Chapter Twenty Four
After breakfast, Amber had a shower and got dressed. She put on her freshly ironed shirt, a red sweater and a black pencil skirt. Nathalie looked like a Ralph Lauren model, even at breakfast and Amber felt she better start playing the part as well. She was going to have to re consider her wardrobe… she had brought mostly jeans and t shirts. She didn't think that she was going to have a purpose for her business attire while in Pittsburgh but she could already see she was sadly mistaken. She dug out a pair of shoes - her most comfortable heels - because she also suspected Nathalie didn't goof around when it came to shopping. "If I make it through today, I can make it through tomorrow," Amber repeated to herself in her head over and over. It had been a mantra she had passed down to quite a number of nervous junior hockey players. Her logic was that you should always expect today to be the hardest day of your life and power through, looking forward to an easier day tomorrow.
Sid greeted her in the kitchen, with his keys in his hand. He was in his penguins track suit, looking comfortable and relaxed, quite the opposite of her.
"I am going to go… if you need anything, call me," Sid said, leaning in for a good bye kiss, which Amber was much too happy to oblige. Mario and Nathalie were missing from the kitchen and she hadn't properly thanked him yet for the credit card. She had secretly hoped that he would have snuck into her shower but he has a good boy and followed the house rules. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in for his lips. She lingered there, softly touching the surface, making just the smallest motions to encourage further kissing.
"Do you know how much shit I would get, if I showed up at the arena with lipstick on?" Sid muttered into her mouth, as he pulled back. "I really need to get going. You are going to have a fantastic day."
Amber watched as Sid headed towards the front doors. Nathalie appeared soon after and asked if she was ready to go.
"I thought we could head to Ross Park Mall, it's the nicest mall, the higher end stores and such, and then I can show you a bit around downtown, 5th Ave mostly, on our way to the arena after lunch. We are having lunch downtown, so that works out. The best Macy's is on 5th… the one in the mall's not so bad but there is better selection at the downtown one… cute shoes… we'll take my car, the truck is a pain to park…" Amber listened to Nathalie ramble on, as she followed her out to the four car garage. There was no lack of selection of vehicles to choose from.
"When Sid first moved here, Mario drove him around everywhere because he couldn't decide on a car to buy himself. Poor guy didn't even have a bank account. He had this crappy two door Volkswagen thing his parents bought him for like five hundred bucks, and if you ask me they paid about five hundred too much. Mario wouldn't let him get caught dead in that thing!"
Amber just smiled as she sat in the passenger seat, watching the names of the streets go by. If she ever had to figure out how to get back here on her own, she was going to need to pay attention to where they were heading.
"So did you see the entire house? All the work he's doing? We told him he didn't have to rush to move out, so he's really getting everything done all at once… it will be so nice when it's finished but who knows whenever that will be…"
"Yeah, the house is gorgeous… Sid said I could hire a decorator to help get all the finishing stuff done… and he showed me the counter top choices he was debating between…"
"Did you pick one?"
"Yeah, the cream marble… the contractor said we should go to the storage facility and pick out the slab ourselves to get exactly the one we want… so we might do that tomorrow… "
"He has been debating that for weeks… I am sure he is driving his contractor nuts!"
"I guess I am a pretty good decision maker…"
"He is lucky to have you," Nathalie said warmly.
"I am guessing most people won't think that… that seems to include your husband…"
"Mario is protective. I told you that. He just wants to make sure that Sid is in good hands… he'll warm up to you," Nathalie reassured her in a matter of fact tone.
"I hope so… I know his opinion is really important to Sid."
"Don't worry too much about it. If you are here for the right reasons, which I am sensing you are, you'll have no reason to worry. If you're not, then you have certainly fooled me, and you deserve what comes to you. Sid loves you and that's all that should matter to you right now. You'll have plenty more to worry about soon enough…"
Amber sat quietly, looking at the woman driving the car. The last statement worried her. It seemed like Nathalie knew something and wasn't telling her. Amber knew her imagination could quickly get out of hand. What was she going to have to deal with?
