Chapter 179

The next morning, the alarm rang and Sidney rolled over to turn it off. During the night, they had switched positions and Sidney was spooning behind Karen. When he turned off the alarm and rolled back towards Karen, Sidney smiled and began roaming his hand over Karen's body, making her wake up slowly.

"Are you trying to start something Crosby?" she said with her eyes still closed.

"Well I am leaving today for a week, so I just might be trying to start something here."

"Ok, well let me know when you have an idea to what your trying to do."

"What?" he said moving his hand to her breast and lightly making circles over her nipple "this isn't turning you on?"

"Not really" she said as her breath began to quicken.

"Oh, so then maybe this will help" he said moving his hand down to her mound and started tracing around the outside. He felt Karen start to squirm a little and smiled knowing he was getting to her.

"It helps a little but nothing to make me want to wake up yet."

"I think your breathing and moving around tells a different story. I could always go deeper and try one more thing?"

"Take your best shot stud."

Sidney cupped her mound and was able to insert a couple fingers inside her. He began to move them around and Karen tried to not think about the sensations that was wanting to come out but she couldn't stop it and let it consume her. Sidney started kissing her neck as Karen moved her hips upward to help along her orgasm but Sidney had other plans. When he knew Karen was getting close, he removed his fingers to her dismayed whimper.

"I didn't think you were getting into this?"

"I'm not but I never thought for a minute you were a quitter stud."

Sidney grabbed her hip and rolled her onto her back. He took his hand, spreading her legs and moving inbetween them, plunging directly into her. Karen just looked into his eyes and brought her hand up to his cheek before moving it to his back. "I don't think I'm quitting at all baby." Sidney leaned down to capture her lips as he started to move his hips and bring the feelings back. He got into a rhythm going and Karen put her head back, arching her back and pressing her breasts into Sidney. His lips found the base of her neck and started nipping at it between kisses. His pace got quicker when he felt Karen's fingernails dig into his skin. Karen felt her orgasm peak and moaned out for Sidney. When her muscles tightened around his cock, Sidney couldn't hold back anymore and came hard following her lead. After their breathing calmed down, Karen leaned up and met Sidney's lips with a kiss.

"Morning stud."

"Morning baby. I don't know how I am going to get up every day without you."

"That's good, make it harder for us."

"Sorry baby."

"That's ok, you do have a couple of hands that can help you out if you get lonely."

"Might be pretty hard with my dad around." Sidney saw her just nod then kind of look away "maybe want to explain that look?"

"I know his best interest is to look after you and your money but its like you can't do certain things on your own. It's like his own world revolves around nothing but you."

"He means well Karen" Sidney said before rolling off her and getting out of bed. He walked into the bathroom and Karen heard the shower start up. She laid there, took a deep breath before getting up to join him. As she pulled back the curtain, Sidney was standing directly under the water.

"I didn't mean anything by it Sid, it's just...."

"Look, he never really got his shot to play in the NHL. Maybe he is living his would-be-career through me, but that holds true from any father who's son is doing what he wanted." Karen stood there for a second before nodding and went to turn around. Sidney took a step towards her and grabbed her arm before she could walk away. He brought her into the shower with him and held her. "I'm sorry and I've heard the stories of how he is always at the games and showing up everywhere, but he's proud of me."

"Sid, I know he's proud of you and you do need someone that's going to help you be smart about your money and take care of all your commitments, but maybe you need to tell him no once in awhile."

"I know I should but I can't. I can see it in his eyes how much it wanted to be him playing the game he loves, not have to continue to live it through me."

"I can see it in your eyes how hard this is for you, to even think about telling him to cut the strings."

"Not really cut, just add to them."

"When the time comes and you feel it in your heart that its the right time, he will understand Sid, I promise he will. It'll be hard and it may sting at first, but he'll come to realize he can still be a huge part without physically needing to be there for everything."

"How did you get so smart about all this?"

"Because I speak from the truth. I had to tell my dad to let go and let me not be his little girl anymore. I know it hurt him but he got over it and realized I needed room to grow up. Your dad will realize that too."

"I love you for being so honest with me."

"Had to, didn't want you to leave being mad at me." Sidney kissed her but Karen stopped where it was leading so they could shower since Sidney needed to get to the airport.

A half hour later, Sidney had driven himself and Karen to the airport to meet his dad. Karen waited until they were checked in. He got a boarding pass for Karen which allowed her to go to the gate with him until he had to board. About twenty minutes had gone by and they said they would begin to board. Since Sidney and his dad were in first class, he figured he could wait until the final call to be with Karen. He told his dad to go ahead and board and took Karen over near the bathrooms to have a little quiet time.

"I love you and I will miss you."

"I think I can beat that."

"Really?"

