Chapter 317: Mimi XXXIV—A Little Practice

“It’s not worth it Mimi, it really isn’t.”

Michele leaned forward onto her knees, like Jana had showed her to do, using her stick to brace upon and she squinted at Debbie. “You’re not having fun?” Michele wiggled her toes in her skates, Jana had informed her that the tighter they were, the better, but Michele would be damned if she didn’t have some room in them.

Debbie sighed with large eyes. “Mimi for the love of God we’re sweaty, in smelly old gear, tired, and there’s no way in hell we’re gonna be in top condition by the time the charity game comes around, those men are gonna murder us!”

Michele grinned. “Well, this was your idea….”

“Oh I’m gonna shoot you!” Debbie gasped and Michele laughed as she skated away from her, going to another group of panting, whining wives. Everyone looked lost and helpless in their oversized gear, clinging onto one another, moaning about hurt toes. A skate around the rink with your children every now and then was one thing, but full blown hockey practices in heavy gear on a regular basis was another! Michele leaned back into the glass and watched Jana holding onto Debbie’s hand and skating her to the rest of the group.

“I tried taking Mitchell to the art museum, yesterday,” Debbie said with light panting in her voice.

“Oh yes?” Michele asked. “How did that go? I would love it if my children were interested in art. But no they’re only interested in one kind of art… the art of bad language.”

“Well, there’s an exhibit there right now on ancient art, and I guess they have a lot of Egyptian artifacts, you know, hieroglyphics and things like that, I thought he would like that.”

Michele giggled. “And you weren’t afraid for those artifacts?”

Debbie’s eyes flashed. “Hey your son demolished that Mummy not Mitchell!”

Michele reached out and patted Debbie on the arm, “I know and shame on him.”

“He’s a bad influence Mimi, you know that,” Debbie said in a loud whisper.

“Oh terrible,” Michele nodded.

Debbie grinned, and looked away for a second. “I guess it’s a popular exhibit, I couldn’t even weasel into one show for yesterday. Poor Mitchie he was all excited and everything. I shouldn’t have promised to take him.”

“Well have you made reservations for another day?”

“Sure, tomorrow I think, we can get in then.” Debbie looked away again. “Mitchell sure does love those Mummies.”

“Well perhaps he will be an ark…arsee… argh what is the word?” Michele asked and she hated herself for even attempting the word. She could hear it in her head but her lips wouldn’t obey it.

“Archeologist?” Debbie’s eyebrows lifted.

“Something like that,” Michele said sharper than she wanted to. Debbie laughed and Michele felt her cheeks redden.

She then turned her attention to their instructor, the assistant Coach’s sister, Cammi. Actually, the assistant coach was often referred to as, Cammi’s brother. Cammi spoke with a flinty voice, and she had a sharp face to match. She reminded Michele, in fact, of a Native American woman, a warrior no less. She had those sharp eyes and distinguished features.

Cammi spoke of the importance of skating stride, and balance and this and that and that… Michele felt somewhat lulled, she couldn’t bring herself to concentrate on Cammi’s every word. Jana would help her out later, she was sure. Instead she only thought about what a different creature Cammi was compared to this group of hockey wives and girlfriends. Michele had glanced at her changing into her gear, a wiry, lithe, feral woman, muscled beyond all belief. It brought to her mind images of a woman warrior, a female gladiator from another time.

Not that that belittled Cammi in Michele’s mind in anyway. It put her in awe. She actually felt somewhat cowed and fearful of her. Cammi fell into the category of women she would rarely run into and never be able to manipulate or understand.

“So do you got that?” Cammi asked.

Michele nodded with the rest of the women.

“Good lets practice it.”

Michele leaned into Debbie, “What are we doing?”

Debbie laughed.

“Um why do I have to be goalie?!” Brandi Blake cried from the goal crease. If she could lift her padded goalie leg to stomp, Michele knew she would have. The pretty woman was lost in jersey folds and pads and her arms were crossed. “This is embarrassing I can’t MOVE!”

“Well you said you didn’t want to skate so non-skaters get the goal pads,” Cammi replied heartlessly.

Michele smirked. “Brandi take pride in it, Patty does.”

“I swear,” Josefina groaned as they stripped off their gear in the locker room. “If I never have to do anything like this again, I will be happy. This crap is torture no wonder Peter’s such a baby.”

A few of the women laughed. “Peter a baby?” Michele giggled.

“Not that stud muffin!” Jennifer Foote exclaimed.

Jo nodded slowly with wide, serious eyes. “You have no idea how big a baby he is. I swear his Momma musta kissed every boo-boo he ever got. He’s spoiled rotten.”

Michele laughed and thought of Peter’s hulking, muscled frame. The bigger they are…..

“I don’t know,” Cecile said, “I kinda like this, its fun. I’m gonna miss it when we’re all done with it.”

“For certain?” Michele asked with a grin, looking at the girl. The rest of the women had fallen silent and also looked at her. Cecile blushed and she brushed sweaty strands of black hair from her face. She had taken off her jersey and she looked like a wispy, lost Snow White in all that gear.

