The week has been absolute heaven; the sun and sand during the day and Angelia at night. I haven't been this relaxed in a while. We've snorkeled and parasailed. One day we even rented a boat and went fishing; Angelia hated every minute of it but it was hilarious when I chased her around the boat with a fish I caught. She didn't think so but I still chuckle thinking about it. It's our last night here and I'm definitely not looking forward to going back to reality tomorrow. I'm going directly to the rink from the airport to see the doctors and do another IMPact test. The Blackhawks are in town so we'll stay for the game too. I think that the test should go better than before we left. I have been physically active, well outside of the bedroom, but we have been active and I've had no symptoms.
I'm waiting for Angelia to come out of the bedroom to the patio. She insisted on dressing without me in the room. She bought a new dress and wants to surprise me; I'm hoping she brought more of her surprising lingerie with her too. "Come on Angelia, we're going to be late for our reservations." I turn around as she's walking out. I thought she couldn't look any more beautiful than I've seen her the past eight months and then she surprises me. Her hair is down, how I like it best, and flowing over her bare shoulders. The dress seems to tie at her breasts although I don't know how it's staying up. It nips in at the waist before it falls to the floor. As she walks toward me, her leg flashes up to the top of her thigh in a very high slit. She looks at me and I motion with my finger for her to turn, which she does very slowly ensuring that her legs flashes out of that slit again. I grab her, dip her low and kiss her thoroughly. When we're standing again and look at each other she says "hi." I reply "hi. New dress?" She laughs at me. "Yeah, do you like?" I look her up and down again. "I'll show you just how much after dinner." She grabs my hand and we leave for the dining room before I can change my mind about waiting until after dinner.
We are seated quickly at our table outside, at the end of the beach, and can feel the breeze off the water. There's candle light everywhere which makes her tanned skin glow. I order us a bottle of wine, it's our last night and we are going all out. I lift my glass "to a wonderful week and a most wonderful woman who has agreed to be my wife." I sip the wine and its delicious then I sip at her lips and they're even better. When did I become such a sappy romantic? We order our dinner and sit in companionable silence. I don't think either of us wants to break the beautiful bubble we've been in this week. Tomorrow will come soon enough.
"What did Mariah say when you finally got connected with her today?" She smiles "first she wanted to know what took you so long." Now I smile "that's what she said to me too." "Yeah, she told me that she gave you shit. Anyway, she wanted to know what I thought of the ring and was very disappointed that I hadn't seen it yet. I'm really looking forward to it after what Mariah said." "Well, you'll get to see it soon enough. What do you think about summer for the wedding? It's too hard to do it during the season and we can have it in Nova Scotia." She considers this for a moment. "That makes sense. We can talk about it with your folks next week. Wow, I can't believe it's Christmas next week." Fuck, I forgot all about Christmas. I haven't even gone shopping yet, of course, I usually don't shop until the last minute anyway. "You forgot about Christmas didn't you?" she asks me. I have a lousy poker face so there's no use lying. "Yeah, but I don't usually shop until the week before anyway."
Our food comes and we dig in. I can't wait until I can work out again. I swear the food this week has spoiled me. "I already got gifts for your sister, mom and dad. They're wrapped and in the spare room already. You just need to buy for the Lemieuxs because I have no idea what to do there. Oh, and I've bought for Mariah too. We got your mom these earrings that she was admiring last time she and I went shopping. I did Lulu Lemon for your sister. I just found out that the gift I've been looking for is in for your dad. You are definitely paying for that one." I wait, realizing that she wants to build up to a big reveal. "Your dad told me that he doesn't have his rookie card from when he played and he's always regretted that he never kept one. Apparently now, anyone who has one doesn't want to part with it. Mario hooked me up with a collector and I just heard that he found one; very pricy but it's in decent condition." I don't know what to say to her. I know that I'm just staring but I really can't find the words. I never knew that dad didn't have his own rookie card or that he even wanted it. That she found that out from dad and then went about finding one is so incredibly kind. I lean over the table and kiss her. She blushes and shrugs.
After dinner, we leave our shoes at the suite and take a last walk on the beach. Hand in hand, we walk slowly along the beach; neither of us really wants this evening to end. We stop and stare at the moon as it hits the water. I pull her to me and we just hold each other. I kiss her softly and she winds her arms around my neck. We continue to kiss and touch each other lightly like we're trying to memorize every part of each other. I pull back and look down at her. Her hair flows in the breeze and I push a strand behind her ear then run my fingers lightly over her cheek and then lips. She sucks my finger into her mouth and runs her tongue around it. It is so incredibly erotic that I can't break my gaze from hers. She releases my finger and I run it over each of her lips again.
