Hair, Nails & Hockey

Chapter Eight

"We're really going to the game? Like really sitting in the seats?" Jake asked all excited and I giggled and nodded my head, "This is so awesome!"

"The game's at one, so we'll have a brunch and then head to the game?" I asked and Jake nodded his head.

A week has past, things were a little better, Ian had come home on Monday, but then was gone Thursday and Friday to be in New York for the boy's game against the Rangers. I was starting to get in the hang of things, it was definitely hard without Ian's help, but I was able to handle it.

It was the 2nd of February, Jake and I were invited to sit behind the bench at the home game against the New Jersey Devils, Missy was invited too, but she was going to be attending a birthday party. I was lucky that the mother of the daughter agreed to watch Missy until after the game, or until the party died down.

Once we were all ready to go, I hooked the kids into their car seats, Ian had already left to go to the arena. I drove Missy to her party, dropped her off and made sure that she was going to be fine being here without me, and then headed towards Friendly's, Jake's favorite place to eat.

When we got to the arena, I had to show my ID at the ticket entrance and they gave us a note. I opened it and read the note, it was from all of the guys, they were telling us to go into the team store, show the manager my ID and pick out three jerseys.

"Wow," I said and then smiled towards Jake, "Do you want a jersey?"

"Yes! That would be so cool!" he said and I giggled and took his head, we walked up the escalator and headed towards the team store.

The doors weren't going to be opened for the public for another ten minutes, thanks to the guys, we had the ability to shop in peace. I knew Missy had a cute little crush on James Neal, so I ended up getting her a youth pink jersey that had Neal's name and number on the back, Jake of course got a Crosby jersey, and I looked over all of them before choosing a Malkin jersey. I gave my ID to the lady and she checked us out, giving us a slip saying that everything was paid for and I looked to see that the total price of everything would have been over two hundred, my jersey alone was over a hundred.

I texted Ian saying that Jake and I were heading towards our seats and I laughed at the excited boy's face when he saw that we were literally right behind the guys' bench. Just as we sat down, Ian appeared next to us, leaning on the bars that were separating us from going into the hall that the players and staff walk on.

"Uncle Ian! Look!" Jake stood up, turned around and showed off his new jersey.

"Crosby, nice man, nice!" Ian said and then ruffled Jake's hair, "What about you?"

"I got Missy a Neal jersey," I said showing over the little pink hockey jersey.

"What about you?" he asked and I blushed a little as i turned my back and heard Ian laugh, "Rockin' the Geno number, nice sis!"

"Shut up," I mumbled and Ian laughed and looked back down the covered walkway because someone was calling his name.

"I have to go, but I'll see you guys after the game," Ian said and I nodded my head and watched as Jake waved goodbye to his Uncle.

The boys had given us seats along the bars so that Jake could stick his arm out and tap the players, I videoed it and thought that it was so cute on how excited he was. More and more people showed up and we were surrounded, teenage girls flocking to the glass to try to get noticed by their favorite player, most wearing Crosby or Malkin jerseys.

"Auntie, do you think Sid will sign my jersey for me?" Jake asked and I smiled and kissed his head.

"Maybe if you ask nicely," I giggled and then ruffled his hair.

When warm up was over, one by one the players walked off of the ice, "Sid! Sid!" Jake called and then looked back towards me and I nodded my head.

"What's up, little man?" Sidney asked and I smiled as Sidney moved out of the way so that the players that wanted to walk past him could.

"Could please sign my jersey please?" Jake asked cutely and I smiled brightly when Sidney smiled.

"How 'bout after the game? We'll have Ian come and get you guys and we'll have the whole team sign you a jersey," Sidney said and Jake's eyes widened and he viciously nodded his head. Sidney laughed and then took off his glove and ruffled Jake's hair, "All right, it's a deal!"

"Thanks so much, Sid, for everything," I said and Sidney looked towards me and smiled.

