Chapter 20 - New Year's Eve

"The dream was weird. I was in a beautiful gown and it was a ball. That was when I realized I was Cinderella," Regan began telling Connie and Marie.

"I think if the play went the other way, we'd surely be able to put the puck in the net," Rob was telling Silk and Rizzo.

The boys were sitting on the couch with the girls sitting in their laps. It was New Year's Even and they were at Josie's party. She had quite a turnout. Some of her colleagues from her work were there and of course her other good friends.

"Who did the Prince look like?" Connie asked.

"Would coach go for it?" Silk asked.

"Like David Cassidy."

"If we talked to him on Monday," Rob replied.

"I had a bad dream once where I was on a plane and it crashed on an island. The survivors stuck together, but each week we would get into trouble," Connie told them. "There was a pregnant girl, a female convict, a hit man…"

"What island?"

"Somewhere in the Caribbean."

"If Mark went left by faking the defenseman, and then passed it to you, you could easily put it in."

"You guys should try that," Rizzo said.

"Jell-O shot?" Josie asked putting the tray down at their level.

All six said, "Cheers," before downing the jell-o.

Silk and Marie decided to head outside to sit in the cold to swing on the porch swing they saw where they were in the kitchen. They sat there staring at the stars for a couple of minutes before Silk saw a shadow of a trampoline in the yard. He tried to convince Marie to jump on it, but she called him nuts and she refused to considering it was winter. He jumped a couple of times before he stopped and agreed with her. She laughed at him and they went to sit on the swing again.

"I wish I may, I wish I might, have this first wish tonight," Marie whispered closing her eyes.

"You just wished on a planet," Silk said to her chuckling.

"What?"

"Mars."

Marie looked up at the sky and laughed. "No, I didn't."

"Is that star not red?"

"No."

"Then I guess I did."

Marie laughed again and leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Are you getting cold?"

"If you are, then I'm game to go in." They got up and headed in.

"New York City is partying like you wouldn't believe," Dick Clark announced to the audience when they went pass the television.

They entered the den to put their coats with the pile, but before they left, they admired the stuff in there. Josie's father was a big businessman in the area. He had photos of people he met, autographs on a football, a hockey puck, and a baseball. Josie had a small shrine. She was a figure skater and Marie told him that's how they met. They became really good friends back then and haven't stopped being good friends.

When they exited the den, Marie was stopped by him and when she looked back that's when he kissed her.

"Will you two please get a room," Regan said walking up. "Or just wait until the ball drops."

Marie chuckled against his lips before parting from him. "I should say that about you, too. You'd think Rizzo and you were one person."

Regan smiled at her friend before going into the den. "Does Rob look nervous to you?"

Marie looked over to see if she had a clear view of her two friends. They weren't in her sight. "I don't know. Why?"

Silk replied, "He doesn't seem nervous."

"I don't know, either. He just looks like he's seen a ghost," Regan mentioned.

"Maybe it's something he ate," Silk replied. "I had a crap cake before. It didn't settle well."

Marie said, "Thanks for the info, hon."

"No problem."

Regan chuckled and they went back to the party.

"I want you to know how much I think Silk is good for you," Greta said to Marie a little later on in the kitchen.

"Thank you," Marie replied while pouring herself a drink.

"I've never seen you this happy," Greta remarked.

Marie smiled. "I see Craig and Rick are enjoying their company."

"Hockey talk," Greta sighed. "Ever since Craig got that injury, he's been… wanting… trying to live through Rob's stories."

"He likes his job, doesn't he?"

"I'm sure he does. He just wants to skate like he use to."

I think as long as you support his dream, he'll be… happy," Marie said.

"He doesn't seem nervous," Connie said while Regan and she walked up.

"Ok… maybe it's just me," Regan stated.

"Are you still going on about that?" Marie asked. "I was watching him, he seems fine."

"What are you planning for Silk's birthday tomorrow night?" Connie asked changing the subject.

"Dinner, skating, and a really creative birthday present," Marie answered. "Along with another one that is a sweater."

"What's the creative birthday present?"

"My lips are sealed."

"Oh, come on."

"No."

Josie came up to them and started to hand out sparklers.

"Is it safe to light these in the house?" Marie asked.

"As long as you do not put them on any furniture while lit and please put them in the sink after New Year's kicks in," Josie replied.

The girl's headed out to the living room area to bring in the New Year with the guys.

