Miles Away

I woke up with a pounding headache. Jeff was in the bathroom, taking a shower. I pounded on the door. "Come on bro, I want you to come with me to help set up." I said loudly.

Pam rolled over and looked at me. "Shut up Richie, some of us can sleep a little bit longer." I just rolled my eyes. "And you look terrible." She added, sticking her tongue out at me.

Jeff emerged from the shower. "Go ahead bro, I left you hot water. I'll pull some shorts out for you."

I showered quickly and we hit the nearest coffee shop. After we got our food and coffee, we headed for the back of the shop.

Jeff gave me a look and I knew I was in for a lecture. "You ok bro?" he asked quietly.

I nodded. "I am fine. Nothing much I can do at this point. I was drunk and I let it all hang out there. I don't expect her to leave her husband."

Jeff shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "I don't know what to tell you. You fell in love with the one girl that you can't have. Even if she left him, she has three kids with him. Ryan is his by adoption. "Not only that, you will broken locker room code bro. No one will ever trust you again."

His words hit me hard. "Fuck this sucks." I said and I laid my head on the table.

"I know Mike, I feel you." We finished breakfast in silence. We went straight to my place and I changed quickly. We got to the country club and walked into the main lobby. Raina was already there with Danny and Scott. My mom and dad walked in and I went up to greet them.

Not long after, they broke us into teams. The tournament began and the guys all started off on the course. There were a group of females barely clothed at the beginning screaming with signs. Pam grinned at me and Jeff. "Jeff you look, I castrate. Mike, look at the hunnies."

I gave her a weak smile. "Ok, so what the hell is wrong with you today. Raina is freaking miserable too. " Her eyes got wide and she looked at me. "Please tell me you two didn't."

Jeff cut her off. "Both of them are sexually frustrated pumpkin. Not everyone is as happy as you and I."

The day passed quickly. I only ran into Raina once, but it gave me enough time to ask her to meet me outside during dinner. I was super nervous as I snuck outside the place. She came out a few minutes later. "Listen Raina, you know how I feel. I want you to be happy no matter what you choose to do. You know I love you."

She forced a small smile. "I love you Mike. I have since the night you held me in your arms when I was pregnant. I can't do anything to change the past, and I'm not sure about the future. I don't have answers for you and I don't expect you to wait for me. " She looked so young and child-like. "I'm scared Mike, I'm scared of throwing away what makes me happy to make sure my family stays together. I'm no good for you. I have three kids, with a former teammate of yours. I had my tubes tied when I got pregnant with the twins. What can I offer you." She walked away in tears.

I didn't want to make a scene so I didn't chase her. I loved her and she knew it. If that wasn't enough, I didn't know what was.

Jeff knew the minute I had came back from outside something was up. Hell, I was trying so god damn hard to hold it together. "Let's go now." he said as he pulled me towards the door. The minute we got into the car I lost it.

I hadn't cried in a long time. Here I was, sobbing, with Jeff rubbing my back telling me it would be ok.

As I started to calm down, he made me laugh. "Really bro, you owe me. That was a true fucking bromance moment. Seriously, there is someone out there, whether it be Raina, Ava or someone else. Fate will take care of you bro."

After a little while, we went back inside. We went into the ballroom where dessert had been served and people we starting to dance. The photographer took a picture of Jeff and I as the bartender handed us drinks.

I asked Pam to dance. She gave me a kiss on the cheek. "You ok, Capt'n?" I nodded as I saw Danny lead Raina onto the dance floor. Pam just smiled. "I knew you two would end up like this. Now don't tell my clueless husband, but sometimes you just have to intervene to help fate. She isn't happy. Hasn't been in a while now. Maybe they don't belong together Mike."

I just shook my head. "She is a big girl, time for her to make her own decisions." The song ended and we sat down. Danny pulled Raina towards our table and pulled up two chairs.

"Day turned out fantastic Mike, congratulations." He said as Claude approached and sat down.

"So what is on tap for tonight Richie", Claude asked.

I looked up at the clock. "My last guest should be here in a few minutes, then we party hard. There is a bar abut two miles from here that needs us."

Pam groaned. "You gonna behave tonight Danny boy?"

He winked at her. "I'll try, I can't help it I have no tolerance. We never get to go out."

Just the way he said "we" made me want to throw up. She looked uncomfortably at me and gave me a small smile. I knew she would be happy once the guest showed up.

We sat talking in a big group. Andrej and Dani called in from Slovakia. They had already sent me a nice donation.

"No fucking way." Raina exclaimed as she ran towards the door and into Kris's arms. I knew she missed him, he was like her little brother.

I got up and gave him a hug. "Thanks bro, I know it was a lot of traveling." I explained to everyone that he had Andrew Ladd's wedding the night before and had come straight from that.

"Now who is ready to party. Let's go fuckers." Kris said as we headed towards the door.

Raina stopped and gave me a hug. "You didn't tell me he was coming." she said.

"I knew it would be a nice surprise." We took a picture together for the photographer, then one with Kris. "Now have fun tonight, no stress. Forget it all Raina."

She nodded. "I will Mike."

We hit the bar with a crowd. I even forced myself to sit at a table with Kris, Raina and Danny. I even surprised myself by behaving and suppressing all my thoughts.

Everything was going well until people started to get drunk. Our whole party had pulled together tables and Claude had went up to the barmaid for more drinks. Claude's phone started to ring and Hartnell laughed and threw it to Jeff. "Tell him his boy Simmonds is on the phone."

Danny was well on his way to being drunk and said "Oh yeah, he is a nice guy. I skated with him and Claude back in May and he seems like a cool guy."

I wasn't sure I heard him correctly and Jeff only confirmed it by the look he gave me. Kris sat with his mouth wide open. Claude walked up and I couldn't hold it in any longer. "So you fucking knew I was being traded and didn't warn me." I looked dead at Danny.

His face showed no emotion. "No, what was I gonna say that would have made it any better. Besides I didn't know it would go through, it was just a possibility."

"Fuck you Danny. Dean told me they were only looking at me. You could have warned me at least."

Claude looked like he wanted to say something and Jeff stopped him. "Don't say anything, don't fucking make this worse than it is."

Raina was sitting at the table staring at him in disbelief. I stood up and headed for the door. I needed to get out of that room before I lost it.

Notes

:)