The importance of discipline and routine had been drilled into Sidney Crosby’s head by his father since he was old enough to tie his own skates. “Discipline is key, son,” he’d say as he drove him to the nearby community arena after school, “it’s what’ll set you apart from the rest. They can be more skilled than you, faster than you, but they’ll never work as hard as you, try as hard as you. And that takes discipline.”

He was expected to follow strict rules and workout schedules, keep up with schoolwork and help around the house, a lot more pressure than any of his friends or teammates had to deal with on a daily basis, but Sidney rarely complained. Troy and Trina Crosby were loving, caring parents that did the impossible to provide for their son, from putting food on the table and clothes on his body to paying for power skating lessons and better hockey equipment.

Sidney wasn’t oblivious to all the hardships his parents went through in order to help fulfill his dreams of glory and greatness in the NHL one day, especially with the arrival of the newest addition to their family – baby Taylor had been a surprise and a blessing, though her birth had duplicated the family’s expenses. Sidney showed his gratitude by never getting in trouble for his mom’s sake and doing everything his Dad requested.

It felt like every moment of his day had been carefully scheduled, divided into school work, chores, practicing his shot in the basement, friends and pre-game naps, but he didn’t mind. He stuck to his routine day in and day out, never skipping a thing on his mental list, and that’s why he muffled a groan into his pillow in an attempt to drone out his little sister cries from downstairs disrupting his two o’ clock nap.
“How can something so small be so loud?” he thought as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and got out bed, following the wails of the eight months old right to the source. “I am never having kids”.

“Mom,” he whined, “what’s wrong with-“

The rest of the words died on his tongue at the sight of a complete stranger – an unknown girl in a school uniform sitting on the living room couch - holding his baby sister and looking at him wide-eyed.

“Um, hi, you must be Sidney,” she said through Taylor’s piercing shrieks, bouncing her on her legs with more force than she should if her goal was to lull her back to sleep.

“Eh… you’re not Kayla.” he dumbly replied, referring to the girl that usually babysat while his parents worked.

“Yeah, I’m actually a friend of Kayla’s… I’m June.” she trailed off, awkwardly adjusting the crying baby in her arms.

”What happened to Kayla?”

“Oh, I thought your parents told you. She’s moving out of town so I’m filling in for her.”

He nodded slowly, not really sure of what to say, since all his fourteen year old brain could focus on were her short skirt and slightly see-through white blouse, the word “boobies” repeating over and over again in his mind. She did not look two years older than him like Kayla was; she could probably pass as a senior with the way she filled out her white school uniform blouse and all the makeup she wore.

“Have you babysat before?” he finally asked, doubting she’d had any previous experience by the way she was holding Taylor and how she still hadn’t managed to calm her down.

She let out a nervous laugh. “Um, I guess you caught me, I have no idea what I’m doing but I really need this job, I’m so sorry I can’t quiet her down-“”

He shook his head and walked towards the couch where she sat with his sister half-sitting, half-laying on her lap, holding his arms out. “Here, let me. You’re holding her wrong.”

June gladly handed the crying baby over to Sidney, who held her up with his left arm so she could bury her face in the crook of his neck just as he started bouncing her slightly, patting her back softly with his right hand. Taylor gradually quieted down, gurgling and making funny noises and he grinned and kissed her soft, thin blond hair. Taylor was actually not that hard to take care of, she just liked to be held a certain way so she could fall asleep sometimes and didn’t take that well to a stranger holding her like a smelly rag.

“She likes to be held like this,” Sidney whispered, motioning to the way he pressed her to his chest, “and movement soothes her. Singing helps too.”

“Oh, trust me, my singing would not help.”

He caught her shrugging and sitting back down before returning his eyes to Taylor’s closed eyes. “Well, when all else fails, give her a bottle and turn on her sea animals mobile. It will knock her right out.”

“Thanks for the tips,” she nodded, smiling awkwardly. “Oh, are you hungry? Your mom left you food in the oven, she told me to make sure you ate after your nap. I can heat it up for you if you want.”

“I’m not really hungry, I’ll just put Tay down and try to go back to sleep.”

“I’m really sorry she woke you, I tried to calm her down but nothing seemed to work and she just got louder-“

“It’s fine.” Sidney cut her off, his tone more irritated than reassuring.

This girl was completely ripping off his parents, she couldn’t even put the baby to sleep and she probably couldn’t tell up from down when it came to diapers. He wouldn’t say anything, though; no babysitter meant no one to take care of Taylor while his father took him to practice and his mom was at work, which would result in him having to miss games and practices and he was not about to let that happen. He’d help the girl with Taylor until she could handle the tears and the diapers and the tantrums by herself and hopefully be able to keep his hormones in check in the process. A task he would accomplish as long as she wouldn’t wear that plaid skirt and thin blouse every time she came over…