The Road to the Cup ~ Wattys 2015

The Family Dinner

After practice, we all went home to gather our things for the Detroit trip. We would be getting on the bus at two o'clock, and would arrive in Detroit in time for dinner. The game wasn't until tomorrow, so I could go see my parents tonight, and before we left the day after tomorrow.

I texted my mom as I packed my things, letting her know when we would be getting into town. I would be driving by myself to Detroit so that I could go visit Jules and my family. My mom was convinced that I should bring the guys home for dinner. She was so enthusiastic about the idea that she called me.

"Hello?"

"Erin! You have to bring the team home to meet me!!! I've always gotten to meet your players, why are you trying to keep me from meeting them? Will I embarrass you?"

Well, she would probably embarrass me by pulling out baby pictures or something, but I wouldn't tell her that; she would only get ideas. "No, Mom," I said, "It's not that I'd be embarrassed, it's that they wouldn't fit in the house! There's like twenty-four guys on the team, and it's not like high school where some of them still have to hit their growth spurts. These are big guys, most of them about six feet tall and weighing almost two-hundred pounds! They're all really strong and they'd eat you out of house and home!"

"Erin, I raised four kids; two of them were boys and three of them were hockey players, not to mention your father," she reasoned. She really, really wanted me to bring them by.

I sighed, "It's your choice, I guess-"

"Yes! They're coming! You're all coming! Bring Johnson or whatever his name is too."

"It's Johnston and fine. I'll tell them."

"Make sure you tell them that it's mandatory and that there will be dessert."

"As if they needed any motivation! You were already offering a free dinner, now you add dessert. They'll be over the moon, Mom; don't you worry," I said, a smile creeping over my face at the idea.

"Okay! I'll make sure to get Jason and Alex to come. Cassie will be there, of course, as will your father and I. Should I invite Jules and Luke?"

"NO! Luke is not allowed to come!" I shouted, remembering Sidney's last encounter with the Red Wing center.

"Oh, why not?" I could hear the pout in my mom's voice.

"He and Sidney don't get along. But, Jules can come."

"Okay, I'll text her. Now go tell the boys, and hurry home. But drive carefully!"

"Yes, of course, Mom. See you soon; I love you."

"I love you too, sweetie!"

I sighed and sent a text to the boys.

'We are having dinner at my parents' house tonight. I'll give the bus driver my address.'

It took them about five seconds to start blowing up my phone.

Beau 'OMG YES WE GET TO MEET ERIN'S MOM AND DAD!'

Sutter 'FREE FOOD!!!!'

Sutter 'I mean... ERIN'S FAMILY!!!!'

Fleury 'This is an exciting development :)'

Sidney 'I agree with Marc. This is exciting! Tell your parents that I and the rest of these impolite cavemen said thank you.'

Geno 'Thank you'

Bortuzzo 'Are they sure about this?'

Me 'Yes. My mom has been begging to meet you all for ages.'