She looks around us and then back at me. With a quick flick of her finger her dress falls open and down to the sand. I had hoped for some of her sexy lingerie under her dress but what I get is even better; nothing. The moon glows off of her beautiful skin. She gives me her sly, sexy smile and then runs into the water. It takes me way too long to take off my clothes and follow her; looks like it's going to be a very memorable last night here.
I glance over at Sidney as he drives us to Consol. He is tanned and much more relaxed than when we left. He is quiet now, probably worried about talking to the doctors, but it was a great idea to get away. He pulls into the parking lot and we get out. He takes my hand as we walk through the underground and back corridors to the locker room. We see Marc-Andre first and he comes over to give Sidney that handshake/hug men like to do and then he kisses my check. "How are you Sid? I'm jealous of the tan." We both laugh but then Marc-Andre is just looking at Sid with genuine concern. "Better Flower, I'm doing better. We'll see what the doctors say. I don't know what they'll let me do or how they'll want to proceed this time." Marc-Andre nods, slaps Sidney on the back and goes into the locker room. When we enter, there are a lot of greetings and teasing which is nice to see for Sidney. He has an easy smile on his face and I know that he's happy to be with his teammates and friends. He misses them and this so much.
Dr. Burke comes in and the mood of the room changes. Sidney shakes hands with him and Burke puts his hand on Sidney's shoulder to guide him to another room. It is a not so subtle way of excluding me but Sidney won't have it. He turns to me and takes my hand to pull me with him. I see a split second of Burke rolling his eyes. He still holds it against me that I found Dr. Carrick and especially that it helped Sidney. They put Sidney on the table and run him through the formal IMPact test. I could probably administer it myself since I've seen it so often since meeting Sidney. I know that they have to do the test, and it is useful, but its motion that gives Sidney issues once he gets over the migraines and nausea. This test isn't going to diagnose motion issues. They finish up and ask us to meet them in the trainer's office. The doctors and trainers are going to confer and then we'll all talk.
We go into the office and see Mario there who gives me a big hug first and then Sidney. "Mario, it's great to see you." He smiles at me and says "Looks like Barbados was a great idea Angelia. You both look rested and tanned. I'm jealous." He shuts the door so that the three of us are completely alone and turns to Sidney. "How are you feeling?" Sidney sits down and looks at him "we did some physical activities in Barbados." Mario smiles at this and I turn crimson head to toe. "I mean parasailing and swimming. We waited a couple days until the headaches were gone before we tried anything. I didn't have any symptoms and I did ok on the IMPact; didn't pass but did better the results are better than when I left. We'll have to see what they say." Mario turns to me and asks "what do you think of all of this Angelia?" I look at Sidney because I'm not sure how candid I should be. I know Mario is his mentor and a close friend but he's also the boss. Sidney nods at me so I'm honest. "I'm definitely not a doctor Mario, or at least a medical doctor, so I'm trying to think things through rationally. It doesn't seem right to me that after one hit Sidney experiences symptoms again that badly. I know that once you've had a concussion then you are more susceptible to getting one again; but, something else has to be going on. It just isn't logical to me." I look from one man to the other for a reaction. They are both just staring at me. Did I go too far? I guess I am criticising Mario's team of doctors.
Mario looks at Sidney and says "you got yourself a smart one here, huh?" I relax when he says this but we don't get a chance to talk because the doctors and trainers come in. Burke stands up a little taller when he sees that Mario is in the room. "Mario, hello, we didn't expect you." Mario shakes the man's hand and says "I'm very interested in your prognosis for Sid and your rehab plan." This plainly tells Burke to get to it. He reviews the results of the tests, blah blah blah, and gives the same plan that they've put in place before; nothing for another week, then start the bike, then blah blah blah. Mario waits Burke out and then asks "I've heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It sounds to me like we're doing the same thing again Burke so how can we expect different results?" I bite my tongue to hide my smile. "Mario, this is the proven treatment for a concussion. We all agree that it can take time and this is the best course of action for him." Mario continues to look at him and Burke visibly looks shaken under Mario's gaze. The room is silent for a few minutes and then Mario says "ok Burke. We'll go through Christmas with your plan and re-evaluate at that time where we are with the plan. Make sure you update Ray and Dan." This is obviously meant as a dismissal and the doctors and trainers leave.
