I walked out of my hotel double doors onto the brisk streets of New York wearing my jacket, jeans, and riding boots. It was 12 pm and my only goal of the day: see the natural history museum. The museum was my favorite place.

Growing up both of my parents were teachers, my dad taught history and my mom taught math. It was pretty nice having two tutors at my disposal but every trip we went on was history related. From places in the Califorinia Gold Rush to Gettysburg, our trips always had history in its roots. For about all of my middle and high school years we had yearly passes to the New York museums- Natural history included, and our most visited. I knew every inch of the natural history museum, and it was a second home that only came with good memories.

I jumped in a taxi, told the driver where I was going and checked my phone. There were no texts from the guys since they were all in practice. The taxi pulled me up in front of the museum and I payed my dues. I walked into the museum and absorbed the quiet sound, something I don't have often at work.

I only had about 4-5 hours, you may think it's a lot, but really it's nothing. There are so many parts to this museum it would take a full day to cover it. I started at the astronomy part and worked my way into the prehistoric sections. My favorite part of the whole museum where the marine biology wing, and the giant whale hanging over the section. I could stay there all day just in that section. I looked at prehistoric penguins and fish of all types working my way into common marine animals that we see today.

I must have been there for 4 and a half hours before I actually saw that I only had a little time to get dressed and ready for the game tonight. I walked out of the museum and rode a taxi back to the hotel.

I arrived back and went up the elevator to my room. One of my jobs was to go room to room before a game to make sure the guys had everything they needed. I started at Andy Greene and Travis Zajac's room.

"Hey Charlotte, what's up?" Andy opened the door with a smile. Travis came along too once he saw that I was the knocker.

"I was just checking if you guys needed anything for tonight? Food, clothes?"

"No I think we are all good here, it's mostly the rookies you gotta look out for they don't know their right from their left on game day." Andy said laughing.

"Will do guys, thanks!"

I turned back away from their door and made my rounds. Most of the guys had everything under control, some of them needing guidance on what tie to wear and what shoes to match it. I knocked on Jon and Eric's door next.

"Hey guys do you need anyth-"

"Thank god you are here." Eric managed through his breaths.

"What's wrong?" I said nervously walking into the room.

"I don't know if I should get lasagna or spaghetti!" Eric gasped while pointing to the menu on his bed. I could see Jon in his twin bed under the covers taking his pre-game nap. He was such a cutie all sleepy.

"Very funny eric. And go with the spaghetti you don't need all that cheese before a game, it will make your stomach hurt."

"Good point. Need anything?"

"A peppermint tea if they have it please!" I called back to Eric as he went to retrieve the phone to call room service. I walked over to Jon's bed and saw that his blankets were all over the place. I tucked him into the covers and pushed his hair away from his head. I also added a quick peck on the forehead just because he looked like a little boy.

Eric came back into the room. "I wish I was asleep, it's just because he's the youngest isn't it?"
"You bet. I'm going to go finish my round to make sure everyone has what they need. I'll be back in like 10 minutes." I said as I waved and walked out of his hotel room.

Next room was Cory and Adam's. I made my way over and knocked on their door. Cory answered all sleepy and I was guessing they were taking naps.

"Jeez i'm sorry Cory, I was just making sure you guys had everything you needed. I didn't mean to wake you!"

"It's fine, I needed to get up anyways. And I think we are good. Wait- actually we both do need an iPhone 5 charger- both of us forgot ours like the idiots we are."

"No problem Cory, you guys can borrow mine. Just give me one sec."

I raced back to my room and back to Cory's to give him the charger and back to Erics room. While walking back to Eric and Jon's room I heard a big bang, almost as though someone ran into something huge and hurt themselves.

"Please not one of my guys, please please!" I thought. I followed where I heard the noise back to Dainius Zubrus' and Bryce Salvador's room and knocked pretty loudly on the door."

"Is everyone okay in there?" I yelled through the wood door.

Bryce Salvador opened up the door with worry in his eyes, in the background was Dainius clutching a bloody towel to his leg.

"Oh my god!" I yelled running over to the injured Dainius.

"Charlotte, i'm fine!" He laughed while wincing. "I just ran into a coffee table is all- just a scratch!"

I took one look at the wound and knew it needed stitches. There was no way he was playing tonight. I helped him up and led him out of the room. I helped him wobble to the Devils' medical staff room that I assigned to them. A medic named Joe who I barely knew opened the door, took one look at Dainius' leg, and let him inside.

"I'm gonna go tell coach." I said to Joe who was know cleaning the wound on the floor and he nodded.

I ran down the hallway to the coach's door and knocked. Pete opened the door, I could tell he was stressed and this was gonna make him even more upset. I retold the story and his face kept getting more red.

"Are you kidding me!" He yelled and ran to the medic's room.

Dainius had to get 8 stitches up his leg and the outcome was that he would miss a week and a half of games and practices. My job as the player assistant was to sit in the injured players box, regardless if there was anyone injured or not.

---

So far the night had gone downhill with Zubrus' injury. At least all the players made it okay to MSG and started to get dressed. I wished them all good luck and went with Dainius to the injured players box. We sat down in 2 of the 8 seats there was. It seemed like a waste, a box on a saturday night with only 8 people in it.

"How's your leg?" I asked Dainius as the guys took the ice to practice before the game started.

"It's fine, i'll be back in no time. How's the job?" He smiled.

"Honestly, it's awesome. Everyone is in a good mood and so nice. It really is a great job." I laughed taking a sip of my coke that I grabbed before sitting down. "Excuse me if I crossed the line or anything but doesn't being away all the time make you like sad or something? I'm sorry it's just that I live alone with no family or pets or boyfriend that I have a problem leaving for a couple of days."

"Honestly, when you're injured, it sucks. I miss them and I just want my two kids here next to me. But when you're on the ice, I know my family is at home watching the game, seeing me do well or terrible. It's not that fun but you get used to it I guess." He smiled a kinda sad smile.

"At least you get the whole summer off!" I winked.

"And so do you!" He chuckled. I never realized that I too had 3 months of vacation!

The game was fun. Dainius and I had a blast. At the first intermission we even Skyped his kids from his phone and I got to introduce myself. We sat and ate and talked quite a lot about hockey.

In the end the devils won and everyone was in a good mood. The night was just getting started.

Notes