Chapter 14
Aurora
I let outa yawn as I shoved a pile of papers into the recycle bin. I’d stayed up until almost three talking with Dylan last night. It hadn’t been the greatest idea when I had to be up early this morning for our last study group session.
“Are you sure you’re up to cleaning and packing today? You look bloody exhausted.” Lorelai asked, grabbing her books from the table and shoving them into her bag.
“Yeah, I promised. It needs to get done anyway. It won’t be much longer before we have to find a new place back in Vancouver, so we might as well get a head start. The more stuff we can get packed, the better off we will be for a quick move-in date.”
“Alright, well, how about we stop and grab something from Sip and Stir and then head back to the apartment and get started?”
“Good idea. I could use—” I broke into a yawn, and Lorelai let out a laugh.
“Yeah, I think you and lover boy there need to keep things to a normal hour.”
I smiled and shook my head. “We didn’t keep you awake, did we?” I questioned, feeling slightly embarrassed if we had.
“No, I’d of banged on the wall if you had of. I was out like a light once I got home.”
After Greg interrupted things and Dylan talked me down, things turned a little heated. We’d even switched to video chat after so we could say good night to one another face-to-face. I’d feared that perhaps Lorelai heard things she shouldn’t have.
“Sorry, we will try to have our calls earlier in the evening, okay.”
“It’s fine. Like I said, if I’d heard anything I’d have banged on the wall. Besides, their games go late, and I know how much Candace misses Phil while he is away. I wouldn’t dare ask you not to make the most of the time you have.”
Once we’d packed up our books, we grabbed food and coffee and made our way back to the apartment. Feeling completely energized after having something to eat, we began cleaning. Lorelai tackled the living room and kitchen while I got the fun job of the washroom. I’d just rinsed down the tub and shower when I heard Lorelai call my name.
I dropped the sponge in the sink and ripped the rubber gloves off my hands.
“Hurry up…hurry up,” Lorelai said as I opened the bathroom door and stepped out into the living room.
I glanced around. The room was still a disaster. She hadn’t done a thing. I looked inside the two empty boxes we’d brought home to see she’d packed nothing up, either. I looked over at her to see she was sitting on the edge of the couch, her hands in the pouch of her sweater, watching TV.
“What is it? I thought you were cleaning and packing?” I asked, feeling annoyed.
“I was, but then I turned the TV on and look…” she said, pointing to the screen.
I turned and looked over my shoulder at the TV to see Dylan’s face filling the screen. Shock filled me as I read the headline below. Vancouver Dominator Dylan Hayes to be a father: ex-girlfriend pregnant.
“Did you know about this?” Lorelai questioned.
I shook my head as I continued to listen to the story. Now I really didn’t know what to believe. She had been so convincing that perhaps this story was true and I really was the one being lied to.
“Well?”
I flopped down on the couch and sank into my usual spot and stared at the screen. They were showing clips from past games, and then they brought up a clip from last year. Dylan was fighting with some guy on the ice, and then it broke out to a picture of both him and Carlie walking away from some building.
“When we were on our date the other night, something happened at the club.”
“Oh?”
“We were dancing. Knox, Clay, and Lucas had just arrived. Anyway, we were dancing, and then I was attacked by someone. I was ripped away from Dylan and thrown to the ground by my hair.”
“What??? You mentioned nothing about this. Are you alright?”
“I am now. Yes. Or was. Anyway, it was her, the one in the picture. She said something about wanting him back and how they were planning on having a family.”
“Oh god.”
“Yeah, it was awful. Dylan was angry, and I just wanted away from it all.”
“Wait a minute. So, then the butt dial…wasn’t a mistake,” she said as I shook my head. “Why didn’t you have me come get you?”
“I didn’t feel a need to have you come get me. Part of me also wanted to hear him out.”
“Well, I’m glad you did that. However, this is just crazy. Did he say anything to you?”
I shook my head.
“This woman sounds super desperate. It’s like she is grasping at straws. I mean…wow.”
I watched a little more and then looked at Lorelai. “She cheated on him with another Dominator. I can’t remember his name…” I said, looking at the TV again to see the same clip of him fighting. “Wait…” I said, squinting to read the guy’s jersey. “That’s him.”
“Novak?? She cheated on Dylan with that looser?” Lorelai asked.
I nodded. “That is what he said.”
“God, my brother hated him. As did pretty much every guy on the team. He was just so full of himself.”
We watched the clip again. I could clearly see Novak lean in and say something to Dylan, and that was when the fight began.
