Chapter 108

Three days had past and I had not had any more than a two minute conversation with Sid. They were on a seven day road trip and sadly, I was ready to have a break from him. I didn't want to be around him when I was still so angry. I didn't sit at home and wait for him to call; I was busy too, which is a good thing because if he found a few minutes to call it was usually before he had to run off to an interview or photo shoot or something that desperately needed the presence of Sidney Crosby. Isn't it funny that Max and I talked for an hour every night before going to sleep?

"So when are you gonna tell me who my competition is?" Sam asked me as I hung his new iv bag.
"I like to keep a little mystery in my life."
"You already know who your boyfriend is so it's not a mystery for you. Why can't you tell me? Is it that that doctor guy who keeps making googly eyes at you, what's his name? Richardson? Oh god, please tell me it's not that guy! He's such a pretty boy! He should be in one of those girly fashion magazines. He totally thinks he's god's gift to women. I'm begging you...it's not him is it?"
"Gee Sam, how do you really feel? I'll be sure to tell Dr. Richardson that you're his biggest fan."
"Seriously Bekah, you can do so much better than that goober, you could have me!"
"Hmmmmm, tough decision."
Just then there was a knock at the door and I heard a familiar voice say "So I heard there was a Penguins fan hiding out in here," before a football went whizzing by my head.
Sam caught it and his amazing blue eyes lit up to match the ones that were looking back at us.
"Hey bijou," he said giving me a kiss on the cheek before going over to Sam and offering him a handshake.
"You're...you're..."
"Max Talbot, nice to meet you Sam."
Sam looked at me dumbfounded and I just shrugged my shoulders.
"Bekah, Max Talbot knows my name! Wait. He knows you? You know Max Talbot? Holy crap!"
I laughed at the stunned look on his face and was sure that it matched mine.
"I told you I met him before," I said chuckling.
"Yeah, met him, not that you knew him and that he was going to walk into my room and kiss you on the...wait. He kissed you! Holy shit! Is that why you wouldn't tell me who the guy was?"
"Sam, slow down and take a breath! Max is NOT my boyfriend."
"Dude! No way, she is way too good for me. But for some reason; one I still don't understand, she has taken pity on me and allowed me to be her friend; best friend actually, right bijou?"
"Yeah Max, the best. I still haven't figured out why either?"
"Ouch dude, she just burned you!" Sam laughed.
Max sat down on the bed beside Sam and suddenly there were two sets of baby blues looking at me.
"I know," Max sighed. "But look at her. She could do just about anything to me and I'd just take it."
"I know right! She's hot; definitely the best thing about this damn place."
"Hi, I'm right here! And stop talking about me like I'm a piece of meat. Maxie, you are dangerously close to having to find a new best friend; and you little man," I said pointing at Sam, "if you're not careful, I'm going to make sure that nurse Bertha will be taking care of you from now on."
"No no no no no! Not big Bertha! I'll do anything, I swear."
I smiled at them over my shoulder on my way out the door.
"See what she did right there Sam? She's a vixen, and those kinds of girls are trouble; have you eating right out of their hands."
"I heard that," I yelled from the hallway.

"Oh hey Bekah," Carrie shouted after me, "phone call for you."
"Who is it?" I asked, walking around the desk at the nurses station.
"I don't know but he sounds cute!"
"How exactly does one sound cute?" I laughed.
"I don't know. I need help!"
"You need a date girl!"
"No, I need to get laid!" she laughed shaking her head.

"Hello?"
"Hey beautiful, can I interest you in dinner tonight? We just got back and I'm dying to see you."
"What's with the 180 degree flip with the personality?" I asked cooly.
"What do you mean, Beks? I've been gone for seven days and I missed you. I want to see you."
"Yeah and for the last ten days you've been a miserable jerk who couldn't find the time or the inclination to call his girlfriend; now you just expect me to forget the way you've treated me and have dinner with you because you say you've missed me? Sorry, I don't work that way pal."
"I know I've been a little moody lately, and I'm sorry. If you let me come over for dinner tonight, I'll promise I'll make it up to you."
"Oh, so now I have to make you dinner too?"
"No, I'll make dinner."
I was silent for a minute.
"Whaddya say...Sid's famous spaghetti...a little wine..." he urged.
"If you screw this up Crosby, you'll be ordering take out."
"I know. I'll see you at five. I love you."
"Ditto. See you at five."

