tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24965112116195439932023-11-15T12:15:24.486-05:00Hometown HeroesHockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-23100221466547827432011-11-08T15:35:00.002-05:002011-11-08T15:35:57.292-05:00Ulterior Motives<br />
I've been thinking of making a blog for just my one-shots and short stories for a while now and today I finally got the ambition to do so! As of right now I have one story posted... I will be posting some others as the weeks go by and I get them proof-read. Obviously this is just a space for the extra things I write which might not all be on hockey players... we shall see... click on the link, check it out and follow!! :o)<br />
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<a href="http://www.needabreakdownhere.blogspot.com/">www.needabreakdownhere.blogspot.com</a>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-19615988728268068532011-10-26T16:00:00.000-04:002011-10-26T16:00:10.754-04:00Don't Give Up On MeWell, I said I wouldn't do it. I said I wouldn't be writing full-stories, but <a href="http://alexovetjkin.blogspot.com/2011/09/ovechkin-talks-about-trade-life-and.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FDXuq+%28Alex+Ovetjkin%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher">this article</a> and a talk in Philly with K and RebelHeart made the gears begin to turn on a player that people either hate or love. I can't say he's gorgeous, but I can't say he's ugly... I guess I want to say that he is intriguing and makes for a good story character. I am not a Capitals fan, so please don't think of me as one. However, with some help from some willing people, I've had some help in making this story seem as authentic as possible.<br />
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I am sure I will have some readers that won't be willing to read this because of the character, and that is fine, but I ask you keep an open mind (like me) and remember I have yet (at least I hope) to steer you in the wrong direction with my random pick of guys... Enjoy and please let me hear your comments (whether you like it or not)!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.dontgiveuponme8.blogspot.com/">www.dontgiveuponme8.blogspot.com</a>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-62949439563033118202011-09-28T11:30:00.001-04:002011-09-28T11:30:49.091-04:00Check it Out!!Posting one of my archived stories... <a href="http://www.loveandflowers19.blogspot/">www.loveandflowers19.blogspot</a><br />
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Check it out!! I'd love to see you all over there and hear your comments!! Also keep on a look-out... I am planning on making a page that will just be my short-stories and one-shots... some will be old and some will be new as the year goes by! I'll let you know when and where! Hope you're all well and thanks again for the support!!HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-4474474627252336692011-07-23T16:30:00.002-04:002011-07-23T16:30:39.713-04:00New Story...Please check out the new story I've been building... <a href="http://www.ifnotnow89.blogspot.com/">www.ifnotnow89.blogspot.com</a><br />
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Well, I'm sad to say that this will probably be the last story I write for roughly a year. For those who don't know me, I'm starting paramedic school in September and my friends and instructors have already warned me that I will have no life but studying, practicals and sleeping. So, I wanted to have one last hurrah before it is time to buckle down and become a full-time student for the first time since I graduated college a few years ago.<br />
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I will definitely be posting the rest of the stories I have written and posted on the Hockey Fantasy Fiction board since many have expressed interest in that...so no worries.<br />
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I only have a few chapters written of this so far and I contemplated on waiting to post it until it was finished, but like any writer, I am looking for feedback!! It will be a chapter or 2 until we learn about my new hockey muse... strangely, he has been someone that I've been attempting to write about for some time now, but nothing ever seemed to work until this time. I hope you all enjoy and will follow me along on this last adventure before my hiatus!!HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-76815572777278295812011-05-16T17:07:00.002-04:002011-05-16T17:07:37.366-04:00Yes, Yet another story...<a href="http://www.makemebelieve18.blogspot.com/">Make Me Believe</a><br />
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This is a story I started writing last year and ended up stopping it for several months because I ended up getting lost and wasn't able to find my way back out with it. Well, some things happened in current events (i.e. trades and whatnot) and now I've found some motivation to finish this... I have to admit. I'm not a Pittsburgh fan. I don't write stories on Pens players because frankly, I'm tired of reading about Pens players all the time. I found Mr. Neal when he played for the Stars, which is where this story begins and for that he will always be a Dallas Star in my book so that way I don't make myself for liking a Penguin. So the 2nd half of this journey is going to be a little strange to me since I'm treading on territory I'm not used to and that's writing about the status-quo players who frequently show up in Hockey FanFics. I guess we all end up doing things we aren't comfortable with, whether it's in life or in this case, writing. Eitherway, I hope you enjoy it and I can't wait to hear your comments!!<br />
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The first several chapters will be posted every other day around 8am since the first half is done... so hopefully you won't be too overwhelmed if you're reading my other stuff that is winding down.HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-37020059114077796092011-05-01T07:42:00.000-04:002011-05-01T07:42:53.022-04:00Thanks!!Just wanted to write a little note to you readers...<br />
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Thank you for the amazing comments about the story. I know some of you are probably fairly upset about Emma, but even I couldn't write the complete happy ending on this story. I felt like things had to end how they ended and just like in real life, it doesn't always end happy.<br />
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Hope to hear more from you on the other 2 stories I have going on!!! And thank you again!!HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-64810308832670983062011-04-29T08:00:00.002-04:002011-04-29T08:00:08.973-04:00Chapter 22<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Do you hear me,<br />
I'm talking to you<br />
Across the water across the deep blue ocean<br />
Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying<br />
Boy I hear you in my dreams<br />
I feel your whisper across the sea<br />
I keep you with me in my heart<br />
You make it easier when life gets hard<br />
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I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend<br />
Lucky to have been where I have been<br />
Lucky to be coming home again<br />
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They don't know how long it takes<br />
Waiting for a love like this<br />
Every time we say goodbye<br />
I wish we had one more kiss<br />
I'll wait for you I promise you, I will<br />
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I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend<br />
Lucky to have been where I have been<br />
Lucky to be coming home again<br />
Lucky we're in love every way<br />
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed<br />
Lucky to be coming home someday<br />
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And so I'm sailing through the sea<br />
To an island where we'll meet<br />
You'll hear the music fill the air<br />
I'll put a flower in your hair<br />
Though the breezes through trees<br />
Move so pretty you're all I see<br />
As the world keeps spinning round<br />
You hold me right here right now</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">~</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><a href="http://youtu.be/acvIVA9-FMQ">Lucky – Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat</a></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">February 10<sup>th</sup>, 2014</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“…Happy Birthday to you!!” the song finished as I watched Maddie look around the kitchen at her family and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes were a bright, sparkling blue and her smile was almost as big as her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was the spitting image of her mother except the color of her hair was a darker blonde like mine was when I was her age.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Can I blow out my candles now, Daddy?” she asked me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Of course you may! But you need to make sure you make a wish!” I whispered loudly to her as I leaned down over her shoulder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Before I could tell her that she was supposed to keep her wish a secret she yelled out, “I want to be a firefighter like my mommy!” and that quick she blew out the candles that were sticking out of the fire truck cake she insisted on having.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She didn’t hear the sharp breath I heard my mom take in, all she heard was the air rushing out of her lungs and the laughter and clapping that came from the 10 party guests surrounding her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Grandpop Charlie!” she squealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You are in charge of taking the candles out of my cake!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want Daddy to burn himself again.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Everyone broke out in laughter as I looked down at my wrapped finger and shrugged as I smiled at my little girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a little accident when I went to light the candles on her cake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Same smart ass remarks her mother used to make.</i></span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">End of August, 2010…</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">For the first couple weeks I couldn’t get myself to even get out of bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom kept Maddie with her for a while because she was afraid to leave a little baby with a guy that couldn’t even seem to take care of himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hockey season was quickly approaching and I hadn’t even lifted a finger to weight lift a pen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was out of shape and out of time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Drew and Stacy stopped over often to check on me but they could only do so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The house was basically trashed because I refused to clean up after myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One morning I awoke to find Stacy and my mom cleaning the house from top to bottom with scowls on their faces as I walked down the steps in just my boxers, looking like a hung over mess.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Would you look at yourself, Patrick Kaleta?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom yelled dragging me towards a mirror that hung on the wall by the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What happened to my son?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are not buried in the ground with Emma, you are still walking this earth and you have responsibilities that you need to take care of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This,” she said the word harshly as she poked me in the chest, “Is your first priority and the little girl that has been living at my house for the past 6 weeks, screaming for her daddy is your 2<sup>nd</sup> priority!” she cried as tears of frustration poured down her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You need help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need grief counseling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone deals with it differently and you obviously can’t do this by yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have to get your ass back in shape for your job and you need to become a father again.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I need my wife back,” I mumbled as I shuffled away from the ugly image and over to the fridge to grab a beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t care if it’s only 10:30 in the morning.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“If you had your wife back and she saw you acting like this she would have kicked your ass out long ago,” my mother spit as she turned to go back cleaning up my mess.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The next day I was sitting on my dock, fishing and drinking some beer as I stared out over <place w:st="on">Lake Erie</place>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Anything biting?” Charlie asked as he approached me from behind, effectively startling my solitude state.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Meh, not much,” I said as I allowed my heart rate to slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did mom send you over to give me shit too?” I asked bitterly, completely tired of everyone telling me how I should get over the fact that my wife and soul mate was dead.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“She just told me that you looked like shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see she wasn’t lying…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I just snorted, pulled my baseball hat lower to shield my eyes and attempted to take another sip of my beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I lifted it to my lips, Charlie pulled the bottle out of my hands and placed an envelope in my hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Here son, I should have given this to you weeks ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I think you need this more than you need this skunky ass beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you need anything, call me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to pick up Maddie so your parents can get a break from her for the time being.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I didn’t watch him leave, I just heard him walk back down the dock towards the house and drop the bottle into the recycling bin with a crash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat and stared at the envelope in my hand, knowing right away whose tear smeared handwriting I was looking at on the front of it where it said my name.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Dear Patty,</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">If you are reading this, then the unthinkable has happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so sorry to leave you behind to raise our darling baby girl, but I know you will do a great job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Baby, I hope you realize how much you have meant in my life, not only this last year of being a couple, but as a best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will never be able to repay you for telling my father off after my graduation (yes, I heard it all) and I will never be able to apologize for making you wait so long for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you to know that I wanted to be with you long before I truly admitted it to myself, but I would never give up that night you held me in your arms for the first time and told me you loved me. </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Now, I’m pretty sure you are not handling this in the most mature way possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I know you as well as I think I do, I’m sure your mom has Maddie and our house is trashed because you somehow forgot to clean up after yourself after a year of me cleaning up for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wake-up sunshine!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have a very important job to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is up to you to be a father and a mother to our Maddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s been your little girl since day one, and I expect you to take full responsibility of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know it will be tough during the season, but everything will work out the way it’s supposed to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Go out on that ice and break some faces if you have to do something to make yourself feel better, but know that I will still be frowning about the whole fighting thing.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Patty, thank you for loving me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for giving me the most beautiful daughter in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please share with her all of our memories and make sure she follows her dreams like we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please tell her that her mommy loved her and didn’t want to leave her, but God had other plans and now she is watching over her in Heaven.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Please tell everyone that I love them and thank them for being there for you and Maddie.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I love you Patrick Kaleta.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Love Forever and Always,</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Emma</span></i></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Present Day (March 2011):</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I came home and dropped my gear bag on the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey mom!” I called over to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Is she sleeping?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I heard my mom softly chuckle, “Would you expect anything different from her at this time of night?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I smiled to myself and darted up the steps to Maddie’s room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her night-light illuminated her room and the glow-in the dark stars shown down from the ceiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked over to find my little girl in her Sabres pajama’s, sucking her thumb and sleeping peacefully.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">This had become my routine when I would return home from the rink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say hi to whomever was babysitting her that night, which would usually be my mom, dad, Charlie, Stacy or Wagner, then I’d go up and say goodnight to Maddie.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We all had our good days and bad days, but life was moving along and I had “made things work out,” just like Emmy said they would.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course this wasn’t what life was supposed to be like, but I now learned that nothing is what we ever expect it to be.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Once I got back down stairs, I found mom out in the kitchen and my hot chocolate mug sitting on the counter waiting for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom sat the old familiar shoe box down in front of me as I took a sip of the warm liquid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hot chocolate was perfect for a cold winter night like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, with everything that had happened over the last several months, I needed something as simple as the warm cocoa to remind me of how Emma always warmed my soul.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hot Chocolate is the best way to soothe the soul,” Emma would always say.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I thought you might want to have this…I know you might not be ready to look at everything inside, but I think it’s important for you to keep for Maddie,” she said solemnly as she sat down across from me, picking up her own mug to her lips.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was the shoe box that stored all the news articles that Emma or I had been in over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It contained flowers from her prom bouquet and my boutonnière, a couple mix tapes and CD’s that contained our favorite songs from summers past, photographs of us from holidays, family vacations, prom and hockey games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even remembered that I had placed our plane tickets and ring boxes in it after we returned from <place w:st="on">Europe</place>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I looked up at mom and whispered, “Thank you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a deep breath before lifting the lid of the box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I opened the box the flood of memories came at me like a spring flood, washing away the hurt and promising new life.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The Obituary in the July 6<sup>th</sup>, 2010 <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> News…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emma S. Kaleta, 25, Firefighter</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emma S. (Kasyk) Kaleta, 25, wife of Patrick Kaleta (Buffalo Sabres) of <street w:st="on"></span> <br />
<address w:st="on">Lake Shore Rd.</address></street>was tragically killed at a warehouse fire on <street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">Ohio St.</address></street>on July 4<sup>th</sup>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma was the first female ranking firefighter in the Buffalo City Fire Dept, a 4 year veteran of the department and was the 3<sup>rd</sup> generation of her family to be employed by the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was killed in the line of duty, attempting to save a building worker during the time of the fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her act of selflessness will always be recognized, making her a true hometown hero for the city of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is survived by her husband, Patrick Kaleta (24) and daughter Madeline Rose (6 months).</div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-25159307701788826092011-04-28T08:00:00.002-04:002011-04-28T08:00:05.253-04:00Chapter 21<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">July 4<sup>th</sup>, 2010, 1500hrs</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Sssh!!!! Don’t you dare wake her up, Patrick Kaleta!” I whispered as I shut the door as he came bounding up the stairs with a big smile on his face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh damn!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was going to give her something, but I will wait til mom and dad pick her up for the night,” he said, hanging his head as he brought the toy fire truck out from behind his back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I took it from him and inspected the fun looking toy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This thing is awesome!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looks like you can even put the ladder up with a button!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I had was an old metal thing that you couldn’t even put the ladder up on anymore because it was bent so bad from when it was my dad’s.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I know!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remembered that thing, so when I found this, I knew I had to get her one,” he said proudly as we both walked back down the stairs to the living room.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You spoil her,” I said, trying to hide my smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“So do you,” he said as he placed the fire truck on the kitchen counter and wrapped his arms low around my back, pulling me against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And don’t you even start to deny it!” he mocked as I just looked up at the ceiling keeping my lips in a straight line like I had no clue what he was talking about.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m surprised you haven’t bought her a pair of skates yet…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Believe me I tried, but the kid at the sporting goods store just looked at me like I was stupid when I mentioned that she couldn’t even crawl yet.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I took his hat, turned it backwards and then gently smacked his forehead with the palm of my hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You are a real trip, Patty.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Nah, just really in love with my two girls,” he said with a smirk as he kissed me square on the lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you really have to work tonight?” he whined softly into my ear, causing me to shiver in his arms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I wrapped my arms around him neck and answered him in the same manner, giving him goose bumps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, Patrick, I must go to work tonight.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You shouldn’t have done that,” he growled as he slid his hands down lower and cupped my ass, pulling me against his erection that had now formed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No, I’m definitely glad I did that…” I said as I jumped up and wrapped my legs around his waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now, take me somewhere to make my 4<sup>th</sup> of July a good one!” I breathed once again into his ear.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She didn’t need to tell me twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she was ready to go, then I was always ready to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even after a year of marriage we were still fucking every chance we got and I didn’t think I’d ever tire of hearing the noises she made when we made love.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Even after all these years of friendship, I still find my breath catching when the light shines in her eyes just the right way, making them sparkle like the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People have a hard time believing that we’ve rarely had a huge argument.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I accustom that to the fact that after knowing each other so well, we know what makes the other person mad and are able to sense a mood change, cueing the other person to take a step back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Where are we going?” she giggled as I carried her downstairs to the “man cave.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“The pool table,” I said straight-forth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You better get a towel or something because I do not want you freaking out if we stain the damn thing!” she squealed as I set her down on the table.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She was right, I would freak out because this thing was my baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I went over the shelf by the patio doors and grabbed a towel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I walked back, I kicked off my flip-flops and began taking my shirt off, knocking off my baseball hat in the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma was already down to her bra and underwear, looking lustfully at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I laid the towel down next to her as I stepped between her thighs, wrapping my arm behind her and pulled her against my chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I undid her bra with the snap of my fingers and pulled it off of her, throwing it onto the floor next to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left out a squeak of approval and threaded her fingers through my hair, pulling my lips to hers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She kissed me with a searing passion that burned low in me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t seem to wrap my arms tight enough around her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to be one with this woman I could never seem to get enough of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were still tongue locked as I felt her push my waist back far enough so that she could untie my shorts and push them down over my hips and onto the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She then broke the kiss and laid back onto the pool table, putting her feet on the rail and lifting her ass slightly so that I could take off her shorts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You look so vulnerable lying there,” I mused as I pulled off her shorts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well then you better take advantage of me, Kaleta,” she taunted.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I quickly climbed up onto the table with her and dipped my head down between her thighs to taste her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was already hot and wet, leaving out a cry when my tongue delved into her delicious folds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her hands immediately laced themselves back into my hair; I was keeping my hair long enough just for her to be able to play with it during times like these.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrapped my arms around her thighs so that my hands could rest on her lower abdomen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used my face to get deep into her flesh, knowing that I had enough of a 5 o’clock shadow to drive her crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt it chafe against her soft, smooth skin, causing her to purr out in pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I nipped gently at her clit, causing her to buck against me and telling me she was ready to shoot the moon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I peaked up over her mound to find her arched off the table, grabbing at her breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was such an intimate moment that I felt honored to be apart of it every time she came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went back to focusing on her and was soon rewarded with the rush of extra juices coating my tongue as I shoved it deep into her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved the way she tasted and it was even more of a turn on when she wanted to kiss me right away after I had been down on her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I crawled up; leaving behind a trail of kisses as I finally made it up to her mouth and kissed her deeply as she moaned out in happiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In her sedated state I pushed my thick length into her and lifted myself off of her so that I could enjoy the view of her moving below me on the pool table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wrapped her legs around me as I pulled her hips slightly off the table to get the angle I wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pumped into her and watched as her breasts bounced with the motion.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">My cock felt every inch of her and the deeper I pushed the louder she cried out for more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tilted her a little more and pushed for her g-spot, knowing I hit it when her cries practically turned into screams of pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dick got harder when I watched her start pinching her own nipples and began flicking her own tongue over her nipple.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fuck, baby, that is so god-damn hot…” I growled, knowing I was going to lose it very soon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Do you like that?” she asked in a sultry whine as she batted her eyes at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I couldn’t take it anymore and my answer ended up coming out in a long moan as I shot my load into her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The act put her over the edge and I felt her squeezing everything out of me as she quivered on the table.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Once I caught my breath, I lowered her hips back down to the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus, where the fuck did that come from?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were definitely a vixen right there!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Did you like it?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Did I like it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn Emma, I could fuck you again right now, that was so incredibly hot.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">A sly smile crept across her face as she said, “I don’t want you to get bored with me, so I figured I’d add a lil role play into it for fun.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I leaned down over top of her and kissed her hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In between kisses I growled, “Babe, I will never get bored with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell, you pull that shit more often and you’re going to have trouble leaving the bedroom ever again.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I like the sound of that,” she said as she pulled my lips back down to hers, willing me to kiss her senselessly once more.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">March 2010, the night Emma stayed home from Patrick’s game so Charlie could visit her and baby Maddie…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Charlie!” I squeaked as he picked me up and hugged me tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last time I saw him was when I was still in the hospital after giving birth to Maddie.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Mmm, my Emma…it’s nice being able to hug you without that big belly of yours,” he chuckled as he sat me back down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I looked down at my stomach and patted the remnants of my tummy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve been working out with Patrick, so I’m hoping I’ll be completely back in shape by the time I come back in June.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Charlie took my hands in his, catching my attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emma, you look beautiful, just like your mother,” he said with a sad smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Like my mother?” I asked, surprised because no one had mentioned a thing about my mother since I was a little girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew Charlie had known her because he was the best man in their wedding, but he never said things about her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This definitely got the wheels turning in my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Charlie, do you know what ever happened to my mom?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Again the sad smile crept across his face as he took my hand and led me into the kitchen, motioning to me to make some hot chocolate as he walked over to Maddie’s crib and picked her up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was cooed at him and smiled as soon as he had her in his arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched as she curled into his chest, like she often did with Patty and instantly fell asleep in his arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He carried her over to the kitchen island and sat down, staring at the precious little one in his arms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You don’t have to hold her if you don’t want to, she’ll be down for the count now.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No, I want to hold her, she is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> granddaughter after all,” he said as quietly, not looking up at me, still staring at Maddie.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put a mug of steaming hot chocolate in front of him and sat down across from him, warming my hands on my own mug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Charlie, is there something you wanted to talk about?” I asked hesitantly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He looked up at me with tears in his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m so sorry, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sorry I never did anything to stop him from hurting you…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I looked at him confused but didn’t stop him because I honestly didn’t know what to say.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I listened to him take a deep breath and start in again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your mother and I were best friends growing up, like you and Patrick, I guess you could say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your father and I became best friends in high school, and of course he took a liking to Renee as soon as I introduced them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in love with Renee from the day I met her, but I was too young to realize it until they started dating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seeing them together made me recognize how much I wanted to be the man she loved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dean and I went through the fire academy together, a promise we had made to each other when we were still in high school, and after we graduated from the academy, he proposed to Renee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know Renee loved Dean, but one night after he left her sitting at the bar because they had an argument, I realized she was marrying him because she felt that she really had no other choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Renee was stubborn and didn’t want her daddy to say ‘I told you so…’ with Dean, so she went ahead and married him anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few months after the wedding Renee showed up on my doorstep with bruises on her cheeks and all over her body from where Dean had hit her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took her in and one thing led to another...” he said, fading off for a moment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He took another deep breath and continued, “Dean and I worked a lot of opposite shifts that year and when he wasn’t home, Renee was with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were madly in love with each other and were actually planning on how we could run away together, then one night Renee came to me in tears saying she was pregnant and positive it was mine because she hadn’t slept with Dean for a couple months…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Without meaning to, I took in a sharp breath, quickly covering my mouth and glad I didn’t have a mouth full of hot chocolate because I would have surely spit it back out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Charlie basically ignored me and kept going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Of course Dean never questioned it because he was too wrapped up in getting promotions at work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried finding another job so that Renee and I could run away together, but I didn’t have many options and we were basically stuck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You were born in the fall and Dean insisted I be named your Godfather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you put our baby pictures together, you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart,” he added with a small smile directed towards sleeping Maddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Renee’s parents were killed in a car accident several months after you were born and her heart was shattered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She fell into a deep depression which wasn’t helped by Dean’s drunken, abusive tirades.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She came to me one night and said that she was leaving, that she couldn’t handle it anymore and told me to keep watch over you for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I begged and pleaded with her but she had better ideas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was found washed up on the <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">shore</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">Lake Erie</placename></place> about a month later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your grandmother and Dean decided it best to just tell you that she ran away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no way I could become a single parent, hell, I couldn’t even take care of myself some days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was relieved when I heard Dean would be moving in with your grandmother because I knew the old woman would take better care of you than I could,” he finished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then looked up at me with pleading eyes, “I’m sorry that he hurt you so much, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want you to call me dad, because I was never a father to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dean did love you, in his own twisted way and he deserves the credit of being called your father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want to make sure I don’t lose my chance with the 2<sup>nd</sup> baby girl to come into my life,” he said as he looked lovingly down at baby Maddie.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like I don’t know where to turn or what to say…</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I took a sip of my hot chocolate, letting it sear my throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know what to say, Charlie…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You don’t need to say anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just please, don’t be mad at me,” he pleaded quietly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I reached over and took his hand that was gripping the ceramic mug, “I could never be mad at you Charlie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To tell you the truth, we wouldn’t be sitting here today like this if things would have been different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t trade my life for the world,” I said as tears clouded my eye sight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Charlie nodded his head slowly as a smile graced his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His blue eyes sparkled back at me and I knew right there that he had always been a father to me and that I had made him proud.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You can tell Patrick,” he said, after finding his voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I just think it should be between us though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want things to change at work and stuff…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I completely agree,” I said, kind of relieved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“However, you will be given the title of grandpop in this house.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">His smile got bigger as he nodded his head in agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sounds good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you Emma.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I love you too,” I said with a smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then became serious and said, “So after all that, I need you to do a favor for me, Charlie,” I said seriously.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Anything,” he said quietly, watching Maddie sleep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I slid an envelope over to him and said, “If anything ever happens to me, I need you to give this to Patrick.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was proud of myself once I said the words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t cry like I did when I was writing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew all the guys did this; it just wasn’t spoken of too often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I had to do it with Maddie here now, just incase something happened that I wouldn’t be able to tell her these things myself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">To my surprise, Charlie didn’t put up a fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew that our line of work was a dangerous choice and he knew that when your time is up, it’s up.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">July 4<sup>th</sup>, 2010, 2100hrs</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I had my patient all splinted and ready for movement and I was proud of my efforts as I looked down and surveyed my handy-work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I glanced at my watch and noticed it had been a little longer than I realized so I decided to call out on my radio and find out what was taking the new crew so long to get in here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Lieutenant 21 to Collapse Interior…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">No answer.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Lieutenant 21 to Collapse Interior…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Again, no answer.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that, I heard a big crash and felt an influx of heat coming through the door of the stairwell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly put my SCBA back on and looked out the little window in the door to find that my route was now completely gone and fear completely over took me…</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">July 5<sup>th</sup>, 2010, 0050hrs</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Charlie, where is Emma?” I asked as I felt my throat constrict.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“She’s been in the stairwell with a patient since her and Wagner accessed it to rescue the victims,” he said in an eery calm voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Have you heard anything from them?” I cried, as I felt myself having an outer body experience, praying that my worst nightmares were not coming true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the words came out of my mouth, I felt a hand on my shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked over and saw a blackened hand and a tear stained face staring back at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wagner, where the hell is my wife?!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I roared.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“She insisted on staying back and packaging the patient for transport while I took the other 3 back to our egress route…I didn’t want to leave her alone but we were both running low on air and she insisted I go and get the other crew to come back and get her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Radio communications were poor so I don’t think she heard the evacuation orders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried running back but instead the building began collapsing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patterson and the other crew helped pull me and the victims out but there was no way we were going to get back to Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so sorry Patrick…” he wailed as he collapsed to the ground with me.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">July 5<sup>th</sup>, 2010, 0930hrs</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I felt empty, numb and I was barely able to breathe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The smell of the burnt debris made my stomach twist in a way that I thought I was going to throw up with every breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every now and then I would look up, thinking I heard Emma’s voice over the radio or talking to someone on the fire scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could have sworn I heard her call my name a time or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I smelled her scent a time or two when the wind blew in a different direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had found a hair of hers caught on my shirt from when she did laundry and I just held it in my hand, wishing I could run my hands through the full thickness of her hair.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Patrick, you need to come home now…” my mom said as I sat on the back of the fire engine, waiting for my wife to come out of the building.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No mom, I’m not leaving until they find her.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Charlie said they have to get the heavy equipment in and that it could be until afternoon until they get to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need to come home and get some rest, you have a daughter that needs you,” she said firmly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I have a wife that would want me to be waiting for her…” I mumbled.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You have a wife that would want you to be a father to her child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please Patrick, go home,” Charlie said as he walked over to where I was sitting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I nodded, knowing Charlie and my mom was right, but I just didn’t want to be at my house right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t think I could stand walking into the home that we lived and loved in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like my world was ending and I had no way of getting away from it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emma, I love you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, give me the strength to be the man you made me into.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-15002574114043750212011-04-27T14:47:00.000-04:002011-04-27T14:47:30.907-04:00Public Service Announcement...I love all your comments!! Thank you soo much!! <br />
<br />
I just wanted to drop a little note to say that since this story is winding down (2 more chapters to be exact) and I have a bunch saved in my arsenal, I began posting a new one.<br />
<br />
