Chapter 385: Mimi XL—Exhausted
As soon as the final buzzer rang and the audience cheered, Michele felt every ounce of energy leave her body and her knees buckled. She felt suddenly unwilling and irritated, she didn’t want to talk to anyone, she didn’t want to laugh, she didn’t want to hug or be hugged or be touched because she smelled and so did everything and she certainly didn’t want to deal with her son. Even the act of blinking drained and tired her body. Leaning on Joe seemed like a good idea but she didn’t want to bother him
Cackling still like a villain from a children’s play, her son Jonathan, the little devil was dragged off the ice by Alex and Scott. Even when Scott tossed him under his arm and carried him into the cavern leading to the locker room, Jonathan continued to laugh in that unhinged maniacal way. Goosebumps prickled all over her skin and her veins felt cold. The boy had struck her to the heart earlier with his barb about her and Danny. Now the big question remained, did the boy know anything, or was he just being spiteful.
And it wasn’t as if she could plain out ask him…
“Well that’s that,” Joe Sakic said and Michele looked into his eyes which were full of pale light and fun. “So did you have fun Mimi?”
Michele gulped and smiled weakly. “I guess… yes of course…” She yawned and the act of stretching the muscles in her face and neck brought tears to her eyes. “But Joe it isn’t worth it, it really isn’t.”
Joe’s eyes twinkled, fatherly and amused. “Really, why not? You looked like you had some fun out there.”
Michele shook her head and her temples pounded and even her eyeballs stung and her nostrils felt violated and sick of that sour sweat smell. “Oh I had fun but how you men do it for a living? Oh my body will fall apart I know, it will at the hinges. I think I will cry now and just be done yes?” Her nose tickled and her throat and she felt tears already escaping and yes, she was too tired to stop them.
Sakic laughed, didn’t seem the least concerned and Michele would have been annoyed by that if she wasn’t so tired. “Aw don’t cry,” he patted her on the shoulder and then put his arm around her waist nudging her towards the other women. “You’ll feel like a million bucks when you get all cleaned and a good dinner in your tummy.”
Michele wrinkled her nose. “I am hungry,” she replied. And her stomach growled fiercely, gnawing through her very soul and she imagined that a world full of meat platters and bread baskets was impossible to wait for and she would die right now, starving and thirsty.
It made Michele feel a little better to see the rest of the wives in roughly the same state as her once in the locker room. Even though they hadn’t been really mishandled by the men they still felt battered, covered in bruises and no doubt ravaged with stretched ligaments and frayed cartilage. Debbie could barely hold her eyes open, and one of the wives lay sprawled on a bench in half of her gear, seemingly asleep.
All of the other Better Halves from the other team were also in the locker room. All the women would share one while all the men traveled to the visitor’s locker room in the arena to clean up. Every last one of the women seemed drained of vitality and pale and wasted. Cecile sat on one of the benches, her elbows on her knees, her chin on her palms, her green eyes glowing like tiny gems, a pink smile on her face.
“I don’t think Daniel has ever had a hat trick my dear,” Michele said as sweetly as she could.
Cecile sniffled and wrinkled her nose. “Oh I bet he’ll get one soon enough now.” She yawned and stretched, her ivory skin striking against the soaked ebony of her sweaty hair. “I only got one cause Joe’s such a good player, he really helped out…” the rest of her words were lost in another yawn.
“Yeah I noticed that,” Debbie said with a detectable bite in the tone of her voice. “He really took ya under his wing, didn’t he hon?”
Cecile wrinkled her brow and frowned. “He’s like the best big brother ever.” She smiled and her eyes closed slightly.
Oooo what a skillful little bitch! Michele thought with some affection for Cecile. The light on Debbie’s face and the smug smile, told Michele that Cecile had said the perfect thing. “Aw how sweet,” Debbie said wistfully, “Yeah I guess he sees you like a little sister or something.” And she emphasized the words little sister. Cecile nodded eagerly and the fire was instantly defused.
“Talk about cardio,” Josefina exclaimed, somehow gorgeous in her sweaty exhausted state, too gorgeous, “I swear I’ve lost ten pounds in water.” She slipped out of her gear, displaying her lanky, nut brown, flawless body and tossing everything carelessly on the floor as she marched to the showers.
“Oh do we hate her?” Debbie said, blinking, the skin around her eyes looked ashy and her lips were slightly blue, she looked like an emaciated, frail sprig of a girl. Michele didn’t figure she looked anything better.
“Oh yes we really hate her,” Michele groaned as she yanked off her shoulder pads, tossing the vile things onto the floor as well. She could barely think of a comparable time in her life when she smelled so bad, looked and felt so battered and just overall wanted to die. Oh sure she could think of one occasion and it reminded her that things at present weren’t that bad.
Still, she thought of Jonathan. The boy could have just saved a dart like that from when he had yelled at Hinote months ago, he could have just remembered it when she had taunted him. Or perhaps that intelligent brain of his detected something, and worried about it. She had to talk with Patrick later; she would have to remember to talk to him. Their games had never intentionally or deeply involved their children before, and she would be damned if she let that happen now after so many years.
“At least we don’t have to be bothered with the guys,” Debbie said with a yawn. “They all have the other locker room. Oh hell, I am so calling dibs on Katrina, you wenches will have to wait your turn!”
