Hearing crying, I open my eyes as I notice Sidney walking the floor with a fussy Autumn. She is giving him a hard time.
“Shh sweetie. You’ll wake up mommy,” Sidney says. I watch as he rocks her as she starts to settle down. I don’t know how long he has been up with her, but he finally calmed her down.
“Thank you sweetie,”
A few minutes later, I watch as he places her down into the bassinet. He quietly and softly gets back into the bed to wrap his arm around me.
“How long have you been up with her?,” I ask, quietly.
“I didn’t know you were up babe. I’m sorry if she woke you up,”
“It’s alright, so how long?,”
“A couple of hours,”
“You could have woke me up,”
“I know but I wanted you to sleep,”
“It doesn’t always work like that, I can help if you can’t get her back to sleep,”
“Okay babe, we better get back to sleep,”
I close my eyes and try to get back to sleep but I couldn’t. I open my eyes and Sidney is out. I move his hand off of me as I gently get out of the bed and head over to the door. Looking back, a smile comes onto my face as I quietly open the door to walk out. Shutting it, I walk softly to the living room as I see Troy sitting on the couch with the TV down on low.
“Hey Troy,” I say as I walk around to take a seat on the couch.
“Hey Aaylah, you couldn’t sleep?,” he asks.
“No, I woke up to Sidney taking care of Autumn but he went back to sleep where I can’t. Stupid sleeping issues,”
“I have them too, that’s why I’m out here watching TV. I wanted to tell you something. The way I seen Sidney bolt out of here yesterday, I never seen him ever do that for anyone including me or his mom. My son is deeply in love with you and that little girl back there. I can see the love for you that he has, it’s a lot. He’s happy so I’m happy,”
“I love Sidney a lot too Troy, when I got in that wreck I thought I would never see him again but saw him my heart skipped. I was so happy to see him.
“I’m glad you and Autumn are alright,”
“Me too,”
We just sit on the couch talking until his eyes move behind me as I look to see Sidney standing there.
“Well I’m going to try and sleep again even though it’s 5:30,”
Troy excuses himself out of the living room as Sidney walks over to the couch. He takes a seat besides me.
“Couldn’t sleep?,” Sidney asks.
“No I couldn’t. I have sleeping issues,” I say.
“You could have woken me up,”
“No, you were tired so I just walked up here. Wasn’t expecting your dad to be up here,”
“Hey listen, you can wake me up at whatever time whether it be night or day,”
“Thank you Sidney,”
He wraps his arm behind me to pull me closer to him.
“Always babe,”
“Our stuff was in the Range Rover during the crash,”
“I know, but don’t worry. I have an extra set at Mellon and I will order you new gear,”
“Sidney, what if I don’t want to be a hockey player anymore?,”
“What got you thinking that?,”
“I want to be with you, whether your on the road or not. The crash got me seeing things differently,”
“I’ll support you babe in anything you do,”
“Thank you Sidney,”
He picks me up and places me onto his lap as his right arm is behind me and his left one is resting on my thigh. I lean my head over so it’s resting on his shoulder.
“I love you,”
“I love you too,”
My eyes end up shutting.
“Baby,”
I hear Sidney as my eyes flutter open. I left me head up and I look at Sidney.
“How long was I out?,” I ask.
“It’s 9 o’clock. Don’t worry about Autumn, she’s with my parents in the living room. They seen us both sleeping on the couch,
exhausted,”
I move to get out of Sidney’s lap but he pulled me down. Looking at him, he leans over and placing his lips onto mine. It is a slow kiss as he leans back.
“I love you,”
“I love you too,”
I get out of his lap as I walk around to the door. I open it as I walk out.
“Good morning girl,” LC says as I walk over to the couch.
“Morning,” I say as I take a seat by her.
“Mario, Nat, Kris and Mason went over to grab the cars. Kris needs his since he needs to go by his condo. He invited me to stay,”
“Aww, that’s cute. What did you say?,”
“Of course yes. So you get to live with my cousin and I get to live with Kris. Both with a child too,”
“That’s true, so how long ago did they leave?,”
“Half an hour ago,”
“Ahh, shouldn’t they be back?,”
Just as I say that the front door opens.
“the others are home,”
“No crap,”
She smile as we watch them walk in.
“Your other baby is outside,” Mario says as he hands me my keys.
“Thank you and Sidney gave them to you?,”
“Yes,”
“I figured when LC told me about you all being gone,”
“You ready to go?,” Kris asks LC.
She gets up and walks over to him.