Check out <a href="http://www.noticed12.blogspot.com/">http://www.noticed12.blogspot.com/</a> It's a story about a few of the Yotes players (Mainly Biz and Pyatt) and it will hopefully give ya'll a little laughter which from the comments, I'm thinking you might need. :o) Enjoy!!HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-26048865104087453172011-04-27T08:00:00.002-04:002011-04-27T08:00:19.161-04:00Chapter 20<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">February 10<sup>th</sup>, 2010</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I reeeeeaaallllyyy neeeeeeed my paaaaaiiiinn meds now!!” I yelled through my teeth as another contraction ripped through me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My water finally broke as they were getting me out of the H2 and into a wheel chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out I was 5cm dilated and my contractions were coming along faster and faster.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh, Darling, you won’t need pain meds because the babe’s gonna be here really shortly,” the nurse with the thick southern accent said from underneath the blanket that was covering my knees.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No pain meds?!” I squeaked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’ve got to at least be able to give me something to take the fucking edge off?!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked over at Patrick with pleading eyes, hoping he’d go to bat for me, but he just shrugged his shoulders and wiped the sweat off my forehead for the 100<sup>th</sup> time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You people suck,” I said plain and simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course right after that another contraction throttled through, feeling like it was splitting my hoo-hoo down to my ass-hole.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“One more push, Mrs. Kaleta!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I don’t want to!” I yelled, but I found that I really had no choice and next thing I knew there was a blood curdling cry echoing off the bare walls of the hospital room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I passed out for a minute because everything seemed to get fuzzy for a bit until I felt Patrick squeezing my hand really hard and whispering in my ear to open my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opened my eyes to find a bright red baby, screaming angrily as the southern nurse held it up in front of me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“It’s a girl!!” Patrick whispered excitedly into my ear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I turned towards him and said, “You win, this time,” and kissed him hard on the lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I felt his lips curl upwards before he pulled back and said, “Madelyn Rose Kaleta, Maddie for short.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I whispered the name through my lips as they laid little Maddie in my arms and nodded with approval as I kissed her softly on the forehead.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">July 4<sup>th</sup>, 2010, 2030hrs.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Jesus!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the hell was that?” Drew yelled as he pointed over towards the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A group of us were out partying on the boat while watching the fireworks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom had taken Maddie for the night so I could have a fun evening out with Drew, Stacy, Miller and his new model girlfriend, Roy and his girl and Nate Gerbe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was bummed that Emmy had to work, but I planned on having a good time on the holiday either way.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I looked over and saw the remnants of what seemed to be an explosion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There had been fireworks coming from that same vicinity, so I wondered out loud if that had anything to do with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you think something happened with those fireworks they had been setting off there?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Good possibility,” Miller said as he walked over to me and Drew.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It wasn’t long afterwards that the area around the explosion began to glow bright orange and I could hear the distinct sound of the cue (fire truck siren).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I guess Emmy’s gonna be busy tonight,” I mumbled.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">March 2010</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Patrick Kaleta returns to the ice after a foot injury that seemed to plague him for several weeks…”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Come to the game tonight…” I whined into her ear softly as we lay in bed, attempting to take my pre-game nap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maddie was great at sleeping through the night but getting her to nap during the day could sometimes be a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today it seemed the she was cooperating, so far.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Your mom and dad are going to the game so who is going to watch Maddie?” she mumbled into the pillow.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m sure we can find a babysitter…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“It’s too late for that, Patty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, Charlie is coming over to visit tonight and you should probably go out with the guys after the game anyway, since it’s the first game you are back for.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“But I don’t want to hang out with the guys; I want to be with youuuuuu…” I whined again as I pulled her back against me, cuddling closer to her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She left out a sigh and murmured, “Go to sleep while you still can, love.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I kissed her hair and squeezed her once more for good measure as we fell asleep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was tough getting back into the hockey schedule after having a month off and with the new addition to the family, but it was an exciting time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were leading our division and it was a given that we would be heading to the playoffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma proved to be an awesome mother so far and was a saint at making sure I got my rest, even with a newborn in the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not quite sure how she managed everything, but I guess it all comes down to that mother instinct.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Maddie became a full-blown Sabres fan as soon as she came home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her first Kaleta jersey was given to her by Drew and Stacy, along with a <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drew said it was for the times that the other jersey might be in the laundry from getting spit-up on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Of course the one night Emma had to drive up to the rink because I forgot something for the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was already in my uniform and our media guy caught us and made us pose for our first family hockey picture that they showed during intermission and then posted it on the website.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I still found it strange to be a father at 24, but at the end of the day it all felt right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed being a family man; it gave me something else to focus on besides hockey.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">July 4<sup>th</sup>, 2010, 20:35</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Additional from dispatch stated apparently someone had been setting off fireworks on the warehouse roof and somehow one did not ignite properly, exploding on the roof of the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roof quickly gave way and the heavy fire load of boxes and paper quickly took off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were reports of cleaning staff in the building including 4-5 people who were working in the offices that were located on the basement floor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Why the fuck are there people working on the holiday?!” Wagner yelled up towards the front of the truck, so that I could hear him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Why the fuck are we working?” I yelled back with a laugh.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“True, true,” I heard him say over the blaring cue.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We arrived on scene to find a warehouse that took up basically the whole block, with heavy fire pouring from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It used to be a 3 story building but at the moment it was 2 floors and with the heavy fire, we knew it wouldn’t be long until it was ground level.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The chief greeted me as soon as I opened the door of the truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Kaleta, we definitely have 4 people trapped in the basement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them called out on a cell phone from the stairwell and said they are unable to get out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is one with possible life threatening injuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need your crew to get into the B side of the building and begin tunneling your way through to the stairwell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is going to be really dangerous because I don’t think we have a lot of time until the rest of this building goes down.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I turned to find Wagner and Patterson gathering their wall breaching tools and first aid stuff to get the injured guy out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You guys catch all that?” I yelled to them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yup, we’re waiting on you, sweet cheeks,” Wagner spouted as I finished tightening my SCBA straps and the straps to my rope harness for the simple fact that if we found a hole in the floor, we might have an easier time just going to the basement through the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Patterson looked like he was going to be sick, so I just smiled at him and said, “Buddy, just think about what they taught you in training, we’ll be fine,” I said with a smile and pointed the direction we needed to be heading.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We found an outside stairwell exit but we had to cut through the door to get in since it was an “exit only” door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could actually hear the building groan as the aerial trucks poured water onto the raging flames.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This really isn’t a good sign and I’m not quite sure if we’re going to get to these people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sure hope we have the correct stairwell.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Once we got in, I found immediately that the stairwell was blocked, just like the victims said, and that we definitely needed to search for another access route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hooked up our search ropes to the door, in case we needed to find out quickest route out if things went wrong, and began searching for another direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 100ft in I found a hole in the floor where a machine or something had fallen through from one of the upper floors, during the explosion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I held up my hand and got Wagner and Patterson to huddle around.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay guys, I think our best bet is to go down through this hole and look for that stairwell they are in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can set up a rigging system here and have a couple more guys come in here to hoist people out of the basement and get these people on SCBA’s because it’s too smokey in here,” I yelled through my SCBA mask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The both nodded that they understood me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then yelled, “Okay, Patterson, start setting up the rigging system and I’ll radio for more help for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wagner and I will repel down to the basement here.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yes, ma’am,” Patterson said as he turned and got to work, helping Wagner and I get set up for repelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I radioed out to command and told them of our plans and next thing I knew Wagner and I were on the ground floor helping each other unhook from our ropes and start a new search rope so that we could find our way back to the spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gear was heavy, but I didn’t notice it much with all the adrenaline that was rushing through my veins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew we didn’t have a lot of time and I observed that my air cylinder was already down to almost half.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Not Good.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I pointed to my air pressure gage as I grabbed Wagner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked down and showed me his which was about the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We both shrugged shoulders and moved forward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon we came to what looked to be office cubicles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew we had to be getting closer and my heart began beating faster in anticipation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt Wagner tug on my gear, catching my attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned and found him pointing at a red steel door with a small window in it; above it was an exit sign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left out a big sigh and headed towards the door.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We pulled some debris away from the door and opened it to find the 4 co-workers huddled together looking deathly afraid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3 of them looked healthy enough to walk with just some abrasions on their faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 4<sup>th</sup> was a man who looked to have at least broken leg with a possible head injury and in obvious need of first aid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I called for the stokes basket (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A/N: a basket that is used to carry patients that can be hoisted with ropes if patient is properly secured into it)</i> and additional man power.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Wagner, get these people back to Patterson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tell them to cover their mouths with their clothing and breath as shallow as possible.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You need to come along too, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not fucking leaving you here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are too low on air and we can get the next team down here to get him out,” he yelled back at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m fine; I will start doing some first aid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just tell them to bring another cylinder with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will be waiting for you, so it won’t take too long now that we have the safety line strung.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, just go,” I said as I turned away and began finding things to splint the patient’s leg.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I heard Wagner gather the other 3 victims and give them instructions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt him tap on my helmet to let me know he was going and away they went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then heard him call on the radio for the extra crew to start climbing down because he was leaving me in the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More radio transmissions were going on, but the signal was weak because of the building construction, so I took off my SCBA and began talking to my patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the door closed, the smoke stayed at bay and I figured I should probably conserve my air for as long as possible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Unfortunately for my patient, he was in fairly bad shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was floating in and out of consciousness and I didn’t think he was going to last much longer without higher medical care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I just kept myself focused on splint his leg and getting him ready for transport because I knew we didn’t have much more time to get out of the building.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Being in the enclosed room, I never heard the evacuation command from the chief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never heard the air horns signaling to evacuate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never knew how much time I didn’t have to get out of the building.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">July 5<sup>th</sup>, 2010, 0045hrs.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">After we got off the lake, we headed out to the Morrisey’s Irish Pub for some dancing and beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t really in the mood to do this without Emmy, but I also had nothing better to do for the night since Maddie was still at my parents.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Excuse me, hottie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was wondering if you’d like to dance with me?” a brunette breathed into my ear as I stood at the bar with Drew.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I just held up my left hand and didn’t even look her way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess being married means nothing to some of these people because I felt her fingers on the back of my neck, working their way up into my hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I jerked away from her grasp and said, “Look lady, this ring means something to me, so please, keep your hands to yourself.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first she pouted out her lips but after I kept the glaring stare focused on her, she got the hint.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I turned back to the bar as Drew just left out a laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Shut the fuck up,” I grumbled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is exactly why I don’t come here without my wife.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I can understand that one…sorry, Derek was all gun-ho about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want to go home, I’m cool with that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I looked around and saw Stacy was sitting over at the table playing with the straw in her drink as the rest of the crew was out on the dance floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I guess it seems that Stacy isn’t having much fun either without Emma,” I mused.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That’s why I’m saying we’ll be game to head out,” he said with a smirk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We said goodbye to the rest of the crew and walked down the street to where Drew was parked. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Wow, you can still see that building burning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you think Emma is there?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stacy asked worriedly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, most likely she is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially since it doesn’t seem far from her station and because of how large it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do we want to walk the couple blocks and see what’s going on?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Sure!” Stacy said excitedly as she grabbed hands with me and Drew, walking towards the glow.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was utter chaos when we arrived on the fire scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instantly I felt all wrong about coming down here, but something in my mind told me I needed to be here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked up to the yellow tape and saw a bunch of the guys in rehab, including some of the guys from Emma’s station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I waved over at Patterson, but as soon as he looked at me he got up and walked in the opposite direction.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Wonder what that was all about.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It certainly looked like an explosion had happened because the building was all crumbled in on itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flames were all but extinguished, now the sky was lit up by the bright lights of the fire scene and some construction lights that had been brought in to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was disappointed that I didn’t see Emma with the rest of her crew, but I didn’t want to bother anyone because they all looked really tired and bummed out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After standing for a bit I motioned to Drew and Stacy to leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were turning to walk back to their SUV when I heard Charlie yelling my name.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Kaleta!” he yelled, loud enough that I could actually hear him over the roar of the engines.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh, hey Charlie!” I waved and smiled as I turned back around and began walking back towards the fire scene.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Instead of his face lighting up with a smile like it normally would, I noticed he looked sullen and very upset about something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately I put my hand down and ran over to him.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-17302819233449162832011-04-26T08:00:00.001-04:002011-04-26T08:00:13.129-04:00Chapter 19<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">December 12<sup>th</sup>, 2009</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a place you got here, Emma!” Patterson gawked as Wagner pushed him through the door, into the foyer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just rolled my eyes and shut the door behind them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Sorry, the probie needed something to do since his girlfriend dumped him,” Wagner said apologetically as he shrugged off his coat and handed it to me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I snorted, “You’re not gay, Patterson?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fuck, no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just metro!” he exclaimed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He held up his hands and said, “Believe me babe, I love chicks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No doubt about it.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Wagner and I were both laughing at the poor kid who had just joined our station over the summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a really nice, very energetic and a good dresser.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the good dresser part, we picked on him pretty hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank heaven the kid was a good sport and was turning into being a damn good firefighter and friend.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Once I stopped laughing I throw my arm around Wagner’s shoulders and said, “Well if that’s the case, then maybe you can get Wagner here in some decent looking clothing so he can pick up a nice chick.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Wagner stopped laughing and glared at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t even start with me, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not the marrying type, and you know that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I walked over and put my arm around him, pushing him and Patterson near the kitchen so they’d eat the pizza that was just delivered as I said, “I know, Wagner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I think if the right girl walked up to you and told you to roll over, you’d do it.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We ate our pizza and then went to work on painting the rest of the nursery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were painting a scene from the Peanuts cartoons that I had drawn life-size onto the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was working on Snoopy’s doghouse, Patterson was painting the sky blue background and grass on the far wall and a surprisingly artistic Wagner was working on the ice pond hockey scene I had drawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an in-depth scene that had a lot of the characters to be painted, but he was doing an awesome job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I had the radio tuned into the game on 550am since the boys were in NYC, playing the Rangers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“So I guess they are in the middle of a road trip?” Patterson asked as he carried a bucket of sky blue paint over to the wall he was working on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yup, they head to <city w:st="on">Montreal</city> for the 14<sup>th</sup> and then to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Ottawa</city></place> for the 16<sup>th</sup> and then they’ll be home,” I said with a grimace, already missing Patty.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Good!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By then we should have the whole nursery finished!” Patterson said cheerfully.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Myers and Vanek head for the net, wait, Vanek passes to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Roy</city></place>…for the shot…gooooaaaaallll!!!”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I proceeded to bounce up and down happily with my paint brush as I splattered the red doghouse paint across the front of my shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yay!!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You are going to have more paint on you and the baby than you will the wall if they keep scoring tonight,” Wagner joked as he turned to watch my little celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank goodness you aren’t wearing your jersey, or you’d have paint all over that old ratty thing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it might be better for it because it’s pretty rough looking…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I walked over to him, holding the red paint brush out at him, threatening to swipe it across his neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t ever make a bad remark about that jersey,” I growled, trying to keep a straight face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve worn that since Patty suited up for his 2<sup>nd</sup> game as a Sabre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was his very first jersey he wore in his very first NHL game.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No way!” Patterson said, surprised.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Wagner ignored the paint brush and looked over at the probie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She ain’t yanking your chain kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s very protective over the jersey, that’s why I like to pick on her about it.” As he said the last part he turned back towards me, grabbed my wrist and lowered my weapon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then turned me back to facing the wall I had been painting and patted me on the ass so that I would go back to it without argument.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">During our little spat the Ranger’s had scored twice on Ryan, two minutes later my hubby scored to tie the game back up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time I put my paint brush down onto the tray and ran into the bedroom to watch the replay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guys followed me and we jumped and clapped together as we watched the highlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could even feel the baby jumping around with me, like she (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yes, Patty got me calling it a she) </i>knew it was her daddy scoring.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We went back to painting until I heard Rick Jeanneret (the play-by-play announcer of the Sabres) start going crazy on a possible short-handed break away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran back into the bedroom as Patty scored a shortie to put the team ahead in the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I squeaked and squawked as I watched Patty do his pathetic “starting the lawn mower,” celebration as he skated around the ice to be congratulated by his team.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You are going to put yourself in pre-mature labor if you keep acting like that, Emma Kaleta!” <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Sandy</city></place> laughed, effectively scaring the shit out of me because none of us had heard her walk into the house.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Holy shit, <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Sandy</city></place>!” I squealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“When did you get here?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Just in time to hear you bouncing around up here like a bunch of kids,” she said with a smile as she came over to do the customary patting of my belly and giving me a hug and kiss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I see my boy just got himself a short-handed goal?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yup, yup!” I said with a proud smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So whatchya doing here?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Figured I’d come over and check on you and see what kind of painting needed to be done…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I threw my arms back around her and said, “Thank you so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to get it done before Patty gets home at the end of the week…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Just so you know, it was like pulling teeth to get her to let us come over here!” Wagner called out from the nursery.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I believe it!” <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Sandy</city></place> yelled back as we walked back into the nursery, together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She’s been a stubborn ass, but that is nothing new,” she joked as she pulled me close to her again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><place w:st="on"><city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Sandy</span></city></place><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"> had been the mother I never had and I was glad that she was now, for all intensive purposes, officially my mom.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We were all still painting when the house phone rang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I placed the portable between my ear and shoulder so that I could still paint and answered, “Congratulation’s Patty on your game winner, baby!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second Star tonight!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are awesome!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Whooot!” he yelled back into the phone at me, obviously still excited about the great game he played tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why can’t I do that shit when I’m home and you are in the stands?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m obviously bad luck…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That is not true.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I just giggled as I pictured him furrowing his brow and tightening his already chiseled jaw as he scolded me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick absolutely hated when I missed his home games and hated it even more when I would make remarks about being a bad luck charm if he played poorly or the team lost.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Good job on keeping yourself outta the penalty box!” I exclaimed, changing the subject.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I thought I might have to go after Avery at one point, but I didn’t let him goad me on too much…So what are you up to?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Painting the baby’s room.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“By yourself?!” he grunted into the phone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wagner, Patterson and mom are over helping me.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Seriously?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You honestly have help?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I put down my paint brush and hit the speaker phone button as I said, “Everyone say hello to Patty because he doesn’t believe that I’m letting people help me.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hey Patrick!” Everyone said in unison.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Holy shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey guys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for putting up with my stubborn wife and helping with the nursery.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Everyone just laughed as I took him off speaker phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m going to make you pay for the stubborn wife comment, Kaleta.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, yeah,” he said as I could hear him smiling through the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, we are getting on the bus to head to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Montreal</city></place>, so I’m going to let you go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Text me when you go to bed and I’ll call you if I’m not in <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">Canada</country-region></place> yet.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Alrighty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, Emmy?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I love you and I miss you already.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Mmm…I love and miss you too Baby Mama.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Behave yourself and let people help you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean it, Emma.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yes, Patty.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Love you bye.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Love you bye.”</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">April 26<sup>th</sup>, 2010</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well that sucks ass,” I said as I climbed into the taxi with Emma as we left the TD Garden to head to the airport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were officially out of the playoffs after taking it to 7 games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We finished first in our division and now we were the first out of the playoffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Summer had officially arrived earlier than expected for a team that worked so hard this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt even worse knowing that all of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> was going to be just as disappointed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I was so proud of you when you scored that goal tonight, babe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You guys tried your best against the pieces of shit,” she said as she placed a kiss on my cheek and squeezed me tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wasn’t the first time Emma had been through the let down of the playoffs and most definitely wouldn’t be the last time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew secretly she was happy that the season was over so that we could finally be a family without the crazy hockey schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year’s compressed schedule was complete hell and truthfully, I was ready to start my summer with my new family.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">February 10<sup>th</sup>, 2010</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You know, Drew is right, it is pretty damn handy that you happened to get hurt right around the due date of our baby,” she said as I attempted to help her climb out of the bathtub, but not having a ton of luck because I couldn’t put any weight on my left foot without shooting pain.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Her belly was huge!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Even though I’d never actually say that out loud.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I hadn’t seen the ultra sound, I wouldn’t believe that there was only one baby inside the belly of Emma’s.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Throughout the pregnancy, Emma was very much into exercising and keeping herself as trim as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the back you couldn’t even tell she was pregnant, but when she turned you would be shocked to find the large stomach she was carrying around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She refused to buy much maternity clothing unless it was for nice occasions, so around the house she took to wearing my hockey sweaters with gym shorts because she was constantly hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved watching her walk around in my old jerseys and enjoyed figuring out if she actually had shorts underneath them on the days she wore the real short shorts. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She had stopped working a week before Christmas mainly because it was getting hard for her to climb up into the driver seat of the truck and she was very uncomfortable being on her feet for long periods of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was supposed to stop working by the New Year, so it wasn’t a huge deal, but I knew she was still somewhat disappointed about it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was nice having her home all the time and we enjoyed our time together by finishing up decorating odds and ends around the house and just spending more time together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She was able to come to all the home games and even traveled to a couple of the away games that were in the northeast, including <city w:st="on">Pittsburgh</city>, Long Island, <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Toronto</city></place> and Philly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made my night every time I stepped onto the ice and could look up and find her smiling back at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her belly had become the talk of HSBC arena and she frequently had people stopping her asking her how the baby was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They even had a pool going in which we raised $100,000 that we insisted go to my charity to help kids buy hockey gear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">In the beginning of February, during a game with the Penguins, I suffered a bruised foot and now I’ve been hobbling around the house on crutches, which didn’t make it easy for me to help my very pregnant wife, plus I was chomping on the bit to get back on the ice, even though we were going into the Olympic break shortly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I grabbed her fluffy robe off the door and wrapped it around her, gently squeezing her and pressing my lips to the soft skin of her neck.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I breathed her fresh soap scent in and exhaled, “Mmmm…baby you smell so good.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I don’t feel so good right now,” she chewed through her teeth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Something wrong?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I dunno, I just haven’t been able to get comfortable all day,” she said as she threw her wet hair up into a towel.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Do you think we are getting close to meeting our little one?” I asked as I rubbed her belly that felt hard as a rock right now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She took in a deep breath and pinched her eyes shut like she was willing pain to pass.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Emma, are you having contractions?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Maybe…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I looked over at the clock and noted the time 3:45pm and then helped her over to our bed, willing her to sit for a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t put up a fight and I climbed up next to her so that she could lean into me as I wrapped my arm around her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Just try closing your eyes and get some rest, babe,” I said quietly as I turned the NHL Network to see what was going on around the league.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 15 minutes later I felt her tense up again and once more 12 minutes later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emma, I’m calling the doctor.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No, I’m fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My water didn’t break…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“They said in that book you gave me to read that it won’t always break on its own.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She took a deep breath and blew it out, “Fine,” she grumbled, handing me the cell phone with the doctor’s number already keyed up.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">4<sup>th</sup> of July, 2010, 2018hrs.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“The city is rockin’ tonight!” Wagner commented as we sat on the flat roof of the firehouse, over looking the city and the fireworks they were setting off on the barges in the lake.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“And of course we have to be working…” I mumbled as I rocked back on my chair, taking another sip of my coke.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“See, that’s what I don’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t have to be working Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could quit this job and be a stay at home mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I would do that if my husband was a professional hockey player.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">A smile came across my face before answering because he was not the first one to make the same remarks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve loved this for so long that I can’t even think about giving it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure, I’d love to be a stay at home mom for Maddie, but I can’t imagine not doing this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially since you guys are just as much family as Patrick’s family is to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, it’s not about the money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell over half my paycheck goes to the Fallen Firefighter’s Fund the rest is paying off the house so that we don’t have that debt hanging over our head if Patty would get traded or something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Further, you never know if, God forbid, he would become injured and never able to play again.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Wagner left out a small chuckle of agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You know Kaleta?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are one amazing woman.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Nah, just one stubborn woman,” I said with a smile and glance towards him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Our thoughts were shattered when the pagers on our belts began vibrating and tone poured out of them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Ladder 21, Rescue 2, Engine 20, Heavy Collapse Unit, due to respond to <street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">5621 Ohio St.</address></street> for structure fire with possible building collapse.”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Guess it’s our turn to join into the party,” I said with a snort as we ran down the stairwell to the first floor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Kaleta!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re officer on the collapse truck!” Charlie called over to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wagner, Patterson, you’re on the truck with her!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was jogging over to the truck as Wagner came up along beside me, grabbed my hand and kissed it like he often did when we knew we were going to be partners for a job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It will be my pleasure, my lady.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I rolled my eyes as he pulled the door open for me to climb in the front officer’s seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I climbed up and buckled in as we pulled out onto the street with our lights reflecting off the neighboring buildings and the cue blaring to announce our presence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked up the radio to go responding with dispatch, not knowing quite yet that what we would encounter would change lives forever.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-74720445494526741832011-04-25T08:00:00.002-04:002011-04-25T08:00:18.869-04:00Chapter 18<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">May 15th, 2009 – Vacation Day #5 – Day at Sea</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Daddy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t let me fall!” the little girl squeaked at me as I stood in front of her, holding her hands.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Just think that you are gliding, Maddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have you, don’t you worry,” I say with a smile as I watch her dirty-blonde curls flow out behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her little blue eyes are sparkling with excitement and hesitation as she tries to skate for the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s about 3 years old and looks so familiar, but I can’t seem to figure out why since my mind is fuzzy in this dreamland.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“How comes you can skate backwards and I can’t even go forwards?!” she whined.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You are going forwards, Maddie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are doing great, hunnie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just takes some time to get used to…” I say, trying to reassure the little girl.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She huffed and got this look of determination on her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A look I had seen on Emma’s face more than once over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began looking around the rink for Emmy, but she was no where to be found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emma?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I awoke to find Emma’s head lying on my chest and her hair sprawled across her back, effectively covering her shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sheet covered our naked bodies from the waist down and I easily traced lines down her smooth back with the tips of my fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun was trying to peer through the balcony curtains, but it wasn’t having much luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could feel the slight movement of the ship, but it was a lulling motion that put me back to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As my eyes closed, I found the little blue eyed girl smiling back at me for an instant before the picture was replaced with Emma’s beautiful face.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">August 2009</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“We want to thank all of you for being here to celebrate our special day all over again with us!” Emma said excitedly as she stood next to me, clutching my hand and smiling just like she did on our wedding day in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rome</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Drink all the alcohol you want, but we insist you take a cab home if you don’t have a DD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a jar of dimes at the door if you don’t have enough money to tip the cabbies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t want any Patrick Kane incidents.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place exploded in an uproar of laughter and I almost spit my champagne back into the glass I was sipping out of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once everyone quieted a bit she spoke again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please make sure you get around and check out all the pictures of our beautiful day…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“And make sure you check out the naked bathtub pictures!” a very drunk Mair yelled out from the back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Everyone in the room chuckled or whistled as I felt the heat rise up my neck and to my ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked over to find Emma laughing along with everyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I proceeded leave out an evil laugh and picked her up, throwing her over my shoulder as I yelled, “$1 to smack my wife on the ass!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">That quickly chairs went scraping across the floor and a swarm of my team-mates and her co-workers lined up in front of the head table as I carried her out from behind it to let the spanking commence.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She was kicking uncontrollably and smacking at my ass as she screamed bloody murder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Patrick Kaleta!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You better put me down this instant!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t forget about the child you are squishing right now!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">As soon as the words were out of her mouth, I quickly placed her back down on the ground and heard numerous groans and profanities rumble through the crowd that had assembled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put my hands up and yelled, “Sorry, but I don’t think it would very wise to put my unborn child through all that violence…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Next thing I knew I was being picked up by some people as cheers of congratulations rang out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I think this would be a good time to start the dollar dance since all you fine people are lined up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The happy couple will be donating the proceeds to the Fallen Buffalo Firefighter’s fund…” the DJ cut in over the microphone, effectively pulling off a transition into the traditional dances.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Earlier in the day Emma and I had been married by the Justice of the Peace to make things official in the States with Drew and Stacy by our sides again, along with my parents, sister and Charlie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our reception was one huge party at the Brierwood Country Club, the same place we had been for her prom several years back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t believe how much things had changed since then when it came to our relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember being so nervous around her because I had finally really noticed her beauty and now here we were married with a little one on the way, surrounded by all of our friends and family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help but have a big dorky smile plastered on my face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was dancing with my sister when I looked over to watch my beautiful bride being twirled around the dance floor by Miller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her smile lit up the room and I was still in awe that she was mine forever.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“May I have this dance?” Ryan asked, effectively cutting-in on my dance with Drew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was dressed in my favorite silver suit with a black skinny tie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had grown his hair out longer and his skin was nicely tanned from his summer in <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Michigan</state></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first time I had been this close to him since our last hug in February.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been over to his house after he had gotten hurt, to make him hot chocolate, but the space between us was never smaller than the kitchen counter or separate couches. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He pulled me close to him and we began dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Seems like you’ve had quite the summer, Mrs. Kaleta.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I couldn’t help but blush and look down at the slight swell of my stomach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I guess you could say that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Next thing I knew his fingers were under my chin, lifting it up so that I would look at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Em, you look so beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly am glad to see you so in love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I see now that you were never this happy with me…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I cut him off, “I’m sorry, Ryan.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He left out a laugh as he twirled me around on the floor, “No, apologies needed, Em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best man for the job definitely won and it’s even more exciting that you two are going to be parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t wait to meet the little one and hopefully make the kid realize that being a goalie is a lot more fun than playing forward.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I chuckled as I hugged him tightly and said, “I couldn’t agree with you more!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Soon our dance came to an end as Charlie asked to cut it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan leaned down graciously and kissed me sweetly on the cheek as he said softly, “See you around, puck bunny.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He moved quickly away so that I was unable to smack him and in an instant I was occupied with Charlie and his slow swaying.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The night flew by and my husband was drunker than a skunk by the time we gathered our things to leave.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Ssssooo Mrs. Kaleta…how was your ssssspecial day?” he slurred as he came up behind me, wrapping his arms around me and placing his chin in the crook of my neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could have sworn I got a buzz off him as he spoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned to find that he had changed into a tight fitting American Eagle printed shirt, tan cargo shorts, flip flops and a baseball hat that he was wearing in it’s normal slightly crooked position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began laying slobbery kisses on my neck, creating a loud sucking sound that he found all too funny.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I tired pulling away but his arms were wrapped too tight around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey!” I giggled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why are you allowed to change out of your monkey suit but I’m still walking around here in a dress?!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Because I was smart and brought a change of clothing…” he slurred into my neck, tickling me even more as his voice vibrated against my skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But don’t worry; I brought you a change of clothing too.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I twisted around so that I could face him and wrap my arms around his neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh yeah, drunk?” I asked, still laughing at his silliness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So where is this supposed change of clothing?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Not here,” he said, trying to keep a straight face because he obviously had something up his sleeve.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Then where?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“It’s a secret,” he whispered loudly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I need you to drive me to the place and I will show you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I pulled back in his arms slightly as I looked at him confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Drive you to the place?” I asked slowly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I was planning on driving home…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well, we have to make a detour first.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“We have everything loaded up, Emma,” Sandy, Patrick’s mom, announced as she placed her hands on Patty’s shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you want Tom to drive you two home?” she asked with a worried look, knowing that her son was definitely long gone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Mom, we’re fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, I want to give Emma her wedding present and I don’t need my parents there…” he objected a little louder than normal.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I watched <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Sandy</city></place> shake her head as she said “Oh,” and then looked at me as she waved her hand in front of her face, trying to ward off the buzz Patty seemed to be sharing every time he opened his mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well, here’s a bottle of water so that you can sober up a little more so your pregnant wife doesn’t have to take care of your sorry ass…” Tom said as he pushed a water bottle into his son’s hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Thanks, Dad,” Patty said as he rolled his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We then said our goodbyes to Tom and Sandy and out the door we went.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Patrick was sober enough to help me up into the driver’s seat of the H2 and then away we went.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay, so head to <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Lake Erie</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Beach</placetype></place>…” he said, pointing out the windshield.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t hang out there right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The docks are closed.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Just go and don’t ask questions, Emmy,” he whined, slightly annoyed with my questions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fiiiinneee,” I whined back as I stomped on the gas pedal, heading south down Rt. 5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lake Shore Rd was probably one of my favorite drives, especially during the summer because there were always some amazing views of the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned up the music and cruised down the road to the sounds of Breaking Benjamin blaring out of the speakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his drunken state he fell asleep, leaving me to my thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a little over a 30 minute drive to Lake Erie Beach, from Buffalo, right outside of Angola, our hometown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both Patty and I often had summer jobs on the docks of the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I got closer I woke up sleeping beauty.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yo!” I yelled, effectively making him jump up from his slouched position and giving me a good laugh.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Do you have to be so loud?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are almost here.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh.” He said while he yawned and stretched out his arms and torso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Um, okay, just two more blocks to go…” he said as he squinted out the windshield.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was now becoming very suspicious of the plan because I knew we were in a residential area.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Slow up, speed demon!” he cried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Right up there is our turn!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Where?!” I asked, now squinting along with him because I really had no clue where we were going.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">His hand shot out in front of him as he pointed to the driveway with a “SOLD” sign out front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped abruptly, effectively jolting us forward against the seatbelts and back against our seats again.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What is this all about?” she asked hesitantly as she carefully backed into the driveway.