“I remember when that happened,” Lorelai said, watching the screen with me. “He’d just been traded to the new team about a week prior.”
Once again, the image flashed to Carlie and Dylan and their splitsville article and then to her statement about her current condition. She stood there speaking to a reporter, eyes full of tears as she broke down into fits of hysteria.
“So he said nothing to you about this? I mean, he must know about it now?” Lorelai asked.
“He said nothing to me at all,” I muttered. “Just turn it off.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know yet?” Lorelai said, doing as I asked and shutting the TV off.
“You know as well as I do they have watchdogs everywhere. I mean, had you of seen how quickly the guys handled the other night, you’d of been shocked. They had PR called, lawyers called, and were even proceeding with using the restraining order that Dylan had put in place before we left the parking lot.”
I knew Lorelai knew how fast they moved. Her brother had his share of bad publicity over the years, especially when he first came to the team.
“Well, if he knows, then why didn’t he mention anything to you?” Lorelai questioned.
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he doesn’t know, and besides, the games tonight.”
Just then the phone rang, and Lorelai grabbed it. I sat there looking at my phone on the table, wondering if he had messaged me and I’d just not seen it. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to look.
“It’s Candace. She got the invitations in for the wedding and wants to know if we can come by after exams to help her stuff envelopes,” Lorelai said.
I nodded. “Can you ask her something for me?” I whispered.
Lorelai nodded.
“Ask her if Phil ever keeps things from her?”
Lorelai frowned. “Hold on one second, Candace.” She covered the mouthpiece and dropped it in her lap and looked at me. “What are you wanting to know?”
“Just ask her if Phil ever kept things from her regarding bad publicity?”
Lorelai shook her head but asked anyway. I could hear her answer, and then I heard her ask why?
“No, there has been nothing in the news about him. Aurora was just wondering is all. Yep, I’ll let her know. Okay. See you then.”
Lorelai hung up the phone and then turned to me. “Her words exactly. If he ever hid anything from me, he’d never use his man stick on me again.”
I couldn’t help but smirk from the expression on Lorelai’s face as she repeated the words that her soon-to-be sister-in-law said.
“Excuse me, because after saying those words in relation to my brother- and sister-in-law, I think I’m going to have to wash my mouth out with soap now.”
I couldn’t help but giggle at the face she made as she got up and went into the kitchen, bringing us both back some Gatorade. While I sat there, I replayed our conversation earlier, how he seemed to not be bothered by anything. However, my problem had seemed to monopolize the conversation. Maybe he just hadn’t wanted to upset me again, or perhaps Lorelai was right and he knew nothing about it.
“Here,” she said, dropping my favourite blue Gatorade in my lap. “What are you thinking about?”
“Just about our conversation from last night. Lorelai, I really like him. and I’d hope he wouldn’t hold something like this back from me after the events of the other night. I’d hope he’d be upfront and honest with me, especially if this is true and it is his baby.”
“If it’s bothering you so much, why don’t you message him?”
I glanced at the time. It was a little after three. From what Dylan told me, they’d be just arriving at the arena by now. This was also an important game, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to bring something like this up before it.
“I don’t know.”
“Okay, how about this? We’ll finish cleaning, then we’ll order in some pizza and wings, then we’ll get ready and watch the game. You can text him while we wait for food if you still want to.”
I thought about her suggestion and nodded.
“Okay.”
Soon we were back into the swing of cleaning, and I’d forgotten about the news, at least as much as one could forget about the news after seeing someone accuse the man I liked. We each took a quick shower, and while Lorelai ordered pizza and wings, I got changed into my sweats. I was about to leave my room when I spotted Dylan’s jersey in my closet and threw it on for good luck.
“Alright, get over here and sit down. Now are you ready to watch your first hockey game?” Lorelai questioned, dropping two cans of soda onto the coffee table, along with two plates.
I nodded. “I’ll probably have a million questions.”
“That’s fine. Ask whatever you want,” she said, looking up at me. “What the hell do you have on?” she questioned.
I looked down at myself, wondering if I had underwear stuck to my pants or something from the wash.
“The jersey? Where the hell did you get that?”
“Oh, Dylan gave it to me, didn’t I tell you?”
“No, you didn’t.”
“When we went on our date, he gave it to me.”
“Oh boy. You are done for.”
I frowned and glanced at my phone and then looked back at Lorelai.
“Why?”
“Everyone knows you’re his now.” She winked.
I grabbed my phone again, looking to see if he’d messaged.
