We Are Here and Now

"Thanks for the lift, man. See you tomorrow," Sid said as he climbed out of Marc's suv and retrieved his overnight bag. They were just returning from Detroit after losing in their third preseason game.

"No problem, see you tomorrow!" Marc waved, and drove off, leaving Sid standing next to the garage and back entrance to the house. He waited until he saw Marc turn out onto the road and used his phone to close the gate. He then turned and entered into the kitchen. The dimmed lights meant that someone was still awake and the low voices from the family room indicated someone watching television.

Leaving his bag on the kitchen floor, he followed the voices and found Caroline watching some Netflix show while munching on some air-popped popcorn.

"Ci in bed?" Sid asked as he plopped down next to Caroline and reached into the bowl without asking permission first.

"She's not home yet," Caroline answered and paused the television.

"What do you mean? It's nearly 1 am," Sid said as he pulled his cell from his pocket to check. He then started to flip through his favorites list and pull up cici's contact info.

"She had a dinner party she had to go to. Some guy picked her up," Caroline shrugged her shoulders.

"Nick?" Sid asked.

"No, I know Nick. This guy was a little older than us and drove a fancier suv than you. She seemed put off that she was even going to the party anyway, but mumbled something about losing funding and didn't want to force patrons to pay to see exhibits."

"Huh, she never mentioned to me that the gallery needed funding," Sid said. He hit call and listened to the ringing in his ear.

"She probably didn't want you to give her money," Caroline mumbled causing Sid to roll his eyes at her. That was stupid, he thought as he listened to CiCi's voicemail pick up.

"Hey babe! I'm home and you aren't. That never happens this late at night. Well, I uh, hope you're having a nice time. And I'll probably be heading to bed because I'm tired. Be safe. And, Ci, I love you," Sid hung up and stood. "I'm going upstairs," he declared. He wanted out of his suit as soon as possible. Caroline waved at Sid, and returned to the show she had been watching before he showed up.

*****
"Thank you so much for your support this evening," CiCi said as she settled into the passenger seat of Baron's car.

"Of course! I'm a firm believer in the arts. Tonight was necessary to keep your gallery among the cultural trust."

"It was, and we definitely got the funding to do the renovations. And the approval to host more outside events! I'm so excited! I cannot wait to see who bids for the ballroom contract."

"Renting that out will be a goldmine." CiCi nodded and glanced over at Baron as he merged onto the parkway north. He spoke just as passionately as she felt over the evening.

"Thanks for picking me up. I don't know how to tell Sid that my car is broken down."

"He doesn't strike me as the type to be bothered by that."

"Oh he's not, but he tried to urge me to buy new, but I didn't listen. This was before we were married. If he had gotten his way he would have just bought me the car himself. Now this is the second time in less than a year that this car has died and my warranty just expired. Sorry, I'm rambling now."

"Don't be silly."

"It's extremely late. Sid is probably already home."

"You'll be home in no time." Baron glanced over and smiled broadly at CiCi, making her feel uncomfortable for the first time since she agreed to riding with him.

But Sidney wasn't asleep, as a matter of fact, CiCi could see their bedroom lights glowing when she was dropped off a few minutes later. She quickly said goodbye, shook off the creepy feeling she had and rushed through the front door.

She didn't even waste time saying hi to Caroline. She was likely still watching mindless television, as per her style for a weeknight as of late. Instead, CiCi climbed the stairs to the second floor and found Sidney pacing around the master suite.

"You're home!" Sid said and the tension he felt escaped him as CiCi collapsed into his embrace.

"I missed you!" CiCi exclaimed.

"It was a short trip, but damn did I miss you too," Sid sat on the edge of the bed pulling CiCi down onto his lap. "Did you have a nice evening?"

"Ugh, it was awful. I did manage to get several area businesses to donate money to the foundation to be directly assessed to my gallery. Nothing like talking up the importance of the arts."

"That's amazing Ci! I'm proud of you."

"Thanks."

"So what's wrong with your car?"

"Ugh! Care told you didn't she?"

"She did."

"I'm so sorry Sid! I should have told you, but I didn't want you to worry. I will take care of it. It's my fault this happened. I was just so frustrated and you weren't here and I hate driving the tesla."

"How did that creep know to pick you up? Do you talk to him often?"