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Just park the damn Hummer and turn it off!” I growled impatiently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had half a load on, but the buzz was being taken over by my excitement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I signed the papers two weeks ago and was chomping at the bit to tell her about it, but mom insisted that I wait until our “second wedding day,” to present it to her as a gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agreed that it was a good idea, but it was so hard for me to keep my mouth shut for this long.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The place had gone on the market a week prior to me making settlement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a vacation home for some rich couple from NYC, but I planned on making it our new home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom had been keeping an eye out on the listings for me for quite sometime but nothing had quite piqued my interest like this one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was a bigger home than we probably needed, but I loved how it reminded me a lot of my family’s place on <place w:st="on">Seneca Lake</place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a wooden lake house with cedar weathered siding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had a two story porch out back and a beautiful wrap around porch on the front.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had our own little private marina, including a boat house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was an in-ground pool and a large yard that led right to the lake shore.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Inside was hard wood floors and an open floor plan with sky-lights allowing in the natural light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The kitchen was huge with a center island stove and stainless steel appliances that the last owners left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dark marble colored counters set the cedar cabinets off beautifully when the recessed lighting was turned on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The windows in the kitchen framed another beautiful view of the lake.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">All together there were 4 bedrooms and 2 and half bathrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The master bedroom had a view of the lake and access to the 2<sup>nd</sup> story porch with a hot-tub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had our own bathroom with a two-person tub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a large walk-in closet and wooden floors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I already planned on converting the one bedroom into an office/study. A pool table was on order for the finished basement. Drew had already seen the place and had plans on building a bar downstairs; claiming he had already found “the prefect flat screen for the man cave.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I watched nervously as Emma explored the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew she would love the place because we had often talked about what kind of house we wanted to live in while we were growing up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I was dreading the words she finally spoke when she came down the steps to where I waited for her opinion.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Are you sure we can afford something like this?” she asked quietly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Do you think my mom would have told me to buy it if I couldn’t afford it?” I asked as a small smile played across my lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Remember Emma, we are not poor,” I spoke as I pulled her into my arms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She nuzzled her face against my chest and rubbed her hands up and down my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could swear I could hear the gears turning in her pretty little head as she took it all in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a moment she turned her head up so that she rested her chin on my sternum and looked up at me with tears in her sparkling blue eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Why are you crying, my love?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t you like it?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She began swiveling her head back and forth slowly as she wiped the tears away from her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I love it, Patty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s our dream home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just can’t get over the fact that it’s ours and we are living our dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep wondering when someone is going to pinch me.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well, I’m just going to kiss you so that you realize that it’s all real, Emmy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And kiss her I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first I touched my lips lightly to hers and then I pressed harder to gain entrance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wrapped around me, more needful as I left go of her waist and reached for the hem of her dress.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I flattened my palm against the outside of her warm thigh and ran it smoothly upwards, taking her dress hem along with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gently, I un-zippered her dress with my other hand, causing her to shiver against me as I lifted it up over her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked down to find my beautiful wife standing in front of me in only her strapless bra, a nude colored lacy thong and the small swell of her belly accented by the low lighting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">As I stared, she flicked my hat off, pulled my shirt over my head and quickly undid the button of my shorts, revealing the hard-on I had as she left them fall to the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was moving a little slow from the alcohol, so she didn’t get much of a fight from me when she got down on her knees in front of me and pulled down my boxers so that she could run her tongue along my large, hardened length, causing me to sigh loudly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fuck, Emma…” I groaned as she took me into her mouth, swirling her tongue around my dick like it was a game to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she laughed, I thought I was going to lose it as the vibrations of her mouth pulsed through me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I somehow had enough concentration to pull her hair pins out of the up-do she had her hair in, so that it cascaded down her shoulders, giving me room to run my fingers through it to guide her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My moans echoed throughout the empty house and just a dim light aluminated the area around us.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She was in the middle of deep throating me when I pulled her off my wet stick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked up at me as I cleaned a couple drops of spit and pre-cum off her sweet face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyebrows were furrowed with some confusion and disappointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew that if she kept going I would probably not have enough left in the tank to satisfy her due to my large alcohol consumption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I got down on my knees to be at her level and kissed her swollen lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spun her smoothly around while she was still on her knees, causing her to gasp as I pulled her against me and bit gently into her neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hand drifted smoothly across her belly and down to her lower lips, dipping my fingers into her warm, wet treasure, causing her to purr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She stretched back and reached her arms up and wrapped them around my neck, pulling my lips and teeth deeper against her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She threaded her fingers through my hair and cried out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yes, Patrick!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, take me…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">As soon as the words were out of her mouth I pushed her forward so that she was on her hands and knees, placing her perfect round ass up in the air for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took my length in my left hand and steadied myself on her ass cheek with my right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then pushed into her as she cried out my name once again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I was deep in her, I grabbed onto her waist and began fucking her senseless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My drunken state took away the nerves I had had every other time we made love since she had told me she was pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though she told me I wasn’t going to hurt the baby, I still had been a little wary of having any rough sex sessions with her, despite Emma’s dismay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time she shouted out in ecstasy, obviously content with the forceful pace I had set as I slammed in and out of her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I knew I wasn’t going to last much longer with the fast pace we had set, but I wanted to make sure she came, so I reached underneath her and began rubbing my thumb over her erected clit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost instantly I felt her walls begin clamping around me and she convulsed in front of me as she cried out in pleasure, effectively milking me as she rocked back and forth on my rod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After I finished my own orgasm, I smacked her ass, causing the slap to echo throughout the house.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Was that necessary?” she breathed out as she turned her head over her shoulder to look back at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her skin was flushed and she looked stunning still on her hands and knees in front of me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Most definitely,” I answered back with a smile and another smack on the ass for good measure.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She laughed a little and then shivered from a small draft that had come in from one of the kitchen windows that were open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So where is my change of clothing?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I left out a laugh and proceeded to get up off the floor, helping her along up with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I leaned down and kissed her softly and led her to the powder room so that she could get cleaned up and put on the pair of shorts and t-shirt I had brought over the day before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I had secretly hoped she’d be all for breaking the house in after she took her first tour of it and she obviously didn’t leave me down.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-82129608465285152822011-04-24T08:00:00.001-04:002011-04-24T08:00:04.069-04:00Chapter 17<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">May 13<sup>th</sup>, 2009 – Vacation Day #3</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We announced our engagement to Drew and Stacy at the bar we had agreed to meet at earlier, garnering hugs, kisses, congratulations and support.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They both agreed to stand with us at our outdoor wedding that would be taking place in a vineyard right outside of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rome</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The captain of the cruise ship was going to wed us and they had been more than gracious to help us plan this quick wedding.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Bright and early in the morning Emma and I headed out to the jewelry shops to find our wedding rings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hardest part was not finding rings our size, but finding something that wasn’t too fancy for Emmy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course she wasn’t one to prance around with a big gaudy ring and I couldn’t really blame her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talked about it and it was already decided that she would not be wearing her engagement ring to work for the simple fact it could easily be ruined. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She found a beautiful simple emerald cut diamond that was a little over a carat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was actually bigger than I thought she’d go for, but I spotted the ring and drug her over to the case.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Emmy, what do you think of this one?” I asked as I stared down into the case, looking at the platinum band with two simple grooves that intertwined themselves around the band.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She bounced up against my side and looked down to where I was pointing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hmm, I think I actually like that one…a lot,” she said as a smile brightened her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And look! I can get the wedding band that matches the intertwined grooves and it has some small diamonds dispersed throughout it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think they look really pretty together.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I looked up and nodded to the salesperson and he brought the rings out of the case so that she could try them on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rings set each other off and they looked beautiful on her long fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just looked over and smiled sweetly at me and pointed to the price tag that stated the set was $10,000 euros.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah?” I asked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Are you sure?” she asked through her teeth, holding her funny smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, yeah,” I answered, basically saying, “Duh.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t make me go into the money speech again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, if I run out of money, we can just live off your salary.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“THWACK!” as she slapped me across the stomach and forced her lips into a straight line to scold me quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I smiled inside, still loving the fact that I could push her buttons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up getting the matching wedding band to hers and we both left the store with big smiles of contentment on our faces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After shopping we were back out sight seeing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We wanted to make sure that even though we were getting married, we wouldn’t miss any of the sites we had learned about in our history classes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emma couldn’t find Stacy and Drew fast enough to show them her engagement ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be the only day she would be wearing it as my fiancé, so I couldn’t blame her for being excited about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was kind of bummed that I wouldn’t be able to call her my fiancé for longer than a day, but it made a lot more sense to be calling her my wife.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">My wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Definitely like the sound of that one…</span></i></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">December 12<sup>th</sup>, 2009</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Kasyk!” Wagner yelled out as I was walking towards the parking lot to go home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned to find him chasing me down as steam poured from his head and mouth on the chilly fall evening.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I stopped walking so he didn’t have to keep running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I think you forgot your keys,” he said breathlessly as he caught up to me with my key ring dangling from his fingers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Shit…thanks, I’ve completely lost my mind,” I mumbled as I took the keys from his hands.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Are you feeling okay?” he asked worriedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You look really tired…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I cut him off by nodding my head and putting my hands up, pleading him to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’d feel a lot better if people would stop asking me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes me feel like I look like the ugliest piece of shit walking the planet at the moment.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He put his hand on my arm, “You look more beautiful than ever Emma; you are glowing and radiant.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You are just saying that,” I whined as I stomped my boot on the cold macadam.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Since when have you known me to say anything I didn’t mean?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I stopped to think for a moment, but he was right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As blunt as Wagner could be, he was most likely one of the most honest friends I’ve ever had, besides Patty, of course.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He pulled me into a warm, friendly hug as he whispered, “So do you believe me?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I pouted a little as I answered, “Yeah, I guess so.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m just worried about you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should really think about taking your leave of absence sooner than Christmas. I’m sure it doesn’t make things easy with Patrick on the road and you being home alone, pregnant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I know you’re busy getting things done around the new house…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Did Charlie tell you to talk to me?” I asked as I pulled back, out of his arms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I watched as he put his hands in his pockets and kicked at the ground like a child that had just been caught doing wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Maybe.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I threw my hands up in the air and turned in a circle as I began yelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus Christ!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You guys need to get off it already!!! Yes, I’m pregnant and my husband is a hockey player who is on the road right now and I’m a firefighter, but my doctor says I’m cleared to still drive the trucks and just take things a little easier than normal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop harping on me or I will work up until the point this baby drops out onto the pump panel of the engine!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I watched as Wagner cringed at the last thought as he probably pictured some bloody mess oozing onto the ground, but all I could do was hope that I drove the point home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Besides,” I went on, “If you are all that worried about me being tired, then by all means stop over at my house and help me get some painting done!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to work on it tonight?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wagner asked, looking like an excited puppy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh good grief, I was just kidding.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I don’t care if you were just kidding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not, so what time do you want help?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Can you actually paint?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yup.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fine, be over at 7pm and I’ll have dinner there for you,” I said feeling like I was just conned into letting the guys have their own way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had been harping on me for the last month to come over and help me with the new house, but I kept insisting I didn’t need help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it was becoming harder for me to do as many things and I knew I’d never get everything done in time if I didn’t have more help besides the weekend help Stacy gave me and the days that Patty didn’t have games.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“See you at 7!” Wagner yelled out as I turned and walked to my car, shaking my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I climbed into the H2 that Patty insisted on me driving ever since we found out I was pregnant because he felt I’d be safer in the larger vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember arguing with him that I was fine in the Escape, but he would not listen to me and I just finally gave in because in all actuality, I loved driving the gas hog. I turned over the engine, willing it to warm up quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I sat waiting, I took a deep breath and smiled placing my hand protectively over my growing belly while the little one inside kicked me, reminding me that he or she was alive and well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">May 14<sup>th</sup>, 2009 – Vacation Day #4 – The Wedding in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rome</city></place></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">By 7am, Stacy and I were sitting in the ship’s hair salon getting our hair and make-up done by the really nice staff that volunteered to get into the salon early to take care of me on my big day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had found two cute dresses to wear for the ceremony while we were out and about last night without the guys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drew insisted on having a guy’s night out with Patrick so they could celebrate his last night as a bachelor, which meant Stacy and me were taking full advantage of our girl’s night.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Stacy’s dress a short skirted princess cut, strapless dress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was satin and mocha in color with a thin cream colored sash around the waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dress was a replica of hers except that it was cream colored with the mocha sash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The formal wear place on the ship actually had mocha colored tuxes to match for the boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t believe our luck; it was looking more like this was meant to be all along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stacy and I bought matching strappy heals that would put me at roughly the same height as Patrick and I was already smiling about that fact as I strutted around the store in them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Stacy of course insisted that she sleep with me that night because of the age old tradition of the bride and groom not sleeping together the night before their wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found it kind of silly, but it was nice to have a girl’s night together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We ended up doing things I never had done growing up because I never had a best girlfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We painted each other’s nails and went out dancing for a bit on the ship’s discothèque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then before bed we watched a chick flick, falling asleep after we cried our eyes out at the end of it because we were a little tipsy from the yummy Italian wine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We went to breakfast after getting our hair done and then headed up to my room to get changed into our wedding attire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cruise ship had two separate luxury cars to transport us, so that we wouldn’t see each other before the ceremony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I was being treated like a princess as we got into the car with the help of some of the ship’s crew.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was an old winery with a gorgeous old mansion on the property.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A ship photographer snapped what seemed to be a million pictures of Stacy and me as we finished getting ready.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the ship musicians accompanied us and played acoustic guitar as I walked out onto the patio to the ship’s captain, Drew, and my husband to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We even had a small audience of vineyard workers and the vineyard owners that had gathered to watch the ceremony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were all very polite and smiled at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I didn’t really notice all of them because the only person I could see was Patrick, staring straight back at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our eyes connected like they were tractor beams, pulling me down the aisle towards him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked like my prince charming in his tux, standing straight with his hands folded in front of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hair was neatly spiked and he was clean shaven, which always seemed to define his chiseled features even more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I always thought he looked down right sexy dressed up.</i> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Everyone in the wedding party had cream colored kala lilies which also adorned the make shift altar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very simple, yet very elegant with the stunning Italian scenery in the background.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She walked out onto the patio and instantly our eyes connected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked like an angel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her dress showed off her long, sexy legs and her breasts were pushed up slightly in the dress, creating a beautiful feminine picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminded me of the night she showed up at the park for the prom, however tonight she looked even more beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My stomach was in my throat as I felt my heart beating in my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, my dreams were going to come true and our fate would be sealed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She came up beside me and smiled sweetly as she handed her flowers off to Stacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The captain told us to join hands and face each other for our vows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to do nothing more because I just wanted to stare at her forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun made her blonde hair shine like she was an angel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had tamed her frizzy curls, somehow getting them to form perfect ringlets that framed her beautiful smooth, skinned face that had become golden brown in color from spending so many days on the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had on a shimmery lip gloss that made her lips look like a juicy peach and her eyes were outlined in a shimmery cream colored eye shadow, making her blue eyes glimmer in the sun light.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I barely heard the words from the captain except when he said my name asking me repeat my vows to Emma that I will love and protect her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tears formed in my eyes as I said the sacred words to her, meaning every single letter that formed the words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also began tearing up when she spoke the vows, causing my heart to beat a hundred times faster as she slid the ring onto my finger.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">When he said I could kiss my bride, I pulled her firmly against me and kissed her so deep and needful that she left out a sigh in my mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our lips finally parted but we couldn’t stop staring at each other as everyone clapped and said their congratulations.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I love you, Emma,” I whispered as I held her during one of the picture poses we were put into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank you for making this the best day of my life.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She turned and smiled at me as she joked, “I thought the day you were drafted into the NHL was the best day of your life?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I laughed as I kissed her on the nose, completely ignoring the photographer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, I do remember saying that, but this tops it a million times over.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Just remember that when you win the <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Stanley</city></place> Cup someday…don’t forget about this day,” she said half joking, yet half serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I love you too, Patty.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It turned out when we looked at our photo proofs the next day, our favorite picture was when I kissed her on the nose while she was sitting on my lap, having that conversation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We celebrated that evening by tromping around and hitting as many bars in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rome</city></place> and getting trashed off our asses in a foreign country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girls changed into sexy little dresses they had bought from their shopping trip the day before, giving Drew and I something to drool about as we followed their asses down the sidewalk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We had our first dance as husband and wife in this crazy discothèque that was right along one of the rivers in the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was outdoors and the atmosphere was something like nothing else I had ever experienced.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Metro Station’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shake It</i> came blaring over the speakers as I yanked her out onto the dance floor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You realize our first song as a married couple is about shakin’ our asses?” she yelled happily over the chorus as we jumped around on the dance floor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You realize that we have never done anything the correct way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, why start now?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Ah, see that is where you are wrong!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh? How so?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“We totally got <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this </i>right,” she said with a smile that made her eyes sparkle as she pointed back and forth between us.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I stopped bouncing and said, “Heh, yeah, that you are right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this…” I said as I pulled her close to me and kissed her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It instantly felt like we were the only two in a room of smelly Italians that were drunk and grinding on one another.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I wouldn’t change this for anything in the world.</span></i></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">June 2009</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I slammed the door as I came into the cool apartment and dropped my gear bag onto the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked over to the couch and flopped down next to Patrick who was busy playing NHL 2010 on his PS3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was in just a pair of running shorts and looking like a hot mess with his uncombed hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hey Babe!” he said, turning his puckered lips towards me but keeping his eyes on the flat screen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I kissed him but grabbed his face, making him look at me just to get a rise out of him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Aaah!! They just scored on me!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh, you poor baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It must be soooo hard to sit here at home and play video games online against Drew.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m not only playing against Drew; Booth is in on the game too,” he said as I watched his avatar skate around the ice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Booth?” I asked as I got up to get myself a glass of cold iced tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been one hell of a day at work and it was un-naturally hot for a June day in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yup.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Didn’t know you still talked to him,” I said with my interest piqued.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“We don’t really talk; I just play against him online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why? You interested in meeting up with him again?” he asked with a wink and grin.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I pushed him over on the couch as I came back over to sit down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t need you two thumping chests again.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He set down the controller and pulled me into a tight hug, kissing me on the cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled back and said, “Oh! I almost forgot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stacy called and said for you to call her when you are ready to work on the scrap book from our cruise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also said something about making up some kind of collage, outlining our childhood years and such for the wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m thinking you’ll need to talk to mom for those pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I have to say is noooo naked bathtub pictures!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was already giggling about it because I was already thinking of those pictures.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m being serious about that,” Patty said, looking at my intently.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, yeah, yeah…” I mumbled as I attempted to take a sip of my tea but failing miserably because I couldn’t keep my smile away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up with some tea dribbling down my chin, onto my shirt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“See!! You shouldn’t think of doing mean things like that because it only ends up with bad consequences!” he yelled as he pointed at me, now trying his hardest not to laugh.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You are such a child!” I yelled back as I set my glass on the coffee table so that I could wipe my face on his shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t know what I’m going to do with two children in the apartment!” I said, laughing as I proceeded to grab at the bottom hem of his t-shirt and wiped my mouth on it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m a child?! What the hell?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here you are wiping your face on my shirt…Wait! Stop!” he exclaimed as he pushed me away from his shirt and grabbed my by the shoulders so that I would look at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What is this shit about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">two</i> children in the apartment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there something you haven’t told me?” he asked with a confused look on his face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I sat back and looked at him shyly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had realized the other day that I was about a week late with my period and decided this morning when I got up to take a pregnancy test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so nervous about it that I decided to wait until I got home to break the news.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew he’d be excited, but I wasn’t 100% sure if I was completely excited about becoming a mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After growing up with an abusive father, I was terrified I would fail just as bad has he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was scared that I wouldn’t be a good enough parent and I was afraid of what they were going to say at the firehouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would be the first pregnancy they would have to deal with and I was afraid they wouldn’t let me work.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Patrick snapped me out of my thoughts as he took my hands and looked at me worriedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Baby, what’s wrong?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The tears sprung to my eyes without warning and I began bawling like I never had before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mumbled on and on about how I wasn’t going to be a good mom and how I didn’t want to lose my job and how I didn’t want to burden him with a having a baby during the hockey season and how it was all my fault.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Whoa!” he said loudly to get me to shut up for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had already pulled me against him and was running his fingers comfortingly through my hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emma Kaleta, what would make you think you would not be a good mother?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And seriously, why would you think you and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">our</i> baby would be a burden to me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good grief!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has this child already taken your brain away from you?” he chuckled at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We are gonna have a baby!” he exclaimed as he squeezed me tightly against him, kissing my hair and then my face as he brought it up towards him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hope she looks exactly like you!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I sniffled and asked, “She?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be a he, you realize.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Nah, we are having a girl,” he said plainly, like he knew it was fact.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“And how would you know this?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Because, I’ve already dreamed about her.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Huh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I guess we will find out in 9 months…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Let’s make a wager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it’s a girl, I get to name her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it’s a boy, then you get to name him,” he said, smugly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Deal,” I said as I put my hand out in between us, making sure he shook on his bet.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-34618362863680972142011-04-23T08:18:00.001-04:002011-04-23T08:18:00.584-04:00Chapter 16<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">January 1998</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The snow was coming down like crazy as Emma and I lay on the carpet floor of my family’s finished-off basement, doodling and drawing cartoons as we listened to the Sabres game on the radio on WGR550.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hey!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s play MASH!” Emmy squeaked out of nowhere as she ripped off the piece of paper she was doodling on and began writing the letters at the top of the paper and numbering down the sides.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That is such a stupid game,” I whined, not even looking up at her because I was too busy adding my finishing touches to my action hero I was drawling.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You’re stupid if you don’t play it!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I rolled my eyes and finally dropped my pencil down onto my tablet and looked up at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay! Give me 4 people you want to marry.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I thought I got to pick 5?” I questioned as I sat up and crossed my legs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Nooo, you pick 4 and I pick the 5<sup>th</sup>,” she exclaimed the common knowledge while she still lay on her stomach, kicking her legs back and forth behind her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fiiinnneee… Marguerite Moreau…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Isn’t that the girl from the Mighty Ducks movies?!” she asked, giggling uncontrollably.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yessss” I hissed through my teeth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look, if you are going to laugh at every single thing, I’m not doing this stupid game with you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She snorted and then shut up as I listed my next three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Alicia Silverstone, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Gwen Stefani.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay, next is job.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Wait! What about your choice?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I wrote it down already,” she said as she covered up what she wrote.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to know what you wrote,” I spat, now becoming completely annoyed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fine.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She took her hand away and I saw her name written in the #5 spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Now, what do you want to have for a job?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I wanted to pick on her about writing her own name, but something told me not to make a fuss about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Um, hockey player of course, teacher, baseball player, movie star.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">By the time we had everything filled out and counted down the game was done and I was more than ready to know my results, especially since Emma was blushing like crazy for some stupid reason.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Emma! Seriously?! Give me the darn paper and stop acting like a girl!” I yelled at her as she ran around the room with the paper in her hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Emma!” my mom’s voice stopped us both in our tracks as Emma was poised to jump off the back of the couch onto the floor and I was right at her heals.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, Mrs. Kaleta?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Your grandma said it’s time for you to come home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Kaleta is going to walk you back over to your house since the snow is so bad, so please get your stuff on,” mom informed us by yelling down the steps to us.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay!” Emma answered as she jumped down to the ground, basically forgetting that we were chasing each other around the room, so I was able to easily snatch the paper from her hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grunted about it and mumbled, “Whatever, you can read it if you like,” as she ran up the steps and slamming the door behind her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I took the paper and sat down on the steps, reading what my life was supposedly going to be like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was left in a semi-state of shock as I read the paper out loud to myself:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You will marry: </i>Emma Kasyk<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You will be: </i>A Hockey Player<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You will make: </i>$1 million dollars a year<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You will live:</i> in Buffalo, NY<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You will drive:</i> a Hummer<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"># of Kids:</i> 1<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You will live in a:</i> House</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">May 11<sup>th</sup>, 2009 - Day 1 of Vacation</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We stepped off the plane in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Barcelona</city>, <country-region w:st="on">Spain</country-region></place>, grabbed our luggage and found a driver holding up a card that said, “Kaleta.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked suspiciously over at Patty, but he just smiled and dragged me along towards the chauffeur.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We drove to the coast and dropped off at the cruise ship dock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just stood there for a moment with my suitcase in hand and gawked at the big ship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then looked over to find Patty staring at me, curiously watching my expression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We are going on a cruise of the <place w:st="on">Mediterranean</place>?” I gasped.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“12 day cruise of the Mediterranean Tapestry, then a couple days tromping around in <country-region w:st="on">England</country-region> and <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">Scotland</country-region></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked to Charlie and got your schedule switched around a bit so I didn’t have to bring you back in exactly 2 weeks,” he announced proudly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You got my schedule switched?! Ugh, Patrick Kaleta, you still get anything you want!” I said kind of loudly as I threw my hands up in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was slightly annoyed because I did not want special treatment because my boyfriend was from the hometown and played in the NHL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, Charlie always seemed to spoil me behind closed doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one would even know that I was off for extra time, but my guilty conscious would make me feel a little upset about it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Charlie told me you’d prolly be annoyed and he was right,” he grumbled as he attempted to pull me against him, but I stood my ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sighed at my stubbornness and kissed my forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emma, please.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Punish me when we get home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to start out our first real vacation together arguing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, hell, we are in fucking <place w:st="on">Europe</place> right now!!” he pleaded with widened eyes as he threw his hands up in the air, framing the beautiful picture of the city behind him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I took a deep breath to calm my temper and dropped my carry-on bag beside me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stepped towards him, causing him to step backwards, afraid that I was going to punch him or something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started laughing as I reached out and wrapped my arms around the back of his neck pulling him close to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then jumped up and wrapped my legs around him and planted a hard kiss on his lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I pulled back from the kiss it made smacking sound, causing us both to laugh a little at the theatrics of it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t believe you brought me to <place w:st="on">Europe</place> for my summer vacation!” I squeaked as I finally revealed to him my excitement of how ultimately cool this was going to be.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">His whole face lit up as he squeezed me tightly and placed me back down onto the docks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We were just grabbing our bags to head to the ship when I heard someone yelled, “Yo! Kalates!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned around to find Drew running across the docks, dragging Stacy along with him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Drew is here?!” I exclaimed out loud to myself, laughing at the strange fact to be in the middle of <place w:st="on">Europe</place> and finding someone that lived right down the street from you, yelling your name.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I hope you don’t mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked to him about it at the end of the season and he asked if he and Stacy could tag along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured it’d be cool to have some friends along.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No, that’s so totally awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t believe Stacy didn’t tell me when I saw her downtown the other day.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I wasn’t going to be blamed for ruining the surprise!” she said, trying to catch her breath as her and Patrick finally made it over to us.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“This is soo awesome!” I said, hugging Stacy and then Drew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">After the 4 of us had a drink at one of the gazillion bars on the ship, we set off to find our rooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drew and Stacy were a level under us, so we said our goodbyes in the elevator and giggled like kids as we went up to the next floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched her expression as she pushed the door open to our room, revealing a luxurious Penthouse type suite.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Holy, fucking shit, Patty!” she exclaimed loudly, causing the maid in the hallway to look at us with a confused smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was probably thinking, “stupid small town Americans.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just shrugged at the maid and smiled back as I shut the door behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then watched Emma explore the suite with wide eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Patrick!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This had to have cost a fortune!” she whined as she spun around and grabbed my hands with a worried look on her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emma, I make a half million a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I can afford it and I think I’m allowed to spend some of my money to spoil myself and my girlfriend,” I defended as I grabbed her hand to take her out onto the oversized verandah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You know more than anyone else in this world that becoming a professional hockey player was my dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I worked so that I could play hard and now we are reaping the benefits of this, together.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Before she could put up an argument I heard her intake a sharp breath as soon as she stepped out onto the porch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ohmygosh, Patty! Look how beautiful the view is!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just think, we get to wake up to this every morning!” she squealed as she ran over to the railing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Ahem,” I said as I cleared my throat to catch her attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She turned around and I just pointed over to the hot tub at the other end of the balcony.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Holy shit!” she squealed again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I knew it, I watched her strip out of her clothing, becoming completely naked and crawling into the tub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so floored by her actions that I just stood there staring at her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well, are you coming in here or not?!” she asked, confused on why I was just standing there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked ravishing as she had already made herself comfortable in the tub.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her unruly blonde hair was pulled back with a big clip, but as usual numerous wisps of curls were hanging down on her face and down the back of her neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was sitting with her arms up and resting on the edge and her breasts looked like two floating orbs as the water jets pushed them up with water bubbles outlining them. Her tanned skin glowed in the sun light that was peering onto the deck and my breath caught in my throat for a moment</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I finally snapped out of my lustful staring and bust out laughing as I began peeling my shirt over my head and undoing my shorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emmy, you crack me the fuck up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swear there are some days you have not grown a day older than the first day I met you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m sorry is that a problem?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fuck no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s one of the many reasons why I am so in love with you…” I said as I climbed into the tub and immediately straddling myself over top of her so that I could press my body against hers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled her back away from the wall of the hot tub, coaxing her to sit on my lap and to wrap her legs around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled on the hair clip that was holding her mass of curly blonde hair off of her neck, causing it to tumble down onto her shoulders and into the water.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She shook her head to shake her hair completely down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you like having my hair down all the time or something?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I nodded my head as a smirk came across my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I always thought you looked like a wild child with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never cut it.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She laughed lightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have thought about cutting it numerous times, especially in the summer time when we get some of our first fires on the hot days…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I guess that would be a pain to have it up under your helmet,” I said all of a sudden picturing her all hot and sweaty in her bunker pants and a sexy little tank-top.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’ve gotten used to it…” she began saying but I was done with talking and more interested in getting it on with the vision that had her legs wrapped around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">In <place w:st="on">Europe</place>! Wooot!