The Compromise

Jessica was strumming her fingers along her steering wheel, humming softly to a Christmas tune, as she drove to Starbucks to meet up with Sarah for a little while. Sidney and his dad were pretending to know how to install some sort of shelving in the basement as Trina was wrapping up the last of her gifts all the while fending off Taylor's wandering eyes. Jess knew she wouldn't be long, but was anxious to hear from Sarah to find out how her date went with James just the night before. Sarah had called her in the morning and when Jess asked she said she would rather talk about it in person. That made Jess nervous.

She pulled into the spot nearest the door and climbed out of her car into the cold December air. She glanced around to see that the place was relatively quiet which was odd considering how many people wait to the last minute to finish their shopping. She saw that Sarah was parked a few spots down and already sitting at a table inside the coffee shop. She went in, waved at her friend and went to order a coffee.

Once she had her drink in hand, she walked to Sarah and sat down across from her, "You wanting to talk in person made me nervous. What happened? He didn't ruin the evening talking about me did he?" Jess knew that was a bit arrogant to assume, but she said it so timidly that it came out as regretful.

"First off, gimme!" Sarah pointed at Jess' left hand, "Holy shit it's huge! Does it weigh your arm down? It's gorgeous! And secondly I think I had more suspicions that Sid was going to ask you than you did!"

Jess blushed and studied her ring with her friend. It still caught her by surprise whenever she caught a glimpse of it. "You're right. You called it weeks ago. I had no idea he would ask me. I just assumed he would hope for a year of peace before he decided this, but he didn't."

"How did he ask?" Sarah hadn't taken her eyes off the ring and was now gingerly touching the large diamond.

"Oh god, he said it wasn't how he planned to ask at all, but I think it was just perfect."

"Tell me!" Sarah squealed. Jess laughed at her friend's enthusiasm before she started in on the story.

"I'm going to leave out some intimate details," Jess started.

"Oh God he didn't ask you like mid-orgasm did he?"

"Haha! That would be a story for the ages. No, he didn't. Honestly, I caught him trying to hide the box in one of his drawers in our closet. When I nagged at him to tell me what it was he finally caved and asked me right there."

"On one knee?"

"Bare chested and all," Jess threw in there.

"So you had just finished having sex," Sarah commented.

"No, honestly. We were progressing in that direction when I felt the box in his jeans pocket. He had forgotten he had it on him. He wanted to hide it before I caught him, but that didn't work out too well. Anyways, he had this whole speech prepared and it was lovely and endearing and I cried."

"Naturally," Sarah responded.

"And of course I said yes."

"And then you had sex."

"And then we had sex. All night. And again last night. And this morning. He is completely turned on that I said yes."

"That's hot. Well that makes two of us who got some last night."

Jess was caught by surprise and looked at her friend, "No. Really? With, uh, with James?"

"Is that alright?"

"Oh God I have no claim to him! You can sleep with whomever you like. So I take it all went well then?"

"It was really nice then I got your text. And I avoided speaking about you all night, but when I got the text saying you got engaged he got the check and asked me to come hang out at his place. I didn't think anything would progress from that. But he got some kind of text and he changed after that."

"Changed how?" Jess knew she hadn't texted James the news and Sidney told her he wouldn't say anything either. So she wondered whether another teammate said something.

"He became standoffish. I asked him if he wanted me to still come over and he said yes, but we didn't talk after that. So I followed him to his house, we had sex, and then he fell asleep and I left."

"Hmm, interesting. So you think you'll see him again?"

"He was nice enough. If he asks then I will, but I'm not going to pester him to hang out again. It can be solely on his terms."

"And did he know you were leaving?" Jess asked as she finished off her coffee. She saw the sheepish look appear on Sarah's face and knew the answer right away.

******

James had finished with the last of his packing when he heard a banging on his front door. He wanted to ignore whomever was pounding away, but figured the sooner he got rid of the person the sooner he could get on the road and away from Pittsburgh for the holidays.

He clambered down the steps to the front door and pulled it open without looking to see who was visiting.

"You slept with her! Are you crazy! She is my closest friend here and you fucked her!" Jess screamed at him. He quickly grabbed her shoulder and dragged her into his foyer in the hopes of eliminating some embarrassment.

"I knew I should have stopped her from seeing you. I knew it." She was pacing back and forth mumbling to herself looking frazzled by the knowledge that James hooked up with Sarah.

"Wait, how is what I did worse than what you did?"

Jess stopped her rant and studied her ex closely.

"Why are you here Jess? To yell at me? To tell me I screwed up and I shouldn't have done what I did? I know all that. I regret ever sleeping with Sarah, especially when I barely know her. I'm a jerk for doing it. But she did it too and then left without saying bye. So don't make me out to be the only one at fault here."

"What do you mean what I did?"

"You slept with Sidney, a teammate and friend. How is my getting together with Sarah any worse than that?"

"Because Sid and I had feelings for each other and we fostered a relationship out of it! You just fucked her and want to forget her! You can do that to anyone, but you chose a woman I am close with!"

"I don't need to justify my actions with you, I like her. And she left, so if anything you should be yelling at her. Not me. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to get home before it's dark outside." James moved past Jess to the stairway to retrieve his coat and suitcase. He walked over to the garage door and placed the bag down and put on his coat, then he walked back to the front door where a quiet Jessica stood. "Have a Merry Christmas," James said as he held the door open for her. She stepped outside and turned to say something, but the words were lost.

"Oh and congratulations on the engagement," James remarked as he closed and locked the door behind her. Jess stared at the closed door, stung by his actions and angry with herself for showing up there in the first place. It accomplished nothing, and now she felt another fissure forming in their already fragile friendship.