“See you at the game Aaylah,” LC says as I watch her walk to the door. I notice Taylor walking out with Autumn in her arms. Troy and Trina are behind her. I place my keys in my pocket.
“Here’s mommy,” Taylor says as she approaches me and places Autumn in my arms.
“Hey baby girl,” I say as she grabs for my hand as I give her my finger. She holds it.
“Aww,” they say as I hear a door open.
I turn around and see Sidney walking over this way. He gets beside me.
“Thank you for watching her,” I say.
“It was no problem, you were asleep and Sidney didn’t want to move you,” Trina says.
“And you had a rough night,” Troy chimes in.
So true
Just as I was about to speak, a phone starts to ring. I see Sidney pulling out his phone and answering it.
“Hello, yes we both are,” Sidney says as he puts it on speaker.
“Aaylah?,” she asks.
“Yea I’m right here,” I say.
“I have good news for the both of you. The owner accepted your offer on the house. Congratulations,”
“Really?,” I ask.
“Yes, do you both have time to come in?,”
“Yes we do, will be there in a few,” Sidney says.
“I will see you then,”
Sidney hangs up.
“Congrats you guys,” Trina says as Troy is clapping his hands.
“Thank you, now we need to go get dressed,” Sidney says.
“I agree, if you’ll excuse us,” I say as we turn around and head back into his wing. I follow Sidney to the back to his room. Once inside I go over to the bassinet as I hear Sidney close the door. I place her down inside as I stand up. I feel his arms go around my waist as I lean back into his embrace.
“I love you,” I say.
“I love you too,” Sidney says as he gives me a kiss on my neck.
We stay like for a few minutes before he releases me so we can get changed. I stripped out of the shirt and shorts as I’m in my bra and underwear. I pick up my jeans as Sidney stops me.
“Your not wearing those again, I’ll find something for you,” Sidney says.
He walks over to his closet as he opens it. I watch him go through it as he hands me a pair of jeans.
“Try those,”
I put them on and they were a little loose but they will do.
“A little loose but I can manage, got a hoodie for me to wear?,”
He pulls down one fast and hands it to me. Of course it’s a Penguins one.
“Thank you,”
I place it over my head as I look in the mirror about his dresser. I look good in his clothes. Taking my ponytail holder out. I use my fingers to brush my hair to put it back up.
“You look good,” Sidney says as I turn around to see him wearing a Reebok hoodie with jeans.
“You do too,” I say as he walks over to me and places his hand on my waist .
“You ready to do this?,”
“Yes,”
He leans down to give me a kiss.
“Good,”
He lets me go as I turn around and walk over to the bassinet. Autumn is still wide awake as I lift her out.
“Mommy had to change sweet girl,” I say as I find her car seat and place her inside before strapping her in.
“I’ll pick her up, you put on your shoes,” He says.
“Okay,” I say as I walk to the foot of the bed and slip into my clog shoes.
I watch as Sidney picks up the car seat as you just smile.
“Ready to go?,” he asks.
“No, could you go into your living room and get Autumn’s diaper bag? Need to make sure I have enough formula,”
“Sure babe,”
He walks over to the door as he opens it. He walks out as I grab a few formula bottles and nipples out of the box next to the bed. He comes back in as I place them into the bag. I look into the bag as I notice I only had a few diapers left. I zip it up and place it onto my shoulder.
“Now we are ready,”
“Good, let’s go,”
He walks over to the door as I follow him out and to the main door. He opens it up but instead of walking out he says ”ladies first,”
I walk ahead of him as I spot the Crosby family, Mario and Nat in the living room.
“Congratulations to you both,” Nat says.
“Thank you. We will be back in a little bit,” Sidney says.
“Drive safe,” Troy and Mario say at the same time,”
“We will, Sidney is driving,” I say as we walk over to the front door.
I unlock the door as I walk outside. It’s a cool fall day as I walk onto the sidewalk. I watch Sidney pull out my keys from his pocket as he walks down. We walk down the sidewalk as my car is parked in Sidney’s normal spot. We walk over to the car as Sidney unlocks the car with my fob. I open the back door and noticed Autumn’s base in the center.
“Mario moved the base,” I say as I move so Sidney can place her in.
“That was nice of him,” Sidney says as he moves back out of the car.
“It was,”
I duck my head and get into the back seat as he closes the door behind me. I place the diaper bag onto the floorboard. He gets in the front seat as he began up my car. It felt even more weirder being in the backseat then it was in the front seat. I watch as Sidney backs out then he places it in drive to head down. He places in the code then we were set free.
“So where is the office at?,” I ask.
“Downtown Pittsburgh, so we get a little car ride,” Sidney says.