Cecile nodded. “Sure, I mean it’s a great workout you know? And all the skating you feel like you’re flying or something. I mean now that I can do it… heh… kinda, I still have some trouble with the backwards but I… I… oh hush up and stop staring at me!”

Everyone laughed and Michele winked at Cecile, admiring the girl’s peeved expression. Patrick had said she possessed a fiery disposition, a temper underneath that Christian calm, and it did make her more attractive. Cecile half grinned back. Even under all that sweat and haggard exhaustion, and the stitches under her eye, Cecile looked beautiful. “What about all this sweat and stink?” Michele asked. “Doesn’t that bother you a little bit, and being so over exhausted?”

Cecile shrugged with one shoulder. “Nah… I mean yes... I mean of course I don’t like to be sweaty or anything but, you can always wash that off. I kinda like the pain, it means you’ve done something, you know? It means something.”

“Of course it does,” Michele said softly. Oh you are ready for something different aren’t you dear? She thought. You’re dying for it. Not such a pristine little disposition after all hm?

“So who is watching the children, Debbie?” Michele asked loudly, she kept a glance on Cecile. “If their nanny is here?” Let’s see how you like being reminded of your station, just for some fun. Cecile’s lips tightened and she reddened, but not with embarrassment, she narrowed those green eyes. “Not that I’m bothered by you here, darling.” She smiled sweetly at Cecile who blinked and smiled back, reverting to her cool polite charm.

“Of course not,” Cecile replied.

“Oh I paid our housekeeper to watch em for the afternoon, its fine, Rosalita’s done it before,” Debbie said as her fingers tangled in her skate laces. “Oh hell!”

“Oh that’s nice,” Michele replied and she looked at Cecile again. You complicated little girl, you have no idea what your potential is. You’re not built to waste yourself on God and all His polite piety, sooner or later you should really learn how to slap someone when they cross you.

“Do you think I should fire Cecile?”

Michele half opened her eyes. She could barely focus on Debbie through her tired vision and the steam of the sauna. “What do you mean?” she murmured. She sighed and stretched, the sweat here clean, the air humid, but still clean, her muscles relaxed. Other than certain activities, she couldn’t think of any purer form of self indulgent contentment.

Debbie sat up, pressing the towel around her body. She glanced around her, as if worried that someone would be listening. “Well I don’t want to sound like an insecure bitch or anything but…”

Michele yawned and grinned. “Aw Debbie but we talked of this, yes? Joe just gave her a silly gift, a trifle really if you think of what he’s given you yes?”

Debbie wrinkled her nose. Michele couldn’t help but giggle a little; she didn’t think Debbie really knew how adorable she was. She had a girl’s rounded cheeks and complexion, friendly eyes. “I know about that but something else happened.”

Michele raised her eyebrows. All exhaustion left her body and her veins rushed with an alertness that overcame everything. “What happened?”

Debbie grimaced. “He didn’t wake me up to say goodbye like he usually does.”

Some of that alertness left, and Michele’s pulse slowed. “Oh?”

“Yeah, he woke up Cecile to tell her goodbye.” Debbie paled and swallowed and then she covered her mouth with the back of her hand. “Well?”

Michele’s pulse skipped a beat. “You don’t think he was going to wake you up?”

Debbie slowly shook her head. “He even said that he didn’t want to disturb me as if he would be a bother to me.”

Michele squinted at Debbie and rested her chin on her palms. “How did he wake up Cecile did he just jump into bed with…”

“Oh HELL no!” Debbie exclaimed. “Mimi no!”

I don’t think there’s much to this one, Michele thought to herself. She had seen Debbie’s anger with nannies before, most of the time justified anger, but Michele suspected that perhaps Debbie simply got tired of these girls. Cecile although certainly more capable and trustworthy than the other sniveling girls that had preceded her, could easily wear down on nerves with her perfect routine. It can’t be easy constantly having the girl parade her abilities with the children at every turn.

“Well what was he doing?”

Debbie crossed her arms over her pink skin. “He… he was just whispering to her, and stuff.”

“Just whispering?”

“Yeah,” Debbie nodded. “And when he saw me he got all nervous, like he had been caught doing something.”

“Oh?” Michele closed her eyes and leaned back. There would be nothing to go on with this one. “He acted guilty then yes?”

“Mimi, he spontaneously called me gorgeous.”

Michele’s eyes snapped open. Now that is interesting. “But Debbie you are.”

“Sure I am,” Debbie replied. “And I’d believe you if you told me right now that that didn’t mean Joe wasn’t up to anything if your eyes weren’t glittering like polished daggers.”

Michele smiled and sighed. “You’re so pretty.” She leaned forward and ran her hand along Debbie’s tiny, bare thigh. Debbie gasped and slapped it away.

“Eh fuck you too,” Debbie grumbled.

“That was the idea,” Michele replied with a wink.