*******
Sidney was sitting in the kitchen watching his mom throw together some ingredients to make her famous Christmas bark. The aromas were enough to make his mouth water and he looked forward to tasting some of it when it finished. He was drawn into a conversation between his dad and sister when he heard the garage door open and subsequently a door slamming shut.

He watched as Jess walked through the door into the kitchen, look startled that the entire Crosby family was standing in front of her, then without a word ran out of the room and to the stairway. But the tear streaks didn't go unnoticed and Sidney was on his feet and following her out of the kitchen before a word was spoken. He didn't catch up to her until he got to their bedroom and opened the door to see Jess curled around her knees crying hard.

Without a word, he sat next to her, draped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his lap. He didn't ask why she was upset. He didn't need to know, but he needed her to know she could come to him and cry any time she needed to.

"You can't be his friend," she said quietly after several minutes of silence.

"Okay," Sid knew she meant James. He knew she went to see Sarah and that Sarah was telling her about her date with James. He knew Jess was upset about this unwanted connection, and not that because she had feelings or was jealous of them. "What happened? I mean, if you want to tell me you can."

"They hooked up, which I don't care about, but she's my only close friend here and I don't want whatever complications this may cause make me lose her as a friend."

"Did you tell her that?"

"No. She is pretty flippant about it. She doesn't care too much. If something comes of it then fine, she said. But he tried to throw in my face that I did the same thing. As always."

"You saw him too?"

"Don't be mad, please. After I hung out with Sarah I was livid and went to confront James about it."

"I'm not mad babe, just tell me when you are doing things. I worry about you. So what did you say when he tried to say we did the same thing?"

"I explained to him that you and I had feelings for one another and we fostered a relationship out of all of this. We didn't sleep together out of spite or because we were hurt about something." Sid nodded his head in understanding and agreement.

But they didn't speak anymore of the events of the day. Instead, Sidney shifted to hockey. "Guess what?"

Jess looked up at Sidney and he instantly ran a thumb under her eyes to wipe away her tears. "What?"

"We may end up having a season after all!" Sid smiled a cheeky grin, so infectious it made Jess laugh.

"How do you know?"

"I spoke with Mario earlier. He said the owners are ready to budge. He didn't say anything more than that so I'm not entirely sure what he means, but it's a start."

"That's fantastic babe! I hope it does happen for you."

"Which means a shorter, more compact season. Like games every other day."

"Busy, busy!"

"Which brings me to when you want to get married."

"We've been engaged for less than forty-eight hours. I'm still digesting the whole proposal!"

"I know, but what I am getting at is this summer or next?"

"Well, you are going to be training hard this summer for the Olympics, am I right?"

"That doesn't mean we can't get married."

"I know, but I don't want to disrupt your life." Jess made to move off of Sidney's lap and got as far as standing when he grabbed her waist and turned her to look at him.

"Jessica, you're my life. Hockey is my career, I've told you this. Want my opinion?" She couldn't help but smile at this, and no matter how many times she hears it, she still finds it hard to believe.

"Shoot."

"The sooner the better." He smiled up at her.

"Really?"

"Yeah! I want my wife with me in Sochi."

"This summer it is then! Oh, that's a lot of planning in such a short amount of time."

"We will make it work. Trust me," Sid said as he tugged Jess back down to capture her lips with his own.

********

James didn't know what he was doing, but he sat in front of the complex for a good twenty minutes before he climbed out of his car and walked to the front door. It was cold, and he knew he should have been halfway to Whitby by then, but he had one loose end to clear up first.

He rang the buzzer and stood back a ways from the door waiting for it to be answered. After a few excruciatingly long seconds, the door swung open and the red-headed woman appeared.

"James!" Sarah said, surprised to see him.

"Hello, Sarah. Can we talk?" He asked hoping she would offer him the opportunity to come into her apartment.

"Sure, come on in." She held the door open for him and he glided through into surrounding warmth. "How did you figure out where I live? And to what so I owe the pleasure?"

"Jess pointed it out to me one time when I drove her home from school." James looked around the cozy apartment, and saw different nuances that screamed Sarah. "So you just leave in the middle of the night after having been with a person all the time?"

"Really James? That's why you're here?" She walked towards the center of the living room and closer to him.

James knew it wasn't. He didn't care that she had left, he almost expected it. "I'm a mess." He collapsed onto her couch and sunk his face into his hands. He hadn't expected it, but the shift in the cushion indicated that Sarah was sitting next to him and then he felt her fingers in his hair.

"Because of Sidney and Jess. I can tell. If you don't mind me saying, I think you still have feelings for her."

"You're wrong. I don't. I just got jealous knowing he followed through in asking her to marry him. I had chickened out and let things fall apart."

"Let me restate, I think you still have feelings for her." James pushed up on his knees and paced the small living space.

"How the hell do you know? Fuck I came here because I was pissed that you left! I wanted to rant about that."

"Yell at me and tell me I'm a bitch for doing that? Go ahead! See if I give a damn."

James was alarmed by how turned on he was by Sarah at that point. He didn't know if he could yell at her or if he should throw her down on the couch and fuck her. He turned away from her in an attempt to collect his thoughts. He didn't know what he was doing there and everything he set out to do was slowly fading. He started to walk away towards the door when he heard Sarah mumble "pussy" under her breath, and he felt his body seize up.

Facing a defiant looking Sarah, with her arms crossed and anger in her eyes, he crossed back to her gripped her shoulders firmly and crashed his lips against hers. She responded by pulling on the front of his t-shirt, hanging out from his coat. They tumbled onto her couch, frantically tugging at each other's clothes and getting lost in each other all over again.

Notes