Chapter 14:
"Dad?" Sidney chokes out, then clears his throat, "Sorry, I mean Troy."
He shakes his head, "I need my son."
Sid's heart stops, "Last time I checked you didn't have one."
"Can I come in so we can .. talk?" Troy asks.
Against his better judgment, the Penguin moves out the way and let's the older man in, "This better be good."
"I'm sorry." Troy says quietly, "I never should've .. treated you like that. You're ... Taylor was right. You're family. And we never turn our back on family."
"Maybe you should've thought of that before disowning me on national television." Sidney snaps.
The older man nods, "I know .. Your mother and I have been so worried since you got hurt-"
"What about Taylor?"
"She's wrecked." He sighs, "She cries all night and she refuses to talk to us until she sees you."
"I'd do the same. Where is she ri-"
"Sidney!"
He barely has time to process the high pitched shriek before a small body is colliding with his.
"Taylor." Sid breaths her sweet name, wrapping his arm around his sister's shoulders.
"I've .. I haven't stopped thinking about you. W-when you got hit, I got so scared. I-I-" Taylor babbles on.
"Shh. You're here now, and I'm fine. It'll be okay." Sidney whispers, kissing the top of her head with a huge grin on his face.
Troy puts an arm around his shoulders, rubbing small circles on his daughter's back.
Sid's heart swells up as well as the tears in his eyes. But something feels off, like something's missing.
"Wait ... where's Trina?"
Troy sighs, "That's what I wanted to talk about."
Taylor's cry morphs into a sob and she clutches the back of her brother's shirt.
"Troy?"
"Trina she's .. She's in the hospital."
They rush down to the hospital Trina's at. She had a heart attack and was diagnosed with Atherosclerosis.
Sidney probably should be listening to what the doctors are saying, but everything is moving in a blur.
How can his mother be sick? She's always been healthy! How .. how could this have happened?
"Sidney." Trina's voice is so weak, barely above a whisper.
Sid uses his hand to cover one of her's, "I'm right here."
She smiles weakly, "You're so pretty."
The Penguin let's a tear escape the corner of his eye before quickly wiping it away, "Not nearly as much as you are."
"I love my baby so much. You know that right?"
Sidney nods, his throat growing tight.
"I love the both of you." Trina whispers, running her hand through Taylor's hair.
"I .. I-I love you too mama." Stay chokes out through her tears.
"I never want us to break up again," she pauses to cough, "Sidney, we're so sorry about how we treated you. Its not your choice who you like, you can't choose your sexuality. So we came to a conclusion that we can accept a gay son, right dear?"
"Right." Troy replies, his voice cold.
Sid looks over at him. Troy stands uncomfortably, his arms crossed over his chest and face a complete stone. He looks unhappy, if not a little angered.
It occurs to him that the only reason he's here is to please Trina. Its hurts like a punch to the gut to think that Troy doesn't want him here.
Fuck him, Sidney thinks, I'm here for mom, not him.
The hockey player plants a soft kiss onto his mother's knuckles as she falls into a medication induced sleep.
When James finally calls Paulie, its at two in the damn morning, and the ginger isn't having it.
"James," he groans, "What do you want?"
"I love you."
Martin drops the phone.
He scrambles to pick it up, his eyes still a little blurry and the room spinning.
"Oh my god. I'm so, so sorry Paul. Fuck. I .. I'm so fucking sorry .. Fuck me man." Nealsy sighs, "I'm so fucking sorry. I-I-"
"James."
"Paul?"
"I love you too."
A pause, "Oh."
"Oh?"
"I .. I wasn't expecting that."
Paulie chuckles softly, "What did you expect?"
"Not to just blurt it out like that for starters." James says, letting out a sigh.
"I miss you."
"I miss you too," Nealer returns, "Do you .. uh .. want to meet my .. parents?"
"I don't know," Martin smirks, "Are they as hair obsessed as you? If so, then I'll need to go to a professional stylist, or something."
James laughs. A throaty and happy laugh that sounds so beautiful and perfect, "Okay .. Okay."
"Are we .. being for real right now?" Paulie asks, "This isn't a weird joke or prank?"
"I am being very for real right now."
Paulie let's out a shaky breath, "So .. when do you want me to come up there?"
"How about .. a week before our first practice? You can stay here a week before coming down to Pittsburgh together." Nealsy suggests.
"Its a date."
"Paulie."
"James?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."