042

I turned my phone on as we waited for our luggage and saw I had a new voicemail. "Avery, it's Max. I swung by the house to talk to you and that Scott guy was outside looking through the windows. I honked the horn and he went running. There's something about that guy that's off. Anyways, Colby told me you and Sidney are on your way to Seattle, that makes me happy. Call me when you get this message." I hung up my phone and stood there with anger creeping into my bones. "You alright?" Sidney asked placing his hand on my lower back. "That was Max, he said he came by the house to talk to me and Scott was outside looking through the windows." My mind began to spin. Has he really been in Russia? Did he break into the house back in November? Sidney pulled out his phone and made a phone call. "Max, can you do me a big favor? . . . Mario has a spare key to Avery's house, can you stay there until we get back? If that asshole comes around again call the police. . . . Thanks Max." Sidney looked down at me, "stop grinding your teeth, it's bad for you." I wanted to punch something, why was he hanging around my house? "Hey it will be alright, Max owes me anyways," Sidney said very firmly grabbing our luggage off the carousel.

My mom pushed past me a little bit to pull Sidney into a hug. She pulled away after too long of a hug and pulled me in for my own. "Hi mom, where's dad?" I mumbled. "Hi darling, he's at the brewery, go figure. Here are the keys to the house, do you remember how to get there?" She put the keys in my hand and I looked around the house I grew up in. "Avery?" "Sorry Mom, it's just I haven't been home in five years, I can't believe it's been that long since I've been in here." Nothing had changed at all, they still had the same furniture in the same exact spots. A painting of the brewery hanging in the formal dining room, and a bowl of fake grapes in the middle of the table that were probably twenty-five years old. I could hear Sidney and my mom talking in the kitchen but I continued to walk around, it was a bitter-sweet moment for me. "So what are your plans for when you're here?" I heard my mom ask. "I want to see everything, I want to get to know this side of Avery I have yet to discover," Sidney smiled as he looked at me. "Well Avery, I will ask you again, do you remember how to get to the house?" "Yeah, I'm mean it's out there by itself, but it's a straight shot. If I get lost I will call," I smiled before pulling her into a hug.

I pulled onto the dirt road that led up the mountain and the house came into view. "Wow," Sidney mumbled as he caught sight of the house, a three story log cabin. It truly was secluded, only fifteen minutes from downtown Snoqualmie, but the closest neighbor was four miles away. I parked the car and we both got out and dragged our luggage up to the front door. We made our way inside and Sidney was amazed. "This is how I want my house in Cole Harbour to look," he smiled as the huge sailfish hanging over the fireplace came into view. "I think I'm going to take a nap," I shouted to him as I took my suitcase into my old room. "Yeah that sounds like a good idea," he shouted to me. I walked back out into the living room where Sidney was looking out the two-story high windows looking over the Cascade mountains. "There are three rooms on this floor, master bedroom upstairs, then another bedroom downstairs. Make yourself at home," I smiled before heading back to my room. I closed the door behind me and slipped out of my clothes down to my underwear. I heard the door open and turned around to see Sidney leaning against the door jam. "Can I join you?" he asked looking at me head to toe. "I would love it if you joined me," I smiled, relief coming over my body. I watched him as he stripped down to his boxer briefs and grabbed hold of my hand pulling me into the bed with him. I felt his arm wrap around my waist and a small tear fell from my eye. I miss this. No words were said, and we both fell asleep.

The next morning I walked out to the kitchen and started the coffee. I noticed my 'Cougar' travelers mug was sitting out and I didn't remember packing it. I noticed there was another mug next to it that read 'Cougar Hunter' on it. I laughed to myself for a bit before Sidney stumbled out into the kitchen. "Nice mug," I laughed as I felt his arms wrap around my waist from behind me. I leaned my head back onto his shoulder and was lost in the moment. "I've missed you so much Sidney," I whispered as I felt him kiss my neck. "See what I was talking about, out of our element. Coming here was a good idea," he whispered into my ear turning me around in his arms. "Where are you taking me today? I want to see everything, where you went to high school, your first apartment but mainly the brewery." I gave him a big kiss before letting go of him and made my way to the coffee. "Well get ready, it's going to be a long day then," I smiled.

