The Tales of a Professional Hockey Player

Chapter 55: The Last Dinner

~Ben~ ~June~

We lost against the Hurricanes. We came really close to making it to the conference final, but we lost our last game 2-1 making the final score at four wins for the Hurricanes and three for us. We got eliminated, but, weirdly, I didn't really mind. I was ok with the fact that the season was over. We got as far as we could and that was enough. I am not obsessed with winning anymore, knowing we did our best, that we had fun and that we enjoyed ourselves is plenty. I am not saying I was happy because, of course I would have loved to play in the finals, but I was not angry either. I was going home to spend time with my family and plan our move to Los Angeles. We are pretty much settled, now,  and it's a good thing since we move in just over a week. We found an apartment in Downtown LA that is a little further that what I first wanted from the Staples Center, but Eleanor and I were both happy with every other aspect of the apartment; it's on the ground floor so no more struggling with the stroller in the elevator, it's in our budget at 2950$ per month, it's located in a family-friendly neighborhood so there are many daycares available for Ophelia, and it's located near a metro station so we won't need two cars, only one will be fine.

I am getting more and more excited at the idea of this new adventure. It's the first time that Eleanor and I will live together in a place we both like. We chose our apartment in Windsor because it was cheap, she chose her apartment in New York on her own and I did the same for my house. It's the first time we are comfortable enough to choose where we would like to live together, and I love that. Not everyone was as excited as we are for this project: Tracy cried when she found out and Nathan was angry, and Matthew was sad about not being able to see Oph as often as he was used to. The only one who was relatively happy was Hannah. Eleanor and she started talking again about three weeks ago when Hannah called her. She wanted to clear the air with Eleanor after having read her letter. They had dinner together and it ran late so I figured they had made up. And they did, Hannah apologized and so did Eleanor. They said they would keep in touch, but Hannah asked El to keep her distance a little, so our move to LA makes it simpler for them to rebuild their relationship slowly. Eleanor was really happy when she came back. A weight had been lifted off her shoulders and all her guilt had faded too. She was now in peace with moving just like I was.

Since we move in a week, Tracy invited us over to their house for dinner tonight. She called it "our last dinner" even if Eleanor promised her they would stay in touch. Next season is Nathan's last one with the Islanders if his contract isn't renewed anyway, who knows what would have happened? I am glad we get to do this dinner at least one more time. Being friends with them really made moving here easier, so I am a little sad to leave them behind. Plus, I have something I need to ask Nathan and tonight is the best time to do it.

We head to their place after picking up Ophelia from daycare. Eleanor and I spent the day packing boxes, and it was easier to do it without Ophelia unpacking everything we put in the boxes. I can't believe she'll be two in three weeks. Time really does fly. So, we knock on Tracy and Nathan's door, and a nice woman wearing a working uniform opens the door. She walks us to the living room where Nathan and Tracy are sitting on the couch drinking wine while their boys are playing on the floor. They welcome us with two glasses of white wine and warm hugs from Tracy and a shake of the hand from Nathan.

After about an hour of discussion in the living room, I start to get hungry. It's about six pm and we usually eat around five at home to put Ophelia to bed around seven, but since Tracy and Nathan are still sitting with us, I come to the conclusion that we won't eat any time soon. But, at six-thirty, the same woman who greeted us announces that dinner is ready. I can't hide the surprised look on my face; they really have someone for everything. I try to picture Eleanor and I never having to cook or clean and I have to say it doesn't sound appealing to me. I love cooking dinner with Eleanor, it's one of the few things we get to do together after spending the day apart. No matter how rich I get, I don't want that aspect of my life to change. I love Nathan and Tracy, but their lifestyle doesn't fit with the one I want, maybe it's a good thing we spend less time with them.

It's only after dinner, pasta with pesto with a fruit salad for dessert, that I get a moment alone with Nathan. Eleanor is putting Ophelia to sleep in one of Nathan's sons' room and Tracy is talking with the maid, so it's just the two of us. We head back to the living room, this time with a cup of coffee in our hands.

"I need to ask you something, man." He nods his head while sipping his coffee. "When did you propose to Tracy?" I whispered the question just in case someone was eavesdropping. Nathan's reaction is immediate: his eyes go wide, his cup of coffee almost ends up on the floor to allow him to clap his hands together loudly. "Shh!" I look behind me, and thankfully, no one heard him.

"You thinking about proposing Johnson?" His smile seems genuine, but I don't know if he's laughing at me or if he's happy for me.

"Maybe..." I stay vague just in case he thinks this is a bad idea. "Ophelia's birthday will mark our one year since we started talking again, and I feel like this could be a nice time to propose." His smile gets bigger and he grabs my shoulder and shakes it.

"That's good, man. I am happy for you, really, but don't do it in public." I don't understand. I ask him why I shouldn't do this in front of our friends and families and his answer comes very quickly. "You won't know if she's saying yes because of the setting or if she really wants to marry you. You asked for my advice, do it in private." What he's saying makes sense, but it throws me off my game because I started planning my proposal as if I was doing it at Ophelia's birthday party.

"Do what in private?" Tracy intervenes as she walks in the living room. She sits beside Nathan who throws his arm around her shoulder to pull her closer to him.

"Ben wants to propose." Tracy's mouth opens wide and she starts bouncing on the couch.

"Oh my God! What a great idea, she'll love it. But Nathan is right, do it in private. Too much pressure to do it in public. I'm so excited! I was just telling Nathan how much I wanted to go to a wedding." She starts clapping her hands together. This woman switches emotions four times in one sentence. She went from happy to serious to excited to overjoyed, and I could barely follow. "Do you have a ring?" she adds with a wink. I shake my head and say I wanted to buy one in California.

"No, no, no, no, no! I'll go with you and we'll pick one together. You can't buy an engagement ring just like that." She snaps her fingers about two inches away from my face. "You need to plan the time it'll need to get the ring adjusted or even delivered if they don't have it stock." Too much information. Why is it so complicated? And that's just the ring, I didn't even think about the rest yet.

"I can't believe Ben and El will get married," Tracy says to Nathan, still clapping her hands. The sound of dishes breaking makes us all turn towards the door where Eleanor is standing, a broken cup on the floor and coffee soaking her feet.