mind. Normally, I'd bristle at the affront but not with him.
The room is dark, with the gentle breeze from the ocean wafting the blinds. I can smell the cedars and fir trees. The crickets are loud this evening. I let my mind drift over the events of the last few days.
The sessions with Ture have been interesting. Okay, I thought that it would be pysch tests and video review but mostly we just talk. The three of us girls talk and Ture listens. He doesn't even really direct our conversation. Like Wednesday morning, after my spending the whole day with 87 in the basement suite, Lego and Sam wanted to know all. Did I dish the whole thing? No. I did share a few things like the kissing classes. We have been practicing everyday. I think I am getting pretty good. I have even made up a couple of my own. Ture didn't stop us from gabbing. He sat back and listened or added a comment here or there. When we talked about the tennis. Lego had issue with a few sketchy ref calls when she and Peeka played Harendra. Sam and Harry won the game but it was close. Ture defended David's ref'ing by explaining again that the ball was really out. David and I lost our first game to Harendra so I had sympathy. Harry is awesome with ball placement. Lego could do with some work. It came down to Harendrea vs 87 and Rich in one semi and Kit and Ture vs David and me in the other. David has a killer serve so as long as we could break the volley we were fine. Ture isn't a bad player just rusty. Kit had some great line drives but we took them 4 games to 3. During this morning session, Ture asked me what our strategy was. I didn't know. I still don't. Win, any way we could. I 'm not tall enough for a great serve but I am relentless at covering distance. The great Harendra as they were billing themselves yesterday morning against 87 and Rich went down in a punishing defeat. 87 plays really well his training really shows. All that hand eye work. Rich has picked up a lot of knowledge quickly but was still their weak link. This morning's session, Ture grilled my about how David and I were going to defeat 87 and Rich in the final. I don't know crush the weakest link I guess was what I told him. It was a lot harder than that because we were pretty evenly matched. David is older and less fit than us but is really able to place the ball to advantage. 87 is super strong. Formidably strong whereas I am have good hand eye as well. I can be quick and tenacious. We talked more about motivation this morning than all week. Hmmm why does that seem odd.
87 said his time in the music room went well. He has sung me the hockey butt blues songs several times. That's why they are leaving tomorrow to lay the tracks in a studio in Victoria before he has to leave. David said that it might even be a hit on the charts. I can't wait to hear it on the radio or tv. Surely one of the hockey shows will play it? David is so sweet. He asked me to sing with 87 when we were alone together to help 87 loosen up. I understand being shy. I wouldn't want to have to sing in front of lots of people. At first when he sang me the chorus of the blues song, 87 was shy. Then during our float in the tub, I got him to sing with me to the tunes playing on the iPhone. Now if I start singing something he knows he'll join in. Okay not much but a little for a few lines. I will remember lying on his tummy in the soaker tub singing. 'rubber ducky you're the one' from Sesame street with him. Of course, he changed the lyrics to rubber chicken.
He doesn't me Tylyn unless he's really serious. At first it was 91 or chicken or nothing but since we met the bantys, 87 calls me Chickadee dee dee. I like it. It's mine. I may call him 'Pie tummy' but that's not at all accurate. There are no pieces of pie on his washboard abs. I know, I have been searching for any evidence with all available feelers. Fingers, nipples, tongue, toes and bum. I will miss the Chickadee.
Whenever, I see one from here on in I will think of him.
Our morning runs/swims have become the ultimate challenge. I always lead. I have tried getting him to lead so I can watch his butt while he runs but that's a no go. 87 claims he doesn't like to run and needs someone to chase but really. All should be fair in bum watching. I don't like the icy cold water. But I do love warming up again. Our snacks are pretty much gone shortly after our swim. Then we cuddle to warm me back up. Oh yeah, I like that way of warming up. One morning we did so much kissing practice on the beach naked that 87's watch alarm went off. I still can't believe that he set his watch to time our runs. We had to scramble to get back for breakfast before the tennis sets started. Thank goodness, Madrona is in the middle of nowhere because I would have been so embarrassed to have been caught nude on that beach making out with him. Let alone the race back to the main lodge in just my undies. 87 wouldn't give me back my dress until I caught up to him. I did have a nice butt view.
Our time with the group has been fun. I do like the other guys. Sam and Rich really seem to have hit it off. They are talking about traveling to Vancouver together. Then when Rich is finished filming here, meeting up in Glasgow. I think that they make a great couple. Sam is so happy. She of course takes no crap from him and he dishes it out constantly. They make me laugh with their banter. Sam heads to Glasgow next week for school. It will be a long year without her. Kit is funny too. Quiet but funny. So different from Lego who is all brash and in you're face. I don't know what will happen with them. Lego heads off to Notre Dame next week for training camp. She got a scholarship for field hockey. I think David likes Ture. I know David likes Ture. You can tell by his actions. I don't know about Ture though. He is hard to read. Very pleasant and knowledgable. We all get along so well. The guys all joke and tease each other like they have known each other for years.