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My lips stopped her in mid speech as she quickly got the hint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt her squeeze her thighs tight around me and soon I felt her hands slip down between us and begin working magic on my dick that was already receiving decent stimulation from the water jets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m glad you always to seem to be as horny as me,” I murmured as I began kissing down her neck.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I felt her laugh, “Guess it all comes down to that comment your mom had said to me a couple weeks ago.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped kissing her, but just kept my eyes closed to her as I began dreading what was going to be said next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t have to ask because she started talking again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“She said something about God making us as the modern Adam and Eve and that we had to have been made from the same earth.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I just groaned and wanted to bury my head in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Seriously?! I can’t believe she told you that line,” I whined.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emma stopped stroking my dick as I looked up at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wait, she said that to you before?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, the other year, a couple days before your dad’s funeral actually.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her that we couldn’t be expected not to sin if we ever got together.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emma just snorted, like I had done that day my mom had said the words to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Holy shit, that is just f’d up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just smiled and told her that I thank God every day when you make me cry out His name.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What?!” I cried out, mortified.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She just laughed wickedly and said, “Do you really think I’d say that to the woman who has basically been my mother for the last 20 some years?!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I would sure as hell hope not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what did you say to her?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I said that we sin worse than Eve ever did…” she answered while wiggling her eyebrows along with a broad smile as she wrapped her hand firmly around my penis, once again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I just shook my head, silently thanking God that my mom had a sense of humor and wasn’t June Cleaver.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Take control of the atmosphere.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Take me far away from here.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">There is no better loss than to lose myself in you…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">…surrender somehow became so beautiful.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Take control.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNAdxzF5-yo&feature=related"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Control </span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">- </span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">MUTEMATH<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">May 12<sup>th</sup>, 2009 – Vacation Day #2</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Spain</span></country-region></place><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"> had been absolutely gorgeous!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stacy and I wowed the boys with our Spanish speaking skills when we ordered dinner at one of the outdoor café’s we stopped at during our exploration of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Monte Carlo</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was only the 2<sup>nd</sup> day of our vacation and I already had over 100 pictures on the digital camera of the sites and of the 4 of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick and I were posing in front of the royal palace at sunset for a picture when he pulled me in for a kiss, making my foot pop up behind me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That’s the perfect Princess Diaries picture!” Stacy squeaked out, causing me to laugh hysterically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drew and Stacy ended up being the perfect travel companions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were all into exploring but we were also very understanding when one couple decided it was alone time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">After we took pictures Patrick announced that he wanted to “just take a romantic stroll with his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">woman</i> around the city.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Of course Drew immediately split Patty and I apart and took hold of Patty’s hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all laughed and then split ways, planning to meet at one of the ship bars upon our return.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We walked in a happy silence for a little before Patty spoke up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You know, I never thought I’d be one for all this romantic crap, but it seems you’ve made me a believer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to admit, I find it quite romantic to be walking around with you in these beautiful European cities.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I just looked over and smiled at him in agreement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I always knew you to be a softy, Kaleta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why I never understand how you can be so mean out on the ice and get into all those fights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still trying to figure out where you get all that anger.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well when we were younger, I always just thought about how your dad treated you and I used that as my anger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then when we got older, I used my anger from knowing you and Ryan were together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I have to admit towards the end of the season it was hard to get mean because I’m the happiest I’ve ever been since you’ve been with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I just channeled the anger I felt from our team sucking and used that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Gee, now that’s romantic shit there,” I said, trying not to laugh too much because he really was being serious.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He stopped and abruptly pulled me into a baker’s alley next to a bakery shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was shocked by the quick move and slightly confused by his actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He backed me up against the wall and took my hands into his and looked deep into my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His brown eyes looking like molten milk chocolate and glistened in the twilight that had fallen over the city.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Patrick? What’s this all about?” I asked, slightly breathless from shock.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Emmy, did you hear me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just said that I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” he said in an intense tone that I’ve only heard when he’s really excited about something.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I furrowed my brow slightly because I was still confused on why he was acting this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I heard you Patty and I have to tell you that I feel the exact same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s incredible knowing I’m coming home to my best friend and that I’ve finally found someone I can truly say that I’m in love with.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He bounced slightly as he said, “That’s exactly how I feel too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean, I knew it could be good with us, but I never imagined this…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“So…why are we standing here in a baker’s alley?” I asked hesitantly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Because I just got this insane idea that I’m hoping you will go for!” he said in a quiet yet excited voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same voice he would use when we’d be playing hide and go seek when we were little.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I raised an eyebrow. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Next thing I know he’s getting down on one knee and holding my left hand in his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emma Jane Kasyk, will you marry me?!” he asked, looking up at me with the most adorable face in the planet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Are you serious?!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“The most serious I’ve ever been about anything…and you of all people know that means something!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve loved you ever since the day I met you. Of course it took me til the day you wore that bikini and I kissed you, to figure out that you were actually a girl, but I’ve always known that I had to have you in my life forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, okay, so we’ve only been ‘dating’ for a couple months, but really, who gives a shit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not like this is a trial basis on if this is going to work or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no doubt in my mind that this is what is meant to be and that you are my soul mate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many men do you think can actually say they are 100% sure they are marrying their soul mate?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think there are many…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I listened to his fast spoken speech, agreeing with everything he said, knowing he was right about the whole thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I covered my mouth with my right hand as the tears began to form in my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided I better answer him because at the rate he was going, we weren’t going to make it back on the ship before it disembarked from the port.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yes, Patty,” I said loud enough for him to hear but not enough for it to register at first because he kept rambling on about how much he loved me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“…I want to be able to tell our children all of our crazy stories so that they can pass them on to our grandchildren…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yes, Patrick Kaleta!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m telling you yes!” I basically yelled as I pulled him up off his knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Geesh! You are ridiculous when you get excited about things…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">This time my words were cut off as he pressed me back against the wall and kissed me with a ton of passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A moan escaped my lips as he gained entrance to my mouth and instinctively laced his fingers in my hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrapped my arms around his thick neck, pulling his muscular body against me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we finally parted we were both gasping for air and quivering in one another’s arms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“So can I tell you the other part of my crazy plan?” he whispered with a cocky smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Maybe?” I answered back hesitantly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Let’s get married while we’re over here.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Your mom would have a total shit fit!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“My mom will completely understand… plus, we will have to do some sort of formal thing once we get back to the states because of the whole lack of a marriage license thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we will have a party to invite my family and our friend’s to before the season starts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I talked to the cruise ship people who said they could have something set up for us by the time we get to Rome in 2 days; that way the rest of our trip will be like a honeymoon for us.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You really thought this through,” I said as my mind spun around at a million miles an hour.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“And you know me, I don’t always think things through…” he said with another sly smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We can buy rings in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Pisa</city></place> tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just think, Italian wedding rings, a wedding in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rome</city></place> with Drew and Stacy by our sides…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Wow, I can’t believe that we are doing this; but yes, I agree that this would definitely be more than I ever imagined!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">His eyes were sparkling as he leaned in and again kissed me hard on the lips before pulling me out from the alley and continuing our walk as an engaged couple that would be married in two days.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-61505571478025563452011-04-22T08:00:00.004-04:002011-04-22T08:00:02.279-04:00Chapter 15<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A/N: Well, I hope we are all happy now that Patty and Emmy are officially together... but don't worry... we still have some twists and turns before we get to our ending... hope you keep reading and enjoying!! Thanks for the supportive comments!!</span><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">End of February 2009</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“The <city w:st="on">Buffalo</city> Sabres will have to do without their star goalie and try to make it into the play-offs…Ryan Miller has suffered a sprained ankle and had to be helped off the ice tonight at the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">HSBC</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Center</placetype></place> during the game against the NY Rangers…”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">My heart sank when I watched the training staff help Ryan off the ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt terrible, even though it wasn’t my fault.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could only think about the fact that this added insult to injury.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">That night, when I crawled into bed with Patrick, I asked, “Do you think he’s okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“He told me to tell you that he is going to be fine and that you better not worry about him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, he did say that he would take some of your hot chocolate if you get time to stop by.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some tension released in my shoulders and I just smiled as Patty smiled back at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I had moved my stuff out of Ryan’s place while they were on their road trip and moved in with Patrick, simply because I really didn’t have anywhere else to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had sold my grandma’s house after my dad passed away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, Patrick insisted that I move in with him because he said it was stupid for me to piss my money away on rent when I’d be over at his place most of the time anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So maybe the boy wasn’t all that stupid.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">This new side of our relationship blossomed over night, now that it was given room to grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first we had a little bit of a problem of finding a happy medium between fucking like rabbits and actually acting like a normal couple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We couldn’t seem to keep our hands off each other, like we had to make up for the years we had missed out on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Flashback to a week after Emma and Patty had been living together</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;">–</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I was pulling clothing out of the dryer when I found a very holy pair of boxer briefs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Seriously Patty?!” I yelled as I held them up to the light, looking through them at several different spots.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What?” he came bounding into the laundry room, naked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Why would you keep wearing these things…?” I started saying but as I looked over at him my thoughts were quickly changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where the hell are your clothes?!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He looked down at himself, like he forgot that he was naked and looked back up at me and shrugged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Um, I always walk around my apartment naked…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Really?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there a problem with that?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“No, not at all,” I answered as I felt myself blushing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He took a few steps towards me as I stepped backwards, only to find myself backed into the dryer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It seems to me that you are uncomfortable seeing me naked while you are still clothed,” he said with a smirk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Nn-no,” I stuttered, as I felt the heat radiating off his skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mouth began to water as I sneaked a peak over his naked body that was very close at the moment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I have a way to solve this problem…” he said with a raised eyebrow.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I leaned my arms back on the dryer, still trying to create more space between the two of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Huh, what would that be?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Next thing I knew he began grabbing at my shirt and pulling it over my head as I began to protest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey! Wait! What do you think you are doing?!” I squealed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well, if you are naked too, then there should be nothing for you to feel uncomfortable about,” he said as he laughed at me still trying to stop him from stripping me down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You are the devil, Patrick Kaleta!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He reached down and pushed down my pajama pants, finding I didn’t have any underwear on and making a snide remark about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ah, so I see you were more ready for this than you led on…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I tried getting around him so that I could run away screaming, but instead he kneeled down in front of me, slamming my hips back against the washer and proceeded to run his tongue over my lower lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had me at first lick and I found that I was glad to be leaning up against the washer; otherwise I would have fallen to the floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left out a small moan which made him look up with a smile on his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“See, I knew you’d start thinking my way.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You still are the devil…” I began to say as another moan escaped from my mouth when he ran his tongue over me again, this time dipping farther and grazing my clit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He nudged my legs apart, without much resistance and stroked my core with his tongue and fingers as his other hand held my hips against the washer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like he was spelling out the alphabet with his tongue, and knowing Patrick, I was probably correct in my thinking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My moans were echoing in the laundry room as my fingers were threaded in his thick hair that had remnants of the hair gel he had in from the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The swirling motions of his tongue on my button and the pumping motion of his fingers had me soon seeing stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick soon realized that he had effectively turned my body to jello.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched him through a haze as he stood up with a cocky smile and kissing me sweetly with his now swollen lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He scooped me into his arms to take me back to his bedroom so that he could take care of the hard-on he was now sporting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I was in the middle of laundry,” I mumbled, still in a post-orgasm state.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“And I’m in the middle of taking my girlfriend to bed with me so that I can fuck her senseless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say that my choice in activities is a lot more fun,” he said with a big smile as he dropped me onto the bed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I couldn’t argue with him there.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">October 2008</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Kasyk!” Charlie yelled as I was repelling down the side of the training building.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I stopped abruptly and looked down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, Charlie?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I smiled to myself as he stood there with his hands on his hips, looking like the scolding parent.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What do you think you are doing?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Yup, he’s going to scold me. </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m practicing my repelling for my ropes and rescue class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there a problem?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah…just get down here so I don’t get a fuckin’ crick in my neck,” he grumbled loudly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I finished bouncing smoothly down the building and bounced to the ground on my feet, landing right next to Charlie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wagner came over and began helping me unhook my harness as Charlie started yapping again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So, I just got a phone call from the Chief about you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I stopped messing with my harness as Wagner took in a sharp breath of air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What did I do wrong?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A silly smile came across Charlie’s face as he asked, “Why does it have to be something bad?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I pondered that thought for a moment and said, “I guess you are right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So then what’s up?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well, since Barry retired, we have an opening for the Lieutenant position…” he paused, probably to watch my reaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He definitely got a show because my eyes felt like they were going to bug out of my head and my hands started shaking as I held the ropes in my hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wagner grabbed my hand and squeezed it as Charlie went on, “So, I am supposed to ask you if you will accept the position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be $5000 more a year but you will have a little more paper work to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are very impressed with your leadership roles you have taken on in the station and you willingness to become such a well rounded firefighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I made sure to take all the credit for those things, but…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I didn’t let him go on any further as I jumped up on him in a hug and laid a big kiss on his cheek as I squeaked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Jesus Emma! I’m an old man!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are gonna give me a fucking heart attack if you do that shit!” he yelled at me as he laughed when I jumped back down to the ground, only to jump up onto Wagner who was more than willing to cup my ass as I wrapped my legs around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So I’m guessing that’s a yes?” Charlie yelled as Wagner was bouncing me around while we celebrated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hell yes!” I yelled really loud, making my voice echo between the training buildings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Okay, I will let the Chief know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will get pinned with your bars next Monday, just in case you want to invite anyone besides the crew from the station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They will most likely have some sort of luncheon because there are some other guys getting promoted along with you, plus they will prolly have the papers there to do a write up since you will be the first female officer in this history of the Buffalo Fire Dept.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I stopped rejoicing when the last sentence came out of his mouth and I motioned for Wagner to put me down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, I will not do anything for the papers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t care if I’m making history; you know that I refuse to make a big deal of the whole, ‘I’m a girl in a man’s world thing.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They can take pictures, but I will not be doing an interview for it.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“But, Emma, it’s a big honor for you being the first woman and all…” Wagner started to say, but quickly stopped when I gave him a sharp look.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just looked at Charlie and again said, “Pictures fine but no to the interview. Okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yup, not a problem,” Charlie said, sounding kind of disappointed that I wouldn’t want to do the interview but I knew he understood.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">From day one I refused to be treated different because I was a woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They actually offered to water down my physical testing to make it easier for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up telling the instructors to kiss my ass because if I was going to make it as a firefighter, I was going to do the same testing the men before me took.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">As soon as I got in the Escape I picked up my phone and called Patty.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hello?” he answered groggily.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Get your ass outta bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s time for you to get up and get ready for the fucking game!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Shit! What time is it?” he asked, obviously freaked out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just started laughing because I knew he actually had another 10 minutes left in his nap, but I couldn’t help but interrupt it to tell him the news.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Damnit Emma!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still have 10 minutes until my alarm goes off!” he yelled angrily into the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This better be fucking good.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh it is!” I said as I tried to stop laughing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well?” Patrick growled impatiently.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You are invited to a banquet next Monday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You, your parents, and of course Ryan and whoever else wants to come out…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“A banquet for what?” he asked, obviously getting the hint that something really was important.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’mgettingpromotedtoLieutenant!!” I screeched into the phone</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Wait, what?! That was way too many words screeched too fast for someone that just awoke from their nap.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself and slowed my words down to a snail pace as I repeated the sentence.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“HolyFuckingShitEmmy!” Patrick yelled into the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s fucking awesome!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will most definitely be there to see you get pinned with your bars!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow! Fucking awesome!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I began laughing at his excitement because I knew he was truly just as excited about this promo as I was.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Monday came and I walked into the banquet room in my Class A duds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course the press was there to take pictures of me and my guests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over half of the Sabres showed up in support of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was floored when I watched them all get out of their cars and walk over to me and the Kaleta’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between being engaged to Ryan and best friends with Patrick I had befriended a large majority of them and their families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drew and his girlfriend Stacy were the first two to give me a hug and kiss, along with flowers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I know this isn’t very manly, but you are a girl and what girl doesn’t like getting flowers?” Stacy said as she hugged me tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Drew had started dating her over the summer break and I was instantly fond of her after we met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a preschool teacher here in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> and was very down to earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was perfect for Drew and I was glad he finally found someone who made him happy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Correct you are!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every girl does like getting flower’s,” I said with a big smile as Ryan wrapped his arm possessively around my waist pulling me close to his side again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was just as excited about my promotion as Patrick and me and had no problem bragging me up to everyone around the locker room and his family.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Soon I found myself shaking hands with the Mayor and the Chief of the Buffalo Fire Department, receiving my bars and becoming the first woman officer of the department.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Of course the headlines read the next morning, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kasyk Family Tradition Carried On: Emma Kasyk becomes first female officer of the city fire department.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not surprisingly there were numerous words from the guys on my platoon, but the quote that stood out the most was from Patrick.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Buffalo Sabre and hometown hero in his own way, Patrick Kaleta, is Lieutentant Kasyk’s best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we asked him to describe Emma in a nutshell he said, ‘She is a person who never got the recognition she deserved from her father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, through her passion of wanting to prove herself to him, she has established herself a worthy candidate for being labeled a true hometown hero. She is a testament to others demonstrating through hard work and determination, you really can be the best and make a difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma would be the last person to ask for recognition in this job, I believe that she is 100% here for the better of the community.’”</span></i></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">End of April/Beginning of May 2009</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">We were officially done our season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It definitely sucked not making the play-offs, especially when there were times that we had been so brilliant throughout the season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I was a little down and out about the whole ordeal, but the other part of me was excited for summer break because I finally had someone that I loved to share it with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Emma’s schedule was pretty easy to work around since she only worked 4 days and then had 4 days off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were able to escape to the lake house often to spend time at one of our favorite places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like the summers we shared when we were kids, except better because I could kiss her whenever I wanted to and make her cry out my name whenever I got the chance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Of course it was a little awkward when Monica’s parents were vacationing up at their house, but Emma just stuck her tongue out and flicked them the bird as we sped past on the Jet Ski.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“That was real grown up,” I yelled back to her, over the roar of the engine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Since when have you known me to act like an adult?” she yelled back as she wrapped her arms around me and squeezing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You have a point there,” I answered back, shaking my head with a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">That night we were sitting by the small camp fire I had built to keep the dampness away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were toasting marshmallows and making a gooey mess when I spoke up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“So, did you get off work for the end of May, like I asked you to?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She was sucking the sticky marshmallow off her fingers and made a popping sound right before she answered me, causing her to giggle at herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just smiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Um, yeah, Charlie gave me the two weeks off…I hope you realize that I don’t have an unending amount of vacation like you do, so I expect you have bigger plans than just coming here.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You wouldn’t want to spend two whole weeks here?” I asked coyly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well, I wouldn’t mind, but it’s nice to just come here for the 4 days and go home for work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would just like to do something different,” she answered honestly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So when are you going to tell me where we are going?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just slowly shook my head back and forth as I pretended to zip my lip and throw away the key.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m not telling you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“But how am I supposed to know what to pack?!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I will pack for you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ugh! No! You won’t pack any clothing for me!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I started laughing because actually it was a really good idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I promise to pack you clothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t need others seeing my prized treasure,” I said as I leaned over and poked at her belly, getting the squeak I was hoping to hear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She just rolled her eyes and popped another marshmallow into her mouth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">A month later…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“We’re going to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Newark</city>, <state w:st="on">NJ</state></place>?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this your idea of a two week vacation?” she asked with a joking smile as we stood in the airport terminal.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told you we were going somewhere different.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Even though <place w:st="on">Jersey</place> is a part of the country people try to stay clear of, it still is apart of the States.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“HarHarHar,” I said in a mocking tone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You will find out soon enough, Emmy,” I said as I grabbed her hand to pull her onto the plane with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t hide the grin that had taken over my face.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-5661942333567598802011-04-21T08:00:00.001-04:002011-04-21T08:00:14.098-04:00Chapter 14<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I know you stay true when my world is false,</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Everything around’s breaking down to chaos.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I always see you when my sight is lost,</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Everything around’s break down to chaos.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTV0Aa4lC04">~<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chaos</b> - MUTEMATH</a></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">August 2007</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I was smiling to myself as I briefly closed my thoughts from the havoc of the fire scene I was standing on and thought about the wonderful evening I had spent with Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had just gotten back from his summer break in <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Michigan</state></place> and he immediately stopped by the station and waited for me to get off work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course my platoon was razzing the shit out of me for it this morning when I walked back in for my 2<sup>nd</sup> day shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was soon ripped from my happy thoughts, never to return to them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Mayday. Mayday!” I heard being yelled across my radio as I stood on the pump panel of the Engine at a routine row home fire in the abandon section of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Firefighter down! Firefighter down!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need the RIT team and paramedics on standby!” the distressed voice yelled again. (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A/N: RIT Team stands for Rapid Intervention Team…there are fire fighters specifically put on stand-by at the scene to take care of any emergencies that might occur during the normal operations of extinguishing a fire.)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">My heart leapt in my throat as I thought about which crew members of mine were possibly in the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was one of the first fires that I was not in the building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just trained in being a pump operator, which meant when Charlie or one of our other engine drivers was on vacation, I was now a driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today was one of those days and of course today, I was stuck outside basically unable to help my fallen comrade.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I watched the RIT team deploy into the house and a few moments later they came running out of the smoky house with a firefighter on the flexible stretcher, arms dangling at the side and someone is administering oxygen via the bag valve mask.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t get a good look of the firefighter because I was parked down a couple homes from the one they brought him out from.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Not Good!”</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> my brain screams, but my thoughts are interrupted by the interior crew screaming on the radio for more water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m drawn back into the task at hand and my thoughts are back in work mode of the time being.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I’m listening to the chief’s orders when I feel a tap on my shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turn and find one of the battalion chief’s standing next to me with a strange look on his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looks like he’s going to lose his lunch.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What’s wrong, Sam?” I yell over the roar of the engine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He stares at me for a minute and then reaches out to grab Wagner as he walks past to change out his cylinder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wagner, I’m putting you on the pump panel.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“But, Sam, I’m supposed to go back in…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“That’s an order, Wagner,” Sam barks at him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Wagner and I look at each other and shrug our shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I help Wagner get his gear off and give him a quick report on what lines I have going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I follow Sam over to the ambulance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">We stop by the side of the ambulance and Sam turns towards me again and put his hands on my shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emma, your dad had a heart attack on the 2<sup>nd</sup> floor…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">My hands immediately went to cover my mouth as I screamed into them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just looked at Sam and knew that he did not make it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the Medics came out from the back of the ambulance and took me over to one of the rehab chairs they had set up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Is there anyone you want me to call?” he asked politely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I have no more family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m all alone now.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I dug my phone out from my bunker gear and shakily found the only person that was truly my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like it took an eternity for him to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I waited I sat and watched everyone run around, still trying to extinguish the flames that were still lapping out of the roof and windows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, everything looked like it was in slow motion and I felt like I was sitting in a movie theater all by myself, watching it all play out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Emma,” Patrick breathed as he kneeled down in front of me, causing me to focus on his sparkling brown eyes, effectively blocking out everything else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally lost it at this point and basically fell off my chair so that I could collapse onto him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He held me like a little child as I cried for a man who never loved me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">February 2009</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I was pacing back and forth in the family room after the game, worried that I was going to puke at any minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could tell Patrick’s mind had been on the whole situation because he kept picking up stupid penalties and ended up with a 5 minute fighting major against Jody Shelley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They won in a shoot-out against the Sharks, but the team was still disappointed with the lack of effort throughout the whole game.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hey!” <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> said as he walked out of the locker room, towards me with a worried smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled me into a hug and whispered, “If you need anything, let me know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know this must be tough.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Drew, you really are a great friend, thank you,” I whispered back and squeezed him one last time before stepping back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I thought you weren’t coming tonight?” Ryan asked as he walked out of the locker room, surprised to see me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He walked over and pulled me into a hug and laid a kiss on my forehead.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I shrugged my shoulders and said, “I got off work early and decided to come down anyway.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Good, I’m glad you were here,” he said with a sincere smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things had actually become strained in the last few weeks, mainly because I began distancing myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hurt like hell, but I didn’t know how else to handle everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So do you want to go out tonight?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Um, I’d rather just go home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think we need to talk,” I said, making sure I looked into his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was not going to avoid his gaze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a wonderful person who I cared very much for and I refused to cheat him out of the respect her deserved.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Okay,” he said as he took my hand reassuringly and squeezed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard Patrick behind us as he talked with <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> and I knew he’d be following us shortly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">As soon as we got home, Ryan went upstairs to get a shower and I went into the kitchen and made hot chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always made hot chocolate when something was bothering me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I heard a knock at the door and when I opened it I found Patrick standing there with a furrowed brow, clenching and unclenching his jaw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stepped back so that he could come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He brushed the snow off his coat and handed it to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After hanging his coat on one of the pegs, I turned around to find him standing very close, causing my breath to catch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I moved past him and he followed me into the kitchen sitting on the other side of the counter as I poured him a cup of the hot chocolate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hey, Patrick!” Ryan said, as he walked into the kitchen with his hair still wet and dripping onto his t-shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Surprised to see you here,” he said as a confused look crossed his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of us said anything, so Ryan walked over poured himself a cup of the hot chocolate and sat down next to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So what’s going on?” he asked quietly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I looked over at him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I know something is wrong because you only make hot chocolate when you are stressed about something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve been making it every night for a month now and you’ve barely been here with me, even when we are in the house together,” he said sincerely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I opened my mouth to speak, but Patrick decided he should speak first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We’re together, Ryan.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I still had my mouth open, but quickly closed it as Patrick’s words came out and hurt crossed Ryan’s face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan didn’t even look over at Patrick, he just stared at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“It’s true,” I simply stated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I watched him take a deep breath and run his fingers through his long hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He took a sip of the hot chocolate and we sat there holding our breaths for what seemed to be an eternity of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Somehow I always knew that you two would finally figure it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess I just hoped you would both stay blind to the fact…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I looked up at Ryan and reached over to take his hand. “Ryan, I’m so very sorry.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He gently pulled his hand away from mine and said, “I am too, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are a wonderful woman and we were very good together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t be friends with you right now, but hopefully someday that will change.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then looked away from me and across the counter to Patrick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know you will take good care of her, but I ask you not to flaunt it around for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have to live and work together, so please be mindful of my heart as I have been to yours these last few years.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Patrick reached his hand across the counter and they shook hands, even though I could tell Ryan was completely torn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan was a very emotional person and I was one of the few who had seen that side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was actually a little surprised that he didn’t lose his cool, but I figured he was keeping it under wraps until we left the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure he’d end up in the basement punching the shit out of his punching bag because I already noticed him flexing his fists as he rested them on the counter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m going to gather a few of my things tonight and I will come back when you guys go on your road trip in two days to get the rest of my things out of the house,” I said as my tears came to my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The scraping of the chair across the floor was a deathly sound and my heart beat heavily as I went upstairs to pack my things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could hear them talking as I walked down the steps, but they became silence once more when I walked into the kitchen with my bag.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Patrick got up and placed his hand on my shoulder, nodding that he would be waiting for me at his apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the door to the outside closed behind him, Ryan stood up and walked over to me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Thank you for the last 2 years, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You really are a wonderful woman and I realize this is not how you wanted to end things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Know that I will always love you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I placed my bag on the floor next to us and threw my arms around him as the tears came back into my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry I couldn’t be happy enough.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He hugged me back, but it was a stiffer hug than I was used to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt him kiss my hair and he pulled back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I picked up my bag and walked out of the house I shared with Ryan, never to return again as his fiancé.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">November 1998 – after Emma and Patrick’s fight about the baby class project</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Patrick?!” my mom yelled up the steps as I was playing the newest hockey game on my Playstation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah?” I yelled back, but no answer came back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead I heard a little tap on my door and watched it slowly open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched as her blonde curls peered around the door and her big blue eyes stared back at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What do you want?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I snapped, still annoyed that I ended up having to change baby diapers twice already tonight and having to deal with an hour’s worth of crying before I could play my video games.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I will take the baby home with me tonight.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“It’s not worth it now! I just finally got it to sleep.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“But I said I’d be your partner and after talking it over with my grandma, I realized I did what my mother did to me and my dad.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The words of argument that were on my tongue melted away and I ended up staring dumbfounded at Emma.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“So can I take the baby home with me?” she asked, still scared that I was going to go off on her as she walked gingerly towards me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I hesitated for a moment and then climbed off my bed to grab the other video controller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grabbed her hand and pulled her over to my bed as I gave the controller to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You can take the baby home after you play against me in my hockey game.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Her blue eyes lit up as she reached over and gave me a hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thanks, Patty!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just smiled and said, “Emma?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You are not like your mother.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She looked at me and said, “Thank you.”