"What? Oh..."

"What are you talking about?"

"I thought Caroline told you something else."

"What happened Ci?"

"My car died."

"And?"

"It's no longer under warranty."

"I don't care about the car, Ci."

"Nothing happened. He stopped by this morning and heard me talking to the dealership and knew I needed a ride tonight."

"You didn't even tell me about it."

"I just found out about it yesterday. I didn't think I would go and then Baron said he would drive me since he was attending as well."

"Of course he was. Seems strange he would drive all the way out of the city to bring you into the city for a dinner party."

"It was at Hines Ward's new place at the country club. Wait, are you jealous?"

"What?"

"Oh my god, you are! You're jealous. You have no reason to be, but I find it adorable that you are."

"He's just much more refined than I am."

"He's a snob. He's pretentious and wants to win over a woman but flaunting how much money he has. I bite my tongue to refrain from saying that my husband is worth so much more than him and he snagged me without having to show that off. He has no personality."

"Okay, okay, I get it."

"He may wear tailored suits, but I much prefer the guy who would rather wear basketball shorts and sneakers to a suit and tie."

"I hate ties."

"I know you do."

"They choke my Sidney's Apple," Sid proclaimed making CiCi erupt into a fit of giggles.

"You see what I did there?" Sid asked with a hint of a chuckle in his voice. He couldn't help but warm at the sound of CiCi laughing.

"I saw what you did there," she managed through her giggles. Only Sidney would refer to an episode of Friends in order to lighten the mood.

Sidney leaned back onto the bed, taking CiCi with him, and quickly their lips connected calming the laughter.

"I love you," CiCi moaned when Sid's lips lingered on the sensitive skin just below her ear.

"Let's practice making a baby," he spoke softly as his hands ran up her bare thighs underneath the material of her dress.

"We are always going to be practicing, you know," CiCi commented solemnly.

"So? It still feels nice, and what better way than to express our love than by making love?" He found her lips and silenced her somber argument. They shifted so that Sidney was settled between CiCi's legs, his body hovering above her. They broke from the passionate kiss, and stared at each other.

"Alright, let's practice making a baby," CiCi whispered as she wrapped her hands around Sid's neck and pulled him back down for another kiss.

*****

"Good morning, sunshine!" Caroline declared as CiCi made an appearance in the kitchen. "I've got western omelets on the menu with some fresh squeezed orange juice and fruit. Coffee is brewing as we speak."

"When do you work?" CiCi asked as she grabbed a mug and waited by the coffee pot.

"I took three weeks off for the wedding. I could have gone back, but my boss told me to just take the time off anyway. Vacation days don't carry over and those days were already approved."

"Got it."

"Late night?"

"How does that man have the stamina? Holy crap." CiCi collapsed into a chair and dragged her fingers through her knotted hair.

"I wasn't referring to all the sex you and you're beautiful beautiful man have, thanks. I meant that dinner lasted a long time." Caroline shuffled over to retrieve a coffee mug for CiCi.

"He is pretty beautiful." CiCi was in a daze.

"And the dinner?" Caroline urged as she poured coffee into the mug in hand.

"He is actually still sleeping. Surprising, I know." CiCi was clearly trying to avoid the conversation.

"Ci!" Caroline admonished. CiCi sighed and gave up.

"The dinner went off without a hitch. Except Baron was coming on a bit strong on the way home." She took a sip of the steamy liquid her friend just handed her.

"He was hitting on you? Does he not know who you are married to?"

"He knows. He doesn't seem to care. But let's not worry about him. I see him, what, every few weeks, if that?"

"True. What time do you want to go to Maria's?"

"Uh, I don't care. I am not going into the gallery today. Nick is running the joint since I was at that party so late last night."

"Sid is coming with?" Caroline asked as she finished the first omelet.

"Coming with whom, and where?" Sid asked as he walked into the kitchen, shirtless with his hair tousled. He kissed CiCi's shoulder as he walked by her to pour himself some coffee.

"To see the baby with us later," CiCi explained.

He turned around and sipped his warm beverage before he answered.

"Oh, uh do I have to? I just really want to spend the day here," Sid hesitated. He set his steaming mug on the counter in an attempt to avoid the two women.

