I was on the ice once again. After spending three days throwing up everything that I ate or drank, having a headache from hell and staying on the couch with Buzz if he wasn't at practice, I was finally able to hit the ice once again.
In three days the guys were heading to New York to play the Soviets three days before Lake Placid. To say I was nervous for them was an understatement. I was terrified for them. I had seen them play once when they played here in the States. They were massive players. Sometimes I swear they take steroids or something.
I rounded the last lap and sat on center ice. I had grown up here, on the ice I mean. Well, I had also grown up at the U. I made friends here. Buzz met his wife here. I met the team here. My life was here. It felt good to have a place to belong. I could remember the noise of the fans as they watched the games that had happened here.
I gathered my feet under me and began just to turn circles on the ice. I watched the colors mix as I stared straight ahead. My thoughts were still running rampant but this time it was because of different things. I was here in Minnesota while my cousin trained and I worked. I was twenty-five and in a relationship with a twenty-two year old. It felt odd but I enjoyed it. The big question was could I move away from here and be with him if he asked. I didn't know if I could because I had my family here.
The guys began to filter on to the ice. I moved off the ice to the seats behind the bench. Silky came in and luckily didn't see me. He was talking and laughing with Jack, who had seen me but didn't say anything to his teammate. I nodded in acceptance.
I sat on the sidelines and watched happily. There was a camaraderie with the boys as they moved about the ice. As I sat there other girls began to filter in. I didn't even bother turn around. I had a feeling I knew who had invited them.
As practice continued and the girls continued to yell, I got bored. I wanted to turn around but didn't. It was completely rude that they should be around while the boys were trying to be serious. I had never been a groupie but I did draw the line at cheering during practice.
One of the girls tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned around, she asked, "Who's your boy?"
"Buzz Schneider is my cousin." I said hotly. I was not appreciative of this.
"Really? That's cool. My friend Cindy over there is her for Bah and Kelly is for Jack." I nodded but didn't otherwise say a word. "Me, I'm here for Silky."
That froze my heart. I bit my jaw and refused to look at her. She obviously got the point and sat back to fawn with her friends.
This was just great. Although we didn't have an official relationship, it really hurt that Silky had already found a replacement.
I stayed for the remainder of the practice. The girls bustled past me to get down to the ice before the boys even went into the locker room. I stood where I had been sitting and watched as they hugged the boys. The one I had semi-spoken to jumped on Silky like she owned him. He didn't look happy but he didn't push her away either. He looked up and found me staring down at him. I shook my head and walked away.
"Minni, wait!"
I kept walking. I had a feeling Buzz was about to be a little less than happy. He had not only been supportive during this whole thing but he had also been happy for me. Now he was going to find out what Silky had been doing.
I went to mine and Buzz's room and threw all the clothing that I had borrowed from him in a bag. I didn't want to see any of it, even though I still slept in his t-shirt and shorts he gave me the first night I stayed in his room.
After twenty minutes there was a knock at the door. It was unlocked so when I didn't answer it, Bah pushed it open. He looked guilty.
I shook my head. "Why am I not surprise?"
"It wasn't Silky's idea. He told that girl that he had a girlfriend. It's her fault she didn't listen. Herb's already on our case about having the girls in the rink. Buzz already turned that lethal gaze on me. He was there the night all this went down. It was the night you first got sick. The next few nights we all went out alone. Silky didn't want to but we sorta forced him to go. She latched herself on to him and wouldn't let him go, even after he told her he was seeing you." He explained. His eyes said it all. He was telling the truth. My best friend defending my….non-conventional boyfriend.
"He didn't have to go."
"We forced him. He was just going to chill around his place anyway until you were better anyway. He might as well go out with us."
"Was it your idea to have them come here?"
"No. when I said we had practice, they put two and two together. Their showing up was their own accord. I had nothing to do with it."
I looked at him. "The thing is, Bah, Silky and I aren't really sure what we're in, even if he does call me his girlfriend."
Bah frowned for a minute and then it seemed like a light bulb went off in his head. He stood back on his heels and crossed his arms, a smile gracing his face. "You're in love with him."
I frowned then. "What?"
"Jealousy and packing all his things that you have, those are sure signs."
"Who asked you, Bah?"
"You didn't have to. I can read you like a book. Besides Buzzy, I'm your best friend. Now have you told him?"
I sighed, resigned to the fact that if I didn't talk about this now, Bah wasn't going away. I moved to the kitchen and put the kettle on the stove. Bah moved to the couch and sat down, draping himself over the edge as he watched me move about the little kitchenette grabbing two mugs and teabags. I was stalling and he knew it.
"Do you know when it happened?" he asked quietly.
"No. All I remember is the day I found myself in his bedroom with him. After that, it's all a blur." I replied just as quietly. He left it alone for a bit while the kettle whistled and I poured the water into the mugs. I walked over to the couch and handed him one, settling into the seat with my own. "When did we become so…"
"Domestic?" he offered. I nodded. "From what I've seen, Silky's always been reserved."
"I know that. I see it when I've been with him. He's a gentleman."
"That's good. If he wasn't, all the Minnesotans would be jumping his ass." I punched him as he took a sip. "It's true. Buzz would get the first shot, me the second, and everything else is a free for all."
"I thank you for your concern, Bah, but I can handle myself."
He nodded. Then his face got serious. "When's the trial?"
That was a completely different story and one I knew he would ask. "After the games. I told the courts that they were going on in the first weeks of February and that I was going. They said it wasn't going to be that soon anyway."
"Do we all have to go with you?" I shook my head. "Why not? We were there."
"I don't want you there."
He looked at me with utter shock. "Minni, we're going. We were there when this happened. You need someone to support you. We're it, Minni. You're not getting rid of us."
I leaned back in my seat. "Everyone's decided on this haven't they?"
"You're damn right they have. It was Jack's idea and we agreed." He saw the wheels turning in my head. "If you dare try to hide the court date from us, we will get you on the ice and fire shots at you without padding." That was a threat they would keep.
"Okay. I'll let you know when it's time for the trial."
He smiled. "Good girl. Now you need to go talk to Silky."
He kicked me when I didn't get up right away. "All right. I'm going." I knew he'd be there when or if I came back to the room so I got up and went out the door. The two flights I had to walk up seemed to take forever. I made it though and opened the door. Why we never locked our doors was a mystery to me. Silky turned around as I came in.
"Hey." He said.
"Hey." I replied. I had to suck up my pride. "I'm sorry."
"I never did anything with that girl." He said.
"I know. Bah told me."
"Then why…The guy from high school." I nodded. He walked over and hugged me, making sure I was snug securely in his arms. "Sorry."
"Don't worry about it."
"I gave her to Jimmy." I laughed at that. "Why don't we go out, just the two of us?"
"I'd like that."