</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">August 2007 – Dean’s Funeral</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I never detested Dean more than on the day of his funeral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was crushed to watch Emma as she followed her hateful father’s coffin down the street in her Class-A uniform adorned with black straps on her badges, walking like a soldier as tears streamed down her eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I loathed him because I had to watch his only daughter shed tears over him when he never gave her the love that she deserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It left a bad taste in my mouth how <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he portrayed himself as such a good man when I knew the real man that fathered such a wonderful woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At home he was the abusive father that beat his child when he was drunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, in the city of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> he had been recognized as a hero for his good deeds throughout the department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At home he was the son who never gave to shits about his mother when she got sick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here, he was a man that everyone admired and was the model “brother” to his colleagues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">There was a large funeral procession that left from the beautiful <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">St. Paul</city></place>’s Cathedral on <street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">Pearl St.</address></street> and moved along to Sta. 1 on <street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">Ellicott St.</address></street>, Dean’s home station that he had been assigned to for the 30 years he worked for the department. Firefighters from all over the country were present along with the bag pipes and flowers being tossed onto the streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Emma asked Charlie and me to walk behind her at the head of the procession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charlie was closer to being Emma’s father than Dean ever was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was actually Dean’s best friend, but he didn’t wear the rose colored glasses many of the others had seemed to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Charlie always looked out for Emma and I think he had requested to have Emma under his supervision at the station, even though he would never admit that to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt a little awkward walking in such a proceeding, but Emma insisted and of course I would do anything to support her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom had made a comment the day before when I was over to eat dinner, about how it was odd Emmy didn’t ask Ryan to also walk along with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I already knew that Emma hadn’t let herself fully open up to Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You know, I never understand what is really up with the two of you,” she said.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What do you mean?” I asked, fully knowing what she was saying, but totally wanting to hear her opinion.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She just looked at me with the all-knowing-mommy look and said, “If there were two people actually made for each other, it would be you two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think God molded you both and said, ‘Patrick and Emma are like my Adam and Eve who won’t fail Me this time.’”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I held up my hands as I left out a snort, “I hope the whole weight of the world isn’t on our shoulders, cuz I can’t promise the whole non-sinning part if Emma and I ever do get together.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Mom exploded with laughter as she threw a dish towel at my head.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I smiled slightly to myself as I thought back on the conversation but was brought back to reality as I watched her get another tissue out of her pocket to wipe her face with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple times as we walked, I wanted to run up and walk beside her so that I could hold her hand, but she had told me in the beginning of the procession that she would be fine and had to do this one last thing, hoping her father would be in Heaven, finally proud of her bravery.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Once again, Emma made the front page of the paper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A large picture of her holding her head up high as the tears streamed down her sweet face adorned the cover and on page 2 of the funeral coverage was a reprint of the picture that had been printed of her so long ago when her dad received his award for saving that family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the background I could be seen in my all black suit, standing alongside Charlie, staring worriedly up at her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">This time no words were exchanged about making the front page, instead I ripped the picture and article out of the paper and placed it in the box of other important things I had kept over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like I was effectively closing the chapter of Dean and his hatefulness as I put the lid back on the box, placing it back in my closet in the bedroom of my parent’s home.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Don’t worry Dean; I’ll be the man you never were for her.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-22242310700406627742011-04-20T08:45:00.001-04:002011-04-20T08:45:00.299-04:00Chapter 13<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">July 2008</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">My feelings were torn as I walked off the airplane after landing back in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan was staying in <state w:st="on">Michigan</state> for a couple more weeks to spend much needed time with his family and to begin some pre-season training with his old coaches at <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Michigan</placename> <placetype w:st="on">State</placetype></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was going to miss him, but I was also ready to get back to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> and back to the firehouse.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The last two weeks had been like a dream-haven for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t have any outside distractions and I was able to relax and completely be myself around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the same with Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was excited for me to know him around his family and to prove to me that he really was just a normal guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m not quite sure how normal a guy can be when he is built like Stretch-Armstrong, but hey, I’m not complaining.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">As I walked out into the terminal, reality smacked me in the face as I found Patrick waiting for me with some dark-haired beauty giggling at every word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been hoping for some time alone with him because I wanted to announce my engagement to him without an audience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t quite sure how he was going to take the news and truthfully, after staring at my ring the whole flight home, I was actually wondering how I was taking the whole being engaged thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t quite sink in yet and it felt weird to see his ring on my finger.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Of course, it seemed like the next logical step in our relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was very happy with him and we seemed to get each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was fairly sure that this was what love was supposed to feel like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Granted, as happy as I was with Ryan, I never experienced the butterflies or sparks that you are taught in the fairy tales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then again, my life was definitely not made of fairy-tales, so I’ve never come to expect things to work out like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was comforted by the fact that Ryan always treated me like a million bucks and I knew he would never do me wrong.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I watched as Patrick laughed with this stranger and somewhere deep inside, a small ache took hold in my chest as I watched him smile at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before today, I had only seen that smile when he was looking at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The smile on his face didn’t change as he looked up and found me, proving that my thoughts were correct.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He dropped the girl’s hand and quickly walked over to me, scooping me up, tightly in his arms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I missed you!” he whispered happily into my ear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’ve missed you too,” I said, making sure I masked my disappointment that he brought a friend along to pick me up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He took my hand and walked me over to the mystery woman who was basically pouting because he had left her alone for a couple seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She automatically annoyed me with her mannerisms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was dressed like Paris Hilton in some crazy, ritzy outfit that screamed, “Look at me!” and had her hands on her hips like she was saying, “He’s all mine.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Of course he’s all yours, honey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I had him first.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Emma, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Monica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We met at the lake house two weeks ago,” he said with his irresistible little boy smile that begged me for consent.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Okay, time to play big girl, Emma.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stuck my hand out to the girl and with a big smile said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Monica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope you realize how much you will have your hands full with this one.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She gingerly shook my hand like it was dirty and said, “Oh, don’t worry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I already know how much of a handful he is.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course she didn’t look at me when she said these words; instead she looked in lust towards Patty, making the bile rise in the back of my throat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">God bless the boy, but Patrick was blinded by this witch of a brunette and I could tell she had him by the balls without him knowing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was good.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“So you have to tell me about your trip?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How was your first vacation without me?” Patty asked as he placed himself between Monica and me, looping arms with us.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I relaxed a bit, just because he blocked my view from her, so I just pretended that she wasn’t there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It was really great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><city w:st="on">East Lansing</city> reminded me a lot of the <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> suburbs and his family is amazing.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Sounds like the place is in the middle of nowhere,” the witch said in an annoying haughty voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Patrick either ignored her or didn’t hear her because he began asking me questions on what we did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I told him about all the 4-wheeling and boating, knowing he loved both of those things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also told him about being crowned beer-pong champion with Drew, Ryan’s brother.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ah, so you found something you are good at!” Patrick said as he punched me lightly in the shoulder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah, it has something to do with that whole hand-eye coordination thing, something that you obviously lack on the ice,” I said, jabbing back at him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">We were both laughing when I heard the witch mumble something about Patrick having enough coordination to make a lot more money than it seems I make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The laughing abruptly stopped as I came to a complete halt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw the look of shock pass over Patty’s face as he looked back at me with a sorrowful glance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What the fuck are you thinking?” I mouthed to him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m sorry,” he mouthed back as he reached for my arm again, forcing me to keep walking with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I purposefully stayed quiet for the rest of my trip home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as the Hummer stopped in front of my house, I hopped out and ran around to the back to grab my bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick was already there waiting for me and pleading with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Please, don’t be mad with her, Emma,” he whispered urgently.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“She’s a bitch, Patrick,” I said as I leaned in and grabbed my other bag, hoping to God she heard me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“She’s…” he started to stick up for her but stopped as soon as the diamond on my left hand caught the sunlight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hold it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the hell is that?” He asked with a monotone voice through his clenched jaw.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ryan proposed to me,” I said plainly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not caring anymore about telling him gently because at this moment I didn’t care if I dropped a nuclear bomb on him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“And you said yes?” he asked as he slammed the hatch, looking at me with a strange twisted expression.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well, I wouldn’t be wearing it if I didn’t say yes,” I shot back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Emma…are you sure about this?” he pleaded as grabbed my hand when I began walking towards the house.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“As sure as you seem to be about staying with someone that insults your best friend,” I snapped as I yanked my hand from his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank you for the ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will see you around when the witch leaves town.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He didn’t argue with me, instead I felt him staring at my back as I opened the door to the empty house and walked inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I closed the door I fell back against the door and slid to the floor as tears flooded my cheeks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">January 2009 – the morning after the epic hook-up</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I woke up, startled by the unfamiliarity of my surroundings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My initial worries were quelled by the soft snoring I heard coming from behind me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slowly turned to find a peaceful, sleeping smile on Patrick’s face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked as he did when he was a child, always appearing like he had no cares in the world when he was zonked out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I couldn’t help but smile to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gingerly moved his arm that was draped across my body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the night he held me possessively against him, but at one point I told him that he had to give me some room to breathe.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I rolled out of the bed and sneaked over to the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After relieving my bladder, I turned on the sink to rinse my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked up into the mirror only to find a stranger looking back at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never in a million years did I think I would cheat on the man I promised to marry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My stomach immediately tied itself up in knots and I felt immense guilt radiating from my pores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly washed up, trying to get the scent of my transgressions off my skin and got dressed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked out to the kitchen and found a cab service that was actually running in the terrible weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrote a note for Patrick and left without looking back.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I woke up with dreams of last night replaying in my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reached out to grab Emma, only to feel that she wasn’t there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally opened my eyes and found that the bed was empty and I was by myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slid my feet over to her side to feel that she must have been gone long enough that her body heat had already evaporated from the mattress sheets.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Emma?” I called out with a hoarse voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cleared my throat and called again, but no answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got out of bed and stumbled by the empty bathroom, noticing that her clothing was gone and mine folded neatly on the sink counter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope was still there as I walked out into the living room and kitchen area, but my gut clenched when I found a piece of paper and pen lying on the counter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I’m sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you. ~Emmy</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I’m sorry”</i> barely registered because all I could stare at was the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I love you. ~Emmy.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was crushed that she wasn’t here when I woke up, but I didn’t care because she said she loved me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, it never dawned on me that in an hour I would have to face her fiancé at the rink for practice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hey! Thanks for taking Em in last night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She still seemed exhausted this morning, but I’m glad she got to spend some time with you for a change because the whole Monica thing has been a little rough on her,” Ryan said as he walked into the locker room to get changed for practice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Huh?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, yeah, hey, no problem,” I stuttered, not even attempting to look into Ryan’s eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all of a sudden hit me that this didn’t just have to do with Emma and me, but this had to do with Ryan and possibly the team, depending on how ugly things got.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m just glad I could talk her into taking a break from work,” I mumbled.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah, she worries me because she seems to work so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I know how important her job is to her, so I don’t say much.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“She at home sleeping now?” I asked, finally gaining enough composure to look over at him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Luckily, he was paying attention to dressing himself, so I still didn’t have to look him in the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, it was strange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never heard her come home and when I went to leave for practice, I found her sound asleep on the couch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I woke her up to let her know I was leaving and she just mumbled something about a taxi.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Heh, yeah, I didn’t even know she left this morning until I got up to make coffee,” I half lied and already feeling bad about the situation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I got out on the ice and cleared my head for the 45 minutes of ice time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to make sure I kept myself focused on hockey and not about how her skin felt against mine and how she sounded when she cried out my name.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I could still smell her on my fingers as I went to put my gloves back on after a drill on the ice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My thoughts were instantly changed when a body slammed me into the boards.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What ya smelling your fingers for, Kaleta?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have a good hook-up last night?” <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> chirped as him and Mair both plowed into me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I put my gloves back on and pushed <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> backwards a little bit as I scowled at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck you man.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He put his hands up in defense and said, “Whoa, I was just joking with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, I know Emma was over last night so I didn’t…no, wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You didn’t, did you?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I looked up at him and Mair, knowing that I could not hide the look that was on my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh shit,” Mair breathed quietly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What the fuck were you thinking?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Before I could answer, <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> spoke up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He didn’t need to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has been something in the making since the two became best friends.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Mair looked at him and then looked back at me as <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> stood there still staring at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What are you talking about?” Mair asked, obviously confused by the knowing looks passing between <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> and I.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Drew broke the staring contest and looked at Mair as he spoke quietly, “Kaletes here has been in love with that girl since the day I met him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately he never made his move…until last night it seems.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The whistle blew, calling us all back together on the ice for the next drill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I skated away, Mair put his hand on my shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Your secret is safe with me bud and so is Emma’s.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just nodded my head and put my head back into practice, knowing that sooner or later I was going to have to face the truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I made love with Ryan Miller’s fiancé and I plan on making her mine.</i></span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">February 2009</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">It was 11pm and I was rinsing the Rescue off after we got back from the last fender bender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt my phone vibrate on my hip as I bent over to pick up the squeegee.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ryan: Hey babe, have a safe night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Me: Thanks see you tomorrow evening, hopefully.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ryan: I love you.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Me: Love you too.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t play this lying game much longer without going crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was not who I was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kicked one of the buckets, causing the soapy water to slosh out of the bucket, onto the floor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“They make punching bags for that kind of stuff,” a humored voice said as he walked around the back of the fire truck, startling me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“How did you get in here, Patrick?” I asked feeling defeated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“One of the volunteers left me in while you guys were out on the call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just talking to Charlie while you were down here rinsing off the trucks,” he informed me as he walked over to me and pulled me against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was still in my bunker pants and boots, so I barely felt his hand cup my ass through the bulky protective clothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Have I told you how much it turns me on to see you in your gear?” he asked with a cocky smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I smiled weakly, “No, but I’m sure you are going to now.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He pulled back and said, “Nah, not worth it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will make your head bigger.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He was laughing as I punched in him in the shoulder and proceeded to turn away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t get very far before he pulled me back towards him and twisted me towards him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t walk away from me,” he breathed into my ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’ve missed you, love.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He leaned down and kissed me softly, causing my head to spin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed having him want me like this and it was definitely exhilarating to see the lust in his eyes every time he looked at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I felt my heart ache a little more every time he did this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gently pushed back on his chest and pulled away slightly so that I could look him in the eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been almost a month since we first made love in his apartment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had only been together one other time since because it bothered us both so much that we were hiding this from Ryan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Patrick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t do this much longer.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I can’t either, I’m going crazy Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes me angry knowing that you are still in his bed every night and I’m left holding a pillow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How are we going to tell him?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m just going to come out and say it, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what else to do,” I said as I turned away took some steps in the opposite direction, running my fingers through my tangled hair.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’ll help you move your stuff out of the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><place w:st="on">Stafford</place> and Mair said they’d help also…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I don’t want to cause problems amongst the team,” I said helplessly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Patrick came up behind me and wrapped his strong arms around the front of me, pulling my back against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You won’t cause problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I won’t let them happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, Ryan is not the type to bring his personal problems into the locker room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t see this being any different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should know that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I left my head rest backwards onto his shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked up at him and nodded my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You are right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do know that; I guess that’s what kills me the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want to hurt him.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“By keeping up these lies, it will only make things worse,” he said quietly as he kissed my forehead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The engine room was quiet; everyone was either in the crew lounge or in bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick and I just stood in the same position for several minutes, listening to each other’s breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shivered as his large hands slid up from my waist to my stomach and then cupping my breasts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick leaned down and kissed my neck as he pinched lightly at my nipples through my fire company t-shirt and layer of UnderArmor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Mmm, stoooop,” I whined.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“No, I’ve missed you and I want you, Emma,” he pleaded heavily into my ear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m at work.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“And everyone is either sleeping or occupied with other things…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You are going to get me fired.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Not if we’re quick,” he said as he began helping me out of my bunker gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I laughed nervously and slipped on my work boots as I pulled him towards the reserve engine in the back of the station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we did have a call, I would have enough time to get to my gear rack and Patrick could hide until we cleared the station.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I climbed up the back of the truck, onto the hose bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He followed my lead as he said, “Didn’t they do this in the movie Backdraft?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I pulled him the rest of the way up and down on top of me and said, “I didn’t think you would be picky about where we made love.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He grinned, “Believe me, I’m 100% for this and 100% turned on for it.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His lips then came down hard onto mine as he began undoing the belt of my pants and struggling to get my layers off of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pushed my shirt up enough so that he could get to my breasts and left my pants around my ankles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I insisted that he take off his shirt so that I could revel in his large, muscular chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our kisses were rushed but needy, knowing we didn’t have a lot of time to get this done.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Accidentally, I left out a moan as he entered me, causing him to place a hand over my mouth with a half warning look and a half dangerous smile as he set a rigorous pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though the act was rushed, it again was one of the most passionate things I’ve ever done with another man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The look in Patrick’s eyes as he took me on the hose bed was a look that made my heart cry out with joy and love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maybe the fairy tales were right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Love really does make your heart sing.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He breathed heavily into my ear as he made his last couple thrusts, grunting out about the fact that I felt so good and how much we needed to be together so that he could have me like this everyday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just smiled and bit down on his shoulder as my own orgasm tore through me, afraid that I might scream out loud if I didn’t keep my mouth occupied. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">One of the things I enjoyed about Patrick’s body was the way he was built.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reveled in the idea of how I felt safe and protected under his stocky, muscular stature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan also had a great body, but he was so thin even though he could lift things heavier than me in the weight room. However, I was sometimes worried that I was going to hurt him with my own strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was never a worry with Patrick.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">We were both shivering from the incredible sex we just had along with the chill we both accrued by the sweat and the cool temperature of the bays.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“That was amazing,” he whispered as kissed me sweetly on the forehead.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Mmm, it was,” I said with a shy smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He helped me get my clothing back on and then I helped him with his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He climbed agilely down off the truck and then helped me, even though I knew how to get around these trucks better than he could.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Once we were back on the ground, he pulled me close to him once more and smoothed my hair with his hands as he stared deeply into my eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I took a deep breath and quietly said, “I’m going to tell him tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I will be there with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needs to hear it from both of us because we are both his friends,” he said, still staring into my eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Do you think that is the best idea?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He just nodded.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Okay, after the game tomorrow night then.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“After the game,” he repeated my words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You are sure about this, right?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Sure about you and me?” I asked, slightly confused.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah,” he answered seriously.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“As sure as I was about becoming a fire fighter,” I said plainly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing that only Patty knew how serious I really was.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I love you Emmy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you more than anything in this world and I always have,” he cooed as he pulled me into a tight hug.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I love you too, Patty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just glad you showed me what love really is.”</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-31568366310140425872011-04-19T08:42:00.002-04:002011-04-19T08:42:00.711-04:00Chapter 12<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">January 2009</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Engine 21, Rescue 2 due to respond to Rt. 5 in front of the HSBC Arena for a car into the water.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Shit! This is the 2<sup>nd</sup> car this storm that has decided to take a dip in the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m running out of dry underwear!” Wagner complained as we geared up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I don’t want to hear anything about your underwear, Wagner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terrible nightmares come to me every time I do,” I said as I grabbed my helmet and placed it on my head.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh come on Kasyk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have daydreams about you in your underwear…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He promptly shut his trap when a water bottle hit him in the back of his head as he walked over to the engine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He did have a point about the dry underwear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was tired of having to put my clothing in the dryer every time we got back from a call because we ended up either in icy cold water or sweating our asses off in our turn-out gear as we tried to keep our fire hydrants clear from snow.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">When we arrived on scene we found a car half floating just off shore in the icy water of <place w:st="on">Lake Erie</place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The area was crazy because the arena was just emptying out from a game, so people and cars were everywhere and there was more than one person trying to prove they were heroes by attempting to get into the lake.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Please! Everyone stay away from the vehicle!” a police officer yelled over a bull horn.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I was climbing into one of the dive suits when I heard my name being called out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Emmy! Over here!” Patrick yelled, sounding like he did when he was younger and very excited about something, from the sidewalk with a couple other guys from the team, including <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> and Mair.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just smiled and nodded as Wagner held the suit out of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is going to suck,” I mumbled to Wagner before I stepped into the freezing cold water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The suit was made for this kind of weather, but it still didn’t make things feel like a hot summer day.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Luckily the car wasn’t in a deep area, so I only had to be in the water up to my waist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the help of my crew, we broke the back window of the car and helped the person out to safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the by-standers clapped as we got the drunken dumbass to the ambulance and most went back to their business of getting home from the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cold was starting to get to me and my muscles began cramping. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hobbling over to the truck when a strong arm came snaked its way around my waist.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I looked over, half expecting it to be Wagner and instead I found Patrick’s adorable grin, smiling back at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hey!” I exclaimed with surprise.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You looked like you needed some help.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“My muscles are cramping up something terrible,” I said through my teeth as another wave of pain shot up them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“How long have you been on duty?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m going on 36 hours.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You need a break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You look tired,” he said with a worried look on his face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been getting sleep between calls.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Are you just not going home because they won’t let you or is it because you are kind of stranded there?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“A little of both, I admitted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan dropped me off on Monday and has offered to pick me up, but I don’t want him driving more than he has to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s bad enough you guys still had the game tonight.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan and I lived on the other side of the city from my station, so it just didn’t make sense for him to drive me back and forth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Come stay with me tonight, then,” Patty pleaded with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Won’t Monica have a shit fit?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Fuck her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s at school and I’ve about had it with her haughty attitude,” he said as he climbed in the back of the Rescue truck with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Trouble in paradise?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I should have seen the problems sooner, now I feel like I’m in too deep,” he answered honestly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“It’s not like you are engaged to her…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Her mom and dad basically act like we are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hate it,” he pouted.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hey, if you are here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where is Ryan?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“He had extra press to do tonight because of his fundraiser coming up.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh, yeah, I never thought about that,” I mumbled absent mindedly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“So, are you going to stay with me tonight?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will be like old times.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’ll have to ask Charlie to make sure they have enough staff…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I have enough staff, Kasyk!” Charlie yelled from the driver’s seat, officially scaring the shit out of me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Jesus, Charlie! When did you get in the fucking truck?!” I yelled as I grabbed at my chest.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’ve been here the whole time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m an old timer, remember?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t get out unless absolutely necessary.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Patty and I just looked at each other and laughed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I guess it’s going to be like old times,” I said with a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just finished cleaning up a few things around my apartment when the doorbell rang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was nervous as hell to have Emma sleeping over tonight, mainly because it had seemed like forever since we had done something like this, plus I had been dreaming about her almost every night for the last couple months for some unknown reason. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Everything had become a little strained since she came home from <state w:st="on">Michigan</state> with Miller’s ring on her finger and I came home from <place w:st="on">Seneca Lake</place> with Monica attached at my hip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monica and Emma were complete opposites and hated each other with a passion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now understood how Emma felt about the hatred between Shane and me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It got old real quick and I was torn on what to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">At first Monica was everything I thought I wanted in a woman; a couple months later I realized she was essentially a psycho rich girl from <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">New York</state></place> society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her parents actually had a party for the two of us becoming a couple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was all quite strange and I wanted out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I told her this numerous times but she didn’t seem to get the hint.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I opened the door to find my tired friend standing in the hall, looking like she was going to fall over from lack of sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t even give her a chance to take a step as I scooped her up into my arms, carried her into my apartment and set her on the couch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just smiled weakly at me as I quickly went into the kitchen and got her a bowl of soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My skin was still tingling from the warmth of her body so close to mine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Eat this and I will get you some clothes to change into,” I said quietly to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She just nodded thankfully and began slurping up the soup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I came back into the living room I found that she had a little more color to her face despite her sleepiness.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Thank you for making my favorite,” she said sweetly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Anytime!” I said as I sat down on the couch next to her, pulling her legs onto my lap and rubbing her cold feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So how long do you have off?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Charlie told me to come back at midnight tomorrow night…so basically 18 hours off,” she said with a tired smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So how did the game go tonight?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ugh…it went okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan left in a couple softies and our defense was shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We really need to get our act together and start playing better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s kind of frustrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Has Millsy complained much about it?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ryan</i>,” She emphasized his name because she hated the nickname we had for him, “doesn’t usually talk much about hockey when we are home together because he likes to leave his work at the arena.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I wish I could do that,” I said wishfully.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You always took it too seriously,” she said as she loaded another mouthful of soup into her mouth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“And you’ve never had manners, Little Miss Speaking with a Mouth Full.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The comment earned me a kick in the stomach and a silly smile as she rolled her blue eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next thing I knew, our eyes connected and the world seemed to stop as we sat there and stared at each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should have been awkward, but it wasn’t; at least not to me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She broke the moment by fake coughing and placing the soup bowl on the coffee table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Um, do you have that change of clothing?” she asked, seeming like she was now trying to avoid my gaze.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah, it’s sitting right next to where you put your bowl,” I said, trying not to smile because she was obviously uneasy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh, heh, look at that,” she said as I watched the color rise up in her cheeks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I scooted over closer to her and pushed her hair back behind her ear, getting her to look over at me again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emmy, what is wrong?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why are you acting all edgy?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Wh-what are you talking about?” she stuttered, looking away from me again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Don’t lie to me, Emma,” I growled, slightly annoyed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She stood up abruptly, almost losing her balance in the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think maybe I should go to bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m really tired,” she snapped as she grabbed the shorts and t-shirt off the table and walking towards the hallway to the bedrooms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just flopped back into a heap on the couch, trying to figure out what the hell I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">My mind was going a mile a minute and my heart was racing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emmy and I had hundreds of sleepovers the last 15 some years and here we were, both adults, she was engaged and I couldn’t get the thought out of my mind that I was more than willing to lock her in my bedroom and fuck the shit out of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted her more than ever for some reason and I wasn’t quite sure why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Because you love her, you ass and now that Miller has put a ring on her finger, you have realized it might be your last chance to claim what is rightfully yours.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I shook the thoughts from my head, picked up Emma’s empty soup bowl and carried it into the kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was walking back over to the living room when Emma came waltzing down the hall in the shorts and t-shirt I have given her to put on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could tell she didn’t have a bra on because her tits bounced heavily as she walked and I could see her nipples poking through my well worn Abercrombie t-shirt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Do you have an extra toothbrush by any chance?” she yawned.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah,” I said as I changed my direction and walked down the hall with her to the bathroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dug an extra toothbrush out of the cabinet and handed it to her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Thank you,” she said, smiling like her old self and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as she leaned in I turned my face so that her lips landed on mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grabbed her by the arms, just below her shoulders, to make sure she couldn’t exactly fight me off and pulled her body against me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She left out a small gasp but didn’t fight my kiss as I quickly entered her mouth with my tongue and assaulted her passionately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kiss made me feel like I was standing in the midst of a hot volcano that was ready to burst and I wanted to be there when it did erupt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I left go of her arms and wrapped my arms around her, moving my hand up into her thick hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could feel her warm breasts pressing against my chest and her body melted against mine like it was meant to be one with mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our mouths fought for dominance only to find that we were as equal as two people could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I groaned as I felt her hands lift up the back of my shirt, allowing her finger tips graze across my skin and tightened muscles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">As we stopped to take a gulp of air she breathed, “Patrick…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ssh,” I whispered as I came down on her lips once more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lifted her up onto the bathroom counter and put myself between her legs, leaving enough room between the two of us so that I could put my hands under her t-shirt to feel the softness of her skin and cup her breasts that she thrusted into my palms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cried out into my mouth as the pads of my thumbs traced her hardened nipples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her arms were now wrapped around my neck and I could feel her fingers in hair.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I felt the overwhelming need to feel her skin against mine, so I quickly pulled off her shirt and mine simultaneously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hastily pulled her body against mine as I pulled her waist towards me so that she could feel my want against her warmth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could smell her need for me and I was instantly intoxicated. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally broke from her lips and pulled her hair off of her neck so that I could work my way down her throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She arched towards me as my tongue traced around her nipple.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Patrick…” she cried out my name, this time the tone in her voice left me know that she was not asking me to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She kept running her hands through my hair and had locked her legs around me like she was making sure I wouldn’t back away from her, even though there was no way in hell I would be leaving this room without her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I felt like all the blood circulation had been stopped because I was tingling all over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had been waiting for this moment for so long that I was afraid I was going to rush this and ruin it all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled back from her breast and looked up at her to find her lust filled eyes begging me to keep going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quick stretched up and kissed her deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then whispered heavily into her ear, “Emma, I want to make love to you, but not here on my bathroom counter…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She started giggling as she wrapped her arms around my neck again and said, “Well, then take me to a place where you would like to make love to me, Kaleta.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I scooped her off the counter and carried her down the hall to my bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had dreamed about this moment since I had kissed her on the lake that 4<sup>th</sup> of July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help but smile broadly as I laid her on my bed and dropped down so that I was hovering over top of her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Now, where were we,” I growled as I bit lightly at her neck and ran my fingers lightly over her skin, causing her to squeal out from being tickled.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Patty!” she squeaked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“This is not fair, you know all my secrets.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I plan on learning a lot more of your secrets tonight, Emmy,” I said as I covered her lips with mine once more.