Chapter 30

The Boston Bruins didn't finalize a contract with Brad until four days before they started preseason games. Even so, he had been practicing with the team the whole time and was ready to play. If there had been any drama between his agent and the team Brad had kept quiet about it. He wanted to stay with the Bruins and that was all that had mattered to him.

Instead of finding a new apartment to rent, they had resigned the lease at his old place. They couldn't find a different apartment they could both agree upon, and decided to try again at the end of the season. It had almost turned into their first real fight. There was another problem brewing however, that would take those honors.

On one of the first days back practicing with the team, Elia had driven Brad to the arena and stopped in to say hi to everyone. Most of the guys acknowledged her and went back to getting ready. Which was okay, better than nothing. So she decided to try asking Seguin how his summer was. He held up his middle finger, looked her in the eye, and then walked away. Elia didn't have time to deal with that just then. She had a meeting across town with Theo Epstein at the time.

Seguin was just the tip of the iceberg though. Most of the Bruins' preseason games were pretty close to Boston. They traveled to Montreal, played the Canadiens again in Nova Scotia for some reason, and also played the Rangers in Connecticut. Elia and a few of the other wags traveled with to the different cities. Interactions with Brad's teammates hadn't improved over the summer, and might have actually become worse. Being out on the road with them seemed to exacerbate the issue. It started out with snide comments thrown her way out of Brad's earshot, or just ignoring her while they were out places in a group. The problems seemed to originate from Seguin, Lucic and Boychuk. It spread to the wives and girlfriends, who barely spoke to Elia when they sat and watched games together. Brad either didn't notice, or was trying not to. Elia was trying hard not to start drama but she was not used to biting her tongue. Tim Thomas didn't like Elia, but his problem with her was separate from the other players. He just wanted to debate her on politics.

The first actual game of the season was October 6th. Elia ended up missing the game and staying home with strep throat and an ear infection. Luckily Brad hadn't gotten sick with her. Once she was started on antibiotics she was feeling a lot better, and attended their second game against the Lightning. The Bruins beat Tampa Bay 4-1 and everyone went out for drinks afterward at Alibi. The lounge had an interesting jail theme. Celebrity mugshots lined the walls, with rows of bars dividing tables and corners. The furniture was surprisingly upscale. They were sitting on a long yellow sofa with small tables and box shaped stools on the other side. Elia ordered a bottle of Reyka for the table proceeded to use it to take her evening dose of amoxicillin.
“Hey Brad, you might want to watch yourself, you know antibiotics mess with birth control pills. She gets knocked up and she's got you for 18 years,” Tyler said to Marchand. Lucic laughed with him.

“Tyler, I'm really sorry that you were born unable to birth Brad's children, but I don't know why you have to take that frustration out on me.” Elia said calm and cold. Tyler stopped laughing and just stared at her across the table. Bergeron started to laugh
“Can you two just relax for a while?” Brad asked, putting his hands out as if to hold them apart from each other. The way he worded it almost made it sound like he was aware of some kind of tension between the two. They stopped baiting each other for a time, but Elia was sick of it and wanted to know why Seguin was set on bullying her. A few drinks into the night some of the guys had left the table to mingle with other bar goers. Brad had gotten up to go to the bathroom when Elia saw Seguin trying to chat with a woman at the bar and decided to try and talk to him.

“So, can I buy you a drink?” He was asking the auburn haired beauty when Elia approached.
“Actually, he probably legally can't, he's only 19.” Elia interjected. The woman looked at Elia, then back to Seguin looking confused. She shook her head and walked away.
“What. The. Fuck.” Seguin said, annoyed.
“You and I need to talk.” Elia declared, locking eyes with him. He rolled his eyes.
“I don't understand why you are so hostile towards me. You are Brad's best friend and I would love to be friends with you too. I'm sure you have many redeeming qualities I don't even know about, and I would love to get to know them.”
“Yeah, Brad is like a brother to me. Which is why I don't understand how he could want to date someone that ran out of guys to fuck in the MLB and had to start working her way through the NHL,” Tyler replied, his voice thick with disdain.
“I don't have to validate to anyone who I have or haven't fucked, and I find it incredibly hypocritical that you would judge a woman for promiscuity when you allegedly banged half of Boston this summer.” Elia spit back.
“You run around like some kind of princess like everyone should kiss your ass all the time. You didn't want anyone to know you were hooking up with Brad since the minors cause you're a snobby stuck up bitch. I told Brad you can't turn a hoe in to a housewife but he is dead set on trying anyway. Doesn't mean I have to like you.”

