Chapter 152: Joey IV--No and that's Final!

Chapter 152: Joey IV—NO! And that’s Final!

 

            Joe woke up around four o’clock, the alarm clanging through his brain and snapping his eyes open, shattering the thin layer of a dream still dancing within him. As he sat up he quickly forgot everything that had been threading through his mind and he stretched, and shut off the alarm. He yawned again and looked around the room. The light was already dimming, and it was almost too warm.

            He pulled off his shirt and tossed it on the floor. It was too warm for that.

            Practice had been pretty good that morning. There was a lot of ease and warmth between the team. There was jokes and conversation. There were things of that sort, there was no sense of any tightness or unfamiliarity. Those were good signs.

            Of course Patty had seemed a bit on edge but that was more than likely because the goalie was nursing a one hundred and twenty-minute shut out streak. Patty had come into the locker room snippish and rolling out an entire plethora of new tricks and superstitions. At that point the locker room had got a little tense, none of them wanted to be the one who broke or dislodged one of Patty’s traditions and therefore be the goat of the night when the shut-out was snapped.

            Joe had alleviated the problem by walking behind Patty as the goalie limped around with that wonky hip of his. And then, when he was certain the entire team was watching him, he began to hobble in exactly the same sort of duckish lumber that Patty did. The giggles started and Joe made a frown, just like the one Patty did when he pouted. The giggles turned into laughter. And then Patty turned around and frowned at him, “What you up to?” he had said in a peevish voice but his eyes were sparkling.

            Some of the guys went out with each other after practice, meeting each other for steaks or to play pool. It was good to hear them make their plans with each other. There were two long faces that Joe noticed.

            Peter had barely said a thing throughout the practice or in the locker room that wasn’t, “Yeah,” “No,” “Sure”, “OK”. The pain was obvious in the Swede’s eyes, which seemed paler than usual and red rimmed. Joe noticed the tremble in his long, white fingers as he laced his skates. Joe noticed the stumble in his skating stride and the way he couldn’t quite seem to connect with any pass slid at him. It really was affecting him, what had happened with Josefina.

            They would be a stronger couple as a result. It would be better for Peter soon, he would see. Joe didn’t think he should tell him that now, however, it could hardly make a difference. Could he just weather it? Or did he need someone else? A baby, even one that was barely a thought before it disappeared, was still a serious thing. Peter should have some space.

            “Hey, Mike,” Joe heard Tangers say as soon as everyone was showered and either lounging in towels or dressed. “Keaner, Noter, and I are going to the Chop House for some steaks and beer. Want to come?”

            Good kid! Joe thought with a beaming smile in his chest. He was reaching out to the new guy; he was being a real teammate.

            He had looked up and saw Tangers, friendly and smiling. Modano seemed a little sad though, and unenthused. “Naw it’s OK,” Modano replied. “I think I’m just gonna go home and nap.”

            “OK,” Tangers said and he patted Modano on the back. “Some other time?”

            Modano’s eyes were pained and dark. “Thanks, I really appreciate that.”

            “No problem.” Tangers said.

            Alex didn’t look his way but if he had, then Joe knew he would have given the kid a nod or a thumbs up.

            “So Patrick,” Joe heard Kirk Muller’s deep voice. “How’s the wife?”

            “Eh?” Patrick had replied and Joe could actually hear a disdainful tinge in it. “Why?”

            “Just trying to be friendly, hey she bakes on Thursdays doesn’t she?” Muller said and Joe could tell something else in Muller’s voice through the friendliness. It sounded almost taunting.

            “You know this,” Patrick had replied.

            “Yeah,” Muller answered. “What a wonderful little homemaker... wonderful. You don’t see many women like her these days... of course... when you think about it, maybe there never have been many women like her.”

            “Well, I don’t think I could have ever been without her,” Patrick said and he stood up abruptly, walking quickly away from them.

            Joe frowned. What was that all about? Well, at least practice was over when these cracks began to show in the pleasantries that were the locker room. Joe shook his head. Tired, everyone was tired. That was all. Naps all around and food, then it would be fine.

            “What’s up, Dru?” Joe had heard Footer ask.

            “Nothing.”

            Joe sighed and looked over at Drury. The kid looked sulkier than usual.

            “Aw,” Foote said, and Joe could see the gleam in his eye. “Paula hasn’t taken ya back?”

            “Whatever,” Drury replied.

            Of course, Joe thought, his girl had left the kid and it was Thanksgiving today, wasn’t it? He was American, which would have to mean something.

            “Look,” Foote said. “Just cause she’s just walked away doesn’t mean you haveta be scared to chase her.”

            Great! Joe thought. Foote was taking charge and being there for a teammate in need.