I finished my rounds and was getting ready to head home for the day, but not without saying goodnight to Sam. When I walked into his room I was surprised to find Max still there and playing NHL O7 with Sam.
"Yeah baby! Gooooooooaaaaaaalllllll! Beks, I just kicked Max Talbot's ass!"
"Whoa whoa whoa! You did not kick my ass. You only beat me by two goals."
"I kicked your ass!"
"Fine you kicked my ass; but wait til you get out on the ice, then we'll see who kicks who's ass."
"Whoa! Out on what ice," I interrupted.
"Max said once I get better he'd take me to the arena so we could play a real game, isn't that awesome?"
"Awesome," I replied.
"And he said that I need to sweet talk you in to taking me to a game, turn on the old Bradley charm..."
"Maxime Talbot! I leave you alone for two hours and you've turned this sweet, innocent young boy into...YOU!"
"Relax chérie, I will be a perfect gentleman," Sam said smoothly.
"Unbelievable! It's like a mini Max! That's it Talbot, you are banned from this hospital forever!"
"C'mon bijou, I finally have a prodigy!"
"Goodnight Sam, don't give the night nurses a hard time okay?"
"Oui, mon amour, bon soir."
"Lord help us all, there's two of them! Let's go superstar," I said grabbing Max's hand and pulling him towards the door, "your little mini me needs to rest. I'll see you tomorrow Sam."
"And I'll see you Wednesday bud," Max called.

"I can't believe you spent the whole afternoon with Sam, Max. You didn't have to do that," I said as we got on the elevator.
"I know I didn't have to; I wanted to. You were right, he is an awesome kid. And totally in love with you by the way, but who could blame him?"
I swatted him on the arm.
"Seriously Max, it's great that you spent time with him; I really appreciate it, but you shouldn't be promising him things that aren't going to happen."
"Why won't they happen? I'd love to get him out on the ice. Do you know they don't even have an arena in the town he lives in? That's not right!"
"Max, his chances of ever leaving this hospital are not good," I said softly.
Max saw the sadness in my eyes and put his arm protectively around my shoulders.
"All the more reason to give him something to look forward to then."
I rested my head on his shoulder and we rode down the rest of the way in silence. When we reached the parking lot Max said, "Can I interest you in some dinner? I'll cook?"
"I'd love to Max, but Sid's coming for dinner."
"And all is forgiven," he replied solemnly.
"No, all is not forgiven, but we do need to talk about it."
"Just do me a favour okay?"
"What?"
"Don't let him off the hook too easy. He was an ass and if you let him get away with it now, he'll think he can treat you like that all the time and then I'd have to kick his ass and Mario will ship me to some place like...Florida."
"I won't let him off easy, I promise," I said smiling.
"Good. Besides, if things don't work out with Sid, you have another young stud who's already in love with you."
"Oh yeah? And who would that be?"
He smiled that charming Talbot smile, and kissed me on the forehead.
"Sam!"
"Right! I'll keep that in mind. Seriously Max, thank you."
"For what?"
"For everything. For listening to my bullshit, for trying to look out for me, and most of all for today; with Sam. You have no idea how much it means to him; to both of us."
"It was my pleasure bijou. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
He kissed my cheek and shut the door of my car after I got in.

The drive home flew by, and before I knew it I was in my driveway, Sid's range rover already there. I turned of the car and took a deep breath.
'Be strong Bekah. Stand your ground. He needs to know that you will not accept his behaviour,' I told myself.
'Here goes nothing.'
I pushed open the front door. "I'm home!"