Chapter 15

I am so, so, so sorry. I've been a total slacker and haven't updated in literally forever. Lacrosse had taken up my life right now dealing with recruiting and everything. Hope you enjoy this one!



Chapter 15

The Penguins won the second game easily. I would have been happy either way, but at least every one I was around would be happier. Scott was fussy through out the whole game, never settling down. I knew it was because his sleep schedule was messed up. I was going to take him back to the hotel room and have a quiet night, giving him a chance to catch up on some sleep. The rest of the families waited in the visitor’s lounge for the players to come out. I was left to sit alone trying to keep Scott entertained while Vero was half-heartedly listening to stories about Olivia’s shopping weekend. The boys piled out of the locker room, looking fresh and excited besides the fact that they just played a tough game. Jordan came over right to Scott and me, breezing past Olivia. I saw that Olivia noticed this and she huffed and flipped her hair behind her shoulder.
“So I convinced the guys that instead of going out clubbing to go out for dinner.” Jordan said proudly.
I sighed exasperated. “No, you didn’t need to do that. I told you, I’m taking Scott back to the hotel.”

“Why though? I did it so we can all have fun together.” Jordan snapped.

“And that was very…considerate of you, but I already told you Scott needs a quiet night. I’m sorry, but any night with your teammates is anything but quiet.” I told him, trying to be nicer this time.

“But couldn’t he just adjust and sleep at the restaurant?” Jordan asked.

“No, Jordan, he can’t. The baby isn’t the one that readjusts, it’s the adults that have to. I’ve learned to do it, Jordan, and if you can’t then you’re going to have a problem being in his life.” I told him, getting more annoyed as I went on.

He rolled his eyes. “Fine, whatever.” He dug threw his wallet and handed me some twenties. “Here’s money for the cab and some dinner.”

“Thanks.” I muttered and shoved it into my pocket. Jordan shrugged and leaned forward and kissed Scott on the forehead. “Good night buddy, love you.” He told Scott before going over to join Olivia.

I tucked my hair behind my ear and bent over, lowering Scott into his carrier/car seat and strapping him up. I tucked a blanket over him and went to go grab my jacket.

Vero walked over. “I feel bad that we are just leaving you.”

I laughed. “Don’t worry about me, I’m used to it. Now you go and have fun, but not too much if you don’t want to have a killer head ache tomorrow.”

V smiled. “Thanks Marie. See you tomorrow.” She said before going back to join Marc-Andre.

I glanced at Jordan whose arm was wrapped around Olivia and they were talking with a few other guys. It was ironic how Vero, who I’ve only known for about a week, cares more about me being left alone in New York City with a baby than Jordan, who I have known my whole life, does. I shouldn’t be surprised though, I knew this was exactly how it was all going to turn out. Jordan wishes he could be a great father and be around all the time, just at his age right now he can’t. I have no doubt he would be in ten years or so. But right now Scott was just like a toy. Jordan liked him when he was easy to deal with, but was annoyed by him when he wasn’t.

I was heading out the door when Max came in. He stopped me, confused on why I was leaving. “Where are you going?” He asked.

“Outside so I can catch a cab. I’m leaving.” I explained.

He frowned. “You and Scott are going to be by yourself? Is that such a great idea?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

Max paused for a second before a bright smile lit up his face. “You know what, I’ll come with you!”

I shook my head. “No, you really don’t have to. Go party and have fun. I know you have a lot of girls you have to spend time with.”

“I will feel bad if you get an insane cab driver that decides to drive you into the river. Oh, and I can get girls any time any city so it doesn’t matter.”

I laughed. “What would you do if we had an insane cab driver?”

Max raised his eyebrows. “Darling, why doubt me?” He turned around and yelled out to Jordan. “Yo Jord, I’m going back with Marie and Scott.”

Jordan turned around and frowned. “You don’t have to do that.”

Max waved. “It’s no problem, even Superstar needs some breaks every once and a while.”

Tyler Kennedy snorted. “More like “Superstar” realizes he’s used all of his dirty numbers in the past five years.”

Max raised his eyebrows. “Who has never even had any number to begin with, eh?”

“Because I have a steady, reliable, and beautiful girlfriend who I know will be there every night. I don’t just dick around.” Tyler retorted.

Max grinned. “Who needs that when you can just dick around?”

Tyler shook his head, but started laughing this time. “I can’t wait to meet the girl that gets you whipped.”

