Let me Skate with You

Chapter 29

I woke up to the unpleasant sounds of my phone ringing mixed with Jade's mouth breathing. I looked at my phone and found it was Patrice calling.  I ran into the bathroom with my phone and quietly answered the phone, hoping Jade wouldn't hear.  "Hello--?" I couldn't even finish my greeting because Patrice had jumped on me.  "Where are you?  Your apartment is empty!  I came by to visit with Brad but the apartment was empty and you weren't returning my calls!" He demanded.  "I'm in Maine.  Jade had this plan for me to do something special on my birthday, but I wouldn't have been able to swing it and I got upset so she decided that we'd go up to Maine for the weekend to cheer me up and get a break.  But I can see I can't get one with you around!"  I explained with a little attitude.  "Listen, M, I have got to realize that you are almost 24, are starting a serious relationship, and have a steady job. I have to come to terms with that.  I also have to realize that I will be getting married this summer and so I will have other things to worry about, like starting a family and balancing a frequently-traveling job with  a wife.  I--"  This time I cut Patrice off.  "Listen, let's get dinner sometime this week and I'll help you de-stress.  You seem to be freaking out."  I advised.  "Okay.  That sounds good.  We'll talk later this week.  I love you, MKay." "I love you too, big brother."  I replied and hung up.

I checked the time and realized that it was only 10.  If Patrice hadn't called I would have still been peacefully sleeping for two more hours at least.  I walked around the room and tired to think of what I could do to pass the time before Jade woke up.  I decided that if I could get away with talking to Patrice on the phone, I could get away with talking to Jonathan.  I dialed his number and crept back into the bathroom.  "Hello?"  He answered groggily.  Only now did I realize it was only 9 where Jon was, and he liked to sleep in on the weekends.  "Oh, sorry, I forgot it was only 9 where you are.  I didn't mean to wake you."  I apologized.  "No, it's cool, I've been awake for hours."  Jonathan sarcastically replied.  "But you should know we played in Anaheim Friday night so that means it's actually 7 where I am."  I cringed.

First of all, I totally forgot Jon was playing Friday night because I spent the night watching How I Met Your Mother instead and didn't check the scores.  Second of all, I just woke Jonathan up, and he probably had a late night.  Third of all, I basically ignored him all day yesterday.  I really should of thought about how angry I got him before I called.  "Oh my gosh--" I was about to incessantly apologize for what I had done, but Jon stopped me.  "You don't need to apologize for anything that you've done recently.  Jade texted me and told me that you couldn't come to Chicago for your birthday and that you were going to do a girls' weekend, so I didn't expect a reply.  Also, since you didn't talk to me, you didn't know I was traveling for a game, so obviously you didn't think I'd be anywhere except in my own time zone.  Don't worry about it, even though I know you will.  We'll find a time to meet in person again soon, I promise."  Jonathan said.  "Do you promise over three time zones?"  I asked.  I felt like guaranteeing that we'd see each other soon seemed like a tall order, despite how much I wanted it to happen.  "I promise over as many time zones as I can.  I'm going to try as hard as I can to see you soon." He assured.  "You're really great.  I'll see you soon, as per your request."  I replied.  "You're really great, too.  And be ready, I'll be there in no time."  We hung up and I brushed my teeth and showered.

"Got a hot date tonight?"  Jade asked as she padded into the bathroom, noticing that I was plucking my eyebrows.  "Scoot, I need to brush my teeth."  She commanded as I walked out of the bathroom in the middle of my plucking.  "I do not have a hot date tonight, I just showered when I woke up and realized my brows needed a touch-up.  This is your set of tweezers, anyway."  I replied.  "Oh.  Well, I for one have a hot date tonight, so I'm just going to freshen up now and shower when we get home."  Jade said.  By the time we packed up, ate, and got into the car, it was already 2.  "Turn up the spicy jams!  It's date night for this chick!"  Jade blasted Beyonce as I pulled out of the Bed and Breakfast.  Internally, I wished I could have a date night with Jon, but that wasn't feasible, and we chose to go through with the long-distance relationship, so I can't complain too much because I did it to myself. 

Once we got home, Jade dashed for the bathroom to get ready.  I took my bag to my room and began to unpack.  I am such a procrastinator at times I know that if I didn't do this right away it wouldn't get done for like a month.  I could hear Jade singing along to her music in the shower when I went to get some Chinese leftovers.  Thank goodness that the walls are thick in this building, otherwise the Super might come and say we were getting complaints.  I wanted to text Jon to see if he had landed back in Chicago yet.  I opened my phone up to text him, but Jade ran into the kitchen and stole the phone from my hands.  "Hey!  Give me that back you fiend!"  I exclaimed.  "Ohh what were you going to text Jonny boy?" Jade asked, wiggling her eyebrows.  "I just wanted to see if he landed yet, now give me that!"  I replied, chasing Jade around the apartment.  She started to type as she dodged my moves.  Once she finished what she was doing, Jade locked the phone and smugly handed it back to me.  "You're welcome."  Jade said, returning to her room to get dressed.  "Oh, gosh, what did you do?"  I asked her door.  I opened up my phone and found the message she sent:

//Hey, hottie.  Wheels on the ground yet?

I groaned and also laughed.  "I" sounded ridiculous and like I was trying way too hard to be hip.  "Jade, you're gonna pay for this!"  I yelled out, when the doorbell rang.  "Oh, hey, Brad!" I said loudly so that Jade could hear someone was here.  "Hey, MKay.  Is Jade ready?"  He replied.  Clearly they were ready for a night on the town.  Brad was in his khakis and a plaid button-down and his nice watch.  His cologne invaded the doorway.  "Oh, she's almost ready, she's just putting on her ointment."  I said.  "Ointment for what?"  He asked.  "Oh, she uses a special ointment to keep her nose from swelling into its original size.  Brad looked confused as Jade exited her room.  "Hey, Jade, could I borrow that ointment?"  Brad asked Jade.  Brad obviously had a big nose (they don't call him Nose Face Killah for nothing), but I think it's just his bone structure.  Also, the ointment was totally made-up anyway.  "Sure..." Jade said, giving me the evil eye.  "Have fun!"  I said, shooing Jade out the door before Jade could get me back.  I went back to the kitchen counter and saw a text from Jonathan.  I reluctantly opened it.

\\Haha, hottie?  I'm not saying I don't like it, but I was expecting a different pet name at first.

//That was Jade, not me, but I think I'll keep it.

\\Whatever keeps you happy.  Also, I did land, if you didn't figure that out. 

//No way! I thought you were texting from the plane this whole time.

\\Okay, Sergeant Sassy.  Do you have your computer near you?

//It's in my room.  Why?

\\Well, I thought we could Skype and have like an Internet dinner date. 

As cheesy as that sounded, I was in a position where I couldn't resist this chance.

//Let's do it.  Call me in 5.

**Hey guys.  I've been off the grid for a while.  time got away from me and I got mono and strep throat, but I'm better now! I'm having serious hockey withdrawals, so I thought to cope with it I should step back into the fictional hockey world. I hope you enjoy this part and more updates should be coming soon! -K**