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Find out my secrets he did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick obviously was very experienced for his age and I blamed a little of that on me, just for the fact that I had pushed him away from me for so long. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">When his lips touched mine for the first time my reaction surprised me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My head was screaming to me that I was engaged to be married to Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, my heart reminded me that these lips felt like home and that everything I knew was missing from Ryan’s and my relationship was now found in just this one kiss from this man who had been my best friend.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I was so exhausted from the long shift I had just put in, but somehow I found the energy to put into making love to this guy who had found a way to make me feel like every nerve ending in my body was wired with electricity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like he awakened a part of me I had never known.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He kissed and touched me everywhere, like he was really trying to discover me in a new way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did the same to him and found that he was ticklish in more spots than I could have ever guessed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">At one stage, he ended up along side of me, down by my waist, just running his fingers over my belly, down around my hips and circling back up the inside of my thighs, just missing my now dripping wet pussy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the third time of his torture, I informed him of my displeasure.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Patrick, stop fucking teasing me or I will slap that silly grin off your face!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">His smile just became larger as he got up on his elbow to lean into my lower lips as he said, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to do this to you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">At the first touch of his tongue, I grabbed the sheets around me and fisted them into balls, allowing me leverage to thrash around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swear he was magical with his mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He lapped at me with long, slow strokes and would occasionally thrust his tongue deep into me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His own humming of satisfaction coupled with the feel of his warm breath on my very sensitive region put me into tension laden state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was bucking against his face so hard that I almost forgot that I might be suffocating him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He automatically felt my hesitation, prompting him to say, “Emma, please, don’t hold back for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is nothing to be embarrassed about and you are not hurting me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My face has taken harder punches on the ice.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I just growled and shook my head back and forth as I pushed his face back down between my V, telling him to get on with it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Soon after I was panting and ready to release this tension he had built.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He sensed me coming, so he pushed two of his fingers inside as he focused this tongue directly on my clit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was left with an orgasm that ripped through me so hard that I literally left out a blood curdling scream that I was instantly humiliated about.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Patrick was wiping my wetness from his face as he crawled up to me with a satisfied look on his face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Damn Emma, you scream like that all the time?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“No!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty sure your whole apartment building heard that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He pushed his arm underneath my shoulders, bringing me slightly off the bed and whispered in my ear, “I’m glad to hear that I’m the first to make you scream that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve waited forever to hear those cries from you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I could make a comment about how he shouldn’t be so damn cocky, he kissed me deeply, causing me to forget anything that might have been running through my mind at that moment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The touching, kissing and biting resumed between us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The foreplay was drawn out for so long because we were just having fun discovering each other this way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes we ended up laughing so hard that it was almost easy to forget that we were doing adult things.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">At some point I ended up on top of Patrick and kissed my way down his hard, smooth chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was built like a fighter and it wasn’t difficult to admire his solid body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I smiled as I followed his happy trail with my tongue and made his hard length dance as I lightly traced it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Jesus, Emma!” he cried out as his hands came roughly down on my head, coaxing me to take him into my mouth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I pushed back against his hands and looked up at him, “So wait, do you want me to go down on you or not?” I said with a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He looked at me with a frustrated grimace, letting me know that I was definitely pushing his buttons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decided to push them a little more by running my fingers up and down his length.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Does that bother you?” I asked, slyly, happy to remind him how he tortured me a little earlier.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Fuck, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop torturing me!” he growled as he dropped his head back onto the bed, obviously annoyed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Tell me what you want,” I coaxed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted him to tell me because hearing him talk dirty to me was a side of him that I always secretly longed for but just never gave a chance for it to happen. It was a huge turn-on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I want you to take me deep into your mouth,” he pleaded.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Please?” I asked with a laugh.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Plleeeeaaassseeee,” he whined.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I didn’t make him wait any longer and by this point my mouth was actually watering because I wanted to taste him so badly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I licked his length one more time before taking him deep into my mouth, causing me to gag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt his hands come down onto my head again and held me there for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled back and placed my hand at the base of him and began to swirl my tongue up and down his thick shaft and setting a smooth pace as Patrick wove his fingers in my hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could vaguely hear him calling out my name in lust as I was working him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took long languid motions with my mouth, enjoying the smoothness of his dick in my mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so into it I barely felt him tugging on my hair, coaxing me to stop as he mumbled something incoherently about not wanting to come this way with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I want to be inside of you when I come, Emma,” he said with a passion in his voice that I never heard before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I crawled shyly back up the length of his body and lay down next to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He threaded his arm under mine and flipped me onto my back kissing me deeply, once again taking my breath away from me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tingled all over; never in a million years did I think I could ever feel this way with a man.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ryan had made me feel good, but Patrick made me feel like I was royalty when his lips were on mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was strong but gentle at the same time and I felt like he was protecting me from the world as we made love.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He pushed my legs apart with a knee and then positioned his body between my legs and making a cage with his arms shielding me from the outside as he hovered over top of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at me with a longing I had never seen before and he smiled softly as he pushed his long, thick cock into me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gasped as my folds spread to accept him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m not hurting you am I?” he whispered, worried.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“God, nooo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just never expected you to feel so good inside of me,” I said as I tear rolled down my cheek unexpectedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wiped it away with the pad of his thumb and kissed where it had been as he pulled back and slowly pushed into me again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Good, I never want to hurt you Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made that promise to myself long ago.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">His gaze never left mine as he slowly built us up to a rolling sea of waves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My orgasm wasn’t one big burst of energy; instead it started as a small flame that slowly built into a raging fire that had me crying out Patrick’s name as I clawed my fingers up and down his back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also was yelling out my name along with other incoherent words as he released himself deep into me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt like years of pent up frustration and love had come pouring out from his soul, into mine; leaving us both shaking in each other’s arms when we finished.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Once we parted he gently picked me up and placed me under the covers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He crawled in next to me and pulled me into him, so that my head was resting on his chest as I curled around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon my tears came and he held me as I cried.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">That was the 3<sup>rd</sup> time I made Emma cry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this time she also made me cry as I felt the twine that had been wrapped around my heart for so long, cut loose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart was allowed to beat freely with the woman I had loved for so long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No words can explain the feelings I was experiencing as I stared at the beauty lying in my arms, whispering that she loved me.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-15340658314475378662011-04-18T08:42:00.000-04:002011-04-18T08:42:06.838-04:00Chapter 11<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">July 2008 – <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Seneca Lake</city>, <state w:st="on">NY</state></place></span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I had come to my parents place for a couple weeks to relax and to just get away from home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next week a couple of the guys from the Americans and the Sabres were supposed be to coming out to hang with me, but for now I was by myself and enjoying every minute of it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sitting on the edge of the wooden dock down from my family’s cabin, at <place w:st="on">Seneca Lake</place>, fishing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had 3 trout hanging on a chain and was hoping to get one more before dinner so that I could cook them over the fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My hopes were quickly dimmed when a jet ski came within 15 feet of the dock.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m trying to fish!” I yelled out, knowing the long, dark haired driver most likely wouldn’t hear me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled in my line to cast out again when the speed demon headed back to my direction again, but this time at a much slower pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled up towards the dock and cut the engine, leaving herself bobble in the water like a fishing bobber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize anyone fished off the docks around here and I was just heading to my family’s place right next door,” the dark haired minx said to me as I sat there and stared at her with an open mouth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She was a tanned beauty with long dark brown hair and stunning green eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her lips were like candy and she had a smile that was probably worth a million bucks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was wearing a bright pink bikini top and short khaki shorts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Um, hi?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My name is Monica,” she said hesitantly as she waved at me to get my attention in hopes that might stop gawking.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I shook my head and closed my mouth as I proceeded to get up and throw a rope to her so that I could pull her into the dock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I had the ski tied off to the dock, I reached out and took her hand to help her up onto the dock with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She smiled at me again as she said, “Thank you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You’re welcome,” I stammered.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh, you do have a voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, do you have a name?” she giggled.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Shit, yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My name is Patrick,” I said, finally getting a grip as she took my hand and shook it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think I’ve ever been speechless around a woman and I’m not quite sure why it happened this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Did you say that your family has the house right down from here?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah, we bought it this past winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My dad’s a lawyer in NYC, so he likes buying properties,” she said with a flirty laugh that had me basically eating out of the palm of her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think she could have told me that she just released from jail for murder and I still would have been following her around like a puppy dog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Are you on your summer break?” she asked sweetly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Heh, you could say that,” I said as I turned my attention to casting my reel back into the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m a hockey player.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“See, now I would have taken you for a football player…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Um, yeah no.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said, shoving away the quote I was so tired of hearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a deep breath and asked, “So, are you on your summer break?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She tossed her hair to the other side of her and said, “Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a junior political science major.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh, I see.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">So she’s a smart chick.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You here by yourself or is your girlfriend here?” She asked while looking back at the house.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I snorted and shook my head, “No girlfriend and yes, I’m here by myself.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“So what are you plans for dinner?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You?” I blurted out, but quickly asked, “Um, I mean, do you want to have dinner with me?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Thankfully she just laughed and sat down next to me on the dock as I finished fishing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">If Emma can be in <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Michigan</state></place> with her boyfriend, I can definitely be here and pick up a girlfriend, or at least someone I can be with to get my mind off of the woman I might never have.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">November 1998</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I don’t understand why I have to be your partner for this stupid ass project!” she cried and stomped as I followed her off the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were learning about relationships and childcare issues in one of our classes and it was decided that we had to get “married” and have a “baby,” which was this robot doll that felt like it weighed 50 pounds as I ran after Emma.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well, it’s your night to have the baby sleep at your house,” I whined as I tried passing the thing to her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I don’t want a baby!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would I have to learn how to take care of it properly?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heck, I don’t even want to get married!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ever?” I asked her curiously.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yes, ever!” she spat at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You see where marriage got my parents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nowhere!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“But my parents are happily married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some marriages just don’t work out…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You are just echoing the thoughts of Miss Marcus because you have a crush on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m surprised you didn’t just walk up and ask her to be your wife,” she said like she was jealous.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What is that supposed to mean?!” I yelled back at her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You have a crush on her!” she cried as she started walking away from me again, still not taking the baby from me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I do not!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Do too!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ugh! I want a divorce already!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are a complete pain in the ass!” I screamed at her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m going to tell you mom that you swore!” she said in her best tattle tail threat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I don’t care!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll just tell her that you are truly a pain in the ass…” I half yelled and mumbled as I gave up on going after her and carried the baby back to my house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was already prepared to accept the fact that I would be playing a single parent for my project because Emma most definitely was not a girl.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">July 2008 – <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">East Lansing</city>, <state w:st="on">MI</state></place></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The family reunion was a success of sorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know what to expect, but what it ended up being was something totally awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First off, Ryan’s whole family was really cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were aunts, uncles, and cousins galore and even though everyone told me their name, they definitely weren’t offended if I didn’t remember it less than 10 minutes later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as I expected from a sports minded family, everyone was really competitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to show off my soccer skills in a “friendly” match that ended up becoming quite cut throat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was glad my goalie skills were still intact because I ended up making some pretty challenging saves, those including kicks taken by my boyfriend who was quite the talented forward.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">By the end of the evening we turned to less strenuous activities to more alcohol oriented games, including beer pong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ended up being Drew’s partner because Ryan’s cousin, Tyler had already claimed him for his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drew and I were definitely the masters and ended up not only being the winners, but also completely shit-faced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan had to put me in front of him on the 4-wheeler because he was afraid I was going to fall off the back if he didn’t.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The rest of my two weeks was highlighted by trips to <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">Lake</placetype> <placename w:st="on">Lansing</placename></place> to do some speed boating and a little fishing; four-wheeling on off road trails, camping with some friends of Ryan and Drew’s, and lots of family dinners over at the Miller house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan and I were somehow able to get in a lot of “couple time,” which was much needed because back in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> it seemed that we never had enough time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“So do you like it here?” Ryan asked quietly as we sat on his back porch one evening taking in the sounds of the frogs and crickets and watching the fireflies in the trees.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“It’s amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I definitely love it here,” I answered honestly as I leaned back against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can understand why you want to spend your summers here.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He took a deep breath of air and I felt his chest vibrate as he murmured, “Mmm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Definitely.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What would you be doing if it wasn’t for hockey?” I asked quietly, not trying to break the ambiance of the evening.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I felt him run his fingers through his hair as he thought of his answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I guess I would have gotten into something with music or maybe even teaching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God, I don’t know what I’d do without hockey…What would you be if you weren’t allowed to be a firefighter?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I wanted to get into exercise physiology and be a trainer or something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might have also been able to play soccer professionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was actually offered a try-out for the US Women’s soccer team, but I turned it down.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Seriously?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the other day, I can understand why they asked you to try out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are an amazing goal keeper,” he said as he squeezed me tightly, as if to emphasize his surprise.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I giggled a little remembering Patrick saying that it was his fault I became so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, Patty thinks he’s the one that made me so good.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh? How so?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Cause he always made me play in goal when he was practicing his slap-shot,” I said, still giggling.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I felt Ryan begin to chuckle at the thought too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does he really think the goal is that small for soccer?” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Nah, he just likes to take credit for everything.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I see…I guess he could take the credit for getting us to together,” Ryan said thoughtfully.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I stopped laughing at this point and just smiled as I turned my head towards him to look into his eyes, “Very true.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He leaned down and kissed me softly and whispered, “I am now basically in debt to him for the rest of my life.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“For the rest of your life?” I asked confused before kissing him again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Once his lips left mine he whispered again, “Yeah, because I want to marry you, Em.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I could say anything his lips were back on mine again with his hand threading through my thick hair, trying to change my mind’s direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course it semi-worked because he knew that I went into a comatose state when he did these things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I moaned into his mouth and left him take me over for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he pulled back he was smiling like a sly cat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Marry me, Em,” He breathed heavily into my ear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I love you and I want you to marry me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you to officially move into the house with me and I want you to help make it ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once we are settled, we can plan the wedding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We won’t rush anything if you don’t want to.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He was good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He thwarted any argument I might have by making sure he gave me all the answers before I voiced them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could I say no?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was definitely comfortable with him and I was probably the happiest I had ever been right at this moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked up into his liquid brown eyes and lost myself in them as I said, “Yes.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">February 2009</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“We haven’t seen the last of this blizzard, folks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a very dangerous storm and with the already 4 feet of snow that is lying on a majority of the flat roofs in the city, the extra 2 feet that is expected to night might just be the end of some of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, be careful if you are out shoveling and take many breaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, enjoy the snow and snuggle up with a loved one with a warm mug of hot chocolate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is Jack Yarnall and this is your Channel 8 weather forecast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back to you, Joy.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ugh!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I said as I smacked myself in the head and turned the TV off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tonight’s shift was going to suck ass and most likely I would end up stranded at the work for at least the next 36 hours if not longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last storm that hit, I was ended up basically living there for 72 hours straight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was throwing my work sweatshirt over my head as my cell phone began to ring.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hello?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Emmy!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hey… what’s going on?” I asked as looked around, making sure Ryan was not within ear shot.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You headed into work?” Patrick asked anxiously.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What’s wrong?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m at home yet,” I answered quietly, worried as hell yet my heart leapt when I listened to his familiar voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh, is he home?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah,” I answered annoyed because sometimes Patrick could be a little dense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its hockey season so if Ryan isn’t at the rink with Patrick, then of course he would be home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can’t talk to you right now.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I miss you, Emmy.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Stop, please,” I choked out, thinking about how guilty I was feeling at the moment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well, call me when you get to work because I want to talk to you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Okay,” I said as I bit my lip.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I love you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Mmhmm.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Bye.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Bye.”</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-74142253420856668202011-04-18T08:40:00.000-04:002011-04-18T08:40:04.214-04:00Chapter 10A/N: Howdy readers!! I'm posting 2 chapters today because I completely forgot to post one yesterday. (One of the perks of posting a story that is already finished. hehe) Enjoy!!<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">August 1992</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Hey! You! What are you doing?” she called as I was knee deep in the creek that ran along side the park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I looked up to find a girl with crazy, curly blonde hair that was sticking out all over the place with a couple plastic barrette’s holding it back in some places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was wearing cut off jean shorts and a tie-dyed t-shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I instantly noticed some scrapes and bruises on her knees and a small bit of dirt on her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looked like a wild child.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m catching crawl-fish,” I said back to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By this point she was walking down the stream towards me, looking curious.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She jumped into the cool stream, splashing me and successfully scaring the crawl-fish out of the hole I was just in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I threw my hands in the air and glared at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Darn it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now you just scared them all away!” I spat at her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stupid girls!</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Her eyes became larger and her face looked surprised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t know,” she said sincerely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I was just trying to help.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well jumping in the water does not help anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The key is to be slow and stand still as much as possible,” I said, calming my temper, as I bent back over to my fishing position.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She mimicked me and put her hands in the water next to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After several minutes of quiet I looked up and found her staring at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t you know it’s not polite to stare at people?” I asked smartly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She bit her lip and quickly looked back down at the water, “I’m sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just wondering your name,” she said quietly to her reflection.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh, um, my name is Patrick.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I watched her pick her head back up and smile brightly, “Nice to meet ya Patrick!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My name is Emma!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Sssh!” I said, not wanting her to scare the crawl-fish away, again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oops! Sorry!” she whispered loudly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you live around here?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Girls talk too much.</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes, right over there,” I said as I pointed over to my house that was just a block away.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I live right over there!” she said, a little too loudly again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, this time I didn’t need to remind her because she quickly covered her mouth with her hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once she waited a couple seconds she whispered again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“My dad and me just moved here from the city to be with my Grammy.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Did you move with in Mrs. Kasyk?” I asked, now curious because I often visited Mrs. Kasyk with my mom on Sundays.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yup!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Huh, she never said anything about you…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“It was kind of sudden,” Emma said shyly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“My mommy left us.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m sorry.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Me too…” she said to herself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The silence over took both of us and then she squealed loudly as she ripped her hand out of the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“OUCH!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think something just bit me!!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I started laughing out loud as I picked up the crawl-fish she had basically tossed to me under the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I held it up and dangled it in front of her, expecting her to run off screaming.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“They have pinchers,” I squeaked out as I was still laughing hysterically at her initial reaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I stopped laughing I found her looking questioningly at it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“That is sooo cool!” she said in awe.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">My mouth dropped in surprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Wait?! You aren’t grossed out by it?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“No, why should I be?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Cause you are a girl.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I don’t think that has anything to do with anything,” she said with disdain dripping from her voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well, Katie down the street from me hates things like this,” I said trying to figure out what planet this girl was from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Normally I didn’t want anything to do with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They definitely had cooties and screamed too much when you splashed them with water or when they got dirty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This girl didn’t seem to mind any of those things.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I guess I won’t be getting along with Katie anytime soon,” she said with a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Guess not.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Will you be my friend?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I put the crawl-fish in my bucket and put my fist in front of me so that it was between us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of looking at me like some people might, she bumped my fist with hers, first on top, then bottom, then knuckle to knuckle, sealing our friendship.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">April 10<sup>th</sup>, 2008</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She waltzed into the police station with such an air about her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The officer that had been chewing my ear off about how the Sabers’ could win the Cup, instantly became quiet when his eyes found her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart skipped a beat when I saw her worried face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I instantly got up and pulled her into my arms when she got close enough to me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She didn’t let me hold her close for too long before she wrenched herself far enough back to see the cuts on my face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Jesus Patty! You swore you weren’t hurt!” she cried out, lightly touching the angry red lines on my face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I swore I wasn’t hurt from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">accident</i>,” I chuckled.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She promptly punched me firmly in the stomach saying something about how she hated me fighting and didn’t understand why I had to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why didn’t you just invest your time in becoming a UFC fighter or something?!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Because if I was allowed to be in the ring with shorts and no t-shirt, the women would have to be pried off of me, effectively keeping me out of the fighting ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least in hockey they can’t see my muscles under all my padding and sweater,” I said, laughing at my own joke.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She just shook her head, completely pulled away from me and picked up some of my equipment as she mumbled, “Pleeeeaasssseee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are so fucking pathetic.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You would swoon if you saw me…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She didn’t even let me finish my sentence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She cut me off when she snorted, “I already saw you naked in the tub when we were kids, after we got sprayed by that skunk you swore was a cat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe me, I saw enough.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She had me there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned to the officer and yelled, “Thanks Larry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See you at the next game!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Thanks for the tickets!” he yelled back like a giddy child.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“So you made friends with the cops?” Emma asked as she threw my gear bag in the back of the Escape.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“They were very nice,” I said defensively.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I’m sure…” she said sarcastically.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Now this ruffled my feathers and there was obviously something going on because she seemed to be on the rampage with her smart ass remarks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yo!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t want to be here to take me home, I will just call my mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have one nasty attitude going on right now…” I said as I crawled into the passenger seat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She put on her seat belt and left out a big whoosh of air, “I’m sorry Patty,” she said dejectedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I just have a lot on my mind.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I can tell because you won’t stop biting your lip,” I whispered honestly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She put the car in drive and we drove in silence for a time before she finally spoke up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He told me he loved me tonight,” she mumbled so quietly that I could barely hear her over the humming of the road.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“For the first time?” I blurted out, surprised at this new found fact.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yes, for the first time,” she snapped.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I put my hand on her knee and said, “I’m sorry, Emma.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t trying to be a smart ass for a change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m just kind of surprised because you two have been together for so long now.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She looked over at me with tears in her eyes, but something told me that I wasn’t the one who put them there…well, at least not the only reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I didn’t tell him I loved him back.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">As soon as the words were out of my mouth, my heart soared and it took all I had not to grin broadly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why?” I said, tight lipped, holding in my emotions for the time being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t you love him?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I watched her take a deep breath and hold it in for a bit before she slowly blew it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think I do,” she paused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck if I know,” Then the flood gates opened her mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He is amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He treats me so well and I love being with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He asked me to go to <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Michigan</state></place> with him this summer so that I can meet everyone that I haven’t met yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the way he acts protective of me and I enjoy the fact that we don’t need labels for our relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like we just coexist without all the shit that seems to go along with other people’s relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s so easy that I guess I never thought about the fact if I love him or not.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Once she was done, tension seemed to loom between us like a heavy humidity on an August summer night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally couldn’t stand it anymore and I said, “But?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“But?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well, I’m assuming there has to be a ‘but’ in all of this?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She left out a small laugh as she still gripped the steering wheel with her white knuckles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s the problem.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Huh?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I don’t know what the ‘but’ is.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart had now stopped and I felt the strangle hold take its place again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to get myself into best friend mode again because Emma needed my help and I refused to be selfish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I did what I knew best, encouraged her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emmy, you seem really happy with him and I’ve seen you look at him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say that it’s more than just a fuck buddy thing you’ve got going on with him.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“You mean it?” she said with a small smile with the tears still clinging to her eyes, daring to spill over.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I smiled softly and nodded my hand as I squeezed her knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I do, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like Ryan a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, it’s not like he’s asked you to marry him.”</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">July 2008</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“It’s so great to see you again!” Theresa, Ryan’s mom said as she hugged me tightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were standing in the airport terminal after arriving from <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan was trading punches with his brother Drew as I overheard a comment from Drew about how Ryan ‘definitely picked up a hottie.’</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Thank you so much for inviting me along out with Ryan, Mrs. Miller,” I said with a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Please, it’s Theresa, my dear,” she said as she now pulled Ryan close to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I hope you guys are hungry because I have a huge roast in the crock pot and I have your father peeling potatoes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course my belly growled in a happy response which left us all laughing hysterically as we walked out towards the car.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">It was the beginning of July and we were here for the Miller Family annual reunion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole idea was absurd to a girl who basically had a family that I knew nothing more about than their names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It actually took a little coaxing for Ryan to get me go along with him because I was nervous about being with all of his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had met his parents when they came to Buffalo a couple times this past season, but I had yet to meet the rest of his large family.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“So have you ever been to <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Michigan</state></place>?” Drew asked me from the front seat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Nope, I haven’t done much traveling out of <state w:st="on">New York</state>, save a couple trips to <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">Ontario</state></place> for some hockey games.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, you are a big hockey fan?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“She grew up with Kaleta,” Ryan said as squeezed my hand and smiled at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh, alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will he be with the big club full-time this season?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“We hope so,” I answered earnestly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“That’s really cool that he can play for his hometown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I always wished I could play for <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Detroit</city></place>…” he said thoughtfully.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Maybe someday you will,” I said with a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Maybe.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Drew ended up being really sweet and a lot of fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan’s parents lived outside of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">East Lansing</city></place> in a semi-remote wooded area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan actually had a house just down from them that it was close enough to take a 4-wheeler back and forth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Theresa dropped us off his house so that we could get settled and we promised to be at their house by 5pm for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had an hour to explore Ryan’s “home.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a beautiful rustic, wood home with lots of windows over looking the woods.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ryan!” I exclaimed as my voice echoed off the cathedral ceiling.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yes?” he asked with a big smile as he pulled me into his side with his arm wrapping low around my waist.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I looked up and whispered, “This is beautiful.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He raised his eye brows in a mocking manner and whispered back, “You are beautiful.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I was in the process of rolling my eyes at him when he pulled me around to the front of him and picked me up so that I could wrap my legs around him and hugged him tight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then took advantage of being close to his neck and playfully bit his neck.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What are you doing, Em?!” he laughed out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Just biting you,” I answered back, giggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You taste good.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well I’m glad to hear that, now lean over here and kiss me you vixen!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">He didn’t need to ask twice as I leaned in and pressed my lips against his.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He immediately demanded entrance to my mouth with his tongue and kissed me deeply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I threaded my fingers through his soft hair and tugged gently at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His one hand squeezed my ass roughly as his other hand pulled me firmly against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I faintly felt him turn so that he could press me up against the wall so that he could free his hands and pull off my shirt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Ry,” I breathed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What time do we need to be at your mom’s?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“When we are done here,” he mumbled as he kissed my neck roughly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was going to protest but his hair tickled my skin as he moved down my neck to my chest, so instead it came out as a sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quickly he moved us to the large, soft, wrap-around couch and gently placed me on my back as he pulled his shirt off in all the same motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I flattened my palms against his smooth, muscular chest and ran them up and down as he undid my shorts and shimmied them off of me, leaving me naked on his couch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran my hands down to the waist of his shorts and undid his so that he only had to step out of them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Soon we were both naked and he was over top of me kissing me all over as I wrapped myself around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He coaxed me to roll over onto my belly and pulled me up onto my knees so that my ass was in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began grinding his thick erection against me as he played my sweet spot as a fiddle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cried out in pain and ecstasy as he entered me, stretching my semi-wet pussy around him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His first couple strokes felt a little tight, but soon he was gliding in and out of me smoothly as he set a fast, hard pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was crying out his name as he grabbed a fist full of my hair and pulled my head back firmly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slapping of our skin echoed in the open room, along with our heavy panting breathes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quickly the ecstasy came to a pinnacle as Ryan leaned over my and grabbed roughly onto my breasts as he shot his load deep into me, making me lose complete control.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">The whole session was quick and raw with need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved the fact that Ryan always seemed to need me because I constantly wanted him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he had a bad game, I knew we’d have a down and dirty sex session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they won, the sex was usually fun and experimental.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either way, I knew I was getting some and I was always happy to give and receive.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Bout time you two showed up!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m fuckin’ hungry!” Drew yelled at us as we pulled into the driveway on the 4-wheeler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Next time, save your sex sessions for after the meal?” he said with a sly smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Quickly Ryan was off the ATV and running after Drew, trying to tackle him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I walked around to the back yard, they were rolling around on the grass, laughing hysterically.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Glad to see they never actually grow up,” Theresa said in a reflective tone as she walked up next to me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Are they always like this?” I asked, laughing at the hilarity that was ensuing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Yeah…I guess it’s from not actually growing up as normal brothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They always put so much pressure on themselves to succeed that they grew up faster than they probably should have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially Ryan; he was always focussed on the next goal he set for himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m so glad that he has you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From what he tells me, you two have a very run of the mill relationship and that is definitely a blessing with how his star has taken off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“That’s me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little miss ordinary…” I said with a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She took my hand and looked me straight in the eyes, “No, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From what I hear you are the exact opposite from ordinary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have come from a broken home but you’ve seem to have made it your goal to rise above and have a career that most people would run away from because of how dangerous it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyday you touch lives and everyday you prove that it doesn’t matter where you come from, you can still be who you want to be.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Her words hit me like a brick wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never looked at myself as a child who grew up in a broken home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just always looked at it as I had to stay focused to meet my goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that meant working two summer jobs to stay in school, then that’s what I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My grandmother and the Kaleta’s were my support system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lack of love from my father was my motivation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything I did was in hope to gain his love and approval, but instead I ended up making a stable life for myself without completely realizing it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">July 28<sup>th</sup>, 2006 – Emma’s <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Fire</placename> <placetype w:st="on">School</placetype></place> Graduation</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Emma Jane!” my mom impatiently grumbled with hair pins sticking out from the side of her mouth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Emmy stopped pacing for a moment and stood in front of mom, looking at her with nervousness dripping from every pore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yes?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Stand still so that I can pin your hat to your mass of hair,” she said in her stern mother voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A small huff came out from Emma’s mouth as she turned her back towards my mom so that she could be fixed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked funny to see her looking so formal in her Class A department uniform.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There wasn’t a spot of dirt or a fuzz to be found on her perfectly pressed get-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it wasn’t for her hair pinned in a bun, she looked like the 20 other guys in her probationary class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was the only female to graduate this year and was the first woman to graduate at the top of her class.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Because of her being in training, we were only able to do a couple things together so far this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of those things included working-out together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her training work-out had to be worse than bootcamp and it officially kicked my ass some days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I wanted to keep up with her as much as possible and it was definitely going to help me become stronger for the season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I was more ripped than ever thanks to her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">As soon as I watched mom place the last pin in her hair, Emma started pacing back and forth again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where is dad?!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“I thought he had to be here because he’s an officer or something?” I asked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Oh, he will be here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he promised to meet me before hand so that I could just see him privately before hand,” she said obviously disappointed at the fact the ceremony was about to begin and he was nowhere to be found.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Probies!” a loud voice echoed across the hall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“That’s my cue,” she said almost sadly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I quickly pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Smile, Emmy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is your day to shine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fuck him for not coming to see you before hand.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">She pulled back and tried to smile as she said thank you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She hugged my mom and dad and went off to find her seat with the rest of the probies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Emma was not the only probie to be graduating today that had a father already in the department.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That guy’s dad actually came on stage to pin his son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma’s father was already on stage and outright refused to pin his daughter, leaving the honors to Charlie.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I was so pissed that I crumbled up my program and attempted to get up and leave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mom pulled me back into my seat and shook her head to remind me that I was here for Emmy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">As soon as the ceremony was done I promptly cornered Dean in the bathroom, catching him taking a swig out of his whiskey flask.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“What the hell is your problem, man?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your daughter just graduated at the top of her class and you couldn’t have the balls to pin her or even acknowledge her!” I spat at him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“That’s none of your fucking business, boy,” he slurred at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“It’s completely my business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has loved you more than you will ever know and you treat her like shit, like she will never be good enough for you,” I pleaded.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“She will never be good enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s a whore like her mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell, she even looks like her mother…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“She’s your own flesh and blood.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“She’s nothing to me,” he spit at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">“Well let me just fill you in on something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s something to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s the most important person and my life and I will try somehow try and be the man she never found in you,” I said through my teeth as I slapped the whiskey flask out of his hands and stormed out of the bathroom.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-71802457524477355272011-04-16T07:44:00.000-04:002011-04-16T07:44:07.309-04:00Chapter 9<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A/N: Thanks for all the lovely comments thus far... I realize this story is a bit of a whirlwind when it comes to the constant changes going on in the story (especially with the relationships) but we have a long way to go, so hang in there and enjoy the ride cause we are not even halfway there!</span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Septmeber 2006</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Engine 21, Ladder 6, Engine 3, Engine 22, Ladder 14 due to respond <street w:st="on"></span><br />