“Come on, can we just go?” Olivia interjected, starting to get impatient.

“Have fun kids!” Max called out before taking Scott’s baby carrier out of my hands and walking out of the door whistling.

I caught up to him quickly, it was nice to be able to look some one in the eyes and not have to snap my neck off to look up at them. I wasn’t short at all, but sometimes walking around with Jordan makes me feel like a leprechaun. “So why are you really coming back with me?” I asked. Hearing from what his teammates have teased him about, Max seems like quite a man-whore. “You have a booty call waiting for you?” I teased.

Max laughed and put Scott’s carrier back in my arms and walked out to the edge of the curb to hail a taxi. I tucked the blanket more firmly around Scott and kissed him on the cheek. His bright blue eyes popped open. “Hey Scotty, thanks for being so great about all of this. You’ve been tossed around a lot lately and I promise that things will settle down soon.” I whispered. He responded by yawning widely and closing is eyes again.

Max’s voice snapped me out of watching him. “Marie, come on, I got one!” I stepped forward to join him and he took Scott out of my arms again. He held the door open for me and I slid in all the way over. He put Scott’s carrier in the middle and I leaned forward, prepared to help strap him in. Max pushed my hands out of the way and started strapping Scott in for me. He buckled himself in himself and then met my questioning look. “What?” He asked.

“Most people don’t know how to buckle a baby’s car seat in, that’s all.” I told him shrugging.

Max smiled. “My older brother, Will, his wife had a baby last May. Best little niece I could ask for.”
Max spent the rest of the ride trying to talk to the cab driver even though they weren’t on the same page. One trait I was noticing that Max certainly had was that he wanted to become friends with absolutely any one. He could make a conversation out of anything. We got to the hotel and to my protests, he paid for the cab and we headed into the lobby.

“So we’re meeting back at your room in a half hour.” Max stated.

“Wait, what?” I asked.

“It’s a movie night. Come on, did you really think I was going to bring you back here and just dump you in the lobby? No! We’re going to have some fun!” Max exclaimed.

I laughed. “Fine, I guess so. Meet you in a half-hour.” I agreed and took Scott back and headed up to our room. I swiped the card key, opened the door, took Scott out of the carrier, and laid him down on the bed. I immediately turned down the heat and began stripping Scott out of his many layers. I changed his diaper and put him in his high stool so I could feed him some applesauce. I’ve been trying to start immersing solid foods into his diet and he seemed to be in his best mood before bedtime. I cleaned him up before changing him into his pajamas. I changed myself before sitting down in a chair and putting Scott against my chest. He stretched out and tangled his small fists into my hair before letting himself completely relax against me. It was the little routine that we did every night, I always held him until he fell asleep. Normally I rocked him to sleep, but there was no rocking chair so I had to make due. He finally passed out, no doubt exhausted from the long day. Right after I put him down in the crib the hotel provided, the was a knock on the door. I opened the door to reveal Max holding a bag of cookies and a DVD.

“So I decided to go with humor.” He said loudly letting himself into the room.

“Shhh. What movie?” I asked.

“Oh, sorry. And the hang-over!” Max said excitedly. “That’s not to dirty for you, right? I keep forgetting how young you are.” He said winking.

“Hey, almost nineteen. Only one more month.” I reminded him stubbornly.
Max rolled his eyes. “Great, now you make me feel like such a fucking cougar.”

“A cougar is an older female, honey.” I reminded him laughing.

“Fine then, a lion.” Max agreed too.

We popped in the Hangover and Max settled on one bed and I sat on the other. I was laughing the whole first half of the movie, but by the end I was starting to fight my eyelids from closing.

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I woke up to Scott’s screaming, he wasn’t able to sleep a whole night lately because of teething. To my surprise, he was already in some one’s arms: Max’s. Scott finally settled down once Max put his finger in his mouth for something to chew on.

“Thanks Max.” I said surprised getting up out of bed.

“No problem, we must have fallen asleep watching the movie. And this was something I learned from my mother. Never knew I was going to be a human chew toy.” He flashed a shit-eating grin. “Actually, let me correct that, a baby’s chewing toy.”

I laughed quietly and we transferred Scott out of Max’s arms to mine, now it was my turn to put my finger in his mouth.

“I’m going to head out.” He looked at his watch. “Guess I’ll see you in five hours.”

I followed him to the door with Scott in my arms. “Thanks for keeping me company.”

Max smiled. “No problem, now excuse me, I have to go make a booty call.”