Chapter 138

On Thursday, Karen went to work and Sidney had practice before tonight's game. While Karen was at work she read a flyer throughout the break room and employee entrance that made her do some thinking before she left for the day. When she got done with work, she headed home with a couple of tag-a-longs.

Sidney heard her car pull up and walked to the porch to greet Karen "was I suppose to bring someone home too?"

"You could have" she said kissing him "it would keep them from throwing themselves at you all the time."

"Well then you should have picked someone ugly to date girl" Diane said.

"That and one that was older. You should have known better by picking a young hot hockey player with a sweet ass" Sheril added making Karen turn her head to stifle her laugh.

"It's always a pleasure to have you around Sheril and I must say, you don't come around often enough" Sidney said holding Karen by her waist.

"Give me a chance sexy Sid and I'll...."

"You are not going to finish that sentence or I will revoke all ticket privileges for the rest of this season and next" Karen told her sternly.

"Alright woman. Geesh, just trying to add to the conversation" Sheril said walking inside with Diane laughing behind her.

"So what was she going to say?" Sidney asked curiously.

"My guess...give me the chance and I'll come each and everytime."

"You know me to well Kiki" Sheril yelled from the living room.

"I really need to get some new friends" she said before leaning up to kiss Sidney.

"WE HEARD THAT" both Sheril and Diane yelled that got them laughing.

"Be nice baby. Good friends are hard to come by."

"True and it is exhausting breaking new ones in."

"So I guess with them here, you aren't riding in with me."

"Sorry stud."

"That's ok. I may just summon you down to see me before warm ups again."

"Well it worked out on Tuesday, maybe it could be a new routine to make sure you keep winning." Karen kissed him again then walked inside with Sidney behind her. They all sat around and talked for a while until Sidney left them to take his pre-game nap. An hour and a half later, Karen had gotten dinner made as Sidney got his shower. He came down to eat then finished getting ready. He kissed Karen before he left the house for the arena.

"I hope next year is as fun as this year has been before games" Diane said.

"It will be, just in a different house" Karen said looking around realizing she need to start packing at some point.

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

"Sorry, I forgot to tell you guys but Sid and I are moving into a bigger house. He bought us a house a few months back."

"Oh that's right" Diane said remembering back to the trip to Texas "you guys had a fight about it."

"Ok, one of ya'll need to fill me in" Sheril asked confused.

"Sidney talked about us getting a house together. I told him I could just add his name to the deed for this one. He said he wanted a house for us, one that didn't previously belong to either of us. I got upset because he was asking me to get rid of mom and dad's house and all my memories here."

"Yeah but you can make new memories too. Isn't that what all this is about with him, to start a new life with Sidney."

"Of course it is" Karen said smiling "but I don't want to give up mom and dad either. Their presence around me is so strong here."

"Their presence will follow you everywhere and you know they just want you to be happy."

"I know."

"At least we'll need to have one last blow out here before you move."

"I'm sure we will. If not, we'll have one at the new house to signify both places."

"Well you can count on us and Natalie too if you need some help packing" Sheril said as Diane nodded in agreement.

"Thanks you guys. I am going to need the help when Sid heads home in a couple weeks."

"I bet you're not looking forward to that."

"No, I'm not but right now all I am thinking about is a hockey game we need to get to so we can watch our boys win tonight."

"Hell yeah, I'm for that" Sheril said standing up.

"Me too" Diane chimed in. Karen got the dishes put in the dishwasher as her friends got ready, then headed to get ready herself. They left the house a few minutes later and was there in plenty of time before the doors opened. They sat on the wall and saw Natalie arrive with Max. When she looked up, she told Max she was going to go in with them and went up to meet them. They went in when the doors opened at 6p and got to there seats. Karen was sitting there and decided to head down to the locker room. She excused herself and left, getting down there with no problems. Karen saw Dana about to go in and he saw her, smiling to let her know he would get Sidney for her.

A few minutes later, Karen was looking down the hall when she felt arms wrap around her "this better be my husband."

"What if it's not?"

"Then I may need to find out the difference and see if I need to trade up."

Sidney turned her around in his arms "you may need to rethink that baby. I don't think you will ever want to trade me in."

"I don't know, Jordan does get very persuasive at times."

"Trust me, I am so much better" he whispered.

"You might just have to prove that to me later."

"I'm counting down the minutes."

"I do have a little surprise for you though."

"Well tell me what it is. I need some extra incentive for tonight."

Karen leaned up to his ear and whispered "I don't have to work tomorrow."

Sidney looked at her with a surprised look "how did that happen? Did you take a vacation day?"

"Nope. They had a flyer up for volunteers to cut their hours and I had enough time to where I would only forfeit like 4 or 5 hours tomorrow anyway. So I talked to my manager and since I had all my work done for the week, she said I could take tomorrow off."

"So does that mean...." Sidney started to say with a smile.

"That when you win tonight, I am all yours for however long you want me."

"Damn baby, how am I suppose to keep my head in the game now?"

"It's simple stud, go out there and think about nothing but winning" she said kissing him "because you know what prize is waiting for you."

"Then let's get this game going" he said to make her smile.

"Alright then, I'm going to let you go and just know that I love you."

"I love you too baby. See you afterwards."

"Ok. Go kick some ass stud." Karen kissed him again and then they parted ways. She got up to her seats and the guys soon came out for warm ups. Both Sidney and Max had looked up at Karen and Natalie when they took a break shooting the puck. Sheril would chime in and yell down to them getting a laugh out of them and a few other guys in ear shot. They stopped and let them finish practicing for the last few minutes to get their concentration going. Sidney gave Karen a smile and nod before he headed off the ice.