Karen just nodded "I love you, will miss you more than anything, and will be thinking about you everyday until you come back to me."

"Yeah you did beat me."

"Only because women are the sentimental ones in a relationship but I know you feel exactly the same way."

"I do baby" he said caressing her cheek. Sidney heard them make the call for all rows and knew he needed to go. "I will call you tonight after we get settled."

"Ok but try to have a little fun while you're there. I know there's a job to do but play your heart out to prove to them that THEY need you on this team, not you needing the team."

"I will. I love you Karen."

"I love you too" she said as their lips met for a slow, passionate kiss. As they broke apart, Sidney looked over and saw the woman gesture to him. He took Karen's hand and led her to the door. He handed the woman his ticket to scan and when it beeped, he gave her one last kiss before letting go of her hand and walking through the door. A single tear escaped down her cheek and she closed her eyes as a couple more fell.

"Are you ok Miss?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"It doesn't really get easier when they leave."

"No, but he'll be back in a week." Karen just smiled and headed out of the gate area with thoughts of nothing but Sidney.

The next few days past kind of quickly and it was Wednesday. Sidney and her had called and text any given chance they could. He had said it was mainly because everyone had said to pass along their congratulations to her about their marriage. Karen had told him it was just his excuse to talk to her but she didn't mind.

During the morning, Karen was getting ready to head out to have lunch with Trina. She was hoping she could talk to her and get some motherly advice that she was looking for. She pulled up to the restaurant and walked in seeing Trina was already seated. Karen walked over and hugged her mother-in-law.

"Where's Tay?"

"Her friend was having a birthday party and she said no offense, but she wanted to go with them instead of sitting around with us talking."

"I don't blame her." They both shared a laugh and got their food ordered.

"So, are you guys ready to get moved into the new house?"

"Actually yeah. Most everything is in boxes and there are a few things left to get put into some. All the new furniture has been ordered and should be delievered when we move in."

"You must be saddened by leaving your house, all those wonderful memories."

"I am but you need to move on some point in your life, right?"

"Is something else bothering you?" Trina asked concerned as their food came.

"Nothing's really bothering me but can I talk to you about something?" she said digging into her pasta.

"Karen, ask me anything. I want to be there for you whether I'm your mother-in-law or not."

"Lately, I've been contemplating quitting my job."

"For Sid?" Karen looked at her and nodded "Sweetie, I love my son to death, but I hope you make this choice for you and not him."

"That's the thing, I don't know if it's for me or only for him. I want to be the wife he deserves but I don't want to end up hating him if I decide to quit then regret it later."

"What's wrong with continuing to work Karen?"

"We thought about extending our family" she said watching Trina's facial expression change.

"A baby? You and my baby want to have a baby?" She said getting giddy."

'Yeah, we've been talking about it lately."

Trina couldn't contain herself and got up giving Karen a hug "this is amazing news. When were you guys going to start planning?"

"Well that's the thing, we'll have to adopt."

"Why? Don't you want to give Sid a child?" she said somewhat standoffish.

"No, Trina, trust me I would love that. I can't have children. I was pregnant in an earlier relationship and lost the baby. There were complications and they had to do a total hysterectomy."

"I am so sorry Karen, really. But there are a lot of babies out there that need a good home."

"I know. We're still talking about the details and what to do. I've been thinking of private adoption so Sidney's name stays private as well."

"That sounds like a good idea. After you guys get a baby, then he could tell the media."

"Well they've kept our marriage somewhat out of the news, but you never know about a baby."

"Is this why you were thinking about quitting?"

"Yeah, for the most part. But then I came up with cutting my time to part time hours, working four days a week, and that way the baby would be in day care for a small amount of time until Sidney or I got done with work or practice."

"Are you guys going to jump right into this?"

"No, we're going to wait until the house is done and we get into the swing of the new season before we really talk about starting the paperwork and finding an agency."

"You seem to have everything planned out, what did you need me for?" Trina said laughing.

"I guess I needed my mom's advice whether I was doing the right thing" she said smiling at her.

"I appreciate that Karen, I reallydo. I hope you don't ever think I am trying to take her place."

"I know you're not, but she couldn't have said it any better."

"I have one more question."

"Ok."

"Is adopting a baby from here an option?"

"I never really thought about it. I don't see why we couldn't. Why?"

"I was just going to say if you would like some help, while you two are in Pittsburgh I could be contacting agencies here for you guys."

"That sounds ok to me but you'll really need to get the ok from Sidney. I don't care if we get a baby from here, the US, or even China but Sidney may have other ideas once he starts to really think about it. So I may leave that up to him."

"Well from what I see, my son will do anything to make you happy."

"Then we're doomed for a life of happily ever after cause that's all I want too." They smiled at each other and finished their lunch before going their separate ways for the rest of the day.