"Hey, Ian's part of the family, so since your his family, you're our family," Sidney said and I smiled and draped my arm over Jake's shoulder and pushed his back into my chest.

"What do you say to Sidney?" I said and Jake gasped.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Jake said and Sidney and I laughed.

"See you two later!" Sidney said and then waved goodbye and headed back towards the locker room.

"Auntie! Auntie! Did you see? Did you see?" Jake yelled excitedly and I giggled and nodded my head.

"Yes buddy, I did."

"Nice jersey," I heard and turned my head back towards the hallway to see Geno standing there smirking towards me.

I blushed, remembering that I was wearing his number, "Thanks," I said quietly and heard Geno chuckled.

"We go out to dinner after game," he said and then rubbed the back of his neck, "You come?"

"Um, I have to pick Missy up from a birthday party-"

"You meet us then?" Geno smiled and I giggled at how cute he was when nervous, "All of you?"

"Uh, sure, where?"

"We talk after game," Geno said and I smiled and nodded my head and then watched him walk down the hallway.

"Auntie loves Geno!"

"Hush, Jake," I said, face getting warmer as Jake laughed at me.

-Ian-

"What's your face red for?" I heard Pascal ask someone, "You did what?!" he laughed and I turned around to see that Geno was the one he was talking to, "Hot damn, G! She's a catch!"

"What's going on?" Marc asked Pascal.

"Geno asked Ian's sister out to dinner with us!" Pascal said and I was a little surprised.

"Ian," I looked towards Geno, "It ok that Sarah comes? Kids come too," he said and I sighed and nodded my head.

"Don't hurt my sister, Geno, she's been through a lot," I said and Geno nodded his head as I sat on the bench and got my camera ready for tonight's game.

"So where are we going for dinner?" Sidney asked and I felt a hand on my shoulder and saw that it was Marc's.

"She'll be all right with the big guy, he's got a little crush on your sister," Marc said and I sighed, "And something tells me that your sister has a thing for him too- I saw who's jersey she was wearing."

"If she does, she hasn't said anything," I muttered and then looked at Geno to see that some of the guys were still picking on him for having a thing for my sister.

"I'll have to let V know later, she'll love this," Marc said and I snorted.

"They'll have more to talk about when Sar's working on her," I said and Marc laughed and nodded his head.

Coach came in and said a lecture, I wasn't really paying attention to it, I was taking pictures of the guys' game time faces before I went into the stands and got in my position to get ready for the game. I saw Sarah and Jake from where I was standing and saw that Sarah was texting someone while Jake stood against the glass and watched as the Devils skated around. The guys came out, skated around one last time before the all went to the bench, except for the first shift, Sidney, Tanger, Geno, Sutter and Orpik, with Marc in the net. The national anthem was sung and I had already started to take pictures of everything.

By the period, the score was two to one, Penguins. Sutter has scored the first goal with Sidney and Geno assisting, Kuni scored the second goal with no assists, I had amazing pictures of both goals. During the first intermission, I made my way over towards my sister and saw that she was talking with a woman next to her and Jake was leaning against the bars with another kid, I smirked, my sister was always good at socializing.

I climbed through the one set of bars and into the hallway and walked towards the other, Jake was smiling ear to ear and holding out his hands, "Hey big guy, what's up?" I asked as I high fived him.

"Uncle Ian! This is so cool! Did you see Sid? Did you see?! He was so cool!" Jake yelled and I chuckled and looked towards my sister to see that she was smiling towards me.

"Who's your friend?" I asked as I looked over towards the little boy who looked to be Jake's age and he kind of looked familiar

"Oh! This is Kody!" Jake said and the name hit me.

"Oh, Duper's son?" I asked and Kody smiled and nodded his head, "Heard a lot 'bout you! I'll have to bust your dad for not bringing you around more."

"Yes!" Kody yelled and I laughed and looked back over towards Sarah, figuring that she was talking to Pascal's wife, Carole-Lyne.

The girls laughed about something and then both looked over towards me, '...This should be interesting...'