Hopeless Wanderer

"Guess what day it is?" Sidney blurted excitedly as he stood in the kitchen of his home in Nova Scotia.

Carrie didn't seem to mirror his excitement, she viewed the day as a regular weekday. She would do some chores around the house, connect with any media wanting to do any stories on Sidney, and cook dinner. He would be training the entire time.

"It's Thursday...so that means it is legs day before hitting the ice," Carrie said without looking up from her computer screen. She was sipping a coffee and reading through emails.

"Yes, but the date!"

"August 7th," she knew it was his birthday. She never pegged him for a guy to get excited over the day.

"And what does that mean?" He asked as he grabbed a seat at the table next to her and leaned in close. He was staring intently waiting for her to just blurt out what they both knew the day was.

"I am five months and nine days away from turning 31."

"You're being mean."

"Happy birthday Sidney," she chuckled and kissed his cheek. They quickly pulled away when they heard footsteps approaching the kitchen. She resumed studying the screen and Sidney pulled out his phone to answer a few texts from his family and friends.

"Good morning!" Andy O'Brien declared as he entered the kitchen. "I let myself in. Nate was on the steps on his way down here. You boys almost ready?"

"Yeah, well I am. Nate may want breakfast."

"Breakfast at the rink. We have something special for you today Sid."

"What?"

"Oh it involves some ice."

"You are seriously going to make him do it? I want to come along!" Carrie declared.

"Do what?" He looked back and forth between his girlfriend and his trainer.

"The ice bucket challenge for ALS. You were challenged by Craig but you wouldn't know since you don't do social media!" Carrie explained.

"Thankfully you have a personal assistant that doesn't shy away from it. She knows what's up."

"You got challenged to it twice Sid. You have to do it two times," Nathan Mackinnon said by way of greeting. He ruffled Carrie's head as he walked by and laughed when she swung to punch him and missed.

"You two sitting there looks like an old married couple. But you're old Sid, so it works," Nate explained.

"Awe, Nate thinks I am younger than you!" Carrie gushed and batted her eyelashes at Sidney. He gave her a dirty look and turned his attention to his house guest.

"I could kick you out Nate. Don't forget it."

"How old are you now? 37?"

"Fuck you kid."

"Alright, enough razzing the birthday boy! Let me get my flippy floppies. I'm coming too!" Carried brushed past the guys and ran towards the guest room where her things were. She kept the door open and heard movement downstairs as the guys filtered out towards their vehicles.

"I'll ride over with Carrie, that way she can leave after. She won't want to stay and be bored with everything else," she heard Sid explain. And after the front door closed and a single set of footsteps were dashing up the steps towards her room.

"I need to pull back my hair," she started to explain but was cut off by Sidney's lips crashing against hers. She laughed as he swung her up into his arms attacking her face and shoulder with kisses.

"I love when you laugh," he said as he calmed and sat down on the edge of the bed. She was still nestled in his embrace.

"I love that you can make me laugh," she gushed.

"I can't wait for the weekend to get here, we can have the entire suite at the hotel to ourselves."

"Mm, it will be nice to celebrate your birthday the way I want to!"

"Oh do tell!" Sid said with a little eyebrow wiggle.

They smiled at each other and leaned together for a kiss. They got lost in each other long enough that they didn't hear footsteps walking down the hallway towards them.

"Whoa! Uh, sorry," Nate said quickly when he saw the pair in a passionate embrace. They pulled apart and Carrie rushed to stand up, but Sidney wouldn't let her step away from him.

"Wait, it's okay."

"No it's not! Nate just saw us kissing!" She hissed feeling embarrassed.

"Shit, I know. But stay calm. I'll get him." He finally felt he could stand without a noticeable erection and walked out of the room towards the guest room Nate was occupying.

"I thought you had left."

"No, we were waiting outside for you guys when I remembered I forgot my phone and wallet." Nate wouldn't look at Sidney.

"Please, uh," Sid started.

"I won't say anything. I know how you are with your privacy."

"Yeah."

"But she is your assistant."

