Chapter 451: Joey XXVII—A Little Off
Peter came down after the game to the locker room to congratulate everyone on the win, and to socialize. Joe narrowed his eyes when he saw him, and he wondered if Pete were feeling a little, well saner since the past couple of days. Of course he hadn’t brought up Pete’s odd behavior to anyone, not even Debbie; he hadn’t even asked Debbie if Jo had tried to make contact with anyone just to avoid any questions from her on Peter’s behavior. The man kissed him for God’s sake!
Peter seemed fine however, talking with Alex Tanguay, and laughing with some of the press reporters, a mini junket forming around him, all with questions on his injury and playing status. Pulled abdominal was the official statement but seeing Karns examining Peter at practice earlier in that day Joe was pretty certain groin and lower back could also be put on the list. Being slammed by four large Canucks was not a comfortable experience by any means.
And that subject, incidentally, was the first domino in convincing Joe that yes, Peter was still a little off. After the press died down and everyone began dispersing to their cars, Joe found himself still alone in the locker room, Debbie had gone back up with the Roys and the children, and Joe told her he’d be up in a few. He zipped up his duffel bag when Peter peeked in. “Hey, Joe.”
“How ya feelin today Pete?” Joe said calmly, not quite looking at him.
“Ah, yeah,” Peter said and he walked into the room. “Yeah I’m, I want to apologize for that incident the other day, I haven’t really been myself lately, you know?”
“Oh yeah,” Joe replied and he stood up straight and looked at Peter sternly. “I understand that you might be going through a tough time since she left, but Pete, I don’t want it interfering with the entire team. Understand?”
Peter nodded quickly, “Yeah, I understand.”
“Good,” Joe said. “Now listen, if you’re feeling that badly, if you’re not controlling your actions, I want you to get some help. I’m serious.”
Paling, Peter swallowed and nodded. “Hey, no, it’s fine. I mean yeah it hurts but, she’s gone and there isn’t anything I can do about that. I get that. There’ve been other things though, I mean, unrelated things. They got in the way, I’m sorry about that, I really can’t believe I did that,” he laughed lightly, and Joe recognized it as his nervous laugh, he didn’t make eye contact either. “It’s okay then?”
Joe nodded. “Sure it’s fine.”
Peter sighed. “Ah good, good.”
“Yeah, good,” Joe said, “Catch you later, Pete; I’ve got to meet Debbie. Take care of yourself,” he patted Peter on the arm and moved to leave and then Peter stopped him. Uh oh, Joe felt something weird and unstoppable occurring. Did he have time for this?
“What’s on your mind Peter?”
Peter grimaced and looked away, almost as if he were making sure no one else was listening. “Yeah, Joe I gotta tell you something.”
Oh I don’t have time for this! “What is it?” If he kisses me again I’m gonna slug him, I swear!
Peter nodded slowly, “Okay I don’t want to get anyone into trouble or anything…”
Joe wanted to roll his eyes, the classic tattle tale line, he’d never heard Peter use it before though. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, um, it’s about Mike.”
“What did Keaner do now?” Joe said, feeling a little relieved, couldn’t be much more than standard stuff in that case, nothing that a thicker skin couldn’t help with. “Heh and I wasn’t in on it I swear.”
“No, the other one, my room mate,” Peter said looking quickly at the doorway.
Okay? Joe raised his eyebrows. “Modano?”
Peter nodded. “Yeah is there any chance that I could just get a different roommate, I mean someone’s gotta be tired of who they’re rooming with, Blake or Drury or even Tangers?”
Oh well,
this didn’t sound too bad, more of a nuisance. “What’s wrong with
Peter grimaced. “Sure I know that but it might be a matter of personal safety!”
First time the man’s dumped and he loses his sanity, why now? “Personal safety? Who’s?” There were options out there, Joe supposed, if Peter were something less than a superstar Joe really would implement them right about now. He wondered, just as a passing thought how Pete would look in a Rangers jersey.
“Mine,” Peter nodded.
Maybe he couldn’t be tooo important to the team? Joe thought helplessly. “Yours? How? Are you going to tell me that Mike is trying to kill you?”
