Chapter 12: Danny II--A Goalie's Wife

Chapter 12: Danny II—A Goalie’s Wife

There was no way that Hinote was getting back to sleep after that bomb that Cecile had laid upon him. His first urge was to get up, get dressed, get in the car and then storm over to the Sakic house and scream for Cecile to come out and come to her senses. In fact he did get up and get dressed and he did get ready to do that. But he stopped at the door.

He knew that, that would be the most impractical thing he could do. Cecile’s mother was there and no doubt had the girl under her fist at that moment. Danny knew he would just look no better than Stanley Kowalski or some other psycho boyfriend if he did do that, not to mention how Debbie and Joe would take that. He could very well get Cecile fired, nannies in the Sakic house were often fired for much less.

So Danny sat on the bed, holding his stomach. He had heard from Cecile vague things about her family and in New York she had always found some way to keep him from meeting them. He knew about her strict religious upbringing and that didn’t bother him. He loved her and he would have her any way he could and if that meant adhering to her principles then so be it. He had held to his own for this long so why can’t he hold a little longer? If he could explain that to her mother he was sure that he could get through.

Of course, there was the age factor. There was no getting around the fact that Cecile had just had her nineteenth birthday, Danny was twenty-four. He had been seeing Cecile ever since she was a highschooler in New York, they had carried on a relationship through letters and phone until finally he had been able to get her a job with the Sakics at the beginning of the season. But all throughout, it had been chaste, kissing was as far as it had gone, and even then Cecile hadn’t been comfortable with that. Surely, her mother could see the beauty of that? And it wasn’t like Danny was a poor man! He was a professional hockey player for Crissakes! He could more than take care of Cecile, he would never let her life want for anything!

Danny collapsed back on the bed, staring at a spider crawling across the ceiling. His head was hurting. He knew there had to be a way around this, maybe Cecile was being a bit immature. She was still a teenager and maybe she feared her mother too much. Maybe she was blowing this whole thing out of proportion and he could go over to the Sakic house and clear everything up. In fact, he decided, that’s what he would do. First thing in the morning.

His black lab, Steve sat up and barked at the sudden sound of knocking at his door. Hinote sat and frowned at his clock. It was past two. Who the hell?

Hinote opened the door and was surprised to see Michele Roy standing there. She was dressed in a sweater and jeans, and her hair was haphazardly flipped up in a clip. She had no make-up on which made the bruise on her mouth more startling.

"Michele?" Danny almost gasped, "Are you alright? Are the kids OK? What’s going on?"

Michele gave a small smile, and shook her head. "The children are fine," she said, "they’re being watched. May I come in?"

Hinote nodded, more confused now than worried. Michele brushed by him lightly as she entered his apartment, she smelled nice even though it was past two. She smelled like fresh lotions or soap. Danny shook his head. He began to wonder how Michele had got past the doorman, was it that important?

Michele surveyed the room like she were looking over a possible kingdom, her head held high on her thin neck. Finally she turned around, facing Danny, a solemn look in her eyes. She reached out and placed her small hand on his arm. Danny suddenly felt a bit warm and uncomfortable. What was she doing here?

"Daniel," she said pronouncing his name the French way, Danielle, "Cecile came to me tonight, she’s at my home right now."

"What?" Danny gasped and he turned towards the door. Michele’s grip became vise-like all of a sudden and she held Hinote still.

"Non, Daniel," she said, "wait, have patience. She told me everything that has gone on and she’s come to me for help. So, I will help her. But I must speak with you first."

Hinote looked down at Michele, relaxing underneath her touch.

"Cecile had told me about her mother," Michele said, raising her eyebrows as she looked straight into Danny’s eyes. "I know her type and if you try to reclaim the girl now, you will lose her forever. So you must be patient."

"What do I do?" Danny asked helplessly. There was something about Michele that he was beginning to trust immensely.

"Well," Michele said, her voice becoming suddenly cheerful, "You must wait for Cecile to become ready to make her own desicions...to break free, to claim her liberty. And of course, you must be there to help her....but.." Michele let go of Danny’s arm and held her slender finger up in the air at him, "Not while her mother is present, she will only take the girl with her back to New York if she knows a thing."

