32

I walked into the kitchen a little while later. Sidney had gotten a bad migrane, and decided to take a nap, so I figured it would be nice to catch up with my parents. I blanched when I walked into the room and saw my mom wearing her Danny Briere shirt.
"What's with the face?" She asked, looking at me.
"It's probably the shirt Anne...you know how she is with the hockey thing." My dad said, not glancing up from the newspaper he was reading at the table.
"Alice, really? Are you still going to make faces at me whenever I wear a Flyers shirt? You're twenty three!" My mom laughed.
"You mean you guys didn't recognize Sidney?" I asked.
"Sidney? Why would we recognize..." My mom started. My dad suddenly tossed the newspaper onto the kitchen table.
"Alice...why am I reading an article about Sidney Crosby having a broken arm...when there is a Sidney upstairs, from Pittsburgh, with a cast on the same arm that was broken on Crosby?" My dad asked. I swallowed roughly.
"Well...uh...you see, the funny thing is that..." I started stuttering.
"YOU'RE DATING A PENGUIN!?" He cried. I cringe-smiled, and nodded.
"Alice Catherine Parker I cannot believe you! First you betray us by becoming a Devils fan, and now this?!" My mom yelled.
"Are you guys really that mad about it?!" I asked, running my hands through my hair.
"Mad, no. Disappointed and disgusted that I have to house the enemy...yes." My dad laughed.
"Oh come on Dad...the enemy?" I asked.
"Yes! The enemy! You of all people, little miss puck-head, should know how Flyers fans feel about Crosby! What are the neighbors going to think?!" My dad said.
"Do you want us to leave?" I asked, my temper flaring just a bit.
"No...you know your father is joking with you." My mom said warily.
"I'm not kidding! A Penguin? Of all the teams in the NHL, you had to date a guy on the Penguins." My dad sighed before putting the newspaper on the paper rack.
"Dad, he's such a sweet guy...and I love him. You're just going to have to deal with it." I sighed before walking back upstairs. I sighed and curled up next to Sidney, who was still sleeping. I traced my finger along his strong jaw, and stared at his face. Sometimes he was soft...young looking...but other times, especially when he was angry or serious, he looked more like a man than some of the other guys on his team. When he was asleep I could see the stress of being injured was causing him. Slight shadows ringed his eyes, and his hands twitched every few seconds, as if he was shooting a hockey puck.

A light knock sounded on the door a few minutes later, and my mom cracked it.
"Alice, I talked to your father. He's promised to behave, as long as you and Sidney do the same. That means no trash talking this time around." She whispered.
"Thank you." I sighed, glancing once more at the sleeping Sidney. A faint smile danced across his lips and he rolled over. My mom closed the door again and I leaned over, lightly kissing his cheek, before wrapping my arm around him and dozing off myself. Please, let him stick to his promise.