"It started out that way, yeah."

"That's weird."

"To someone on the outside yeah, but I don't think it is at all."

"Hey, it's cool. When it's just the three in of us you two can be as open as you want. My lips are sealed."

"Thanks for understanding."

"No problem."

Carrie stood at the door of her room and watched the exchange between the two guys with a bit if anxiety. She waited there as they walked back down the hall towards her and she gave a tentative smile when Nate passed by her and lightly punched her in the arm. She knew their secret was safe.

"You're still going to cook for me right?" Nate asked as he descended the stairs. Carrie chuckled and rolled her eyes.

"Naturally. You kids won't eat otherwise."

*****
When Sidney got home later that day he found Carrie in her room packing her suitcase for the upcoming trip to Florida. While he would be training, Carrie intended on getting some sun and enjoying the Florida heat.

"I'm not taking that," Carrie protested as she watched Sid try to sneak a slinky bathing suit into her suitcase.

"Awe come on!" Sid pleaded as she stood by and adamantly shook her head no. "Why? We are going to Florida! You'll want to sit by the pool or on the beach."

"And I have a much more modest bathing suit to wear around your training buddies. I'm not wearing that."

"You wore it in Spain," Sid tried to reason.

"That was different."

"How?"

"I was trying to get in your pants." Sidney snorted a laugh at this

"We both know how that turned out."

"No one around knew who we were."

"Touché."

"Plus, we are keeping this act up that we aren't anything remember? If I wear that you won't be able to resist touching me and then we will be crossing a line and everyone will know."

"We already cross a line."

"I'd rather other people not know that." Carrie paused mid-fold on a pair of shorts to check her phone. She saw she had a new message and checked it quickly while Sidney settled against the headboard of her bed. He noticed the lines etch out on her face and he became concerned.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Noth...nothing," she stuttered, not looking at him as she refolded the shorts she set down.

"Carrie, I can tell something is up. What's going on?"

"Nothing's wrong. Just an old colleague trying to entice me back to work."

"But I thought you quit?"

"I took an unpaid sabbatical. I can go back if I want."

"Oh, well do you?"

"I figured since I didn't return last school year that they would force me out. I'm fine with that. Apparently they want a notice as to my plans."

"What are your plans?" Sid asked.

Carrie hesitated, "I...I don't know."

"If you go back you'll quit being my little helper?"

"I can't be in both places."

"We wouldn't be together."

"What?"

"We wouldn't be together."

"Like we would break up?"

"What?"

"You just said we wouldn't be together."

"No, I'm sorry! I meant how far apart we will be. We won't see each other as often as we get to now. I should have explained that better."

"I was just worried that you were implying that if I got a different job that we wouldn't be together anymore."

"Oh God that sounds awful! I'm sorry!"

"Well, I'm not going to take it back."

"You just said you didn't know what you were going to do and now you've decided?"

"I don't want to be without you. You mean more to me than that job does and you can't teach halfheartedly."

"Come here," Sid said softly, reaching his hand out for Carrie to take. He pulled her down onto the bed with him. "You're not obligated to keep this job. You can go back to doing whatever you were doing before. I'll still be here. I like you too much. Just if you go back to your old school it will be hard to see each other."

"I'm happy right here."

"Good. Because I really want to know what you got me for my birthday," he said giving her sides a squeeze.

"No! I'm not going to tell!"

"But baby..." Sid whined softly into Carrie's shoulder, "today is my birthday!"

"What makes you think I got you a present?"

"Because it's my birthday."

"What do you get someone who can afford to buy anything and everything?"

"Uh...wait, wait, wait. I got this. Let me think," Sid said and fell back against Carrie's pillows, his grip around her waist loosening as he leaned away from her.

Carrie rolled her eyes and climbed off the bed. She walked into the closet and returned a minute later with a package wrapped in sleek silver wrapping and donning a shiny black bow.

The smile across Sid's face was that of a kid in a candy store. "I can open it now?" He asked as she handed it over.

"Yep."

He shook it close to his ear as if that would tell him what was inside. "It's light."