Peter closed one eye and half of his mouth turned down. “Uh, maybe.”
Face went into palm and Joe closed his eyes and sighed. Why couldn’t he just enjoy one day after a win? A win, they got two points, they were at home ready to establish a foundation to get themselves back on track, Aebischer had played wonderful, Patty was getting his day of rest why couldn’t he just be happy and optimistic about that? “Peter you’re joking around right? I mean right?”
“I wish I were Joe.”
Sakic looked into the world’s straightest face. Well, at least he hadn’t kissed him again. “Why did you kiss Mikey too and he reacted a little differently than me, say more homicidal?” He frowned to show Peter that he was just not amused and the joke needed to end right now while they could still laugh about it.
“Heh, heh, no,” Peter said with a cough, another nervous laugh. “Nothing like that, I. Well I don’t think he and I get along too well, I mean between you and me,” Peter leaned forward conspiratorially with his chin tilted down, “I think Mike might be just a wee bit unbalanced. Even my injury, I think…”
“He physically hurt you?” Well now that was something serious, Peter wouldn’t just lie about Modano up and attacking him would he? Well, maybe, then again.
“Well he didn’t, not directly, ah, but that thing in Vancouver, where I got hurt, I mean, all four of those guys just jumped me, I mean don’t you think that was kind of strange?”
Joe
shrugged. “No not for
Peter rolled his eyes. “Joe listen to me! I mean four guys like that, FOUR I have a feeling Mike might have been mad enough with me to, well, you know…”
Joe lifted an eyebrow. “To hire a hockey hit on you?” Before Peter could say anything else, Joe held up his finger. “Peter I am in no mood to have a headcase on the team, we can’t deal with it, so will you please go home right now, sit down, take a nap, take a break and find your sanity okay? Thanks.”
“Joe come on Mike is the one who’s insane! I mean if he’s nuts enough to poison our entire catering service than he’s got to be nuts enough to….”
“What?” Joe cried and he really held back from just grabbing Peter and shaking him like a rag doll. “Peter listen to yourself you’re becoming paranoid! In fact, I don’t know if you should go home, I really should be making a call to the team therapist, because you my friend need help!”
“No I don’t!” Peter exclaimed. “I’m perfectly okay. It’s Mike! He’s gonna do something to me Joe, I’m scared, I’m really scared! Joe listen to me, I’m in fear!”
Joe crossed his arms. “I can see that Pete,” and really he was beginning to feel a little concerned because Peter’s eyes seemed spooked, his skin pale and sweaty, the man really did seem as if he actually believed the things he said. “And Peter, my advice is to go home, and get some rest, but I think you may need some help. Do you need help? Because if you feel like you might do something… a little off… then I couldn’t live with myself if I could have stopped it. Now Peter, tell me truthfully, what is really wrong, what’s going on? Is it Josefina? Are you hurting that bad?”
Peter’s lips darkened, his cheeks darkened and his nostrils fluttered, his lips trembled but Joe didn’t see that he would cry, nor would he let himself. “I think she did, Joey, I… I’m confused.”
Joe reached out and grabbed his wrist. Yes, he’d thought this would have happened sooner. He couldn’t imagine how he’d be if Debbie had left him early on and never given him reason, perhaps Peter had found that one that should have stayed. Either way, he felt deeply sympathetic. “Pete, go home, or if you want, go out, go to a bar, have some fun, go to a club, like you used to do. If her stuff is still at your place throw it away or send it back, be your old self okay? You’re just not programmed for being like this, you can’t handle it. For God’s sake it’s making you psychotic, Peter. Please go out and do something!”
Peter nodded helplessly. “Right, Joe, right. I’ll do that. Sorry I bothered you, you’re right, I’ll get it fixed.”
“Should I have done more?”
Debbie put the last pin in her hair and sat down on the bed. “I don’t know what else you should have done, Joe, it’s not like you’re even required to delve into Peter Forsberg psychosis 101 right? I can’t tell you what you should have done.” She half grinned and raised one shoulder.
“Well, can you do me a favor and not tell anyone?” Joe asked, “I don’t want anymore stress on Peter than there has to be, especially if there’s a chance he could just work this out himself.”