“Won’t be the first one today,”
“No it won’t be. You doing okay back there?,”
“Yeah I’m okay and Autumn is starting to fall asleep,”
“Aww,”
“A car ride will do it. You could do that at night if you need to,”
“I’ll keep that in mind. So whats going on in that mind of yours?,”
“The apartment, hockey, the crash, you,”
“We will be taking care of the apartment tomorrow after I drive my family to the airport. Their flight is at 10,”
“Okay,”
“The crash I know its tough to overcome it but think of it like this. You are alive. You have me and that precious little girl. We aren’t going no where,”
“I know and your right,”
“If I could hold your hand right now I would be. So what about me are you thinking about?,”
“Everything,”
“Everything huh? Tell me one thing,”
“That you love me for me, nothing else. You genuinely care,”
“I always will,”
Just as he says that his phone starts to go off.
“Here Aaylah, answer this phone,” he says as he passes it back to me as I flip it open.
“Hello,” I say.
“Aaylah is that you? Where are you?,”
It is Coach Ginger
“Yes ma’am its me. I need to let you know that I’m quitting the team. I’m sorry and I thank you for giving the opportunity,”
“Why are you quitting? You are our number 1 player,”
“I was in a crash yesterday and I decided to give up my hockey career. I have a baby and I need to be there with her. I hope you understand,”
“I do. Well I’m glad you played with us and wish you good luck,”
“Thank you Ginger,”
I close the phone as I take a deep breath in and out. Once less thing to worry about.
“That was hard, but I had to do it,” I say.
“I know babe. You know I’ll support you ,” Sidney says.
“I know Sidney, one of the many reasons why I love you,”
About 10 minutes later, Sidney pulls up and parks outside of a RE/MAX building. I let out a deep breath as I unbuckle. Turning my head, I make sure nothing is coming before I open my door. The roads are clear so I open my door and turn to Autumn. I unhook her from the base as I step out of the car with the car seat in my hand. I get out just as Sidney is as I close the door and walk over to the sidewalk.
“So this is it?,” I ask as he gets besides me.
“Yes,” he says as he grabs my hand.
We walk up the set of stairs that led to the door. He lets my hand go as he opens the door.
“Thank you,” I say as I walk in knowing he is right behind me.
“Sidney, Aaylah I’m so glad you two could make it. Aww how is this?,” Debbie asks.
“My daughter Autumn,”
“She's precious,”
“Thank you,”
“Follow me,”
I walk behind her into a big office. I walk over to her desk as I take a seat in one of the chair in front of it. I place the car seat in front of me in between my legs as Sidney sat down in the other chair.
“So I want to congrats you both on this acomplishment. So I would like to you to sign this form since both of your names will be put on the deed of the house. We will writing a new deed to the house in the next few days. I would say next Monday or even this Friday that you’ll have the keys to the house. I will call you when that happens so you both can come in,”
“Thank you,” Sidney says.
She places a piece of paper on the desk as I sit up. I grab the pen first and sign my full name on it as I pass it to Sidney. I watch as he does before pushing it back to Debbie.
“That is all I need from you too. Until next time, have a wonderful day and a good game Sidney,”
“Thank you,”
I get up out of the chair as Sidney stands beside me.
“I’ll grab her,” Sidney says.
“I’m not saying no,” I say as he grabs the car seat as we make our way out of the office and out the door.
“I can’t believe this. We have a house together. I mean I was excited when she told us on the phone but now it’s more setting in,” I say.
“I’m excited too. Signing that second paper made it more real,” Sidney says as we walk down the stairs and to the car. I watch as he gets the keys to unlock the door. He opens it from the right side as he places the car seat in.
“You going to sit back here?,” Sidney asks.
“Yes, but I get a view of you now,” I say as I get into the back seat and he closes the door.
I watch as he walks in front of the car before he gets into the driver’s seat. He shuts the door as he starts up the car.
“So where too now?,” I ask.
“Well it’s only 10:45, how about we go and get breakfast? I’m not due to Mellon until 5:30,”Sidney says.
“You sure you want to do that?,”
“Yes or we could pick up something from a drive thru and head up to West End outlook from brunch,”
“I like the second idea,”
“You just want me to myself,”
“Gotta take advantage of it,”
“I’ll give you that one, so where should we go?,”
“Well we could go to Burger King cause its right down the street, the opposite way we are going but it close. That or Starbucks,”
“I can go for Burger King, let’s go there then we can take this road up to the road we need to turn for West End,”
He takes off down the street a little as he turns into the line for Burger King.