<address w:st="on">1680 Jefferson St. for a dwelling fire with confirmed entrapment, 0130 hrs,” the loud voice of the dispatcher echoed through the old firehouse as the bright lights blinded me briefly and I blinked the sleepiness out of my eyes.</address></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I went into auto-pilot and ran down to the steps to my awaiting bunker gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In under a minute I was fully geared up and sitting down in the jump seat, putting on my SCBA (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A/N – Self-Contained-Breathing-Apparatus or Airpack)</i> and buckling in for the short ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could smell the smoke a couple blocks away and knew we were headed into something big.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reports were coming from dispatch that everyone was out of the house except for a 3 year old that was supposedly trapped on the 2<sup>nd</sup> floor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Kasyk!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, Charlie?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Grab a set of irons and do the primary search.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you to get to that 2<sup>nd</sup> floor as quickly as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wagner and Casey, you back her up with the deuce and a half!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A/N: Deuce and a half is otherwise known as a 2 and a half inch diameter hose usually used for putting out big fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A set of irons constitutes as a firefighter’s most important tools, besides water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They consist of a halligan bar and axe.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>We’ve got heavy fire blowing out the front windows of the 2<sup>nd</sup> floor!” he yelled back to me and the rest of the crew on the engine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">With those orders I tightened up the straps on my air mask and turned on my air cylinder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the air brakes went on, I was off the truck and grabbing a set of irons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began moving towards the house when I felt a tug on my air pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned to find Charlie standing there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Be careful kid.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I just tapped at the brim of my helmet and turned back to the task at hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was met at the bottom of the porch steps by a hysterical woman screaming about her baby being in the front bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put the information in my head and moved inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heavy smoke was already filtering down the steps into the living room and I found my self crawling up the steps so that I could see easier and stay out of the heat as much as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The roar of the fire sounded like a freight train and I could hear the Ladder Company already climbing on the roof with their chain saws to vent the house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">As soon as I got to the top of the steps I was met by flames that were licking across the ceiling and down the wall to my left, like it wanted to try and reach out to grab me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The flames coward back towards their origin and sizzled with anger as the nozzle-men behind me attacked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew the flames would be back and that I had to make my move quickly if I was going to get into that room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quickly crawled to the door, busting through it with my halligan bar and began calling out and feeling around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard distinguishing between what were toys and what might be a body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally felt something soft yet hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I poked at it and heard a muffled cry as I shined my flashlight onto small face that was hiding behind her teddy bear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I yelled into my radio that I had a patient and scooped up the little girl while she still clutched her teddy bear that probably saved her life since she was able to filter out some of the deadly gases by keep the teddy to her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was struggling slightly as I tried to exit the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fire had begun rearing its ugly head and I could feel the heat becoming more intense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pulled the little girl closer to me so that I could shield her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My SCBA was beginning to alarm loudly as I reached low amounts of air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was moving quickly as possible but it began vibrating, telling me that I only had a couple breaths left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took a big gulp of air as I descended the steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I got outside I handed the litter girl to the awaiting medics and ripped off my mask, gasping for air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat down on the edge of the sidewalk to slow down my breathing as a volunteer changed out my empty air cylinder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone handed me a cup of water that I ended up dumping on my head to cool myself down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emotion over took me as I dumped my head into my hands and began sobbing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I closed my eyes I saw the terror in the little girl’s eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next picture that floated into my drained, dreamy vision was Patrick.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">April 10<sup>th</sup>, 2008</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Seriously?!” I yelled out to the person in front of me that decided to drive 10mph under the speed limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was heading west on I-490 to get onto I-90 from <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rochester</city></place> and I was exhausted from this week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was running back and forth between the American’s and the Sabres’ because we were both in the playoffs and I was on the roster for both.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Traffic was pissing me off and I just wanted to get home and get some sleep before I had practice in the morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My patience was wearing thin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was following some person in a Ford Taurus that couldn’t seem to figure out the difference between the gas and break pedals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We came up on an exit and the Taurus put on their flasher, indicating she was getting off at the exit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I breathed out a sigh of relief and stomped on the gas pedal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next thing I knew the car was back in front of me and I heard the crunching of medal and glass as I rear-ended her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Fuck.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">That quick the woman was running around her car yelling and swearing at me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just kept my cool and stayed in the Hummer until the cops showed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course there wasn’t a large amount of damage to the H2, but I definitely left an imprint on the back of the Taurus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lady was very animated about everything, throwing her arms around and using her head to talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, when the cops and <place w:st="on">EMS</place> arrived she started hobbling around and grabbing at her neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heh, now isn’t that handy?!</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was giving my information to the officer when some <place w:st="on">EMS</place> chick came over and began insisting that I go to the hospital to be checked out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh my gosh! Sir! You need to go to the hospital!” she said in a shrill, annoying voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, no I don’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m fine and will check in with the team doctor tomorrow,” I snapped as I swatted her hand away from my face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“But you have a big cut on your face!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I took a deep breath to calm my annoyance before I spoke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Look, I’m a hockey player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just got the cut from a fight tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had my seatbelt on and my airbag deployed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please, just let me sign whatever paper you need signed so that I can call for a tow and a ride.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She opened her mouth to harass me again, but the officer just glared at her and she promptly shut her mouth and walked away.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Thanks,” I said with a weak smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No problem,” he said as he went back to writing down my information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Go call for a ride.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I followed his orders and dug out my cell phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew if I called my parents at this time of night, my mom would freak the fuck out; no matter how much I told her I was okay, she’d speed out here and treat me like a baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I called the only person I knew would keep a level head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“This is exactly what I need after the shitty day I had today…” I mumbled as I slid into the hot bubble bath and shimmied my way down in between Ryan’s legs so that I could lean back and relax on his chest.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He automatically began slowly kneading my sore shoulders as he whispered into my ear, “I figured as much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw the warehouse fire on the news and I could have sworn I saw you carrying a ladder with another guy.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, that was me and Wagner,” I confirmed as I was floating into a state of oblivion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the perfect hands to cover a large area of my muscle with one squeeze and I could feel the knots loosening along with the tension releasing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You looked all business and sexy,” he spoke with a smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Business and sexy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heh, I didn’t know those two words could be used together.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Most definitely, especially since you had some black soot on your face and a couple wisps’ of hair falling out from underneath your helmet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think you should do a photo shoot in your fire gear so I can make a calendar for myself,” he said with a chuckle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Pervert,” I snapped, trying not to laugh.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He leaned in against my neck, stopping just centimeters away from my skin as he said, “Mmm, no, not a pervert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just turned on by the way you look in your uniform and bunker gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s definitely sexy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he finished he kissed me gently where he had just tickled me with his breath and words.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I lifted my arms and wrapped them around his neck, holding his lips against me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, it definitely turns me on when I watch you work; so I guess I can understand what you are saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’ll do the pictures if you do them too,” I finished as the mental pictures began clouding my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I soon found myself letting out a moan as Ryan bit my neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hands now slid around and cupped my wet, soapy breasts, pinching gently at my hardened nipples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pushed off the bottom of the tub with my feet and pressed my lower back against his hardening cock as I moved my hands into his soft hair, causing him to bite me harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Fuck!” I breathed out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I felt him detach himself from my neck as he asked, “Have enough energy to do that?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“When haven’t I?” I purred back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That was the answer I was hoping to hear,” he said softly as his one hand slid smoothly down my stomach to the V between my legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I moved to rest my legs on top of his, to allow him more room and he went to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He began whispering in my ear about how beautiful I was and how much he wanted me to come in his hand as he traced my folds with his finger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left out a small cry as he pushed a finger inside my warm center and covered my hardening nub with his thumb, leaving my body buzzing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon a second finger entered me and began a ‘come hither’ motion that stroked my core.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His lips were now up and down my neck and nibbling on my ear as I left my head relax in the crook of his shoulder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I soon began drawing in ragged breathes and he put me over the as he applied more pressure to my clit as I bucked against his hand, crying out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Once the orgasm was done ripping through me, I laid against him for a couple moments longer feeling the endorphins pulse through my blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Thank you,” I whispered.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“My pleasure,” he said as I watched him lick me off his now pruned fingers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to get up so that I could straddle him and face him, but he stopped me by firmly grabbing onto my hips, lifting me up and pulling me down over-top his thickness while my back was still towards him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He basically did all the work with the strength of his arms by setting his own pace.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Relax, Em, I have you,” he grunted out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I obeyed by bracing myself on his thighs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The position allowed him to penetrate me deep and towards the front, effectively hitting my g-spot once again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t long that I was panting once more and I felt his load shoot deep into me as my muscles clenched around him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fuck, yeah…” he cried out as I felt his dick convulse for the last time inside of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His arms were shaking as he lifted me up one last time and placed me back between his legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then wrapped them around me as I brought my arms up and pulled them tighter against me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I love you, Emma,” he said in an emotional voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I took in a quick breath of shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had been together for close to a year, but our relationship was built slowly due to the craziness of our careers and for the fact that we were both not the types to rush into anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heck, even though I stayed with Ryan a majority of the week, I still hadn’t technically moved in with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I’m afraid I was a little oblivious to how serious our relationship had turned without me even wanting it to go that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had taken our time getting to know each other and becoming friends, along with the benefits of being lovers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was happy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was unsure if this is what love was supposed to be like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I still had a ton to learn about Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had basically met his whole family and yet everyday I’m surprised to learn something new about him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes those things can be a reaction he makes at something I say or something that is on TV.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t realize his talent for music until we had been together for several months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Obviously, this is what dating was all about; a time to learn about each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I guess my main problem was the other guy in my life who knew every single thing about me, and because of that I was more comfortable about being myself around Patrick than I was with Ryan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The “what if” scenario played out in my head constantly; ever since we kissed on the 4<sup>th</sup> of July.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be truthful, I refused to think that I could possibly love Patty that way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Summer 2006 – Fishing on the lake -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emmy’s point of view</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was nice to be out fishing on the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to forget all the crap that had gone on in my last semester of college and I could semi-celebrate the fact that Patty was at least back in the same country and same state as me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fishing was something that we tried to get out and do a couple times during the summer; except the older we became, the harder it was to find time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was still a little upset that Shane and I had broken up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really enjoyed being with him, despite the fact that Patrick seemed to hate him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he had only met him once or twice in the year that we had been together, but I guess it was enough for him to draw his conclusions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Shane was very different from Patrick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the intellectual type, only interested in getting into his father’s business and succeed in making money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a student at SUNY Buffalo, whom I had met at one of the popular college hang-outs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not quite sure how it happened, but I ended up back at his place that night we met and the rest is history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t know a ton about my background and I didn’t know a ton about him which was totally okay with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That reason would be the reason I was a little freaked out when he asked me to move with him to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Cali</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hadn’t even said ‘I love you,’ to each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Plus, Shane didn’t have the nicest feelings for Patrick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He liked to call him a dumb jock with no real goal in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I stuck up for Patrick, but it would only end up in a fight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I just stopped mentioning Patty when I was around him and avoided the conflict.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was furious when Patrick made the ‘good in bed’ comment, mainly for the fact that our ‘bed life’ had been terrible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the first month or two our sex life dwindled to basically nothing unless he was drunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was so irritated by the end of the relationship that I had started sleeping with a couple other guys from our group of friends.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was sexually frustrated to the point that I had seriously thought about sleeping with Patrick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never forgot how his lips felt on mine that 4<sup>th</sup> of July at <place w:st="on">Seneca Lake</place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like I was in the middle of a tidal wave with no way out, until his dad yelled for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His fingers on my skin burned every time he touched me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even now when he held my hand on occasion, the knots in my stomach pulled tight, cutting off circulation to my brain.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I chalked up the feelings to the fact that we were in the horniest stages of our lives and that I wanted him because he really was a good looking guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, deep inside I knew there were possibly more feelings there than I ever wanted to admit to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made sure to keep my distance when any conversation turned to anything remotely close to romance between the two of us and I made sure to keep our relationship light and casual, like it had been all these years.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I felt like I had been hit with a brick when Patrick essentially asked me to be his girlfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much of me wanted to jump into his arms and tell him yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to tell him yes, that I would move with him anywhere in the world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The other part of me knew that I had my career and my own dreams to follow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His friendship truly was more important to me than any lover could ever be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed to make sure I had his support in everything and I was afraid that if we took a step into unknown territory that we would be setting ourselves up for possible failure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I lost Patrick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was glad to see that he seemed to understand my words the first time they were spoken because if I would have had to say them again, I think I just would have said ‘yes.’</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">April 10<sup>th</sup>, 2008 – back to Ryan and Emma after he told her he loved her…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I had a lot of trust issues that had become more of an issue for me as I got older when it came to serious relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was finally realizing how poorly I had been treated by my dad over the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan had been more than patient with me, to the point that we had never officially called each other boyfriend and girlfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those words were labels that we both felt didn’t need to be stapled to our heads.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I wanted to spend as much time as possible with him and I constantly thought of him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He always made me smile and always put me first; just as I almost always put him first, unless there was something up with Patrick that took precedence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Ryan never complained if I did pick Patrick over him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He always said he understood.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Don’t worry Emma,” he whispered, pulling me from the internal war that was going on in my head at the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Things won’t change by saying the words.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Would they change if I didn’t say the words?” I choked out, still unsure what to do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Of course not,” he said worriedly as he slowly rubbed my back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I just needed to tell you that I love you because I have since the day you shot your mouth off and practically ran from my SUV after I kissed you,” he said with a smile as the picture played in both of our minds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m thinking this is what love is supposed to feel like, Ryan, but I’ve never been in this position before…” I said as the tears started fogging up my vision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You make me so happy and I definitely can’t get enough of you…” I faded off again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That’s exactly how I feel about you, Em,” he murmured into my hair as he squeezed me against him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m pretty sure you will know when it’s the right time to tell me, Em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you and I wanted you to know that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">As soon as he finished his words I heard my phone ringing in the bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Patrick.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was Patty’s ring-tone and for some reason I knew something was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I clambered out of the tub, slipping a couple times until Ryan put his strong hands on me to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left a puddle trail behind me and answered the phone on what was probably going to be the last ring.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hello?” I answered as I felt uneasy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Emma,” Patrick’s voice echoed into my ear, sounding like he was relieved that I answered.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What’s wrong?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“How do you know something’s wrong?” he asked, surprised.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I don’t know, so is there something wrong?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, actually yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in a wreck on I-490 and I need a lift home,” he said, now sounding tired.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Ohmygosh! Patty! Are you okay?” I squealed into the phone as Ryan came up behind me and wrapped a towel around my shivering body.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yes, I’m fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m calling you because I didn’t need my mom freaking out, so please don’t freak out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rear-ended this dumb bitch and all my safety equipment was working okay, so I’m fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus I was in the Hummer.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh wow, your dad is going to kill you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Gee thanks.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Sorry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, where are you going to be?” I asked, trying to get to the task at hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“In Chilli at the police station; the officer is cool and is giving me a lift there until you can pick me up.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be there in about an hour.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Don’t rush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m fine, Emma,” he growled into the phone, knowing I was still worried.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I promise, I won’t rush,” I reassured him and hung up, turning to find Ryan with his eyebrows raised and looking worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Patty was in an accident outside of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rochester</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He rear-ended some stupid lady, so I’m going to go pick him up,” I said as I began gathering my clothing to dress in.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Do you want me to go with you?” he asked quietly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No, I’ll go by myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need sleep for practice and the game tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, he might be a little embarrassed when people find out,” I said as I slipped my jeans on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Are you sure?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a big boy, I can go without sleep, Emma,” he said with slight annoyance in his voice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I stopped and stared at him as I finished pulling my hooded sweatshirt over my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sure, Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sorry, I’m not trying to brush you off,” I said as I realized that he probably thought I was because of the conversation we were just having in the bathtub.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He took a couple strides towards me, wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his bare chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know you’re not brushing me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just a little worried that you will be second guessing after our conversation,” he said into my hair.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I leaned back so that I could look at him and said, “I’m not running away.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Good.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then leaned down and kissed me possessively, almost erasing my mind from the task at hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he pulled back I was left standing there in a dreamlike stance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I heard him chuckle as he stepped back to send me on my way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Go, be safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least text me when you get back into town so I know you are safe.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bye Ryan.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Bye, Love.”</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-34731024112155212722011-04-15T09:25:00.000-04:002011-04-15T09:25:27.653-04:00Chapter 8<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Summer 2006</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I watched as she casted her bait off the back of the boat, set her rod on the rest and turned towards me to talk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“So…what happens now that you are done in the OHL?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I go to rookie camp in a couple weeks and try and prove that I can at least play on our AHL team, which according to my coaches, shouldn’t be too hard to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve gotten stronger with my game and after being on the Memorial Cup Champion’s team, I’ve been able to prove myself.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You’ll be living in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rochester</city></place> then?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That bites…I was hoping you’d finally be home for good,” she said wistfully.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Me too,” I answered honestly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But I highly doubt I will make the big club right out of the gates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one thing they want me to work on is my skating.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I always told you that you needed to work harder on that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh, shut it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t know a damn thing,” I chirped at her, even though I knew she did in fact know what she was talking about.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I know that you are built more like a football player than a hockey player,” she said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I knew she was right, my stocky built would have probably been better out on the football field, but hockey was my passion and I was determined to succeed, especially since I was so close to reaching my dreams.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Still short and stocky like always…” she mumbled on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I cut her off because I had heard those words from her mouth about a million times now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Um, okay little miss I’m only 5’6”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are not that tall.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Tall enough with heels.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Since when do you wear heels?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She just shrugged and said, “I don’t, it’s just when I finally decide to wear them, I will be tall enough in them.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I couldn’t help but snort at her silly thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I got my laughter under control I decided to start probing about Shane, Emma’s dorky ass college boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So how is the whole Sh-Emma thing going?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The annoyed look instantly flashed my way and I just smiled broadly back at her because I always knew how to push her buttons.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I hate when you call our relationship Sh-Emma!” she said through clenched teeth.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I know,” I said still smiling, waiting to be smacked very shortly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Besides, Shane and I are through,” she said as she turned back to her fishing rod.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">My heart all of a sudden felt 10 times lighter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You are through?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What happened? I thought you were really good together…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Shut the fuck up!” she snapped, scrunching up her nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I know you hated him.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I did not hate him,” I covered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I just thought he was a tool.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She spun back around with her eyes blazing with blue fire, “A tool?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are so full of shit, Kaleta!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He treated me very well.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“He was a rich, pussy boy, who was too worried if his glasses were sitting on his face right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You two were polar opposites; I hope to God he was at least good in bed.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">‘CRACK’</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I think my ears were ringing from the slap across the face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Well, there was the hit was I had been waiting for.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That’s none of your damn business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For your information he accepted a job at his father’s architecture company in <place w:st="on"><state w:st="on">California</state></place> and asked me to move out there with him,” she roared.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I sat there stunned for a moment, but of course I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So why didn’t you go along?” I asked hesitantly, waiting for her to only slap the other side of my face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“By that point I had already put my application in for the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, I couldn’t leave my dad,” she said in a calmer tone that left me relieve the tension I was holding while bracing for another possible attack.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Your dad should have nothing to do with your decisions in life, Emma,” I said sincerely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I know you feel that way, but I can’t leave him by himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know this.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I know, but it doesn’t mean I’ll ever understand it,” I said as I clenched my jaw like I did every other time Dean came up in the conversation; especially when it had to do with Emma’s forgiving love for the monster.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You don’t have to understand it,” she said smartly and turned back to her fishing rod and focusing on it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What would you say if I asked you to move away with me?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you come with me?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">There! I asked it.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She didn’t turn around; she only spoke at the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why would you ask me that?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well because I might want to ask you to move with me someday and I was just wondering if you’d do it.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Where would you move to?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Now I was becoming a little flustered, “Hell if I know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just answer my question.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She let out a woosh of air, “I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would all depend on where we are in our lives I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a stupid question anyway.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You’re stupid,” I said now thoroughly frustrated with this whole situation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Patrick, if you are trying to ask me to be your girlfriend, you are completely sucking at it.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Well that shut me up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that came out of my mouth was “heh.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I watched as she slowly turned back towards me and looked at me with sad, bright blue eyes as the wind blew through her hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t make our relationship awkward,” she pleaded softly with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling my heart constrict slightly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No, don’t say sorry…maybe someday Patty, but right now your friendship is a hell of a lot more important than any lover.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The inflection in her voice hypnotized me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized the words were not coming from the little girl I had grown up with, but from a woman who was wiser beyond her years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came to the conclusion that somehow my maturity level was definitely not in line with hers and I was actually left slightly embarrassed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“How did you grow up so much quicker than me?” I asked as I looked down at the floor of the boat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Her laugh echoed around us, “Patty, we’ve both been through a lot, but all you’ve had to focus on is hockey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve had to make sure I secure a future for myself by living in the real world and becoming a grown-up at a young age.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Her words definitely rang true in my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She did not say it to be condescending; she said it because she was pointing out the reality.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">End of March 2007 – the end of Emma and Ryan’s first date</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That’s great Patrick!” I squealed cheerfully but quietly into the phone when he said they won.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was hiding out in the hallway by the bathrooms, so I wouldn’t disturb anyone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I scored a goal and had a fighting major too,” he said happily.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I rolled my eyes and slumped my shoulders, “Ugh! I hate when you fight!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I know you do,” he said proudly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So what are you up to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How was the game?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m actually at Romeo and Juliet’s Café with Ryan,” I whispered excitedly into the phone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Really?” he asked, almost sounding a little bothered and I could easily picture his jaw tensing up like it did when he wasn’t happy about something..</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No jealousy, Patrick.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just kind of surprised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t quite sure which way he swung.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What?!” I said a little louder than I intended.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m just saying that he’s really quiet and reserved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s very nice and I like him a lot, I just…oh never mind me.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Damn skippy I will be never minding you!” I snapped into the phone, trying not to laugh because it was typical Patty.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I heard him sigh, “Are you having fun?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, I am,” I answered honestly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okay, well don’t let him get in your pants right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t need people thinking my best friend is an easy lay.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Bye Patrick.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Wait!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Bye Patrick. Love ya bye!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Love ya, bye,” he said sadly because he couldn’t get anymore digs in.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was blushing furiously as I slid back into my chair, finding that dessert had arrived and Ryan was left waiting for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m soooo sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Patrick, he always calls me after his games.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, he wanted to harass me about going to your game tonight.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan laughed and said, “No problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They just dropped off the dessert a minute ago.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I couldn’t help but smile at him, he really was a complete sweetheart even if I didn’t fully know his intentions as of yet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">After dinner he took me back to the arena to get my car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pulled next to my Ford Escape and put his vehicle into park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Now is time for the always awkward goodbye.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Give me your keys,” he said as he stuck his hand out for them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Hesitantly, I pulled them out of my coat and handed them to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He promptly got out and walked over to my Escape and turned it on, cranking up the heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched in semi-awe as he walked back around and got back in the driver’s seat rubbing his hands together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s too cold for you to just get in and go.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’ve lived in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> for 22 years, Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I’m used to the cold,” I said with a smile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But, thank you.” I reached out and touched his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He surprised me by taking it and pressing the back of it to his lips while staring into my eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was floored and felt like everything was spinning around me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh hell.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“For your information, my parents raised a gentleman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So after 27 years of having those qualities ingrained in my brain, I follow them,” he smiled slyly as he winked at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I could feel myself blushing at this point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, I hope you don’t expect me to be the perfect lady, cause sadly I grew up around a firehouse and I’m not always good with that prim and proper shit,” I said honestly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“And I don’t think I’d want it any other way with you,” he said as he leaned over the console towards me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I was in a dream and that everything was happening in slow motion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slowly leaned forward to meet him in the middle and was rewarded with one of the most sparking kisses I’d ever been involved with.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">His long, cool fingers cupped both sides of my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His hands were so large that it felt like he could crush my face between them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He touched me so lightly, like I was fragile but the electric current still passed through them to my skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kiss was hesitant, nothing more than little pecks. My body was humming from so much anticipation that I could have sworn that he should have felt the energy radiating off me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got scared and pulled back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I’m sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should probably go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you so much for one of the best evenings of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bye.” My words rushing out of my mouth so quickly that I caught him off guard and made him speechless as I quick jumped out of his SUV and hopped in mine, speeding off without looking back.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I’m not quite sure I can explain what I was feeling when we hung up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sounded like the same Emma, yet I knew she probably was feeling like she was living in a fairy tale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew how much of a crush she had on Ryan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I asked to introduce Ryan to her, I didn’t expect he’d be taking her out on a date a couple weeks later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was still sitting on the edge of my bed in the dark room as I ran my fingers through my hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bathroom door opened and light blinded me as the tall blonde walked over to me in just her lacy underwear and high heels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sucked in a breath as she strode over and stood in front of me, tracing her fingers down my unbuttoned dress shirt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">At this moment I was happy I brought the girl home with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I needed someone to dull the ache in my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wished it was my best friend that was dulling the ache and not the woman who now had her head in my lap.