            “Really?” Drury said with a hopeful tinge to his voice.

            “Suuuure!” Foote said and then he looked around at the whole locker room. “I mean... it’s not like she’s gonna BITE you or anything.”

            Joe couldn’t help a half grin, but the crushed look on Drury’s face quickly wiped it off, the hurt in his eyes. The locker room of course was laughing. Drury stood up and wordlessly stormed out.

            “Kid can’t take a joke,” Footer shrugged.

            “Hey, Pete,” Joe called out to Peter as they were leaving the practice facility.

            Peter stopped but didn’t turn around. Joe had to walk up to him, and look him in the eye. Sad eyes. “Yeah?” Peter asked dully, not in a disrespectful sort of way but in a dazed voice.

            Joe pressed his hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Look, you and Josefina, drop by, call, we’ll have dinner OK?”

            There was that perfect, white bread smile. “Yeah.”

            Joe nodded.

            Mike Modano was by himself getting into his car. Joe decided that he was needed here as well. At least the team didn’t seem to be alienating him anymore, but it certainly looked as if Modano was alienating himself. Why was he acting so insecure?

            “Hey, Mikey!” Joe called out.

            Modano turned and Joe was pleased to see a smile on the man and a light to his eyes. “Hey!” he said brightly.

            Maybe I was wrong, Joe thought. Maybe he isn’t in any sort of funk, he certainly seems happy now.

            “Yeah,” Joe said. “How ya doing now? I mean since the move here?”

            Modano nodded and looked away. “It’s been different, but great.”

            “Good,” Joe said. “I’m glad you’re happy, I don’t think I could carry on through a game if I knew you were distressed.”

            Modano laughed loudly. “Really?” he asked.

            Joe hit him playfully on the arm. “Sure, now don’t be a stranger, OK? Call me up if you’re lonely call up Tangers. Call any one of us... shoot, it’s Thanksgiving, why don’t you call up Dru. He’s a little down it seemed.”

            Joe stopped by an Italian place he loved and picked up some lunch and when he had come home, Debbie wasn’t there. That woman, Cecile’s mother Pauline, swooped upon him and excitedly showed him their new parlor. At least that part of the house was completed! Joe didn’t even think about what this was gonna cost him as he smiled and expressed his delight in the newly finished room. He complimented the workers on a job well done and he complimented Ms. Darcy on her wonderful eye for color.

            He was sleepy. Still, he couldn’t resist the sound of his children’s squeals as he passed by the nursery. He peeked his head in and had seen Cecile flat on her back with her eyes tightly shut. The girl’s nose was wrinkled and her smile was huge as Chase and Camryn ran in circles around her shooting canisters of whipped cream all over her slim body. Joe stopped himself from just dying with laughter and all he could think was how fortunate the girl was that Debbie was not home.

            “You gotta get more on her face!” Mitchell giggled. “More!”

            “Eeep!” Cecile squealed. “No more!”

            Joe smiled and then he felt a little sad. Debbie had kept him informed of Cecile’s arrangement with the Roy’s so that she could see Danny. He didn’t particularly agree with any part of it though. She was newly nineteen, a girl. Danny was past being a boy; he was a young man. The match just didn’t work in his head, and he wasn’t particularly fond of deceiving the girl’s mother. And the way the girl had been crying last week, he knew that it wasn’t a healthy relationship for her.

            But Danny was part of the team and it was his relationship. It was his decision and out of Joe’s hands.

            “Now you’re a cake!” Mitchell exclaimed.

            “CAKE!” Chase yelled and then his canister sputtered and died. Uh oh! Joe thought, that couldn’t be good. The baby boy’s face crumbled and his lip trembled. “MORE! MORE!”

            At that point, Camryn’s canister ran out and the little girl began to bawl. Joe almost went into the room but then Cecile sat up, picking the cream off her face and she was quick to hug the twins to her. “Awww, don’t cry beetles!” she said. “There’s cream everywhere!”

            “NOOO!” Chase wailed.

            “Yessss!” Cecile said and she grabbed a handful off her body and squished it on top of Chase’s head.

            Chase began to laugh and he wiped it off his face and licked it off his palms. Camryn laughed loudly. “More! More!”

            “Noooo!” Cecile said in a light voice. “I can’t believe I let it get this far you little spiders! I need to clean this all up and get you in the bath!”

            Joe shook his head. They still hadn’t seen him yet...

            “Am I in trouble?”  Mitchell asked and he sat next to Cecile, wiping more whipped cream off her body with his sleeve.

            “Of course not,” Cecile replied, “You’re an angel as always! Now help me get these two in the bathtub so we can get this mess cleaned before your parents see us and.. GOOD LORD!”