“So what do you want?,”
“Just pancakes with a coffee, two sugars and two creams,”
“Okay,”
Sidney moves to the speaker as he begins to tell the person what we want. He ordered a pancake and sausage platter along with an orange juice. He tells them my order as well as he pulls up.
“Oh my God, Sidney Crosby,” A lady says at the window. I smile as he hands her his card.
“How are you?,” Sidney asks as she hands him back the card.
“I’m better now, here is your order. Enjoy your day,” she says.
“You too,”
He places the food in the passenger seat as he drives away.
“You sure made her day,” I say as he turns onto the road.
“Yeah, it feels good but I want to be normal sometimes,”
“You are with me, I had no damn idea who you were when I met you. I know your a famous hockey player now but your still just Sidney to me,”
“I’m glad for that,”
“Me too, but now I’m obsessed with you,”
“I know and I am with you,”
It takes around 15 minutes of driving as Sidney pulls into the circle as he parks on the side where the sidewalk is. There wasn’t anyone else here but us. He turns off the car as he looks back at me.
“We are here,” He says.
“I can tell,” I say as I smile.
I open the door as I unbuckle myself and use my hands to unhook Autumn from the base. I stand up as I use my foot to shut the door. I am met with Sidney who is holding the food bags and drinks.
“So where too?,” he asks.
“Let’s go sit on the benches facing the city,” I say.
“Good idea,”
I lead the way as I walk up a slight incline as I take a seat on the bench as Sidney takes one beside me. I place Autumn at the far end of the bench. She is still taking her nap as I move myself closer to Sidney for room.
“She’s so precious,” Sidney says.
“She is but shes due soon to eat,” I say.
“Let’s eat before she gets up,”
He hands me my pancakes as I place them into my lap. I take the lid off and drown them in syrup. I start to eat, realizing it’s been almost 24 hours since I ate last. Finishing first, I place the trash in the bag as I take my coffee off of the holder. I take a sip and it tastes like heaven, better then the pancakes.
“You sure ate fast,” he says.
“It’s been a day since I ate last,” I say.
“Really? I understand why but you need to eat,”
“I know, it wasn’t on purpose,”
“I know, is that good?,”
“It is, better then the pancakes in my opinion,”
He smiles as he places his trash in the bag as he takes a long swig of his orange juice. He places is in between his legs as he places his arm behind me, resting on my shoulder. I move my head so its on him as his arms rests on my shoulder. Just as I was gonna say something a little cry comes from the car seat.
“I’m right here Autumn,” I say as I move over to the car seat. I unclip all the buckles as I pull her out of the car seat. She calms down in my arms.
“I’ll go get her diaper bag,” Sidney says as he gives me a kiss on my forehead as he walks off.
“He will be back with your food. I bet you had a great nap,” I say as she grabs my finger and holds tight to it.
“I’m not going anywhere Autumn,”
She smiles which makes me smile. Her little gum less smile would light up a room and make anyone’s mood change.
“Here babe, one diaper bag and one bottle,” Sidney says as I look up to him. He has the bottle made as he hands it to me. I place it into her mouth.
“Thank you, your going to be a natural with kids,” I say as he sits back down beside me.
“I think so too,”
I feed Autumn her bottle as I burp her. Looking down at her in my arms, she is just a smiling as I hand the bottle to Sidney.
“Bright eyes and bushy tail little girl,” I say.
“That she is,”
We start loving over Autumn, the miracle little girl who survived not only one car accident but two. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure nothing ever hurts her again.
“It’s almost 1 o’clock,” Sidney says.
“Already?,” I ask.
“Yeah,”
“Dang, I can’t believe its been that long,”
“Time flies by when your having fun or with your girlfriend,”
I blush.
“Can we show Autumn Pittsburgh? I’m pretty sure we will be up here a lot as she grows up but I feel like we need to do it,”
“Ok babe. Let’s do it,”
I get up with her in my arms as we both walk over to the railing. I turn to an angle so Autumn could see the downtown area of Pittsburgh. Sidney gets behind me as his arms wrap around my waist.
“This baby girl is your new home, Pittsburgh. It is an amazing city and you will learn that. Mommy is from here, lived here all my life. I lost my parents here but I gained you here. Mommy also met someone here who means everything to her. She quit hockey so she could focus more on you and him. I’m going to do everything in my power to make your life the best it can be. I love you Autumn,”
Tears are running down my face as I look from her out into the distance to see Pittsburgh. I feel Sidney place his chin on my shoulder. This is the best I will ever get and I wont trade them for anything.
“I love you Aaylah,” Sidney says.