"Care to elaborate?" Amber asked. "That makes me kinda nervous…"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you nervous… there will just be things that are going to come up that I doubt you and Sid have talked about or can anticipate…"
"That didn't really help…"
"Like the media… how do you two plan on breaking it to them? What level of availability are you going to have to them? How much are they going to be able to know about Sidney Crosby and his girlfriend? Have you talked to his publicist? Have you talked to a stylist about the image you are going to have to portray? You'll need to do some emergency planning, be trained on how to talk to the media… never mind what the league is going to say. They have a lot riding on Sidney and that pressure is going to transfer to you as well. Every time he misses a goal, it won't be his fault, it will be yours, at least for the first while. I am not trying to freak you out, just remind you that those things are coming up. You and Sid can only live in a bubble for so long."
"Did you have to go through it?" Amber asked.
"Not as much. The world was certainly different when my boy wonder came up to the league… the internet wasn't even a thing, never mind Facebook and twitter and Youtube videos of every indiscretion… We had already been dating too, so breaking it to the media was a non issue," Nathalie replied. "Sid's been single for a long time now; a lot of girls are going to be very disappointed. People are going to say things, untrue things, to try and break you up. Trust is going to be the most important thing. The world can be a really mean place."
"Right…"
"I think you should probably concentrate on winning over his family first. That will be your biggest hurdle. They get in tomorrow afternoon."
"Tomorrow afternoon? That's so soon…"
"Sid is not one for waiting… He seems to think that his parents will love you and there will be no problems but don't be fooled by his optimism. Trina has VERY high expectations for her son's partner and Troy can be a bit of an ass. Taylor is also somewhat opinionated; again it's an age thing. Her and Steph are pretty close… if you can win them over they would be huge allies. Perhaps it would help to have someone at dinner tomorrow night to talk you up… should we invite Max?"
"Um, no… probably not."
"Oh?"
"Max isn't really a fan of Sid and I dating…" Amber heard the words coming out of her mouth and knew she had to say something to wipe the suspicious look off of Nathalie's face. "It's just weird right now. He says it's like watching his sister date his best friend."
"Hmmm… I am sure it will all turn out."
-.-
"Good morning… it's awfully early don't you think?"
"Whatever, it's not that early… So you met her? What is she like?"
"I dunno…. She's nothing special… I am surprised actually."
"She's not a bimbo though right?"
"No, I guess not. She went to Carlton University… I guess that means something… I mean it's not Harvard but…"
"But its better then some community college drop out…"
"My dad wouldn't even let a drop out through the front door!"
"What did your Dad think about her?"
"I don't think he likes her. He didn't say a lot last night, but I heard my mom and him fighting about it."
"My dad will probably hate her… and my mom certainly isn't going to be as nice as your mom…"
"Yeah, she can be a little intense, hey?"
"No kidding. I hope this girl knows that she isn't going to get an easy ride with my parents… speaking French won't mean shit to Troy and Trina… she is going to have to prove herself."
"This is going to be hilarious! When do you guys get in?"
"I think the plane lands tomorrow at, like, 4 something…"
"So tomorrow's family dinner will be more entertaining then last nights? Thank god! It was a snooze fest!"
"I can only imagine... you sent me like a thousand texts! Entertaining may not begin to describe it!"
"Maybe my Dad will actually share his opinion with the class… oh and on another note, he got us ice time, so we can go and play… it might be fun…"
"Think the new girl can play hockey?"
"Ohhh… fun… we can terrorize her on the ice…"
"Yeah! Let's do it! Sid definitely cares about having a girl who can keep up with him!"
"Well then, it's a date…"
"See you tomorrow."
"Bye Tater."
"Oh my God, don't call me that! If you call me that at Shattock I will die!"
"No worries… Tater." And with that Steph hung up the phone and leaned back on her bed, laughing. Tomorrow was going to be a fun day…