Come Closer

I packed up the rest of my stuff at James’ house before heading to the airport.

Just as I was packing I got a phone call from Brad Johnson, the general manager of the Pennsylvania Raiders the state volleyball team.

“Hi there, can I talk to Meghan Fuller please.” Brad said as I picked up my cell phone. James just got home from his morning skate since they were playing the Tampa Bay Lightning. I motioned my hand over to the couch as I sat down, putting the phone on speaker.

“This is her.”

James chuckled. “That’s just a dumb thing to say” he whispered to me and I punched him in the arm.

“Hi Meghan, this is Brad Johnson the general manager of the Raiders how are you?” he sounded happy.

“I’m good, and yourself?”

“Good, I just wanted to ask if you are able to take the position as head coach of the team effective immediately?” I got up and danced around the room.

“I would be honored.”

“Are you able to come by this afternoon?” I sat back down.

“Actually, I am going home to Ontario for a few days, how about I come and see you next Wednesday when I come back?”

“For sure, we are excited to have you.”

“I’m excited to be here!”

Brad and I hung up and I jumped into James’ arms.

“OMG, is this real?” I said almost screaming.

“You bet it is babe, this is the beginning of your lives together and I couldn’t be happier…I love you so much!” James put my down and kissed me.

James and I were getting hot on the couch in the living room.

“It’s 1 and my flight leaves at 4, I need to go…unfortunately.”

“Umm…I don’t think so Fuller, let’s just have a quickie and I’ll take you to the airport” he said kissing his way down my neck.

“You always win James.”
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James drove me to the Delta terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport, pulled my bags out of the back and handed them to me.

“Make sure you text me when you get home, I want to make sure you get there safe.” James pulled me in and kissed me.

“You bet I will” and I walked into the terminal.

The first person I see when I walked into the airport was Sara, fuck me I thought getting in line to get my boarding pass and check my luggage.

“Well look who decided to show up.” Sara said to me, there were a few people between us staring at me.

“She’s engaged to James Neal” she said to the people behind her.

“Sara, can you just shut up…please, can’t you just leave me alone.” I put my head down and almost started to cry when I heard a familiar voice behind me.

It was Sidney Crosby.

“You are such a bitch, go back to the hole you came out of.” He said to her in a very calm voice. She didn’t say anything just went up to the desk.

“Thanks Sid, why are you here?”

“I’m going home for a day; my sister has a huge game tonight. I want to surprise her by being there for the game.”

“That’s precious.”

“Thanks, just an awesome brother I am.” He sent me a smile. “That’s quite the ring you got there, Nealer did a good job.”

“Yeah, I love it.”

Sidney’s gate was right beside mine, so we went through security together and just talked about each other’s lives.

“This is totally random, but I need some advice.” We sat down by the gates.

“Shoot.”

“Since seeing James with you and now being engaged, I can’t help want something like that. Eventually I want to settle down, I love kids and want to have a few of my own, but being the face of the NHL gets hard, everybody knows my business…it’s just annoying.”

“Sidney know this sounds old fashioned but someone will come. James and I didn’t see each other for 7 years before I came down for the volleyball game and training. I have heard about some Kathy girl that you were with for a while. Have you talked to her lately?” I took a sip from my Starbucks and talked some more. “Didn’t she sit with your family at the Olympics?”
“Kathy and I dated for a while back in the day but nothing really became of it, our lives just got two busy with my hockey and her modeling career.”

“That’s like the same as me and James; I went down to Dallas after about 5 months of him moving there. I told him that I got an offer to play in Europe for the off season, which is in the summer. He didn’t like that, we had an argument and I ended it, back then James was so full of himself, he told me that he can get any girl he wants, I was discussed. When I got back to Ontario after I went to Dallas, we never talked until I ran into him in Whitby before I left last year, James changed…he was kind and had a better attitude, we hit it off again in the summer but ended when he went back to Pittsburgh, so now here I am, engaged to my high school sweetheart and giving up the game I love the most to be with him.” I took another drink from my coffee.

“If that’s not some Notebook shit then I don’t know what it.” We laughed.

“Delta flight 2558 going from Pittsburgh to Toronto is now general boarding.” Coming over the speaker.

“Well Sid that’s my que, don’t worry she will come…just be patient.”

I got up and gave him a quick hug, grabbed my carry-on and boarded the plane.
This Delta flight had live TV which kept me busy throughout the whole flight. I switched to TSN when I heard the reporter.

“Who is this mystery girl with Sidney Crosby at the Pittsburgh airport?” The reporter said.
They showed two pictures, one with me sitting beside him and one of us hugging right before I got on the plane. Clearly in the picture was my face.

“I believe that is volleyball superstar Meghan Fuller from Ontario.” The other reporter said.
Fuck…I now know what he means by people getting in his personal business, Sidney and I were just talking, and there was nothing bad about that.

I got off the plane and saw 2 text messages both from James.

James – How could you do this to me?
James – I don’t think I can marry.

As I read the messages I dropped my phone but quickly picked it up and got into a cab to go home.

I got into the and thinking to myself, he doesn't know the whole story. We were driving through a green light when someone ran a red light and crashed into my side of the car. I couldn’t feel my body; I was bleeding from everywhere and in so much pain.

I could hear the ambulance sirens coming toward the accident. After that I passed out.

Notes