"That's fine, you're probably exhausted from traveling and training camp," Caroline reasoned.

"I wonder if Mo will be up for lunch visitors?" CiCi asked as she sat down at the island. She was somewhat disappointed in Sid's desire to stay home rather than spend their day off with her. She hoped that by an earlier visit would give her time with her husband.

"Probably, I'll text her. Sit down Sid, breakfast is ready," Caroline demanded. Sid shifted to the seat next to CiCi and waited to be served his omelet.

"Maybe when I get back we can do something?" CiCi asked quietly so Caroline did not hear the conversation between the couple.

"Yeah, maybe. I'm really tired though." Sid didn't look at CiCi as he said this. He even avoided eye contact with her. "And I may have told Marc I'd go to his place for video games. Vero is in Montreal with the girls for a few days."

"Oh, okay. I just thought since I have today off too that you'd want to hang with me."

"You're going to Maria's though. So what's the difference if I am there or not?"

"Alright, whatever. I'm not very hungry, Care. I'm going to get cleaned up. You'll call Mo?"

"Yep," Caroline said as she set a plate in front of Sid. CiCi expected Sid to protest her choice to not eat. And even glanced over her shoulder when she got all the way to the doorway only to find Sid engrossed in his own food and not paying attention to her.

*****

"He so fluffy!" Geno declared as he snatched the little puppy from Marc. "For Estelle?"

"Uh, no. No, no, no. Not with a toddler and a newborn. No," Marc laughed as the dog attempted to wriggle from Geno's arms.

"Who then?"

"I got him for Ci," Sid gushed as he patted the black and white spotted cocker spaniel on its head. He took the little pup from Geno and cradled the dog in one hand. "You think she'll like him?"

"Well, it's not a human child, but I think she will," Kris decided.

"She's ready to rush into finding a surrogate. I don't have it in my heart to tell her I'm not ready," Sid confessed. He stared at the puppy in his arms and sighed.

"And you want to butter her up by giving her a dog to take care of." Kris shrugged as if he understood Sid's logic.

"I'll take care of it too," Sid exclaimed as he let the puppy lick his chin.

"But she will mostly since you'll be on the road," Kris stated.

"Shut up! I've wanted a dog since my parents claimed Sam as their own." It was the truth. The lab he had back in Nova Scotia stayed with his parents full time even though he had been the one to get the dog in the first place. But when he was single and living in Pittsburgh during the season he didn't have the heart to bring Sam with him. So his parents and Taylor took her. He spent his summers with the dog.

"Because you couldn't take care of her," Marc teased.

"I'm going home. You guys are assholes." Sid laughed along with his teammates as he gathered up the various toys scattered around the locker room at their practice facility. It was an off day, but he knew several of his teammates were going to be there working out and watching film. Much like he should have been doing, rather than getting a dog for his wife. But he thought she would like the company and knew the wait for a child could be a long time.

As Sid drove back to his house, with the unnamed dog sitting in the passenger seat, he anticipated his wife's reaction to her gift. He hoped she would like it, although he knew growing up she never had a pet. He was lost in thought when he heard the dog whimper and start to heave.

"Oh shit, no! Don't...wait!" He watched as the dog lost its kibble all over the front seat and resume whimpering. Sid gagged as he pulled off into a parking lot and attempted to find something to clean it up. He was so disgusted he barely heard his phone ringing.

"Yeah?" He said, his voice thick with frustration.

"Hey, where are you?" CiCi asked. He glanced as his watch and kicked the passenger tire as he noted the time.

"I went over to the rink for a quick workout with the guys. I'm on my way home now."

"Okay, everything alright? You sound tense," CiCi asked. Of course she would pickup on his frustrations.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be home in about ten minutes."

"Okay," CiCi said softly.

"Bye," Sid hung up his phone as he took an old t-shirt from his gym back and used it to clean up as much of the mess as possible. He would need to get the SUV detailed as soon as possible or he wouldn't drive it.

*****
"Everything okay?" Caroline asked as she came out onto the patio near the pool.

"I don't know. He sounded annoyed that I called him," CiCi shrugged and settled back into her lounge chair. The beginning of fall was unusually warm and the girls decided to take advantage of the beautiful day by being outside. They were lost in conversation when the French door swung open and Sidney stood looking rather sheepish at them.

