Chapter 94

A few hours later, Sidney woke up and got his shower, getting dressed and heading downstairs. He saw his mom rummaging through the kitchen.

"Morning mom."

"Ok, I see a coffee maker, but can't find the coffee."

Sidney walked over to the freezer and pulled out the bag of coffee, handing it to his mom "she keeps it in the freezer to keep it fresher longer."

Trina looked at the bag confused "did you bring her this in August?"

"No."

"Did she bring it back with her?"

"Nope. Believe it or not, there is a Tim Horton's down in Wheeling. Karen took me there one morning for breakfast. It's a smaller chain store, but it does serve purpose."

Trina got the coffee started and sat down at the table with Sidney "Karen probably told you but we had a little talk yesterday."

"She told me. She said that you are leaving dad all to me."

"Sid, you are the only one to make him understand about your relationship with Karen. I can only tell him so much and you know he won't listen to her." She took his hand in hers "if you truly love her and want to be with her, you need to make him understand but you also just need to listen to him as well."

"I will and everything will be fine after the road trip."

"Do you plan to ask her to marry you?" Sidney looked up at his mom in disbelief "come on son, you don't give a girl a ring like that and not have something planned to go with it. So tell your ol' mom, do you?"

"Your not going to blab what I tell you to dad are you?"

"I will keep it between us, I pronise."

"I have been thinking more about it. Like now, she's only an hour away and I miss her like crazy. I don't think I can see the rest of my life without her."

"What if she tells you no?"

"Look, I know her feelings on marriage and her past relationship maybe ruined that, but we both know what we have and if living together until she's ready is right, right now then I will live with that. I just don't want to be without her." Sidney saw the look on his mom's face "what's the look?"

"Just that you're not my little boy anymore. She is special and I'm glad that I decided to learn that on my own."

"Yeah she is. I'm just glad I found her" he said getting up and walking over to get the finished coffee for him and his mom. "Can I ask you a question?" he said sitting back down.

"Ask me anything."

"Do you think she'd say yes?"

"If she loves you the way we all know she does, then I think she will." Trina looked at the smile that grew on Sidney's face "you have it planned out already, don't you?"

"I have an idea but I'm keeping it to myself. If I tell everyone and she would say no, I don't think I could handle what comes after that."

"Just make it memorable Sid and I don't think she could say no after that."

Soon Troy came into the kitchen "morning Sid."

"Morning dad. Ready to go?"

"Ready when you are" he said walking over and giving his wife a kiss when she handed him a cup of coffee "morning honey."

"Morning. I am going to get ready before you guys leave." Trina smiled at her son and then went to get dressed.

"Karen's got some good coffee" Troy said after taking a sip.

"It's Tim Horton's."

"Really?" he said surprised. "How did she managed to get this?"

"There's a Tim Horton's in Wheeling. She took me there one day."

"I'm starting to like her a little more."

It was Sidney's turn to be surprised "really?"

"Look, I know we have some things to talk about while we're on the road, but I am willing to step out of the father role and listen as a friend. If she's this important to you, I want to hear it all before I make my final decision about her."

"What do you mean, your final decision?"

"I will either like her or I won't but whatever I decide, I will not keep riding you about her. Deal?"

"Deal. I am going to get dressed so we can head to the arena." Sidney left his dad in the kitchen and went upstairs. As Troy sat there, he remembered how Sid is around Karen and how he can keep his focus on hockey too. He smiled to himself and finished his cup of coffee.

A couple days had passed as Trina and Taylor headed back to Canada. Karen decided to stay down in Wheeling during the week and was heading home for the weekend. The girls were coming up to stay with her and to watch the game Saturday afternoon against Colorado. Karen got lunch ready and they all sat around the coffee table eating and talking like old times.

"Man, we haven't done this in a while" Diane told everyone.

"Do you guys mind that I go to the arena with Sid now and then come out to meet you?"

"No, why would we?" Sheril asked.

"I don't know. It's just I feel bad making you guys drive up and wait for me."

"Then you need to share that Penguin benefit and let us come down there to wait too."

"I don't know if I trust you around the guys being that close to the locker room. Hell, I don't trust you being that close to the showers either."

"Thanks" she said in a sarcastic tone " I'm not that bad. You have always been worse then me."

"Yeah but now I'm allowed down there."

"Can I ask you guys a question...somewhat off topic?" Natalie asked the group. They all nodded and she continued "how many days late is considered time to panic?"

"How many days are you late?" Karen asked concerned.

"7."

"That's not too bad, only a week" Diane said in a motherly tone. "I think we've all been late before. I know I've been a few days. Sheril?"

"Yeah definitely, at least by 5. Kiki?"