"Wow, Sid looks great out there. He seems ready for the game huh?" Natalie said.

"He's got his mind focused to win tonight."

"How did he do that?" Diane asked.

"I told him that since I took tomorrow off, if he wins he can do whatever he wants to me after the game."

"Well if that doesn't give a man incentive, I don't know what will."

"I'm actually surprise you didn't give him anything before the game" Sheril said smirking at her friend.

"I would have but I was being a good hostess to my friends."

"Hell, when I want it I don't care who's at my house. I will leave everyone and take my man upstairs, get what I want and then come back" Sheril said matter of factly.

"Yes we know and appreciate it oh so much."

"I ain't getting any younger and I will get it when I want. If I had that man out there, I wouldn't let him leave the bedroom except for practice and games."

"I'm so glad I'm not like you" Karen smiled at Sheril.

"Whatever woman, if you could you would do exactly just that." Sheril looked at her friend and saw the smile on her face "see, I knew it. When you can except that I know all, the world would be so much better for all of us."

"Did she sneak any alcohol when I went to get ready?" Karen whispered to Diane who just shook her head no. Sheril just glared at her until they both started laughing "sorry girl, but you ain't never going to rule the world...not in my lifetime at least."

They made the announcement to stand for the National Anthem as everyone in the arena stood "I'll just out live you and you'll look up and see what you're missing" she whispered.

Karen had to wait for the National Anthem was over before she could respond "what do you mean look up and see what I'm missing?"

"Please, like you ain't going to hell with all your sins."

"Oh my God, I can't believe you said that" Karen said shocked.

"Well..." Natalie started "technically she's right. You couldn't even wait for that one to turn 21 before you pounced on him."

"And that makes me going to hell how?"

"What do you two do on any given night?" Sheril said and watched Karen's facial expression change "see, you sinner."

Karen just hung her head and began to laugh as the horn sounded to start the game "thank god, something to distract our talking."

"Don't worry, we'll pick it back up at intermission."

"I'll need more beer before then" Karen said to herself then concentrated on the game. As the game got underway, the Pens scored first and delighted the crowd until Detroit scored very late in the first but the start of the second set a quiet and nervous tone throughout the arena when the Wings scored early. The girls looked at each other and prayed that they didn't go down any further heading back to Detroit for game 5. When the clocked ticked down to show half the period almost gone, Jordan scored and tied the game as life crept back into the Igloo. Six minutes had ticked down and Karen saw Sidney go on the ice for his shift. There was a stop in play and Karen watched him look at the remaining time. Sidney looked into the crowd and directly at Karen who just smiled back at him. He gave her a nod and got ready for the faceoff. Karen intently watched the play and never took her eyes off of Sidney, especially when he scored. She couldn't contain her excitment at all and the girls had an easing feeling come over them. With a little more then five minutes left, Tyler Kennedy took a pass from Sidney and wristed it past Osgood to give the Pens a two goal lead going into the third.

As the third period started and ended, the Pens had shut down the tired Wings and won game 4. They tied the series with the 4-2 win and made the remaining series a best of three. There would be one last game at the Igloo and Karen knew the Cup would be won or lost in Detroit. She thought it would be sweet revenge to win it on their ice since that's what happened last year. Karen knew it killed Sidney that they won the Cup in his house and wanted nothing more to make them see how it feels. Karen and her friends waited until most of the crowd left and then they went down to the locker room. They stayed around the lounge area and waited for the guys to finish up with some interviews before they came in to talk to their friends and family members. Karen saw them lead Sidney and Jordan out and knew where they were going. Sid had been the last one for the post game press conference all series and when he had been gone for a little bit, Karen excused herself to head there. She heard the last three questions and the way Sidney stayed optimestic with his answer. She knew he didn't want to give it away that he knew his dream was becoming a reality. They thanked them and Karen stood back as him and Jordan came back behind the curtain. Sidney's face lit up when he saw her standing there waiting for him.

"A goal and an assist, I'm impressed stud."

"Thanks but you know I was due to unleash this manly power on those Wings" Jordan said flexing his muscles making Sidney and Karen just look at him. "Well I was impressed with myself" he said then sulked away.

"Let me try this again" Karen began to say only to be interrupted by a soft kiss to her lips.

"That goal was for you."

"That's why I was impressed." Sidney looked back into the makeshift Media room and saw it was empty, taking Karen back into the room. He sat down in the chair by the table as Karen walked around to the front of the table. "So Captain Crosby, got time for a few more questions?"

"I will always take questions from a beautiful woman."

"So how does it REALLY feel to even the series and make it a best of three?"

"Like my dream is finally within my grasp."

Karen moved to the table and sat on it directly infront of Sidney "When you guys do win the Cup in Detroit, what are your plans with it?"

Sidney stood up and inbetween her legs "baby...could we try and be a little more hypothetical here? I love your new found bold predictions, but come on."

"Ok. Mr. Crosby" she said getting all serious "if the Pens were to win the Cup in Detroit next Friday night, what have you always wanted to do with it?"

"Well, I would take it back to Cole Harbour and celebrate with everyone back home. Of course, I have to have my vibrant wife with me for all activities and maybe get her to pose for a couple pictures with it." Sidney went to move his hand from her waist to her cheek and was about to kiss her when they were both surprised by an unexpected visitor.

"Your wife? Sidney, did you get married?" a shocked voice said.