There was no way Tyler could have known that he had hit one of Elia's insecurities. She refused to feel bad about sleeping with who she chose to sleep with, but hated the idea that she was coming off as pretentious or conceited. She was speechless for a moment, but the words came before her thoughts could catch up. “You know what I think Tyler? You're jealous that I chose Brad and not you.” He stared at her fixedly, not saying anything, then laughed it off.
“In your dreams Elia.”
“No, I don't think you wanted me, I think you are used to getting all the attention and having Brad as your wingman.--” He cut her off, “--Or I just think you're a bitchy slut,”
“What did you just say Seggy?” Brad had walked up.
“I was just telling Elia I think she looks wicked hot,” Tyler said, putting his arm around Elia like they were friends. Elia was mid sip of her drink and almost choked from laughing.
“Short term memory loss could be a sign of a concussion Seguin you might want to get that checked out.”
Seguin faked a laugh, “She's such a joker. Bad hearing, but funny.”
“What is up with you two?” Brad looked at them both, confused.
“Tyler called me a bitchy slut.” Elia said quickly.
“That is not what I said, at all.” Tyler tried to defend himself.
“It's exactly what you said!” Elia said, pushing his arm off her shoulder.
“Was not! Dude she's trying to turn you against me. I don't know why, bitch is crazy.” He put his arms out and shrugged. Elia made a strange shrieking noise, and Brad pulled her away from Seguin to talk to her separately. She told him the whole story, everything Tyler said to her, and even the things he had said before that night. She didn't care if she sounded whiny she just needed to vent. Elia put her arm around Brad's back and leaned into his chest. It felt better to have it all out. Well, for a while. And then Brad gave his assessment of the situation. “I'm sure Seggy's just joking around.”

Elia's jaw dropped. She put her hand on Brad's chest, pushing herself back and looked up at him. “Are you for real?” He looked at her, “What do you want me to say?” She stepped back from him. “Obviously I want you to stick up for me! These guys are not even giving me a chance it's not fair. If my friends treated you like this I would give them Hell!” Elia walked away, and Brad didn't stop her.

She took a cab back to their apartment and leashed the dog for a walk. The trip home had only made her more angry. She ran over every word Seguin had said in her head. I told Brad you can't turn a hoe in to a housewife. Brad had been acting this whole time like he didn't know that Tyler had a problem with her, when he obviously did. Now she was out alone with a dog and Brad was still hanging out with Tyler? She tried calling Pat, and then Jon, but got no answer. They were in Dallas for a game and probably going out with Burish afterward. Abby picked up her phone after two calls. Half asleep she listened to Elia's problems as Elia walked around the neighborhood.
“Do you realize you turned down Adam Burish to date the Adam Burish of the Bruins?” Abby said when she was finished.
“I prefer to think of him as the Dave Bolland of the Bruins? But in no way is that helpful or relevant to my situation at all right now.” Elia sat down on a neighbor's stoop.
“And you're fighting with the Patrick Kane of the Bruins, it's like a bizarro world.”
“Abby either your out of control hormones are making you unfocused or you are stoned, which would be very irresponsible as you are with child. And please don't ever compare Seguin to Kane, significant differences include, uh, let's start with, Patrick has a soul.”
“I'm sure Tyler Seguin has a soul,” Abby said, in a strange, new mothering voice.
“Oh I'm sure he has many, because as the devil he collects them. From other people.”
“You are being very dramatic Elia.” Disappointed mother voice. What was this?

Abby and Elia talked for another fifteen minutes, with Abby calming Elia down and giving her some advice on the Tyler situation. Kill him with kindness she said. If it didn't turn him to her side, it would at least make him look worse to Brad. They were about to start talking about Brad when Abby started getting a call from Mr. Sharp and had to go. She walked back to the apartment. This time the dog ran ahead, happy to go home and get away from the outdoors.

He was already home when they came back. He said he had left almost right after she left, having to talk to Tyler first. And Looch. He told them they had to treat her with respect and stop being assholes. They had agreed.
“But...” He started to say, “I don't think you should come to any away games for a while. And no more visiting practice or the locker room.”
She started to protest but he stopped her. “You all need to take some space right now. And I know what you're going to say next. Of course I still want you to be there when we play Chicago next week.”

Elia wasn't sure if she was satisfied by those terms. She resented being allowed permission to travel to her own hometown. She told Brad she needed to think about it and slept on the couch with the dog that night. He tried to insist that she sleep in the bed and he would take the couch, but she refused. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay angry if she woke up wrapped up in Brad. Trying to sleep on the couch with the dog was hard. Byfuglien kept trying to lick the inside of her ears. When she wasn't trying to lick Elia she was making loud slurping noises licking herself. The dog had finally settled in to sleep when she got a text. It was Jonny.
“You okay? Heard you had a bad night.”
“Yeah, I'll be okay. News travels fast.”
“Heard it through that sharp-vine.”
“Lol. Let's talk soon, miss you.”
“Miss you more.”
“too*, lol auto correct.”

Elia thought that was a weird auto-correct. But she didn't say anything back, she was drifting off to sleep.

Notes