Chapter 148

As the night went on, there was plenty more to come with celebrating the team's win. Karen got done swimming and decided to go change. She stood back and watched the guys in the pool with the Cup when a friend came up to her.

"Well there's a familiar sight" Bob Errey said standing beside her.

"Yeah, wonder how many pools that Cup has seen in all these years."

"You look like you were having fun out there. Just like old times huh?"

Karen had been thinking when the Pens won the Cup in '92 and her celebrating with Rick "yeah, forgot how much fun it was watching the guys go crazy. Miss it?'

"Not too much. Being in the broadcast booth makes me still part of the team."

"And I'm sure you and Bourquey will lend a few ideas about how to play with the Cup in these coming days?"

"Nah, let them figure it out...it's more fun that way" he told her then left her alone. She saw Sidney and smiled at how much fun he was having, like all the pressures were finally off his shoulders to achieve his dream. Karen looked at her watch and went down to the pool to see Sidney.

"Hey baby" Sidney said getting out of the water, walking over to her "why did you change?"

"I think I'm going to head home."

"Baby why? Is it because I'm not paying attention to you? I can pay more attention" he said with worry in his voice.

"Sid, stop" she said caressing his cheek "its late and I've been up for more than 24 hours. I need to get some sleep."

"Didn't you take a nap on the plane?"

"So take away two hours, it's still 24 hours. I know you want me here to help you celebrate, but believe me when I say this...there are more days ahead to celebrate you're win and I will be at everything."

"I guess I just wanted to end the night with you."

"I would love that but you're not done playing around with the guys and I understand how important this is, go enjoy it I want you to."

"Ok. Let me dry off and get a shirt on and walk you home."

"I'll be fine stud. I love you."

"I love you too" Sidney said with a smile then kissed her to the awws coming from the pool. Karen made her way to the house, telling everyone goodnight and headed home. Trina had decided to go with her and crash at the house since she knew Troy would be young again and stay up as late as the guys. They got to the house and Karen told her to take whichever room she wanted and she would see her in the morning as she went upstairs and fell into bed.

A few hours later, Karen woke up and got dressed heading downstairs. Trina was already up and had the coffee brewing. Karen thanked her emencely for having it done.

"Feeling ok this morning?"

"Yeah, can't remember the last time I partied like that. Wait, yes I can. It was when the team won the cup in '92. Of course I don't remember going to bed until the sun actually came out, so I made progress this year."

"Sounds like you did. Are you going to head back over to Mario's?"

"Yeah, need to see what shape my hubby is in."

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing" Trina said that got the both of them laughing. They finished their coffee and headed up to Mario's a few minutes later. As Karen walked in, she heard some faint giggles as she walked to Sidney's bedroom.

"Alright you guys, what is going on?" Karen asked the girls.

"I don't think we should tell you and just let you see for yourself" Taylor told her. Karen got past them and quietly opened the door, only to shut it again.

"Did I just see what I thought I saw?"

"Yes" the girls said in unison and laughed, leaving her alone. Karen let out a little laugh and went into the room. She walked over to the bed and stood there.

"Sidney" she said in a sweet voice "come on stud, time to get up."

"I don't want to. Just five more minutes baby."

"Sorry stud but your fve minutes are up." Sidney woke up and looked at Karen before looking beside him "I see you didn't miss me at all last night" she said as Sidney still laid there with his arm around the Stanley Cup that was in bed with him. "Do I even want to know how this happened?"

"No I don't think you do baby, but I was thinking about you the whole time."

"Nice Crosby" Karen said laughing as Sidney pulled her into bed with him.

"See, now this is how it should have been last night" he said kissing her.

"So how did you wind up with the Cup in your bed?"

"Mario told me to keep it safe. This is what I came up with."

"I think he meant having it in the room with you, not necessarily in bed with you. What time did you finally get to bed?"

"A few hours ago. I think the whole team is crashed around the house."

"Well do you feel like getting something to eat because I am starving and Nathalie has made a huge breakfast for everyone."

"Yeah, I'll be out in a few minutes ok?"

"Ok. I love you."

"I love you too baby." Karen kissed him again before getting up and leaving him to get up and ready. She walked out into the kitchen and saw everyone staring at her.

"What?"

"Is Sid coming out?"

"Yes, his sleeping partner however I'm not sure about" she said as Max and Jordan began laughing. A few minutes later, Sidney emerged into the kitchen and sat down beside Karen getting food on his plate. "Are we not worthy of having the Holy Grail of Hockey join us this morning?"

"It's sitting in the living room baby. I'm not sure who's taking it where."

"I told Dan he could take it for a little while. I'm sure he'll make a widespread call when he decides to head around town with it to see who wants to join him" Mario told everyone.

"Did you get permission from the keeper here?" Karen nodded her head towards Sidney.

"Funny baby, see if I let you play with it."

"Maybe I'll win it in the divorce settlement" she said with a sly smile.

"Divorce?" his dad said with surprise.

"Yeah, I caught him cheating on me with the Cup."

"Not like we all aren't going to be doing that in the coming months" Max said out loud.

"Well I draw the line of it being on the alter with us during the wedding."

