Chapter 173

On Tuesday morning, they got up and got ready to meet his parents so Sidney could receive his Order of Nova Scotia. Karen was getting her make up on but stopped when she saw Sidney was putting on his tie. She smiled and walked over standing infront of him.

"I told you I would get another time to do this."

"Yeah you did" he said watching as she tied his tie. "I can't believe they picked me for this."

"Why not? Look at all you do for the community here" she said finishing his tie "most celebrities just give money a time or two but you do so much more. You deserve this Sid."

"I'm just glad I have you here to share it with me baby, that means more to me."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else stud, you know that." Sidney leaned in and kissed her when his cell phone interrupted them "I believe your dad is looking for you." Karen kissed him and went to finish putting on her make up so they could head out.

A half hour later, they all arrived and met outside the room. Sidney was told that the way the chairs were set up, they didn't expect a seat for Karen beside him since they planned for his parents to be beside him. Karen overheard the conversation of them putting another chair beside Sidney and Karen stepped up telling them that she can sit behind him. They told her they could fix it and she told them it was a nice gesture but his parents can stay where they were to be and she'd sit behind with no problem. Sidney just smiled at how selfless she was and when it was settled, he pulled her to the side before they needed to go in.

"I can't believe you."

"What did I do?"

"You amazed me yet again baby."

"Sid, I've said it before and apparently will keep saying it, I will be by your side no matter what but there are times your parents need to be there first. They are a big reason why you are getting this, let your mom have this moment to sit beside you."

Sidney saw them gesture to him that they were ready "I love you so much right now."

"And I love you for being yourself to care about others before you."

"Just another reason we're made for each other" he said kissing her forehead and leading her inside the room holding her hand. Karen stopped at the chair beside Taylor and Sidney went to the seat infront of her letting the ceremony begin.

During the ceremony, Karen just heard them talk about Sidney and got more proud of him as she listened. When they called him beside the podium she smiled at him then remembered all the times she's seen him give back. As Sidney was listening, he looked and saw Karen looking down and smiling. She felt his eyes on him and she looked up and gave him a small wink. When he was done, he sat back down and reached behind him so Karen could take him hand for a moment. He squeezed it lightly before pulling it away and finished listening to the rest of the ceremony.

After everything was done, Sidney posed for a couple pictures before they were treated to a reception. They stayed for another hour and Karen just proudly stood beside Sidney. When they finally left, they headed over to his parent's house since Trina had some lunch for the family. Sidney whispered to Karen that they would only stay a little while and she just smiled kissing his cheek before and getting something to eat.

An hour later, they were at home and Sidney took Karen's hand and led her to the living room.

"Thanks for going today, I'm sure it was pretty boring."

"Hearing people praise my husband, I could listen to it all day."

"Thanks baby. So what do you want to do now?"

Karen looked around then smiled "could we maybe open up our wedding presents?"

"We could but I thought that since we'll be heading back in a couple weeks, we can just pack the boxes into the car and open them after we move into the new house." Karen looked at him confused "what? Did you not understand what I said?"

"I understood what you said, just not what you meant. Are you planning to drive back with me?"

"That is what I meant if you would have understood me the first time I said it."

Karen just rolled her eyes and playfully hit him "I understood the first time stud. I thought you would just stay here until Labor Day and fly home then."

"I was going to do that but when you showed up a few days earlier, I figured it would a little more fun driving back with you. We could even stop a few times along the way."

"Ooo, I love it when you sweeten the deal but I am going to change clothes then come back down and open some gifts."

"I can't get you to wait huh?"

"Nope, besides what if we want to return something that was bought here and can't return it in Pittsburgh."

"I'm not winning this arguement am I?"

"I don't see that happening" she said kissing him then heading upstairs. Sidney soon got off the couch and went upstairs to change too. When he was finished, Karen told him to head down and she would be down in a minute. As soon as she heard him walking down the stairs, she got out her present for him and walked back downstairs, Sidney wasn't in the living room, so Karen was able to put the package somewhere out of sight until the end.

As they opened the gifts, there were things for the house and a few gift cards for them to buy whatever they wanted. Karen saw the gift from the team and let Sidney open that one but the look on his face was a little grim as he handed it to her.

"I'm sorry about this baby" he said as she looked in the box. Karen picked up the infant sized jersey that had the number 87 1/2 "I guess they thought this was next on the list."

"It's ok, they don't know and I didn't really broadcast it to the world."

"There's still adoption baby."

"I know but..."

"But it won't be ours" Sidney took the jersey and put it back in the box "I'll get rid of it."

"No don't, you never know we may use it in the future."

Sidney caressed her cheek "that's my baby, always thinking positive." He looked around the room "well, I think that's it."

"Actually" Karen got up and grabbed her package for him "there's one more and it's for you." She handed him the box and he looked at her before he opened it.

Sidney picked up the scrapbook "did you put this together?" he said running his hand over the cover that simply read My Day with the Stanley Cup 8-7-2009.

"Yes, but there's one rule with this book."

"What?"

"It's for your eyes only."

"Why can't I show it to anyone else?"

"You'll see why."

Sidney began to flip through the book. He saw pictures from when he landed on the ship to all the places he took the Cup. There were some from the parade and rally even some when he was playing street hockey with his friends. As Sidney got to some pictures from the party at his house, he saw a blank page with the words A Private Celebration written on it and looked at Karen. "Is this why I can't show anyone?"

"Pretty much."

Sidney turned the page and saw Karen standing next to the Cup. The next one she had on one of his jerseys and not much more than that. She had taken one with each of his other jerseys and stood in different postions with the Cup. The next few, Sidney's jaw dropped open and almost hit the floor. Karen was now in her bra and matching panties and Sidney couldn't keep his eyes off the pictures. As he continued to flip through and Karen saw he was getting to the last one, she smiled waiting for his reaction. Sidney reached the last page and looked between the picture and Karen. There she stood with only her panties on and very much topless with her breasts pressed up against the Cup as she was kneeling beside it on the bed. The look in her eyes spoke volumes of sensuality and even got Sidney a little turned on looking at it.

"So was this what you did with the Cup the night of the party here?"

"Yes and I hope you're not going to be mad when you find out Max took the pictures."

"Max?"

"Well I was going to have your mom help me, but he said he had a better idea what you would like."

"I'll get back at Max later, but as for you..."

"Yes?"

"I absolutely love it. It would have been a little bit better if I was taking the pictures but I see why you wanted me to be surprised."

"Well you know stud, I've never said you couldn't ever take pictures. We'll just have to wait to rekindle this moment when you win the Cup next time."

Sidney flipped back through the book to the picture where Karen was sitting on the bed in his Shattuck's jersey and the Cup sitting inbewteen her legs "I think this is my favorite one."

"Why's that?"

"It's where it basically all started and the end result of all the hard work since then. Thank you for this baby."

"Your welcome Sid." He leaned in and met her lips with a heated kiss only to break it and get comfortable for a long sensual make out session.