Hockey Imagines

56. #20 Brandon Saad (Columbus Blue Jackets)

He makes two steps closer and you close your eyes: "I am exhausted! I spend most my life on the ice and... You know what, never mind!"

"NO! I love you, Brandon, and I don't want to argue with you!" you scream, tears slowly gathering in your eyes and threatening to spill down your cheeks.

"Then why are you yelling?"

"Because I want you to hear what I have to say!"

He rolls his eyes and looks at me like that's the hardest thing he's ever done: "I am listening."

"No, you are not! You never do, that's the problem!"

"Oh, for God's sake, Susie, what do you want me to do, huh?!" he finally shouts and slams his fist on the brochures.

"Maybe pretend you care!"
"I do care! Don't tell me I don't!"

"I don't know, do you? Doesn't seem like it to me!"

"Fine, throw the tantrum for nothing!"
"For nothing!? FOR NOTHING! You know what, I am out of here!"

"I don't even know why we spent all that money on one stupid wedding! I don't know why I married you!"

As soon as words leave his mouth, he realizes what he has said: "Susie..."
"Save it! I don't know why I married you either! You are married to pucks and stick and have absolutely no time for family responsibilities!"

"GET OUT!"

On a verge of tears, you look at him and spit out: "Then why did you waste your time with me? Why did I waste years of my life with you?"

With those words, you walk slowly to your room and grab your clothes. Before heading out the door, you pull your wedding ring off your finger and throw it on the floor: "I wish you a nice life, Brandon Saad."

Months pass by slowly, but the memory of your fight still remains vivid in your mind. It still haunts you even though you haven't seen Brandon nor heard of him. For the last few months you even avoided going to the games, which made his teammates send you concerned messages. Few first months the thought of Brandon made you sick, you couldn't understand you actually married him, why you had given him more than five years of your life. But as the months went by, you started to miss him, his smile, touch of his skin, even his smell after he comes home from practices. You started to miss tripping over his bag on the hallway and biting your nails on his games. You started to miss every single thing about him, even those little things you used to despise.

One day, you get a message from Blue Jacket's captain, Nick Foligno, telling you to make things right with Brandon. Instead of texting him back, you call him and he picks up after the phone rings once: "Susie, I am serious, talk to him."
"I-I... We are over, Nick. He told me to get out and that was the last thing he's ever said to me..."
"Listen to me. He might not admit that he misses you, but it's obvious. His game is horrible, don't even get me started on his skating. He skates like he's never been on skates before... and you should've heard him during the road trips. He mumbles your name in his sleep..."
"He is not the only one hurt here, Nick."

"I never said he is. I am just saying he misses you. And believe you miss him too."
"I don't know. I have to go," you cancel the phone and call the only person who you can trust with anything. Your younger sister.

"Y/S/N, I have to ask you something..."

"Hello to you too. I am great and how are you? How can I help you?"

"I have just gotten off the phone with Nick, Brandon's captain, who told me he is a mess and... maybe I should give him a call. What do you think?"
"I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I know you were made for each other..."
"It got pretty nasty and he told me to leave..."
"You've told me that. But as I know him and you, he didn't just start yelling at you out of the blue, am I right?"

"Are you on his side on or mine?"
"Of course I am on your side. But I know you and I know you sometimes overreact."

You huff in response, but you know she is right. You sigh deeply and rub your temple: "So what should I do?"

"I don't know. It's up to you, but if you miss him, you should give him a call."
"Thanks, Y/S/N. Okay, I'll call you later."
"Like you always do, right? Good luck, big sister."

You cancel the call and inhale deeply while your fingers tap the screen of your phone. Before you even know what is going on, his voice answers the call: "Brandon Saad speaking, who is this?"
"Brandon, it's me, Susie..."

"Susie?"

Next two words leave your mouth with difficulty: "Your wife?"

You've been living separately since the day he threw you out, but you weren't officially divorced.

"Ah! Uh, hi, how are you?"

"Been better. What about you?"

"I am, uh, perfect. Yeah, I've never been better."

His words sound forced and you remember what Nick has told you: "Brandon, I would like to talk to you. We can't just...live like that without trying..."

"I was waiting for your call to be honest..."
"You could've called me. I wouldn't yell at you."
"I know, I know. And I believe we had our fair share of yelling at each other, didn't we?"

Against your will, you chuckle: "Yeah, I believe we did."
"So... Maybe we should grab a lunch? Is that okay with you?"

"I think we should get to the bottom of this. So, yeah, that's fine with me."

When you arrive to the restaurant, Brandon is already waiting for you. When he sees you, huge smile appears on his face. Before you know, he is holding you in his arm, his chin resting on top of your head. You inhale deeply and mumble: "I missed you."

"I missed you too and I am sorry for yelling at you. For anything I've said back then."

"I am sorry for accusing you of not caring for anything but hockey. And I know hockey is your job."

His strong arms wrap around you and pulls you even closer to him: 'We both said some pretty nasty things back then, didn't we?"
"We were just pissed. But I shouldn't have said what I said."
"Neither should I. I will be honest, Susie. I miss you like crazy and I shouldn't have thrown you out of our home."

You look up at him, at his loving eyes, and answer: "I miss you too, Brandon. Every day."

He places his lips on the crown of your head: "So, shall we try again? This time as a married couple. And I checked those flyers after you left. Baby, I still owe you a honeymoon."
"You don't. We've been married for months now."
"You call that marriage? We haven't spoken to each other until now and..."
You chuckle quietly: "No, that's not how I imagined a marriage, honestly. But our honeymoon...don't you think it's a bit too late for that?"
"I don't care. You deserve this. We both do. So, what do you say?"
Your eyes met his again and you feel happiness filling your body: "I say we should try again."
"Good. Because I don't know how would I make it without you."

After that, he kisses you. And this kiss after months of living separate lives, is the sweetest.