Chapter 27

"Umm Sid, I hate to tell you this, but this is not the way to the mall. I knew I should've drove!"
"Listen smart ass, we have to make one stop before the mall."
"I have no time for stopping, I only have until 3 o'clock, I have to power shop."
"Will you relax. This will hopefully help out with your shopping."
Now my curiosity was peaked. "So where are we going?"
"I can't tell you that, it's a surprise."
"Well, the first thing you should know as my friend is that I HATE surprises."
'What? Who hates surprises?"
"Me."
"You are not normal."
"I did not sign up for insults and if that's going to be the case, you can turn around right now and take me home," I said trying to be all angry and demanding.
Sid just laughed at me. "You're pretty cute when you're trying to be a little control freak."
"I am NOT a control freak! And for the record, women don't really like to be called 'cute', it's condescending. No wonder you don't have a girlfriend!"
"Ooooohhhh. You are feisty when you don't get your own way! And for the record, we both know that my choice of words is not why I don't have a girlfriend," he said taking a more serious tone with me.
Ouch, that hurt! I decided to change the subject.
"So how's Mario doing since going home from the hospital? Is he taking all his meds?"
"Slick Beks, real slick."
"Whatever are you talking about?" I asked innocently.
Sid just shook his head and smirked. "He's doing pretty well, taking it easy and yes nurse Jones, he's taking his meds."
"Good. Umm, why are we at the Igloo?"
"This is the stop we needed to make." Sid parked the Range Rover and got out to open the door for me. I got out with some hesitation.
"Chop chop, we don't have all day!"
"Very funny. What are we doing here?"
"Can you just go with the flow please? You're spoiling all the fun."
"Fine."
He greeted the security guard at the player's entrance and proceeded to lead me down a series of hallways and dark corridors. I didn't say anything until we passed the same pole twice.
"Sid, where are we going? We've passed this spot already."
"I know. It's my route."
"You're route?"
"It's kind of a superstition thing. I have to take the same way through the arena every time I'm here."
"Yeah, and I'm the freak?"
Sid led me into the smaller lounge that I had waited for him in the night he had met Jake. I couldn't believe what I was seeing when I surveyed the room.
"Bekah, this is Rick Hunter from Reebok."
"Nice to meet you," I said shaking his hand.
"The pleasure is mine," he said. "I understand you have a couple of boys we need to outfit with some new gear."
Rick led me through the entire room filled with every different piece of equipment in every single style Reebok had ever produced, explaining it all as he went. As we reached the end I felt Sid stand close behind me, almost like a shadow.
"Now, this stuff right here is the equipment I use, only smaller," he smiled.
"Obviously."
"So, now that you've seen everything, pick. Whatever the boys need, it's yours."
I looked over at Rick and he just smiled and nodded.
"Will you excuse us for a minute Mr. Hunter? I need to speak to Sidney alone."
"Sure. I'll just be outside," he said after exchanging knowing glances with Sid.
"What are you doing?"
"You said the boys wanted new gear for Christmas and that you didn't know much about it so I thought you might as well learn from one of the best. Rick is the best. Now hurry up and pick so we can get you to the mall before you go into withdrawal!"
"Sidney, being cute is not going to smooth this over. This is too much. I said they wanted new stuff not the whole god damn Reebok factory! Besides, I can't..."
"Before you say you can't afford it, this is a gift from Reebok. What good is it to be a spokesperson if you don't get any perks?"
"I can afford to buy my kids hockey equipment and the implication that I can't is quite insulting. If you're trying to be a big hero and bail the poor single mother out, don't bother!"
"Bekah, I'm sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to imply anything, I just didn't want you to use money as an excuse. I am not doing this for you because you need me to, I'm doing it because I want to."
He moved closer to me and put his hands on my arms. The warmth ran through my entire body instantly. His eyes were set intently on mine.
"I know how hard you've worked for the life you're giving those boys. You have done it all by yourself without accepting anything from anybody and that is something to be proud of. I've worked hard for the life that I have too. And part of it is being able to do things like this for the people I care about, so can we please pick out the gear and get on with our shopping trip?"
How could I say no to those eyes, that face, that logic? We got everything the boys needed from neck guards to skates and of course it had to be the same as what Sid had. Rick said he would have everything wrapped up and sent to Sid so he could deliver it to me when the boys weren't home. I thanked him very much before we left.
"And thank you too Crosby," I said with quiet sincerity. "The boys are going to be so excited!"
"That is the goal. Now are you ready to head to the mall?"
"Absolutely!"
"Good. And Beks?"
"Yeah?"
"For the record, men don't like being referred to as 'cute' either."