"I know. I wrapped it."

"It moves around a lot."

"Will you just open it already?"

"Okay! Okay!" He carefully removed the ribbon and placed it around Carrie's head and proceeded to rip the wrapping free of the box. He lifted the lid, sifted through some tissue paper and held back from asking her what exactly her gift was. He only saw paper.

"Have you taken too many hits to the head that you can't read?"

"Hold on!" Sid skimmed over the page in front of him and noted that it was a plane ticket. "Where are you sending me?"

"Well, I know you've been listening to Avicci lately and you made a comment about wanting to see his live show. But he has no more North American tour dates this year that will fit into your schedule."

"Carrie this is way too much!"

"I don't think it is. You spoiled me by taking me Marbella, now I am taking you to Ibiza. Only for four days though. I already cleared it with Andy and you will be back for the golf outing kickoff for preseason."

"When do we leave?"

"Early on the 22nd. We come back on the 25th. To Pittsburgh. And you golf on the 26th."

"I'm going to be so tired, but it's going to be so worth it. Thank you!" He pulled her close to him and gently kissed her lips.

"I'll pack that suit for our little escape."

"That won't be necessary."

"Oh? Why?"

"I don't plan on wearing clothes at all except for the night of the concert."

*****
"How's Florida?" Carrie's mother asked as Carrie settled onto her bed in the suite she was sharing with Sidney.

"It's lovely. But boring by myself."

"Can I ask why you are there?"

"I go wherever Sidney goes, Mom. Just part of my job. But I haven't gone to the rink at all this week. He gave me a reprieve on that."

"It can't be as rewarding a career as teaching was."

"Mom, stop."

"Carrie, your real job is waiting for you."

"I'm not going back!"

"Why?"

"Because I can't! If I go back there I'll be reminded of my boys and all our old friends. I can't do it. I am adjusting so much better with Sidney. He helps me as much as I help him."

"He doesn't realize it, I'm sure."

"He doesn't have to! I'm functioning and I don't go all day thinking of how sad I am."

She didn't know it, but Sidney had shown up as she was talking and he came to sit by her. She jumped slightly and relaxed when she saw his concerned face. "Mom, I have to go. I'm done talking about this. Tell Kath when you talk to her to mind her own business. I'm not going back to that school. Or any school. I felt nothing being there anymore. I'm done with that. I don't even need this job if I don't want it."

"Fine."

"I'll call soon. Love you," Carrie said and didn't wait to hear her mother's response. She hung up, flung her phone down and fell back against the pillows. She took a pillow and placed it over her face and screamed as loudly as she could. She felt Sid's hands run comfortingly across her thigh and she moved the pillow away from her face.

"Let's get out of here," he said when she made eye contact with him.

"Where are we going to go?"

"I want to take you out. Dinner at that seafood place on the beach. Just let loose and forget about her."

"Like on a date?"

"Yes." He didn't hesitate.

"People will see." Carrie was worried about Sid's want to be so bold.

"I don't care if you don't." He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at her.

"Really?" She asked.

"I have nothing to hide. I want people to see my hot cougar."

"You're nuts," Carrie rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Come on! Let's go eat food and gross people out with public displays of affection."

"I can say no, right? To the last part at least?"

"Yeah, we don't have it in us to be obnoxious."

"Well, I don't at least."

"Hey!" Sid shouted jokingly. He launched himself towards her and began to tickle her sides, making her squirm in his embrace. She knew he was doing this to make her feel better about her mom. She couldn't deny that she was grateful that he knew her well enough that he knew she would go into some sort of depressed state after that conversation. And that was one of the many reasons she was starting to truly love this guy.

Notes

I cannot believe it has been so long since I updated! I'm so sorry! I will be completely honest, I am almost at a roadblock with my writing right now. I've been so busy with my real life that I cannot get my creative juices flowing! I've literally been writing this chapter for three weeks and I cannot stand it. But I know where this one is going, so have no fear loyal readers!

And please comment and subscribe and vote. Thanks! You all are swell!