When we're alone again, Mario turns to Sidney "what do you think?" Sidney pauses for a moment and then says "I don't know what to think. Doing the same thing doesn't make sense." He turns to me and I say "I agree. Why don't we go with Mario's idea? We'll follow their plan through the next week and Christmas and then we'll look at where you want to go from there. Maybe you want another opinion?" He thinks about it and says "yeah. You're both right." He pulls out his phone and says "I'm going to call dad" and leaves Mario and I alone. Mario turns to me and says "how is he really doing?" Now I'm in a very tough spot. I know that Mario loves Sidney and is very concerned about him; but, I also don't want to betray any confidences with Sidney. "Before we left for Barbados, I was very worried about him and not just physically. To be so close and have such a great comeback and then to be so sick again was traumatic for him. I think the time away to relax and focus on something else was the good for him. Christmas will be another distraction. It's the next steps that I want to figure out." Mario nods and says "I agree. We'll talk again after Christmas, you, Sid and I, and we'll determine where to go from there. His folks will be in town too so they can be part of the conversation." He leans down and kisses my cheek. "You are very good for him Angelia. I'm glad you're here." I blush at this and can only nod.
Christmas is a blur. The Penguins won four games in a row which made for a very happy Christmas for all. There were so many parties, both with friends and family, that faces became a blur to me. Mariah came in for the week and complained about the snow. Of course, she also flirted with every man around and enjoyed being part of a family again. We both did if I'm being honest. It's been a few Christmas' of just the two of us that we both enjoyed having the Crosby's and the Lemieux's craziness. Even Sidney's Nana Forbes and Nana Crosby came to Pittsburgh. Now I know why we are renting such a large house; it is completely full right now and I love it. On Christmas Eve, Sidney and I announced to everyone that we were engaged and he gave me my ring then. I wanted it the minute we got back from Barbados but he wanted to do it in front of our families. How can you say no to that? The ring iss positively gorgeous! I was worried it would be one of those huge and, in my opinion, gaudy rings that I see all of the wives wearing. Instead, it was gorgeous but still very, very sparkly. There is a diamond in the centre with little diamonds surrounding it and then there are little diamonds all around the band. Tasteful but definitely very sparkly; I am a girl after all, I like sparkly.
On Christmas Day, we all opened gifts and Sidney got me earrings to match the bracelet he gave me in LA. It was a very sparkly Christmas. Sidney opened his gift from me and was surprised. I gave him a pocket watch. I could tell he thought it was nice but he felt like he was missing something and he was. "Open it and look at the inscription" I tell him and he reads it out loud. "To Mark, with my heart full of love, Sarah." Now everyone is confused, especially when they notice that Mariah has tears falling down her cheeks. With tears in my eyes too, I need to take a moment so that I can talk. "This is the watch my mother gave to my father after he proposed to her." I manage to get this out but I can't stop the tears from falling down my cheeks. Sidney looks down at the watch and then back up at me. When I see the tears in his eyes, I have to choke back a sob. He walks over to me and pulls me into his arms. I lose track of how long we just stand there holding each other. He pulls back, looks into my eyes and kisses me deeply. I feel so much love coming from him that I'm completely overwhelmed. Then I see something weird come into his eyes. Keeping one arm around me, he turns to Mariah. She's wiping away her tears, actually all of the women and most of the men in the room are wiping away tears, but she smiles at him. "It's ok Sidney. Ang asked me if I was ok with her giving you the watch. I couldn't see it going to anyone else. Dad would have wanted it too." Now there are more tears all around.
When we've wiped all the tears up we continue with the gift opening. Troy gets to the one from Sidney and me. I'm biting my lip the whole time and Sidney is rubbing my back trying to help me keep calm. Troy opens the package and says "fuck me." Nana Crosby immediately says "Troy, watch your language!" He looks up at us and a big, goofy grin comes over his face and I definitely see where Sidney gets his smile. Trina looks over Troy's shoulder and says "wherever did you find it." Troy hands it to Trina and comes over to Sidney and me for a big hug. "Yeah, Sid, where did you find it?" Sidney looks at his dad and says "it was all Angelia, dad." Troy laughs and gives me another hug. Looks like our first Christmas together has been a big success but it does leave me wondering what the new year will bring.