Debbie smiled and held out her hands. The movement sent out a soft powdery, comforting scent, intermingled with the perfume she’d worn for earlier that evening. “I’ll do my best Joe, but you know it won’t be long before someone else figures out that Pete’s lost his mind.”
“Right,” Joe said quietly knowing that by this time tomorrow all the wives would know Peter’s ills, maybe the stigma would kick him into getting better faster. He could imagine one evening, one gathering of being teased by Michele Roy about being a loony and Peter would be his old self in no time. “So how was the movies?”
Debbie smiled and curled up on the bed, on top of the blankets, where he could see the whole outline of her body, smooth under the satin of her night gown. “Aw Joey it was great, thanks for watching the kids all by your lonesome, I love you aye?” Her smile so glossy and full, eyes so generous and kind, and quiet and long suffering.
“I love you too,” he touched her cheek and kissed her, and his heart soared when he felt her fingers run through his hair and then slide down the side of his neck and onto his shoulder, inviting him. He pulled her to him, held her close, kissed her and loved her, lost himself in bliss and adoration, amazed all over again that this woman was his, and that she found such pleasure with him.
But when they finished, when he let go of her, fell away from her, held her to him and kissed her cheek she whispered into his ear, “So he really kissed you again?”
Joe’s eyes widened and he felt his stomach roll with nauseous irritation. “Debbie! I didn’t tell you so you could just bring it up at weird times.” And why on Earth did he tell her about Peter kissing him like that?
“Well I’m your wife,” Debbie replied with a smile and she pinched his nose, “It’s my job to make sure you don’t get too comfortable, aye?” She pressed into him, hugged him. “I don’t know, that’s just funny he would do that.”
“Well we’ve established he’s lost his mind,” Joe whispered, “And this is the weirdest time to discuss it isn’t it?”
Debbie blinked, “Did you like it?”
“Debbie!” Joe cried and he sat up. “Gross!”
Debbie smiled and propped herself up on her elbows, naked and soft, “Come on Joe, you were curious about me and Michele, now you have to put out. What was it like? Was it hairy? I mean, is he a good kisser?”
“Debbie?” And Joe felt helpless now, just helpless. He couldn’t think what to say or even to wonder. Apparently his wife had lost her mind as well. “No I don’t know, it was just wet and irritating okay?”
Debbie nodded and pursed her lips in thought, “Oh.” She looked down at herself and blushing pulled the blanket around her body, clutching it there. “Do you ever even have thoughts about other women, Joe? Or about something different? I mean do you ever wish I would or could ever do anything different with you?”
Ah, the root of it and Joe felt relieved. This he could handle simply enough, because he knew what she needed to hear. Just a little security, as far as he understood, every woman needed periodic maintenance of her trust and confidence in her husband even if she never had reason to doubt him. He laid next to her and pinched her chin playfully, “No, Debbie. Never, you’re all I ever need I don’t even think about anything else.”
“Really?” Debbie frowned.
“Really.”
“Oh,” she said and she looked away for a moment, probably absorbing this and reassuring herself and Joe felt happy that he could calm her fears and have such a clean conscience about it. When she looked back at him, however she laid another bomb. “What about if there was another woman, and you knew you could have her and never ever get caught, I mean the woman of your dreams! Would you do it?”
“I already have,” Joe said with a grin and her eyes widened.
“JOE!”
“I have you don’t I?” he winked.
Debbie sighed and rolled her eyes. “Right. Ha.”
“So quit worrying,” Joe said and he pulled her close to him, her cheek over his chest, their bodies warm and calm. “I don’t ever think of anyone but you.”
After a moment of silence, in the dark, listening to the sounds of a sleeping house relax, the creaks, the sound of a clock ticking from across the room, Debbie spoke again. “What if it were me and another woman, I mean at the same time, would you do it then? I mean would that even cross your…”
“Debbie! GROSS!”
“Just checking… haha… good night Joe…”
Debbie fell asleep pretty quickly but Joe couldn’t. What had gotten into his wife? Why would she even bring up… he closed his eyes, those were someone else’s words, not hers, she was still his wife, she was still the girl he fell in love with….