"You all know my one scare...I believe I was 10 days and ready to hurt anyone in my path until I started. Does Max have any idea?"

"No and I need to be absolutely sure before I say anything to him. You have to swear to not say anything to Sidney either."

"I won't Nat. Eventhough he wouldn't say anything to Max, I still won't tell him. But you know even with just being late, you need to tell him what's going on."

"I know but the way he was with girls before me, I don't want to give him a way out."

How do you know he wants out?" Sheril asked.

"I don't and he might not want out, but it's all I can think about while hoping and praying I get this stupid womanizing curse" Natalie said getting a laugh out of the girls and making her crack a smile.

"It's going to be ok Nat. We're all behind you and if you want to tell Max, I will be there with you."

"Thanks but we'll see where I am when he gets back and take it from there." The girls all gathered around Natalie and gave her a hug before settling in for the rest of the game.

The game ended and the Pens lost 5-3 to the Avs. Karen knew that the boys and their dads were going to be doing some things around Colorado after the game, she just wondered if Sidney talked to his dad yet and what the outcome was.

Meanwhile in Colorado...

The team and their dads had a day planned to do things around the city when the game was over. They all went sightseeing and then had a group dinner. Sidney never really talked to his dad about Karen knowing the other guys or their dads were around, so he decided to wait until they were alone in the hotel room.

Sidney came out of the bathroom from getting his shower and his dad went in to get his. He took this time to call Karen since he hadn't talk to her in a few days.

"Hello" she said answering the phone.

"Hey my sexy baby. I miss you."

"Aw Jordan, I miss you too but Sidney will get mad if you keep calling me like this."

"Why do you do this to me?"

"Because it's fun. What's up stud?"

"I just couldn't stop thinking about you and needed to hear your sweet voice."

"Well I can't stop thinking about you but I want something other than hearing your sexy voice."

"You will definitely get something when I get home."

"Oh alright, I guess I can wait that long" she said pretending to be hurt. "Have you had a chance to talk to your dad yet?"

"Not yet. We're going to after he gets out of the shower. I just want him to understand about us and what we have going."

"And tell me Crosby, what do we have going here?"

"I love it when you call me by my last name."

"Quit stalling and tell me."

"What we have baby is love. Genuine, pure love."

"You are such a geek" she said laughing.

"When it comes to you, I am what I am. But we just don't have love."

"Really? What else do we have?"

"Exotic, raw, passionate sex" Sidney said then smiled when he heard her giggle.

"And yet you won't be home for me to play with for a couple more days."

"I'm sure you can amuse yourself until I get home."

"I can but having you makes it more fun."

"You're going to make me take a cold shower if you keep going like that."

"I can keep going but I'm not the one rooming with my father tonight."

"Well played baby." Sidney heard the shower shut off and knew his dad was going to be coming out soon.

"I wish you guys were coming home before heading to Philly."

"I know, me too. I hate long road trips like this and being away from you for so many days."

"You'll be back before you know it stud. I'm going to let you go."

"Ok. I love you baby."

Karen smiled to herself "I love you too. Night."

"Night." Sidney hung up and didn't realize his dad was leaning up against the door, looking at him.

"Karen?"

"Yeah. Wanted to say goodnight."

"I think you said a whole lot more there Sid."

Sidney sat up on the bed "what else can I tell you about her to make you like her?"

"I don't think there's anything else. Look, I heard the last few minutes of your conversation with her and you love her, I get that. You've been able to concentrate on your game even when you see her before. I've seen the way she looks at you and how she acts around you and I see how much loves you too."

"Wow, I didn't expect that from you."

"Sid, I want the best for you and if she's it right now I have to try and step back to let you do this on your own."

"Thanks dad, I really appreciate that. So you're not mad that I moved in with her?"

"I was but after being around you two the last few days, I see you're at home there with her."

"It just feels right with her dad."

"I know it does and finding love at any age is rare and you need to hold on to it when you have it. Look at your mom and I. She's probably mentioned this, but you two are just like us when we first got together."

"She told me" Sidney took a deep breath before saying the next thought "I bought her a ring for Christmas."

"The diamond solitare on her left ring finger."

"Yeah, I put it there after I gave it to her. I wanted you to know that I didn't propose, it's there to show her how much I love her."

Troy just nodded his head and got into bed "last piece of advice son" he turned to look at him "just think carefully about everything before you jump into anything."

"I will dad" Sidney said before getting into his bed and turning off the light "thanks for understanding dad."

"Anytime son, goodnight."

"Night dad." Sidney laid there for a few minutes and thought about what he said. The fact that the feeling of wanting to marry Karen got greater by the minute, he had to wonder if it would really happen for them.