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">By morning I’d just be back to square one.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Two days later my cell phone chirped on my belt as I rinsed the salt off the Rescue truck, in the bay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I placed the hose down on the ground and checked out the text message as a smile crept across my face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: Free for the game tonight?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I guess he wasn’t totally turned off by my spaz-tic antics the other night.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Me: I’m going to feel bad if u keep buying my tickets.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: I’ll buy ur ticket for as long as u let me, as long as u’ll say yes & let me take you out again tonight.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Me: U will have to put it at will call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get done work @ 1800hrs.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: Do I need to leave a sweater for u 2?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s right. I can’t go to the game without a sweater…it just wouldn’t be right.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Me: I will have to clear it with Patty before I put it on. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan:<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>LOL See u at the game.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was standing there smiling at my phone when Charlie walked over to see what was going on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What’s the big smile, Kasyk?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Nothing.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“A boy?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I did my best to glare at him with a smile on my face, but of course I failed miserably.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He just smiled smugly and said, “Uh huh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what I thought.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I called Patrick before I hopped in the shower and told him about going to the game again tonight and he gave me permission to wear Ryan’s sweater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course it was like he was getting his teeth pulled, but before we hung up he wished me good luck.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I got to the arena around 6:30p and picked up my ticket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I laughed when the attendant squeezed a wrapped package through the hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I got inside I ripped it open to find the number 36, instead of 30, staring back at me with a note. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I didn’t want to break tradition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See you after the game.” ~Ry</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I squeaked a couple times, threw the sweater over my head and went to my seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I got to my seat, I texted Patty.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Me: He’s good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m wearing your sweater.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Patty: Damn, he is good. </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"> </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;">Love ya Emmy!</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;">Me: Love ya Patty!</span></i><span lang="ES-MX" style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The game was a scoring frenzy, but the Sabres pulled out a win against the Islanders, 4-6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It scared me that I didn’t need to ask for help to get down to the locker room because I was remembering my way around.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Like last time, Drew was out before Ryan and he swept me into a hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Glad to see you here again, Emma!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think you might be a good luck charm or something.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“My record is 20-2 this year,” I answered with a giggle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Not bad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, have a good night with Millsy; I’m off to meet up with my own date,” he said with a wink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was looking at some of the team pictures that hung on the walls when Ryan’s strong arm slipped around the front of me and his warm lips kissed my cheek.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hey!” I said, breathlessly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hi,” he said with a smile as I turned around to face him and hugged him properly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Good game out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cringed when you left that softy in during the 2<sup>nd</sup> period, but…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He cut my words off by leaning in and kissing me hard on the lips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was thankful that he had his arm around me because I think I would have fallen onto the floor in a heap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stared at him for a minute and then said, “Um, wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I knew that was the punishment for being a smart mouth, I would have tried that sooner.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He let out a loud laugh as he took my hand and led me out into the cold parking lot.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">February 2008</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“How do I look?!” she asked dramatically as I opened the door to find Emma dressed as a gangster’s woman out of the Roaring ‘20’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had on a black, sparkling flapper dress with a silver and black head piece tied onto her head, along with black chunky heals that were made to do the Charleston Two-Step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her normally unruly hair was straightened and her make-up was dark, making her eyes look like sapphires.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You look hot!” I exclaimed, taking her by the hand and twirling her around in a circle to watch the fringes flare out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I love the red suit and gangster hat!” she said, giggling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I think we could take the town,” she said in a sultry voice, playing her part.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I agree, little lady,” I said in a deep voice and posing against her with my right hand wrapped around her waist and my left hand pointing like a gun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After standing there for a moment laughing hysterically at our immaturity I asked, “You ready to go get some red carpet treatment?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yup!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We were heading to Ryan’s Fashion Charity event and the theme was the Roaring 20’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma and I both agreed to be “models” for the event and I had donated a bunch of things for the charity auction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma insisted on being my date because she didn’t want to be left milling around by herself while Ryan did all the publicity stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I agreed, especially since I didn’t have a date and I knew I’d have more fun with Emmy at my side.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She was still trying to get used to her role as a WAG and I knew she had a bit of a learning curve to overcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emmy was not like many of the other WAG’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had a career that was in a man’s world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many of the women were a surprised of her brash personality, plus Emmy was more comfortable around guys than women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She always complained that she didn’t have much in common with the women and felt like they were critiquing her at every corner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think that was the case; I think it was more of the idea that they were intrigued by this woman who was most likely different from anyone they had ever met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just glad she didn’t buy into the whole popularity contest that could easily go on amongst the WAG’s and that she didn’t feel she needed to impress anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was Emmy, just the way I liked her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just the way Ryan loved her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Just the way </span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> loved her.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Unfortunately for me, he was enchanted by her and I was left on the sidelines waiting and hoping for things to go sour so that I could get back in the picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first I was driven crazy by the whole thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard knowing she was going to his games and spending more time with him than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was paranoid that he was going to take my place and I was going to be left with nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, Emmy proved to me that she could have both of us in her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fact that she wasn’t in my bed was softened by knowing I was still one of the most important pieces in her life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Thankfully or un-thankfully Ryan wasn’t bothered by the fact that Emmy would take time away from them to be with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone from the outside could look at the relationship between the 3 of us as some messed up love triangle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead it had become normal for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emmy clearly only had eyes for Ryan at the moment yet she loved me the way she had loved me for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I matured and realized this fact which made things a lot easier.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was dating girls here and there, but as of right now, nothing ended up remotely serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deep down, I knew I most likely would not find anything serious unless it was with Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until then, I just made it my goal to annoy the crap out of her with my antics of acting like a player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To Emmy’s dismay, I amped up my bad boy image and played the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m young and a professional hockey player; chicks dig it.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">The fundraiser was a blast and a great night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Emma stuck by my side all night, except for a couple dances with Ryan when he wasn’t busy doing something else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We blew everyone away with our crazy dance moves that we had been honing since we were in grade school, including some snazzy swing dancing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Where the hell did you learn to dance like that?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><place w:st="on">Stafford</place> yelled to me as I walked over to the bar to grab a drink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I made him take swing lessons with me!” Emma cut in before I was able to answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She looped her arm through mine and smiled innocently up at me, causing my heart to skip a beat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Seriously?” a surprised <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> asked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I nodded my head and shrugged my shoulders, confirming it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Wow, you guys look awesome out there…together,” he said emphasizing the last word.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Emma didn’t seem to take notice of the hint, but I sure as hell did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shot him a glare as he walked away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not want explain the fact that Drew had been on my case ever since I didn’t make a fuss about Miller and Emma dating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t understand how I could stand by and watch another guy move in on my girl.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He didn’t understand the fact that she wasn’t “my girl.”</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-60212865702379139822011-04-14T09:46:00.000-04:002011-04-14T09:46:23.142-04:00Chapter 7<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">End of March, 2007</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">It was after noon when I was working out in the weight room that was located in the basement of the station when my phone began vibrating across the padded floor making a funky clunking sound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished my last rep and bent over to check the text message.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: You coming to the game tonight?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Who the hell is Ryan?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t ever remember putting anyone by the name of Ryan in my phone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Me: Ryan who? I don’t know any Ryan’s </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: Well now I’m offended that u claim not to kno any Ryan’s bcuz I remembered u…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Now I’m really confused.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Me: I think you might have the wrong number.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: Is this Emma Kasyk?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ok…creepy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Me: Yes.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Ur</city></place> best friend is Patrick Kaleta?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Me: Yeah…</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: Well, meet me at the player’s parking entrance gate at 5pm and mayb seeing me will jog <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">ur</city></place> memory.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Me: Player’s entrance?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan: </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Did I really just make a fool out of myself with Ryan Miller, again?! Grrrrrrrr.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I called Patty on my way home from the station to find out what the fuck was going on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hello?” he answered groggily.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Shit! You have a game tonight, don’t you?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s okay though, my nap time was almost up anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s up?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“So I just got a text from a guy named Ryan.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okaaaaay??” he drew out into the phone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well, I don’t remember meeting any other Ryan’s except for a certain Ryan Miller.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okaaaay??” he drew out again.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well, he’s invited me to the game tonight…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well that’s cool, right?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, I guess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just nervous and wondering why he invited me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you put him up to this?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, actually, no,” he said hesitantly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He did mention to me before I got sent back to <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rochester</city></place> that he thought you were really cool and asked me a bunch of questions about you…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” I squeaked into the phone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I didn’t really think about it I guess,” he said calmly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“So are you going to go?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, yeah…sure.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well have fun then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you have my jersey to wear?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Of course I do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll be the only one in the arena wearing it, so I’m definitely going to do that while I can,” I said with a big smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I heard him laugh into the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Love ya, Emmy!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Love ya too, Patty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck tonight!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Text me on how you make out tonight.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Will do.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was nervous as hell and chewing at my lip as I walked across the parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus I was worried that I might fall on my ass from stepping on an ice patch and make myself look like a big fat goober.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was paying attention to the ground so that I didn’t do the latter part when a strong arm hooked into mine.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Afraid you will fall on the ice?” his soft voice asked me as I looked up to find the tall, dark, handsome goalie looking down at me, smiling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was wearing sandals with socks, long gym shorts and an UnderArmor shirt that clung to his muscles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I left out a laugh that sounded more like a squeak and nodded my head like a mute.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I won’t let you fall,” he leaned down and whispered as I felt his warm breath caress the side of my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He smelled of peppermint and I was instantly intoxicated.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well that’s good, because I would feel stupid if I got hurt off the job; considering I do more dangerous things there.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He laughed quietly as he broke out the sexy smirk that I always found enchanting when he did TV interviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Yeah, I guess that would be bad…” he said as he held the door open for me to walk inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He helped me out of my coat as we walked into the family meeting room and hung it on the rack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you want a quick tour?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As long as it doesn’t interfere with your pre-game stuff…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No problems,” he cut me off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turned before he got over to me and I felt him straighten out the back of my jersey to read it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Kaleta, huh?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I just looked over my shoulder with a grin and shrugged my shoulders, “The only jersey I will ever wear til the day I die,” I said as I crossed my heart with my hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">He left out another cool laugh as he took my hand away from my chest and began our tour.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was a little weirded out by sitting in the player’s family section, considering I was used to sitting in the nose bleed seats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I enjoyed being able to watch Ryan close up in the crease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They won the game against <place w:st="on">Jersey</place> 4-3 and everyone was buzzing when they were coming out of the locker room after the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drew basically jumped on me as soon as he walked out the door and found me standing there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Emma!!” he said, pulling me into a tight hug.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Glad to see you here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miller told me he was going to invite you…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“He did, did he?” I asked as I raised an eyebrow; wondering what else “Miller” had told him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yup!” He answered excitedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drew then leaned down and said quietly, “He’s a really nice guy, Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d give him a chance if I were you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Are you telling all my secrets, Staff?” Ryan said as he came up behind the two of us, causing me to jump out of my skin.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Nah, I was just trying to find out what was up after the game,” he said, covering up well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Not quite sure yet,” Ryan answered truthfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s up to the lady, I guess.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I stared at him for probably what was an ungodly amount of time as I took in how good he looked wearing a suit and tie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally got the nerve to speak, “I don’t have any plans, so I’m down with anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t have to work til tomorrow night, so I can stay out past curfew.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ryan’s face lit up as he wiggled his eye brows, “Well then, I’m set then!”</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">After meeting Emma the other month, I couldn’t seem to get her out of my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She captivated me with her independence and she was definitely out of the ordinary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a very reserved, quiet guy around people I don’t know; for some reason I found it easy to talk to her even if she was a little star struck in the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was definitely comfortable in her own skin, and I adored that about her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I talked with <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> a little later on that week and asked him how he knew Emma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He informed me that he had gotten to know her while he played with Kaleta in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Rochester</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found out that she was a firefighter for the city of <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> and had always seemed to be easy going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did inform me that she had been with David Booth for a short time and that a fall out had occurred between Booth and Kaleta because of that fact.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Supposedly she and Kaleta have been best friends since they were little kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><place w:st="on">Stafford</place> said he always wondered if something more was between them, but if there was, neither of them had fessed up to the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That piece of information worried me a bit because I didn’t want to piss off Kaleta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a good kid and I knew that sooner or later he’d be up on the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to be involved in some twisted love triangle so it took me awhile to actually take the first step in contacting her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had actually saved my number into her cell phone the night we were at Club Pure, when she was out dancing with Kaleta.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hoped she wouldn’t think it to creepy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Before Patrick was sent back to the AHL I had asked him in passing if Emma was single to see what his reaction was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t seem phased by the question so I figured I was in the clear to make my move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I promised myself that I would step back if it ended up becoming an issue.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I laughed to myself as I watched her walking across the parking lot, all bundled up in her <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Columbia</place></city> coat, paired with a bright, multi-colored scarf and matching toque while looking down warily at the ice covered parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My feet led me out into the cold to assist her inside so that she didn’t fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was still obviously nervous around me, but by the end of the night I hoped she would look at me as a normal guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I found it endearing when she made the proclamation about never wearing another jersey except for Kaleta’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was definitely loyal and I liked that quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other quality I liked was her subtle beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her long, wild, curly blonde hair was accented by the bright blue eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could tell she took very good care of herself by working out, but she wasn’t so muscular that it took away her femininity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Stafford had invited us out with a couple of the other guys, but my plan was to get to know Emma without the whole crew breathing down our necks so I leaned down and whispered, “I’d like to take you to get a bite to eat, if you are hungry.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She looked up at me and smiled shyly, “I’d like that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She quickly went to her car and changed out of her jersey and threw on a warm, loose fitting woven olive green sweater, easily transitioning into a city girl who was chic but casual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">As we pulled up in front of Romeo and Juliet’s Café she left out a quiet squeak and I watched out of the corner of my eye as her face lit up with a big smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Do you like this place?” I asked, trying to hide my humor in the whole scene.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She looked over at me blushing and said, “I’ve always wanted to go here…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“It’s got great Italian food, so I hope your hungry despite it being so late.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She grabbed at her stomach and nodded her head, “I’m actually starving, I didn’t get a chance to eat anything accept for a soft pretzel between the 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> period.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We parked and she looked shocked when I quick ran around to help her out of my Range Rover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh!” she exclaimed surprised when I took her hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Everything okay?” I asked her, worried if I did something wrong.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She smiled reassuringly and shook her head, “No nothing wrong at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just never had anyone get the door for me.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Sorry, I’m a little old fashioned about some things,” I admitted as I tucked her hand in the crook of my arm, walking towards the entrance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I think that’s cool,” she said quietly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Dinner was actually relaxing and we both asked each other a shit load of questions about growing up and families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She talked more about the Kaletas and her grandmother than she did of her dad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got the gist quickly that the relationship between her and her dad was strained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t imagine not being close with my family, considering we were a big family and they were my support system through everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it seemed that the Kaletas’ were Emma’s support system and for that I was grateful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now the close relationship between her and Patrick made a lot more sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the brother she never had.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; 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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">End of July, 2004</span></i><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Hellooooooo Patty!” she crooned into my ear as she answered her phone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Helloooooo Emmy!” I mocked back in the same octave as her, causing her to giggle on the other side.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Whatchya want?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Wanted to know what you were up to tonight?” I asked, nervously as I chewed on my fingernails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not quite sure what I so nervous about because I knew damn well she wouldn’t have anything planned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She never had any plans unless they were with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um…let me check my black book,” she said seriously into the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oops!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oops what?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oops! I gots nothing planned,” she said as she popped a piece of her bubble gum into the phone, creating a loud ‘crack!’ into my ear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Damn it Emma! Why do you have to pop your gum in the phone like that?” I growled as I rubbed my now aching ear.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Cause I know it annoys you,” she said smugly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So what’s up for tonight?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Ah, back to the task at hand, making my palms go sweaty once again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Um, wanna go to dinner and a movie with me?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Heh.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Heh?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Yeah, heh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sounds like a date thing.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Um, well it could be if you want it to be…” I answered hesitantly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Ooo! I get to go on a date with the future NHL star, Kaleta!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>she said mockingly into the phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where are we going for dinner? McDonalds?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“No you dumbass, I was going to take you to some place nice.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I don’t have to dress up, do I?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Not if you don’t want to,” I said as I realized my plans were already going sour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to take her Romeo and Juliet’s Café, but I knew you needed to wear something a little nicer than shorts and a tank-top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course Emma lived in those two things, so I had to down-grade a bit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well I’ll just wear shorts and a tank-top with my new flip-flops I got!” she said all excitedly, proving my point that I knew the girl all too well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Ooo! New flip-flops, you are really going all out to impress your date tonight,” I snorted into the phone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“What time ya picking me up, Patty?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I sighed into the phone and said, “I’ll be there in an hour.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Okie! See you then!” she squeaked and then the phone went dead in my hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I smacked myself in the head and said, “This is going to be harder than I thought.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the 4<sup>th</sup> I had been itching to kiss Emma again and possibly ask her to be my girlfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, my job at the lake was taking up too much time and Emma was busy with her job at the ice cream parlor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus, every time I thought I worked up enough nerve, something stupid would happen and blow the plans.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">For example: The other day we were down at the lake, swimming and doing the normal horse play when I pulled her down off my shoulders and went to lean in and kiss her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I did, a crack of thunder made us jump 10 ft out of the water and had us swimming to the dock as quickly as possible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Plus, every time I tried talking to her about the evening on the Jet-Ski she would come up with some way to get us off topic and I’d be left wondering how the hell we went from talking about her being in my arms to the 20 different flavors of ice cream she was serving that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was frustrating to say the least.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tonight, I hoped to end that frustration.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Instead of going to a really fancy Italian restaurant, I settled for the next best thing, Olive Garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doesn’t matter if you wear shorts and a tank-top, the food is still good and no one gives you dirty looks for not being dressed up enough.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“So what movie are we going to?” Emmy asked as she slouched back in her chair and patted her belly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“You can be such a guy sometimes,” I said, laughing at her mannerisms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well you’ve always told me I wasn’t a girl,” she said, smiling back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She stuck her tongue out at me and picked up her glass to suck out the rest of her iced tea.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Well, they have a movie in the park by home, tonight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s some old black and white film…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“That sounds like fun! I love those old movies.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“I know you do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay, well let’s head out there then.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I picked up the check and paid for dinner as she whined about at least getting the tip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole ‘date’ thing was not working out very well, so I finally decided to remind her that we were on a date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Emma, I’m paying because we are on a date!” I playfully jabbed at her side, causing her to bend over while grumbling about being too full.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Fiiinnneee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should make you take me out on dates more often if you are going to pay for everything,” she said in a teasing tone that told me she <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still</i> didn’t get it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">When we got to the park I pulled out some blankets and took her hand in mine as we walked across the field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly she didn’t pull her hand away from mine but instead just squeezed it and smiled at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">We were probably the youngest two there, but we enjoyed it all the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sat on the blankets and she snuggled in between my legs so that she could lean her back against my chest and rest her head on my collarbone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her shampoo filled my nose with honeysuckle and I couldn’t keep myself from lightly running my fingers through my hair.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">At one point she turned her face towards me and asked, “What are you doing?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">“Just playing with your hair…” I answered quietly and dreamy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do you mind?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">She smiled lightly and quietly said, “No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just gives me goose bumps.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I was going to take my chance now and kiss her but she turned back to watched the movie, leaving my lips on her hair and my heart on my sleeve.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-76565949059545180902011-04-13T11:08:00.000-04:002011-04-13T11:08:47.440-04:00Chapter 6<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">November 2008</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The early glow of the sun was beginning to make an appearance through the sheer curtains that covered the windows as I peaked ever so slightly out from under the warm comforter. It was brighter out than normal due to the snow that had fallen the night before. I quickly closed my eyes and wriggled down below the comforter, only to have a strong arm curl around my waist and pull me close to the thin but muscular body that was also under the blankets with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“What are you doing?” he asked softly with a hint of amusement in it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“I’m trying to hide from the sun. The longer I can hide from it, the longer it is until I have to leave for work,” I answered back in the same volume.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Can’t you call out? Don’t you get snow days?” he whined into my ear, making every nerve in my body come to life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Just because it snows, doesn’t mean people stop calling 911,” I said with a smile as I turned my head so that I could look into his brown eyes. He looked so sexy as his dark, long hair semi-covered his face. I couldn’t help but lean closer to steal a kiss from his thin, pouting lips. He obliged me and kissed me sweetly back as he climbed on top of me, creating a tent with the blankets that surrounded us. He agilely straddled himself above me and began laying kisses down my neck and breasts, his hair tickled me as it drug lightly over the path he was making on my skin, causing me cry out in pleasure.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Are you sure I can’t change your mind, Emma?” he asked mischievously as he stopped his torturous ways and looked up with me with raised eye brows.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Ugh!” I groaned and clawed at him to continue his torture. “Ryan, don’t make me beg…we still have a little over an hour before I need to leave.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">He slid back up towards me and whispered heavily into my ear, “Then I guess we better get busy.” Before all the words were out of his mouth he nudged my legs apart with his knee and I felt a finger press gently into my already wet folds, causing me to cry out for more.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Once he realized that I was more than ready to get ‘busy’, I felt him slide his long, thickness in me as we both moaned out in gratification. His movements were well executed and smooth, exactly how he operated in the goal crease. He attached his mouth right above my collarbone as I thought about how lucky I was to be wearing a turtle-neck under my work shirt today because I could just hear the comments from my platoon-mates if they saw the marks on my neck.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I ran my hands up and down his back, feeling his strong muscles move underneath his skin. I giggled as his moan vibrated against my neck but soon my giggle turned into short breathes and before long I was brought to the endless abyss. Ryan was an amazing lover who was in-tune with my needs and I finally found a man who could bring me over the edge every time we did the deed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Once my heart rate came back down to normal I reluctantly peeled myself away from him and ran across the cool bedroom into the bathroom to rush through my shower and get to work.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Ryan’s house was still a work in progress. It was going to be beautiful when it was done. It was an odd shaped building that was located at a point of two streets. The home over was built over a century ago, to fit the point of the intersected streets in a nice neighborhood in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Buffalo</place></city>. It was a labor of love that he bought after he signed his 5 year contract extension in July.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Ryan was a soft spoken, often mysterious guy who believed in making <city w:st="on">Buffalo</city> as much of a home as his native <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">East Lansing</city>, <state w:st="on">MI</state></place> had been for him. I traveled home with him this past summer to attend the Miller Family reunion and found out why he talked so highly of his hometown. It reminded me a lot of <place w:st="on">South Buffalo</place> and I loved the small town feel of it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I took a quick shower and tried drying the majority of my thick, curly hair before I headed out into the cold. When I got out of the bathroom, Ryan was nowhere to be found but the smell of freshly brewed coffee was already wafting upstairs into the room from the kitchen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I ran down the steps to find Ryan waiting shirtless, in a pair of sweatpants with a smile and my coffee mug with steam pouring out the top of it. I threw my arms around his slender frame and kissed him quickly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Thank you baby,” I said happily.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I went to turn away, but his strong arm thwarted that attempt as he pulled me back towards him and forced me to look into his serious eyes. “No. Thank you, Emma for another wonderful night having you in my bed. I love you.” he said, planting a kiss on my forehead. “Please be safe and call me when you get a chance,” he pleaded with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“I love you too and I promise to be safe,” I said for the millionth time in our relationship. “What time is the game tonight?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“7:05.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Okay, I will call you before then. I’m sorry I can’t be there, but I already promised Charlie that I’d work the 24hr shift.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Emma, its fine. You know you don’t need to apologize to me,” he said as he twirled a piece of my hair around his long fingers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“I know, but Patty always gives me shit.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“He’ll get over it. Besides, even though you mine, you still wear his jersey to every game you attend. So he has no right to give you shit.” he said with a wink and a smile as he let go of me, swatting me on the ass as he coaxed me out the door, into the snow covered beauty of Buffalo in the wintertime.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">February 22<sup>nd</sup>, 2007</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The crowd went wild when Patty’s name was announced on the loud speaker for the assist off the goal that Clarke MacArthur scored. It was his first NHL point. I was bouncing up and down in my seat as I watched #36 skate around the ice. I laughed to myself as I noted how ungraceful he really did look out there. Sometimes it looked like he was skating in quicksand; however he threw some big hits with his body that made me cringe.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I’d been to so many games at the arena over the years, but I don’t think any other game compared to this one because my best friend was out there, helping out the hometown team. Just like we always dreamed of when he practiced his slap shots off of me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Then the moment I was dreading came. Patrick engaged in his first fight as a Buffalo Sabre against Chris Phillips from the Senators. I fought the urge to hide my eyes from the whole scene, afraid he’d get pummeled, but instead he held his own and got some awesome punches in before they both tumbled to the ice. He ultimately won the fight and pumped his fist to the crowd as they ushered him into the penalty box. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I hated watching Patty fight and I never understood where all that anger came from because he was so even keeled off the ice that I never took him as the bully type. However, he was known for his pest like qualities on the ice and that was one of the reasons he made it this far. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The guys won the first game of the home-home series against the Senators 5-6 and the place was ecstatic. The Sabres’ were having a great season and were poised to clinch the division under the leadership of Danny Briere and Chris Drury. Ryan Miller had proven he was a force to be reckoned with between the pipes and there was hope in <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Buffalo</city></place> that this could be the team to take us to the Cup.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I felt like I was floating on air as the game ended. Everyone congratulated me in the locker room after the game for a job well done and I nervously gave some interviews to the local newspapers about my NHL debut.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I was tying my dress shoes when Ryan came over to pat me on the shoulder.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Hey kid! Great job out there tonight. It’s nice to see another <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">USA</country-region></place> kid representing.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Thanks man, it’s definitely great to be playing for my hometown,” I said with probably an overly large smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“I know what you mean. That’s exactly how I felt when I played at <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Michigan</placename> <placetype w:st="on">State</placetype></place> for my first game.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">He was about to turn away when I thought of my promise to Emmy. “Hey, I was wondering, could you do me a huge favor?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I watched as he raised his eyebrows and said, “Um, okay…”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“My best friend Emma is a huge fan of yours and I was wondering if you’d come out with me so that I can introduce her to you. I joked with her about it last night, but I know she’d be completely floored,” I said, laughing inside, already picturing her face.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Yeah, sure, no problem.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I threw my bag over my shoulder and we both walked out into the family room to my parents and Emma. I kept my eyes on Emma to see her reaction. Instead she surprised me by just keeping her eyes on me and not even noticing Ryan walking in with me. She almost knocked me over when she did her normal run and jump hug. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">She looked adorable with my ratty old Sabres hat overtop her unruly blonde, curly hair pulled through the back hole of the hat, pulled up with a tie. She was dressed in medium stone washed jeans that hugged her in every right way, with dark blue UnderArmor underneath a white t-shirt that had my name and number written on the back with a big black sharpie and on the front it said, “Kaleta’s Puck Bunny.” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I set her down and read the shirt and began laughing at our inside joke that we had ever since I started playing for the OHL. She would always laugh at the young puck bunnies that would push and shove their way towards me to get autographs after the game. Emma hated them and always made snide remarks about their lack of hockey knowledge.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">She smiled at me and pointed with both hands to her shirt as she looked up at me shyly, “Too much?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Nah, perfect,” Ryan said behind me, finally capturing her attention. “That is definitely an awesome idea,” he said as he chuckled at my best friend.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I began laughing as her eyes grew to the size of half-dollars and she quickly became speechless. She just pointed at him as she looked at me, hopelessly embarrassed and excited at the same time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Ryan, I’d like you to meet my best friend, Emma Kasyk,” I said as I was still trying to calm my laughter.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Emma, Ryan Miller, goalie.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Ryan held out his hand to shake Emma’s and said, “Pleasure to meet a girl with a sense of humor. Unfortunately, I don’t think your Doc Marten Combat Boots make a good substitute for the puck bunny heals,” he said with a broad smile.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Emma shook his hand but was blushing like crazy and obviously was speechless. After a minute of shaking his hand, she realized how much of a tard she was acting like and left go as she mumbled, “Sorry, I don’t usually act like this.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Kaleta! Emma!” <place w:st="on">Stafford</place> yelled out behind us as he walked into the room, throwing his arm around my shoulder and shaking hands with my parents.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">This gave Emmy a chance to get a grip, allowing her peal her eyes away from Ryan and give a hug to Drew as she said hello back to him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Hey, we are going out to celebrate a little, you both interested in joining us?” Ryan asked Emma and me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Sure!” I said, knowing I was also answering for the once again speechless Emma.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 6pt; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I always knew once Patty was drafted by the Sabres, that one day I might be partying with some of my favorite players. However, it never really set in until I was in the VIP section having a conversation with Ryan while he sat next to me in the booth of the PURE nightclub.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Our conversation really started when I ordered a Yuengling Lager instead of a fruity, girlie drink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Yuengling Lager?” he asked with raised eyebrows. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For some reason I was infatuated with his eye brows and how he seemed to use them in every facial expression.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I smiled and most likely blushed, “Yeah, why?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“I just figured you’d order a mixed drink like most girls I know,” he answered honestly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I snorted, immediately became embarrassed that I did so, and then said, “Believe me; I’m not like most girls.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“How so?” he asked, sincerely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“For instance, what normal girl would be caught dead in the club, wearing what I am wearing? I look like I just came from a hockey game,” I said while looking down at my attire.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Well, you <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">did</i> just come from a hockey game,” he said, smiling at me as he shrugged his shoulders.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“That I did,” I said as I nodded at his well made point. “However, most girls would have squealed and insisted they go back to their place and get changed into something short and skimpy with sky high heels that they probably can’t walk in properly. They trot around like it is some kind of fashion show. Exhibit A,” I said as I pointed over to a couple girls who fit my description to the ‘t’ who were walking over to the bar. “They are your typical girls. They’ll order their fruity little drinks and find a guy to hang on and laugh at all their jokes even if they have no clue what they are saying.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“I meet a lot of those girls,” he said almost to himself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“I can imagine,” I said as I took a swig of my beer. “But when you come into a club looking like you do, like a million bucks, I can’t blame them for wanting to hang on you,” I said all too honestly. The alcohol was beginning to fill the cracks in my brain that blocked my speech sensor, which in the morning would probably find me completely embarrassed. However, I was happy for the fact that I was beginning to feel less nervous around him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">“Emma!” Patrick yelled in his loud, drunk voice. “Get out here and shake your ass with me on the dance floor!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 6pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">I looked over at Ryan, who just nodded his head like he was granting me permission as I scooted out of the booth and took Patty’s awaiting hand.</span></div>HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2496511211619543993.post-60343953743030910062011-04-12T15:04:00.000-04:002011-04-12T15:04:12.097-04:00I interrupt this story for an important announcement...Hey All!! Hope you are all enjoying this story... like I have mentioned before, this is actually a story I almost a year ago...so it's easy to keep posting daily on this. While I'm sharing this one, I've been working on a brand-new jaunt. It's called <em>Crush. </em>and I just wanted to share the link on here in case you are up for some other reading... new story... new boy. Look forward to hearing comments on both stories!! They truly mean a ton!! Thanks for the support! ~kimmy<br />
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<a href="http://www.crushme28.blogspot.com/">Crush</a>.HockeyFireChickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16091285029672917458noreply@blogger.com0