“I love you too Sidney,” I say as he releases me as I turn around. He leans down to give me a kiss.
“What you said was beautiful,” he says.
“Thank you,”
“As long as I’m with you, you won’t be alone in taking care of Autumn. I will be here to help you,”
“I knew from day one you were special and you are. One of a kind Mr. Crosby,”
He grabs my hand as he places it over his heart. I can feel the rhythm of it and it’s faster then normal.
“This is what you do to me. Whenever I’m with you, I can feel my heart racing like this. It’s because I love you and I’m in love with you. I’m not going anywhere,”
While my hand is on his heart, I grab his hand and place his hand on my heart. It has the same fast rhythm.
“We are in sync,” I say.
“I would say so,” he says as he removes his hand as I remove my hand as well.
He places as hand on my face as he leans down just a little bit to give me a sparks flying kiss. He leans back as we just stare at one another. This moment couldn’t be more perfect.
“Are you ready to head out,” Sidney asks.
“Not yet. Could you take her?,” I ask.
“Sure babe,”
I gently place Autumn in his arms as I walk over to the railing. I stare out into the scenic view. I see Pittsburgh in the background along with the three rivers meeting, Heinz Field, and the Carnegie science center. It’s a peaceful scene and it makes me think where I come from. I grew up in this city and this area. Now just to think I get to raise a little girl in the same city I was raised in. I know I have made my parents and Jack proud of me.
Just as I take my eyes off of the scenic view I feel a hand interlace with mine. Looking over to my left hand I see Sidney there holding it. We stay like this for a few minutes as I turn my attention to Autumn who is passed out again.
“Looks like miss Autumn is out again,” I say.
I watch Sidney look down as he places his other arm under for more support.
“That she is. You ready to head back?,” he asks
“Yes,” I say
We turn around and make our way back over to the bench area.
Sidney places Autumn into her car seat as he buckle her in. He moves over the handle as he picks it up. So I grab the diaper bag, to make things far. We make our way back down to the car as Sidney using his free hand to grab the keys. I watch as he places them in to unlock all the doors. He opens the back door as he ducks down so he could place the car seat in the car. He stands up as he looks over to me.
“Your ride awaits,” he says.
“Your so cheesy,” I say as I get into the car.
“You like it,”
He closes the door as he walks behind the car to get to the driver’s side. He gets in and begins the car as we both buckle up at the same time.
“Ready back there?” He asks.
“Yep, we are,”
He drives out of the circle and onto the street. He finds his way back to the Main Street as he takes that before turning on a bridge. I look out the window as I look at the city and the rivers. Sidney takes a left as we re on the way back to Sewickley.
“You ready for the game tonight?” Sidney asks.
“Yes I am,” I say.
“My mom and Nat will be staying home to watch Autumn,”
“Sidney, we can just take her. I can sit up in a suite with everyone instead of by the ice,”
“Are you sure?,”
“Yes, I want her there,”
“Ok babe. Love you,”
“Love you too,”
About 15 minutes later, Sidney places the code for the driveway as he drives up. He turns and parks in his normal parking spot.
“We are here,” Sidney says as he turns off the car.
“I can see that,” I say as he turns and looks back at me. I stick my tongue out at him.
“Remember the last time you did that to me?,”
“Yes, but now Autumn is here,”
“True, later,”
He opens his door as I open my door. I get out as I grab the diaper bag as Sidney opens up the other side back door. Shutting my door, I walk over to the sidewalk as I wait for Sidney who is carrying the car seat. I walk up onto the porch as I go over to the door and open it.
“Go ahead in Sid,” I say as he walks up the stairs and into the house. I follow in before shutting the door. I follow him into the TV room as I stop beside him.
“Mom, Nat your going to the game tonight if you want. We are taking Autumn with us tonight,” Sidney says.
“You sure, we will be more then happy too,” Trina says.
“Thank you, I appreciate it but I would like to take her tonight so you can go Trina to watch your son play,” I say.
“Thank you Aaylah, I appreciate that too,” Trina says.
“We are going to go lay down for a little bit until 4,” Sidney says.
“Ok,”
I follow him into his wing as I follow him back to his room. I shut the door as I turn around to see Sidney taking Autumn out of her car seat and into the bassinet. I slip off my shoes as I get into the bed first. Sidney looks at me as he shakes his head before getting into the bed. His arms grab me as he pulls me to him. My back to his chest. His arms around me and his hands rest on my stomach. Our bodies fit well together.
“Get in a nap,” Sidney says.
“I think I can do that,” I say.
As soon as I speak, I become quiet as my eye lids become heavy until they shut.
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