"5… 4… 3… 2…"

"Happy New Year!"

"Happy Birthday!" Marie shouted at Silk before they kissed. After they parted, Marie's mouth opened wide in shock.

Behind Silk, Rob was down on one knee and was asking Connie that big question. Connie said yes through her tears and Rob put the ring on her finger. Everybody around them cheered when they hugged and kissed for the first time as an engaged couple.

"It's beautiful," Marie said admiring the ring. "Congratulations." She gave her best friend a hug.

"Mac… awesome job. You did it," Silk said giving him a pat on the back.

Marie turned to him. "You knew?"

"He was nervous."

"I knew he looked nervous," Regan said. "Congratulations."

Rizzo gave both of them a hug, but went and got six beers. "Cheers," he said after handing them out. They clanked the bottles together and took a drink.

"Oh hey, Silky, happy birthday," Rizzo said. "What are you going to do today?"

Marie answered for him. "He's got plans already. Tomorrow you can have him to celebrate."

"What are we doing?" Silk asked her.

"It's a secret."

"Can't find out until…"

"I pick you up at three."

"Interesting."

"Just be patient." She smiled at him.

vvv

"You're not going to give me a single clue at least?" Silk asked that afternoon.

"You're going to need your skates," Marie replied before they headed out.

"We're going to a rink?"

"No."

"Where are we going then?"

"It's a surprise," Marie said while starting the car.

An hour later, Marie stopped the car at a frozen lake and Silk asked, "Are you taking me here to kill me and bury me with my skates on?"

Marie turned to him. "You know me so well. Yes… I am going to kill you. You get a thirty second head time." She rolled her eyes.

Silk laughed and opened his door. Marie went to the trunk and started to take out a picnic basket, a blanket, a lantern, her skates, and his two presents. "We're having a dinner, picnic style. After, we're going to skate on the lake, and then open your presents."

"This is cool. I've never done this before," he told her.

"Thank you. I thought it would be cool."

After they had set up the picnic they started to eat. She made a chicken pot pie and he thought it was really good. She was an excellent cook, he told her and she teased him by saying she already knew that. The one thing she forgot about was the sunset. While they sat there they admired they sky as it turned a deep purple.

"Do you want your gifts now or later?" she asked when they were watching the sunset.

"Now," he said.

"Ok," she said picking up the first gift.

Silk took it and unwrapped the gift. "I like this shirt." He took out a long sleeve shirt that was green.

"I thought it looked good." She handed him the other one.

When he opened that second gift, his eyebrows raised up in amusement. He looked up at her and smiled. "A magic eight ball."

"I thought it was a good idea at the time," Marie explained. "Your number is eight. I saw it and I thought 'hey wouldn't this be fun'." Marie shrugged.

Silk leaned over and gave her a kiss. "I like both your gifts." He took it out of the box. "Will I make the final cut?"

Marie leaned over and read the answer. "It is certain."

"Well, that's good. Will I play for the NHL?"

"Without a doubt."

Silk put the ball down and asked her, "How are we skating in the complete dark?"

"I'll have the lights on from the car," she replied.

They put on their skates and skated for about an hour on the lake near the shore, of course. After they went back to the blanket and stared up the stars.

"Hey, look a shooting star," Marie pointed out.

"Make a wish," he whispered. He looked over at Marie and she had her eyes closed. He knew she was making a wish, but that didn't stop him from kissing her.

"This has been the best birthday I've had so far. Thank you," he told her. "How did you know about this lake?"

"We would come up here on certain winter days when I was little and skate on this lake," she told him. "You're welcome."

They stayed quiet for a few more minutes staring at the sky. "Hey Dave, what is your favorite thing about hockey?"

"The ice, the fact that you can skate over a smooth surface. The smell of it."

"The smell?"

"It smells like winter, like cold."

"I've never thought about it like that way."

"You?"

Marie was quiet for a few seconds. "The action on the ice. The excitement when a player scores a goal."

They were again consumed with silence. To them it was peaceful because they were enjoying each other's company. It wasn't awkward.

"Do you think we have a chance?"

"Like I said before, anything is possible."

Silk sat up and Marie followed him. "What if all the hard work we've done doesn't get us where we want to be?"

Marie put a hand on his arm. "Don't think that way. You just got to have faith that all of it pays off in the end."

Silk smiled a little before leaning in. They stayed at the lake for another hour before packing everything up again. Marie gave him a hug before they got into the car and drove home.