"That's ok, I'll just put it in the pew with a tux" he said shovelling the bite of pancakes into his mouth making everyone laugh.

After breakfast Karen headed home with Sidney in tow. He told the guys that he would meet up with them later. When they got home, Sidney went upstairs to shower and change as Karen sat down and got on her laptop until he came back down. She opened up her mail and saw an urgent message from Sheril. Karen opened it and the message told her to check out The Trib's website about the celebration from the locker room. First thought was the photographer got a very unflattering picture of her but when she clicked the link, it was something totally different.

Karen sat there with a shocked expression and couldn't believe what she just read. She was staring at the screen long enough that Sidney had come down and was trying to get her attention.

"Baby? What's wrong?"

"Not Only A Summer With Stanley, But A Wedding Too" Karen read the headline to Sidney as he sat down beside her as she continued reading.

Sidney Crosby had achieved his ultimate dream by capturing the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career on Friday night. As the celebration continued on in the locker room, I have learned that Sidney will wed his girlfriend during the summer when he goes home. No further details were made available at press time.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me! Who ran the story?"

"Rob Rossi" Karen told him quietly.

"Baby I am so sorry. I don't know how it happened. I thought Dan was the only media to know."

"I think I know."

"How did he find out?"

"While us girls were standing back and watching you guys celebrate, Nathalie made a comment about having the Cup at the wedding and Vero got all excited and was kind of loud when she congratualed me. He had to have overheard one of them."

"I need to make a call" Sidney said somewhat angrily as he got up.

"Sid wait. I know we kept it a secret while the series was still going on, but it's out now. Let's just deal with it."

"Baby, I'm doing this for you."

"I know and I love how protective you are with this and me, but we knew it would come out either before or after the wedding. I can deal with whatever comes from it."

"I know Karen, just another reason I love you. But I still need to call my dad and let him and Mario know, ok?"

"Ok. I'm going to do a little searching from some other sites and see who else picked it up."

"Alright" Sidney leaned down to kiss her "I love you."

Karen smiled at him "I love you too." Sidney snuck in another kiss before getting his phone and calling his dad. Karen went to the Post Gazette website, the Pens official site and even a few fan sites. She was thankful that the only things she read so far was they all wondered who this girl was and if they had seen her. One commented about seeing a girl go into the Igloo with Sidney for a few games and wondered if it was her. Karen just sat back on the couch and hoped it didn't get too bad.

A little bit later, Sidney hung up from him dad and came back to sit with her "anything else?"

"No just some females fans wanting to know if they've seen me and not realized I was your girlfriend."

"What about work?"

"You mean my co-workers? They may harass me with questions but I have no clue what they will do individually when they find out the truth. That's when we may have to worry about stories and blogs coming out."

"Just tell them that it's true and we got married and just leave it at that. If they don't have all the details, no harm can come from it."

"I knew I married a smart man."

Sidney moved her laptop out of the way and made them more comfortable on the couch, pinning Karen underneath him "you know baby, I can be smart in other ways too."

"Mmm, how so?" she asked feeling his bulge against her crotch.

"I'm smart enough to know what you like and how you like it."

"I will give you credit there Crosby, but my mind has gotten a little fuzzy from last time. Care to remind me?"

"Forever and always baby" he said before pressing his lips against hers. The kiss intensified and hands started roaming around. Sidney’s hand made its way inside Karen’s shirt, massaging her breast as her moans started to fill the room. Karen could feel him grow against her crotch more and it brought out more feelings between them. Sidney removed his hands from under her shirt and made its way to the hem of her shorts. He was about to move under the fabric when they heard the door open and voices coming in. Sidney hurried to move off Karen but shield her so she could fix herself up.

Troy and Trina came in and saw the scramble on the couch “are we interrupting anything?”

“Not at all mom” he said leaning back on the couch. Karen turned around and settled in by Sidney as Trina saw her blush, knowing they were caught.

"I think we are" Troy said.

Just then, Sidney's phone rang "saved by the bell" he said smiling at Karen. He got off a minute later and told everyone he was going to meet some of the guys and Coach Dan to take the Cup to a few places. "Do you want to come baby?"

Karen just gave him a look "not right now, maybe later."

"Mind if I go Sid?" Troy asked his son.

"I was going to see if you wanted to dad. Mom?"

"No, I'll stay here with Karen if she doesn't mind."

"Not at all. How about we hit a mall or two until they get back?"

"I would love that. I'm going to freshen up and we can head out" Trina told her. Karen just looked at Sidney and he knew what that look meant.

"Dad, why don't you head to the car and I will be right out" he said throwing him his keys. Troy took the keys and walked outside. "Sorry baby. Are you mad?"

"No, but I meant what I said" she said wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Don't worry baby, I will definitely have you coming every way possible later."

"I can't wait stud" she moved her hands to his neck and pulled him down to her "go have fun."

"See you later baby" he kissed her again and left her standing in the living room with a smile.

"I remember having that smile" Trina said walking back into the room.

"What, you don't anymore?"

"Oh I still do honey. Just some motherly advice...no matter how bad it gets, never lose that smile towards him."

"I promise I won't" Karen said before getting her purse and following her mother-in-law out the door for a morning filled with shopping.