"Hi," Caroline said when an uncomfortable silence was cast around them.

"So, don't be mad," Sid began. He stayed in the door frame with his hands behind his back.

"When you sound short on the phone and start your conversation like that how can I not be suspicious that this is going to end in my being mad?" CiCi asked as she sat on the edge of her lounger. Her long Capri legging covered legs folded under her.

"When you called I was cleaning up a mess in my car that I wasn't prepared to clean up."

"Spill your smoothie all over the place?" Caroline joked in an attempt to lighten the mood. Sid glared at her to stop and CiCi just rolled her eyes. The silence that fell allowed for a slight whimper to be heard.

"What the hell was that?" CiCi asked. She crossed her arms and stood up.

"Uh..." Sid sighed and let the puppy run loose.

"Oh my God!" CiCi squealed as the puppy ran towards her. "She's so fluffy!"

"Funny, Geno said the same thing. And it's a boy." Sid followed the dog toward his wife and felt relief fill him as she embraced the puppy.

"Where did you get him?" She asked as she clutched the dog to her and sniffed at his clean fur.

"Ah, at the animal shelter. He's full-bred cocker spaniel, but he was the last of a litter a family was trying to sell and they were moving and ran out of time. They literally dropped him off as I was arriving. It was meant to be."

"He's beautiful! We never even talked about having a dog though. Are you sure?"

"Please, if Sam hadn't been so greedily snatched away from me..."

"Your parents still have her," CiCi interjected.

"She would be in the comfort and care of us. But that is like the only child my parents have left back home."

"You really know how to layer on the dramatics."

"Can we keep him?" Sid asked, ignoring the comment.

"Yes! Of course!" CiCi squealed as the dog licked her chin.

"Good. And this will just prepare us for our future human babies." And hopefully end the baby talk at least until their first wedding anniversary, he thought to himself.

"What's his name?" Caroline asked as she patted the dog's head.

"I wanted to let Ci decide that one," Sid explained to Caroline.

"Dexter!" CiCi squealed as she danced a little with the dog.

"She loved the show," Caroline told Sid. He was beginning to get annoyed with her presence. He knew his wife watched the show when it had been on.

"Yeah, I know."

"What do you think, babe?"

"Dexter is perfect." Sid smiled and walked over to CiCi. He wrapped an arm around her and brushed a kiss to her temple.

"Thank you for the dog!" CiCi squealed as the puppy attacked her chin with licks.

"Yeah, way to go on keeping CiCi's mind off babies!" Caroline interjected as she got up from her seat and walked past the two into the house.

"What the hell?" Sid asked as he watched the retreating figure. He felt his face burn in embarrassment. That was exactly what he was hoping to do.

"She can be very crass. I just let it go! Plus, she is right. Training a new dog will definitely keep us from getting a baby right away," CiCi smiled sadly at the dog in her arms.

"Is...is that a problem? I mean, we aren't in any sort of rush. We can wait a little while, right?" Sidney stepped closer to his wife in an attempt to comfort her.

"I thought you wanted to get the ball rolling?" CiCi asked, noting how Sid looked nervous.

"I thought I did too, but..." Sid hesitated.

"But what babe?" CiCi encouraged.

"I think I was just on a high from watching Maria and Derrick have Benny." His shoulders slacked and he averted his gaze towards the pool.

"Yeah, me too." CiCi smiled sheepishly at her husband.

"Really?" Sid quickly turned to focus on CiCi.

"Oh God, yeah. Mo looked exhausted today. I'm not ready to give up my sleep or precious time spent with you. I'm just being selfish though."

"We've only been married for three months. We have the rest of our lives to have a baby."

"But now we've got this cutie pie! Can we go to Petco? I want to buy him tons of stuff! And we have to get the best food for him. And a crate. We have to find the best vet."

"We have time to do all of that babe. Let's go take him to experience Petco." Sid was relieved for a moment. He knew that CiCi would feel the need to have a child again, but for now he knew they were content waiting.

Notes

I have no excuses...but really, I do. The school year started and then I had the brilliant idea to go back to school myself! But I finished my master's degree. And now I'm considering doctoral programs. Right? I'm kind of crazy.

I apologize for taking like eight months to update! I'm not going to let that length of time pass before I update this again.