Changes

Callee and I landed at Philadelphia International early in the day. Poor Superstar had been cooped up in his cage with the cargo and was completely happy to see us when we claimed him. We stopped on the way to my house to get some stuff for the dog. We ran around Pet Smart like little kids, arguing over what we were going to buy for him.

“No Cal, he isn’t getting that girly collar. Not happening. He isn’t a punk. He is going to be a trained assassin.” I said as she picked out the most girly stuff in the store.

“But Max, it is cute, and he isn’t going to be a mean dog. That is crazy.” She looked at me and pouted like a little kid. I had to smile to myself. Everyone was right, when you meet the perfect person for you, they make you into a sap. I picked her up, Superstar at my feet and kissed her.

“Fine Cal, get what you want but I’m not walking him with that collar on. I’m buying my own.” In the end, we purchased two collars, two leashes, food, bowls and a crate for when neither one of us was at the house. The yard wasn’t fenced in. I really needed to figure out what I was going to do about living arrangements. I had three years left on my contract after this.

“Maxime, what is the matter, you looked lost for a minute?” she asked and I just shook my head. It was my job to figure out all this stuff. I didn’t want to put any of the burden on her to stress. Her job was already stressful enough.

We got back to the house and unpacked everything. Claude wasn’t in town yet. “Come one, let’s go visit across the street. We still have our nephews and niece’s gifts. We knocked on Danny’s door and he answered looking half-asleep. The living room was littered with toys and the twins were at the kitchen table with Danny’s Maman.

“Hey guys congrats, love you two” Raina yelled from the stove. “You guys should stay, I am heating up some food for lunch.” She offered and we accepted.

“Hey Dan, where is Lola?” I asked, remembering we had Superstar back across the street.

“She is upstairs asleep, why?” he asked and I showed him a picture of the three of us. “He is cute. Go get him, the twins will freak out, he is more their size.”

I ran across the street and grabbed him, walking him up the street so he could go to the bathroom. The minute I put him down in the house Jolie squealed “doggie” and her and Daniel were off chasing him around the already crowded living room. Caelan came down from upstairs. “Cool, he is cute. Dad can we get one like him?” he asked and Danny groaned.

“No way, we have enough people in this house and Lola.” He said to him and I cracked up. They had their hands full. I didn’t know how they managed.

A few minutes later the doorbell rang and Carson came flying into the living room to answer it. I raised my eyebrows at Danny and he smiled. “I think he got a thing for the girl down the street. They have been skating together every day."

Andrej and Danielle came in, with Andreja who was just starting to crawl. It was hard to believe that she was going to be one in less than a week. It had been a crazy year for those two, but they were in love and it showed.

“Merry Christmas and congrats ” Andrej said as he gave Callee and I a hug. “So bro you are joining the married club huh?” he asked and I laughed.

“Yeah, she’s worth it.” I said and she snickered.

Ryan had come up from the basement and came and sat down on my lap. “Uncle Max I thought you told me getting married was crazy and that you would never do it. “ The entire room cracked up and Raina threw me a glare.

“Uncle Max was just kidding. Isn’t my Callee pretty?” I asked him. Ryan nodded and I hugged him. “So how about some presents. Your Aunt Callee got you some stuff from Christmas.”

“After lunch you guys, let’s eat.” Raina said as she picked up Daniel from the floor. Jolie had fallen asleep against Superstar, who wasn’t moving a muscle. “Well look at that.” Raina commented and we took several pictures and then went into the dining room to eat.

Danny had opened an extra folding table and we had just sat down to eat when Claude came in, numerous large bags in his hands. “Grab a plate and sit.” He said to him. We ate and cleaned up before going into the living room to open gifts.

The boys flew through the stuff, opening video games, clothes and hockey equipment. The twins and Andreja were the best, they were excited with the wrapping paper and the gift. Callee had bought a small doll house for Jolie and was currently on the floor playing with her, pointing out the mom, dad, brother, sister, dog and cat. Even cuter, she was speaking French. She didn’t do it much, but when she did it was sure sexy.

I had Daniel in my lap and he was checking out cars that were making the most obnoxious noises. “Mac cars” he exclaimed with a big smile.

Raina grinned from the floor with Andreja. “See you are a natural Maxime. When do I get a niece or nephew?”

I groaned. “Not anytime soon. Maybe after we get married Rainy, I just want to have fun, travel and stuff for a little while.” Andrej cracked up.

Andrej stood up. “So yeah Raina, you’re getting one, sooner than you think. Dani and I are having another, she is three months pregnant. We find out what we are having the end of January and she is due in the middle of July. We didn’t want to announce it until she knew for sure. We didn’t even realize she was pregnant until like a week ago. We just confirmed it this morning with the doctor.

Raina and Callee squealed and jumped up and down. “So excited. I miss having a tiny little baby.” Raina said and Danny cracked up.

“I don’t. Too tired, the twins are nearly killing me. Thank god they were born as the season ended because I am too old for all of this. Look at it this way Raina, one day we will have a ton of grandkids. Let’s concentrate on getting these ones out of our hair.” He picked up Daniel and gave him a high five as Raina laughed.

Leila by this time had showed up. Us guys sat around and talked while the girls discussed fundraisers at the table. Chris’s wife Lauren had stopped by. She ran all of the Flyers’s wives projects and they were planning something with the hospital next.

They finally finished up and we went home. She walked Superstar while I searched through all the lingerie I had bought her. She came back into the house and smiled at me. “Umm picking your preference?” she asked.

I held up a particularly mouth-watering set. “Can we?” I asked and she grinned grabbing it and running up the steps. I followed a few minutes later and she was laying across the bed, looking delicious, video camera in hand.

A few hours later, I woke up, sprawled out across the bed, her cuddled up beside me, Superstar asleep on the floor below us. My life had changed so dramatically over the last few months. I went from single, living it up in Pittsburgh, taking advantage of girls and partying to the extreme to engaged to a beautiful, smart girl who I adored, happy to lay around with her for hours. I laid there and thought to myself that changes were definitely a good thing, a huge smile spreading across my face.

Notes

The End, sequel to eventually follow once Miles Away is finished.