We drove north, back toward Woodinville making a few stops on the way. "Where do they throw the fish at?" Sidney asked as I pulled into the parking lot of my high school. "That's at Pike's Place Market in downtown Seattle, we can go there tomorrow if you'd life," I explained as I got out of the car. I felt Sidney's fingers tangle with mine as we made our way up to the campus. "I sat right here everyday at lunch reading," I smiled pointing to the concrete bench right outside the front doors. "Did you have any friends?" I was hesitant to answer, I knew where he was going with this. "No, I had Riley, back then that was all I needed." "What about in South Africa?" "Angie, we hung out every once and a while, but not a whole lot." Yeah I know I don't have any girlfriends! "How about this, when and/or if you get married, who would be your maid of honor?" I sat down on the bench and looked up at him. I don't have anybody. "Colby?" I asked laughing. "No he's mine. If you were marrying me, who would it be?" "Sid, I don't know. That's really sad. I've always been friends with guys, they are just so much easier to get along with ya know?" He nodded his head and sat down next to me. "That's a long ways from now though, so I still have time to make some friends," I laughed at how pathetic I sounded.

I took him all around Woodinville before ending up at the brewery. "Holy crap, Avery Winters is that you? Must I bow in your presence?" a very thick Canadian accent filled the room as he pulled me into a hug. "Hi R0b," I smiled squeezing him in my arms. "Sidney Crosby?" I laughed a little as Sidney looked at me waiting for his introduction. "Sid this is Rob, he's the head coach of the Thunderbirds, he lives next door to my parents. Mike, this is my, umm, boyfriend, Sid," I smiled looking at Sidney's face the whole time. "Have you seen my dad?" I asked him breaking his eye contact with Sidney. Why do all these men fall in love with Sid at first sight? "He's working behind the bar," Rob explained pointing over to where my dad was. "What? Is this a mid-life crisis? Thanks Rob." Sidney walked ahead of me over to the bar and my dad's eyes lit up when he saw us. "Sid! How the hell are ya?" he asked shaking his hand. Do my parents love Sidney more than they love me? Is that possible? "Doing great! Hey thanks for letting us stay at your vacation home, it's beautiful." My dad started to pour up beers for us, but I stopped him before he poured mine. "Did you just turn down a beer? Are you . . . ?" he gave me a very questioning look. "Oh, no, no dad, I'm not pregnant. I'm on medication that makes me really sick if I drink alcohol," I smiled. "Everything alright?" "Yeah, it's okay," I smiled sitting down next to Sidney. Rob started talking Sidney's ear off about hockey and I pulled my dad aside a bit. "Hey, why did you let us stay at the house? You never let anyone stay there." "Sidney called, said things weren't going so good between you two. He said he wanted to come out here and was wondering of someplace where you guys can stay, he said he wanted to be secluded, away from any distractions so you two can really talk to one another and work things out. The house just made sense. I wasn't okay with it at first, but I know how happy he makes you, and if it takes a house in the woods to help, then that's what needed to be done. Just make sure nothing gets ruined or broken." I gave my dad a smile and turned my attention back to Sidney and Rob.

After Sidney had a few beers he turned in his stool to look at me. "So what kind of memories do you have in this bar?" I looked around, images pouring into my head of all the great times spent in there. "My 1st birthday was here, well actually every birthday of mine up until I was twelve was in here. My first kiss was in here. Colby and I would spend hours in that booth over there playing poker. This was like my safe house, whenever I didn't want to face reality I would come here," I brought my eyes back to him and he had a big goofy grin on his face. "Are you drunk Crosby?" "Yeah, just a little. This is really good beer," he smiled holding his half full pint up to my face. I began to laugh, "alright cowboy, finish up we have an early morning tomorrow."