            At that point the girl had seen Joe, her emerald eyes widened and she stood up, holding her hands to her throat. “Mr. Sakic!” she gasped and standing there, covered in whipped cream, the most horrified light was dancing in her eyes. Mitchell burst into tears and so did the twins and Joe’s heart almost broke. He wished that he had just walked on by and not disturbed their world. Hell, they were gonna get it all cleaned up anyway what were they harming?

            “Mr. Sakic! I can explain! I mean.... Sir I’m sooo sorry! I’ll get this cleaned...” And there were the tears sparkling in her eyes.

            “No, it’s fine!” Joe said quickly. “I mean... well... just don’t do it again!”

            “Don’t FIRE HER!” Mitchell wailed. “Please! I’ll die forever and ever and ever!”

            Joe closed his eyes briefly and walked into the mess. He squatted down to the level of the children and held out his arms. “Hey!” he said with a smile and the children ran into his arms. “It’s fine! No one’s getting fired!” He looked up at Cecile the whipped cream confection and he grinned. “As long as it’s cleaned up before the Missus gets home!”

            Cecile nodded a lump of cream falling out of her ebony hair.

            “Get ‘em in the bath and Mitchell and I will clean up in here.”

            That had taken about half an hour and Joe played with the children in the nursery while Cecile took a shower. There was another twenty minutes gone. And then it was nap, blessed nap. He found Wayne the puppy sleeping on Debbie’s pillow. He barely cared as he fell to sleep.

            Joe woke up around four o’clock, the alarm clanging through his brain and snapping his eyes open, shattering the thin layer of a dream still dancing within him. As he sat up he quickly forgot everything that had been threading through his mind and he stretched, and shut off the alarm. He yawned again and looked around the room. The light was already dimming, and it was almost too warm.

            He yawned as he walked slowly down the stairs, he was thirsty, and that’s when he heard the giggles. He stopped and cocked his head. It was the wives; he could hear a lot of them.

            “Great,” he muttered and he wandered back upstairs to get more clothes on.

            “Oooo,” he heard Mimi’s voice when he had come downstairs again. “It’s far too delicious! He’ll never agree!”

            “You think?” he heard Debbie say.

            “Hey it sounds fun!” he heard another wife say but he couldn’t recognize the voice. Maybe it was Brandi?

            “I don’t know,” he heard Cecile say. “Isn’t it a bit vulgar?”

            “Ooo don’t be a bore!” Michele said.

            The way Michele had said that irked Joe some and he walked straight into the kitchen. “What’s Cecile being sensible about?” Joe said loudly, getting a scare out of the women. “I’m sure she’s being the only voice of reason?”

            Joe met eyes briefly with Cecile and all he could see was the whipped cream on her head, he winked. She reddened and smiled back.

            “Joe!” Debbie exclaimed. “Hon! Darling!”

            Joe raised his eyebrows. “Uh oh!” he said.

            Debbie stood up and hugged him, kissing his cheek. “I love you!” she said.

            “And I love you too,” Joe replied. “Give it to me. What are you heathens up to?”

            “You like helping all the orphans and charities,” Debbie began.

            Joe looked briefly at Michele and he could see that mischievous smile on her face. This couldn’t be a good sign. “Yeah,” he said slowly...

            Debbie nodded. “Yeah! And anyway... I know how much the skills competition makes for the charities...”

            Joe raised his eyebrows. “You want us to play a charity game?”

            “YES!” Debbie squealed looking as beautiful as when she was a girl, happiness just flooding through her. At that moment Joe would have granted her anything, of course they could squeeze a charity game into their schedule.

            “Sure,” Joe said to the audible delight of the wives. “Sure.”

            “Wonderful!” Debbie said. “Maybe we can get Cammi Granato to help us out then?”

            Joe frowned. “What?”

            Debbie gnawed on her bottom lip and leaned on him, her tiny fingers toying with his sleeve. “Um.. well.. we thought it would be great for the fans if.. if us wives and girlfriends were playing in it too...”

            “AGAINST US?” Joe cried in disbelief.

            “No, no, no, no, no!” Debbie said quickly smoothing her hands down his chest. “No with you! We would put an equal number on each sides, no checking, it’ll be great! You’ll see!”

            Joe closed his eyes and imagined the unimaginable, Debbie in skates, twisting an ankle falling helpless to the ice... “No!” he said.

            “Oh Joe it isn’t..”

            “No!” Joe said again, “It’s impossible.”

            “Awwwwww!” Brandi, Mimi and Debbie whined. “But!”

            “No!” Joe repeated. “Cecile is right, it’s just vulgar!”

            “Joe it...”

            “NO!” Joe said louder than he would have liked. “And that’s final!”

            There was a round of sighs from the women, but Joe knew it was for their own good. How silly could they get?