“If you want to message him, I’d do it now. Candace told me Phil said the guys were just about done getting ready. Maybe we should send him a pic of you in his jersey.”
I shook my head. “No, I’ll just wait to talk to him after the game.”
It was then Lorelai got up off the couch and quickly turned, snapping a picture of me. She began furiously texting as I frowned.
“What are you doing?” I questioned.
“Sending it to my brother so he can forward it to Dylan.” She giggled.
I got up and tried to rip her phone from her hand, but she bolted to the door just as the bell rang. Moments later, she returned with our food. The aroma of wings and pizza were enough to make my mouth water. I quickly opened the wings and took some, passing it to Lorelai, who took some as well.
I leaned back and took a bite of my pizza and watched as the guys skated out onto the ice. The camera immediately panned to Dylan. He skated around the rink, raising his stick in the air as fans cheered.
Lorelai let out a tiny laugh, and I looked over at her. “What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
“No, what is it?”
“Look at you. I never in a million years thought I’d ever see that look on your face over a hockey player.”
“What look?”
“This look…” Lorelai looked at the TV with a goofy look on her face, causing me to laugh.
“Shut up.”
“I won’t.” She, too, began laughing.
The game started, and I watched as Dylan made his way to his position, just as the commentator brought up everything that was going on in the news.
“Can they hear that?” I questioned.
Lorelai shook her head, and I watched as a questioning look came over her face.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Oh, this isn’t good.”
“What?”
“The team they are playing. It’s Novak’s team. Maybe this isn’t the game you should watch first.”
The two players faced off. We both watched as the puck was dropped. Dylan got control of the puck and passed it over to Knox. Knox passed it back to Dylan just as Novak came in and body checked Dylan right into the boards.
“Don’t tell me he’s going after him again,” Lorelai said under her breath.
Minutes later, Novak checked Dylan again, and then again for the third time. I could barely watch anymore as the next time he took a hit, he was down on the ice for a few minutes.
Halfway into the game, I’d had to run to the washroom, and when I came back the third period had just stared, the guys were losing 3 to 1, and I reached for another slice of pizza, taking my eyes off the screen for one second when Lorelai screamed.
“What? What is it?” I cried, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Dropping the slice of pizza back into the box, I looked up at the TV in time to see Dylan deliver a punch to Novak. The crowd went crazy as the two fought. Finally, they split, and one referee separated them, and that was when Novak went to punch, hitting the ref square in the face. Knox came in, pulling Dylan away.
“Oh this is bad,” Lorelai muttered as we both watched as the commentators once again brought up the fight between the two players from a year and a half ago.
* * *
My first hockeygame turned out to be more exciting than I’d ever thought. Dylan had ended up in the sin bin, as Lorelai put it, more in this game than any other. The boys had lost, and Lorelai explained they had to win tonight if they were to go on to the finals. I almost felt like it was my fault they’d lost, even though I knew it wasn’t.
I rolled over and stared at the clock. I figured I’d have heard from Dylan by now. It was after midnight. The game had ended over two hours ago, but my phone had remained silent. I placed my book on my side table and was just about to reach up and shut off my book light when my door opened.
“You still awake?”
“Yeah.”
“Hear anything yet?” she asked, coming in and sitting on the end of my bed.
I’d always been thankful to have Lorelai in my life. She was always there when I needed her, but right now, all I wanted to do was talk to Dylan and find out exactly what had happened tonight and if he knew about the rumours that were running rampant.
“No,” I said, letting out a sigh.
“I talked to Phil a few minutes ago. He said Dylan’s pissed, so I’m sure he’s probably just blowing off steam with the guys. Don’t sweat it, he’ll message tomorrow.”
“Is your brother out with everyone?”
“No, he always goes back to his room and calls Candace.”
“That’s nice of him. Well, thanks for the update, I guess. Sleep well,” I said, my voice clearly reflecting my disappointment.
Lorelai got up and went to leave my room, when I stopped her.
“So, you seemed to get along with Knox well the other night.”
She shook her head. “Don’t even start. I knew him once, a long time ago, and let me tell you, I’d never go down that path.”
I couldn’t help but laugh as she continued shaking her head as she made her way to my bedroom door.
“You say that about everyone that you date or could be a potential date.” I giggled.
“Well, that’s because some truly deserve it, and I never dated him, nor would I, so that statement is no longer true.” She giggled. “Sleep well. Oh, Aurora, do me a favour and never mention that man’s name to me again.” She giggled.