I Hate New York

Chapter 2

triggers: infidelity, married couple fighting, verbal angst, heated text messages. no smut in this chapter but there is a little steamy scene that you can skip over.
words: 6.2k

"Hey, are you okay? You look exhausted," Catherine commented, sitting next to you as she gave you a light hug. The arena was buzzing with loud and excited Pens fans, waving their yellow towel in the air as the game was about to start.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I just had a long drive this morning, I don't think my nap did it's job." Catherine chuckled as she got situated in her seat next to you. Normally you'd have a conversation with Catherine and Anna and some of the other wives, but today you had your mind elsewhere.

You sat in between the two women as they had a conversation that you were forced to be a part of, and just as you were about to make a comment you saw the other team roll out in their white uniforms. You felt bad for staring, but how could your eyes not follow the number thirteen as he made his way around his half of the ice? The other women were looking at their husbands while you were stuck looking at the one who put your relationship on the line for.

Stupid Mat Barzal.

Excusing yourself, you make your way to the private loft bathrooms before the game starts. Locking the door behind you and leaning against it, you took the deepest breath that you could so that your nerves would calm down. You were willing to bet that your blood pressure was higher than the new rookies on the team. This was the most nervous you had ever been for a game, and you weren't even playing.

Even more nervous than Sidney's first game back after his almost career ending concussion in 2010. Your heart swells at remembering those few months with him. That was the closest you've ever felt to Sidney. Even though it was a little sad that considering the circumstances that is what brought you close with him, it did. By that point in time you had only been dating Sidney a year and had just moved from your home in Cole Harbour to Pittsburgh per his request.

Sometimes you lay awake at night, wondering where either of you would be if that didn't happen. You wonder if he wouldn't have confided in you as much as he did, told you some of his biggest fears and biggest goals in life. You wonder where you would be as well. If you would have ended up getting married anyways or if things wouldn't have worked out, if you would have moved back to Cole Harbour and would have forever remain a part of Sid The Kid's past that people try to dig into constantly.

You remember the night in the hospital that you spent with him too. Teammates and staff members filtered in and out of the room, but you stayed the whole night in the uncomfortable vinyl chair. You kissed him on the forehead as he was pumped with medicine to make him feel better, and the entire time you just wanted to take his pain away. You remember how he thanked you every chance he got. His soft brown eyes made you melt every time you talked to him. You want to go back to the days where it was just you and Sid. where he would wake you up with breakfast or where he'd take you on a spontaneous road trip for the weekend. Even though it was just ten years ago, it feels like a lifetime ago.

The national anthem had ended and you stood in between a pair of your closest friends, women whom you've known for almost your entire time here in Pittsburgh. This was the most nervous you had ever been in your entire life.

-

As you sat in bed waiting for Sidney to get home you kept trying to distract yourself with mundane things, like changing the sheets and starting a load on laundry. Sidney liked to talk after games, he liked to have someone to talk to after games, so you tried your best to stay up and wait for him to get home so that he wouldn't go to bed by himself.

The Pens had lost the first game, but Sidney didn't seem too worried about it. It was just the first game, you can't win a series in game one. He came through the front door and set his things down on the ground by the kitchen table. He didn't get back terribly late, just shy of ten o'clock. You walked down the stairs halfway to meet him. He sighed as he looked you up and down, noticing you wore an old pens shirt from years back when they won their first Cup.