Danny held his arms up in the air, "Then what do I do!" he cried.

There was a low woof from Steve at Danny’s shout.

Michele crossed her arms and smiled with the good half of her mouth. It gave her a roguish look that touched Danny’s heart. With everything she had been through in the past few days, this little woman was concerning herself in his love affairs. What a spirit she had! "Here is where I help you, no?" Michele said.

Danny found himself grinning back at Michele, she was infectious.

"Cecile needs to spend time with her mother, and with you and love being what it is, the young woman will always follow the pretty young man," Michele said with a slight wink at Danny. He reddened. "This is how love goes, especially with the young, and mon cher she is as young as they come."

Danny looked at his feet, he was feeling like a twelve-year old all of a sudden.

"Cecile’s mother will be working and living at the Sakic’s for a while, so that is a problem, nes pas?" Michele said, "So we eliminate part of the problem.....I feel like my home may need a nanny on the weekends....doesn’t Debbie give Cecile the weekends off?"

Danny nodded slowly. He was beginning to see her plan.

"Then Cecile will stay with us on the weekends, her mother will not be welcome at our house and you will. All the time a young man like you needs to constantly remind the girl of where her heart is. Her mother need not know," Michele said, "And do not worry, Cecile need not be bothered with my babies, they’re mine and she may simply be there for you."

Danny nodded again and was horrified to feel tears running down his face. What the hell? he thought, right in front of her.

Within seconds, Danny’s cheek was on Michele’s small breast as she held him to her like she would hold one of her own crying children. He was drowned in that sweet, simple soap smell of hers.

"Oh, oh, oh," Michele tutted, "Don’t worry, you’re relieved now eh? See you must love her very much, to be crying like this. You two have been living too simply, and love is not simple. It is a game, and sometimes a dangerous one, these liaisons we make. You’re young and will learn in time. I’m just trying to make the journey a little bit easier."

Danny sighed as he felt Michele lift his chin a bit with her finger, she looked into his eyes with a smile. "Now calm down," she said.

Danny stepped back, completely embarrassed now, was it possible to go from despair to complete elation in so short a span of time? And what was he feeling now for Michele? It was odd, he knew he was in love with Cecile, but at that moment he wanted to grab Michele in his arms and show her that he was a man! Not a blubbering infant. Was it an overload of gratitude? It probably was, this woman was wonderful to be helping them like this.

"Thank you so much, Michele," Danny said, trying not to hiccup, "You don’t have to be doing this for us, you have a family of you own!"

"Oh, non," Michele said, flippantly holding her hand in the air, "It is my pleasure. It’s not an easy life, mine, and I have to confess to selfish reasons, I would love to see something brilliant happen here and know that it was partly my doing."

"Not an easy life?" Danny laughed, "Michele, you have such a lovely life, you’re such a great person!"

Michele grew solemn all of a sudden, looking at Danny. "Please," she said with a half smile again, "call me Mimi, everyone else does....and...Danny it isn’t easy, a goalie’s wife...you understand these things I’m sure, but don’t concern yourself with them now. I’m a tough chaton."

"Oh," Hinote said.

"Bon!" Michele said, suddenly bright and smiling, "Now I must go home now, so that Cecile isn’t missed at hers. Things will be perfection you’ll see. Until later my pretty young man..." Michele leaned forward and surprised Danny with a quick, delicate kiss on the side of his mouth, "farewell," she said.

Gliding silently and smoothly, Michele left the apartment, leaving behind the feel of her mouth on Danny’s and the scent of her skin. Danny collapsed to the floor and exhaled. Sometimes he didn’t know how he could keep himself under control until he finally married Cecile, he was aroused and trying to ignore it again.

Then it crossed his mind, "not an easy life, a goalie’s wife"...what had she meant by that? Hinote sat up suddenly remembering the ghostly bruise on her shoulder blade, and he grew angry. If Michele was going to help him, then he was not going to let her down either, not if he could help it.

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