I hear an owl hoot in the distance. I won't look at the clock. I don't want to know the time. 87's hands move across my back and snuggle me in closer, moving me slightly to one side. I can feel his face on the top of my head. His nose is rubbing back and forth in my hair. He likes my curls. I hate my curls. I put my hair up in a messy bun to keep it contained and he takes it down. Whenever I am close to him, he plays with a curl. If it's in a ponytail or long, he buries his face in the mess. 87 will patiently comb out the knots every morning for me. He toys with the tendrils that escape throughout the day. I guess he likes my hair as much as I like his soft skin.
We have talked a fair bit about ourselves. Our likes and dislikes, our families, growing up all the usual stuff. So black is your favorite colour. You like the 'Big bang theory'. You don't like to lose much. Okay, that was both of us. We have talked some Penguins stuff. He has told me funny stories about his teammates. I told him about watching some of their big games. He laughs at my frustration over the Philly series. Actually, we laugh about lots of stuff. 87 is a big tease. He seems so serious on tv but in person he is very funny. He has the strangest laugh. I know he seems to find me funny too. When I get annoyed he finds it funny. He says I get this cartoon character slitty eye look. Hmmm, I must look in the mirror about that one. What we didn't talk about was the future…after Madrona. We talk just the here and now stuff. I won't be 'are you going to call me' girl or 'when do we see each other again' girl. I know this is only a 'right here right now' thing. It ends when the plane leaves. This is an interlude with no future. I haven't even asked or taken his picture. I am to busy making memories. Plus, if my brothers ever saw a picture with us together I have no doubt that they would destroy 87.
From that first sweet kiss, our touches have been sensual, playful ,exploring is much the same as our physical relationship. 87 teaches me new stuff slowly. I try and use my imagination. They say that 87 is a captain that leads by example. If so then I will follow this captain wherever he takes me. But mostly it comes down to what feels good. We have pretty much had sex all over this suite except the shower. At different times of day and night, it's pretty much we touch each other and yup it turns from caress to sex very quickly. 87 teases me about the word sex. I still blush when I say it, if I can say it. So he calls it loofahing or tail feather ruffling or tussling. I still blush. I can't imagine another lover. I can't imagine being this comfortable with another man. He has been patient, gentle, kind, loving. I hold his hand up to my face and kiss it. What more could a girl ask for. I'll close my eyes for a moment.
Damn, I must have dozed off because I have missed the sunrise. 87's watch is beeping bringing us back to reality. I wait for him to turn off the alarm then I raise my face towards his for a morning kiss and I am rewarded. Sigh. My arms creep over his shoulder to slip around his neck. I lay full against him. Sherwood is hard and throbbing so I finger his nipple and stroke his penis at the same time. His arms are holding me firmly with his hands massaging on my bottom. I can feel the stubble of his beard on my shoulder as he nuzzles my neck. We roll so I am underneath him. I have opened my legs for him and urge him inside me. Most mornings our lovemaking is slow, languid but today it has urgency. A pressing need to be together. He pauses for the condom. A break apart. His skin is a tawny brown from the sun, his nipples have gotten to be a dusky brown, his face is all concentration. Then my favorite amber eyes look at me. I just see them as molten caramel pools. He smiles, rubs his nose against mine and pulls me up to a better position. His drops his head down so he can tongue my nipples. Slowly flicking each one, sucking and kissing them. I have my hands in his hair feeling the softness of the individual strands. I lift my hips and rub against his pelvis in a slow circular motion. He groans as he enters me. Gone is the soreness that was first there several days ago, it is replaced with a building orgasm. We roll again so that I am on top and can control the speed of our gyrations. I watch his face. The firm set of his mouth, the flare of his nostrils and the intense glow of his eyes. I increase the motion of my thighs. Up, down, up down and then circle hips.
'Tylyn, slow down. I don't want to cum yet. That, right there makes me want to oh yeah right there.' I watch him. I want him to feel the intensity building that I feel. I want to watch the moment of release. He rolls us again and moves his hips slowly. A gentle but purposeful grinding. His hand slips between us to my clit. Oh heavens that feels good. I do want this to last but I also want that sweet release. Our tongues are playing back and forth in between breaths for air. So when at last we reach our peak, our lips lock in a kiss. Sid sinks down beside me, covering my face with tiny soft kisses.
'Thank you, for everything. Chickadee. Thank you for a beautiful week.' I can't help it but my heart does a flip. He is everything that I have ever wanted in a friend, could ever want in a lover or could ever imagine in a soul mate. He is perfect.