“Shit,” Michele muttered. She had been planning to call Katrina first.
The shower steam made visibility impossible for more than a few feet but it felt splendid enough to soak in. Michele watched the world around her with half closed eyes, smoky, blurred nude bodies, and women’s muttering turning to perkier conversation and then as hot water loosened muscles and tongues, dirty jokes and laughter. Ah, a trip to the spa tomorrow would be high on her priorities, a massage and sauna soak, a facial, she felt better just thinking about that.
The funniest thing Michele noticed when she put on her clothes was how loose they were. She laughed and held out her arms, feeling like a coat hanger. “I don’t think this is very attractive yes?” she said.
“Water weight,” Josefina nodded. “I needs me some FOOD!”
“Oh yeah,” Debbie agreed. “Don’t worry we have dinner plans!”
“Mom I’m hungry,” Jana said when Michele hugged her outside of the lockers. The little girl grabbed onto her long blonde braid and she tugged on it before flipping it over her shoulder. “Are we gonna go to eat?”
“Yes,” Michele replied and she patted Jana on the shoulder. “Did you have fun?”
“Yup,” Jana said with a nod. “Although Daddy’s a nerd, he kept trying to steal my jokes and stuff.”
“Speaking of,” Michele said, “Have you seen your father or your brother yet? It’s been awhile they should be out by now. I’m starving myself, are they talking to news reporters or something?”
Jana shrugged. “I don’t think so. I don’t know. I’ve been talking to loads of reporters; they all want to talk to me heeee! But I didn’t see Jonathan or Daddy.”
Michele rolled her eyes, “Well stay right here with…” She looked around and saw Cecile yawning and leaning against a wall with Mitchell sitting at her feet. “Go stay with Cecile and Mitchell while I find them okay?”
“Sure,” Jana said brightly and Michele left the locker room and headed for the visitors lockers.
She slunk through a crowd of people, and reporters, brushing by those asking her to answer a few questions; she just smiled at them and shook her head trying to look as sweet as possible to avoid insulting anyone. News cameras made her uncomfortable and she tried to avoid them when she could. When one man became a little persistent, even going so far as to block her entry to the lockers she hid her irritation with a smile. “My English is bad,” she said thickening her accent. “It’s hard understand yes?”
“Oh, sorry,” the reporter said stepping away, “Mrs. Roy.”
“Merci,” Michele replied and she slipped into the locker room, the first room being a lounge area and most of the men seemed to be lingering there, probably delaying the required soundbite with reporters. “Hello men!”
They smiled back and greeted her and Joe even came over and hugged her warmly. Surprised she patted his warm, deliciously muscled back and let his subtle cologne tickle her nostrils. “What are you up to?” Joe asked. And he let her go.
Michele put her hands on her hips. “Oo I’m looking for my husband and my son. We’re all hungry Joe, so you men better be ready to treat us out. So where are they? I don’t see them.”
“Yeah,” Joe replied, “Yeah, well Jonathan went a little squirrely there on us.”
Michele put her hands on her hips. “He what?”
Joe nodded grimly. “Yeah he kinda freaked out there. Maybe the game or something but first he wouldn’t take off his gear, even though he’d stopped laughing. He refused to move, and when Patty and Footer tried getting his gear off he started fighting them…”
Michele’s eyes widened when Foote cut in, “The boy actually hissed at us like a cat I swear he’s possessed!”
Joe looked briefly at Adam and then grimaced. “Something like that, anyway, Patty and Alex took him into the showers when they finally stripped him down so hopefully he’s calmed down or he’s close to it by now.”
“Oh Mon
Dieu!” Michele groaned and she pushed past the men and to the locker room door.
She swung it open and stormed into the room, the air still sweaty and damp and
sour from so many dirty male bodies and their gear. There stood Jonathan, a
smile lit on his face when he saw her, his skin pink and smooth, his hair
unusually soft looking and calm.
“Hey Mom!”
“Oh you’re so pink!” Michele laughed. When Jonathan ran into her hug, she squeezed him and ran her fingers through his hair. It felt soft and feathery, “How you’re your hair get so soft?” She looked at Freddy who winked. “Why are you so pink?”
“Cause he wouldn’t behave,” Freddy said with a nod.
“Eh, Dad uses tons of shampoo,” Jonathan said and he pulled out of her hug. “He practically drowned me in it.”
“And conditioner!” Freddy laughed. “Don’t forget the conditioner.”
Jonathan scowled.
Michele frowned and looked at Patrick who came out of the bathroom with Alex both looking nice and freshly pressed. “You bathed him?”
“He needed to cool off,” Patrick replied unapologetically, “The boy went mad.”
“But…” Michele whispered.
“You’re forgetting the best part!” Freddy exclaimed and he giggled.
Jonathan reddened and he crossed his arms.
“The best part?” Michele asked. And she looked at Patrick and Alex for good measure. “What’s the best part?”
Jonathan frowned. “Alex washed my mouth out with soap.”
What had they turned into savages on the boy! Michele gasped and grabbed Jonathan in a protective embrace. “Alex how could you!”
“Oof!” Tanguay huffed. “Do you want him with a mouth like that?”
“Well that’s a mother’s decision,” she replied. And she glared at Patrick who smirked with amusement. “Come on let’s go, we’re all hungry I’m sure.”
“Oo food!” Freddy grinned. “I’m famished!”