Pinky swear

[savvyfan.livejournal.com]

Title: Pinky swear
Characters: Marc Savard; Isabel Savard (mention of Vladimir Sobotka)
Rating: G
Time: March 2009
Summary: The Bruins have some time off and Marc's children come to visit.
Disclaimer: A fictional story, told only for entertainment purposes.
Author's note: This little vignette is based on a story told by Billy Beane, an ex-baseball player who came out as gay after he retired, about his four-year-old niece in his book "Going the other way." 



Having the kids around was in some ways tougher than playing three double-overtime games in three straight days, but Marc didn't mind. Much.

Really, the only thing bad about it was the aching hole they left when they were gone after their too-short visits. Life would just be rounding into something like normalcy and they'd be off again, back over the border with their mother, reduced to phone calls and text messages and pictures on his walls.

So, along with, he suspected, every other guilt-ridden father of distant children, he indulged them. They accompanied him to practice, and God love Milan Lucic for staying afterward and playing with them for what seemed like half an hour. Marc took advantage of everything Boston had to offer for children, which thankfully was quite a bit, enough to exhaust three small children most of the three days of their visit.

Not totally, though, judging by Tyler and Zachary jumping maniacally on the fold-out sofa bed their last night in Boston. Marc had to threaten to knock their heads together before they'd settle down; they were complaining again that because there were two of them, they should get the bedroom, Marc explaining that their sister had the couch last time, so this time she got the bedroom, and don't you remember about taking turns? 

Finally they quieted and laid down under the covers, and he kissed their cheeks and smoothed their hair and told them they'd better get to sleep or they'd spend the night in the penalty box, which made them giggle, and he went into the guest bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Isabel was under the covers, impossibly tiny in the large bed, looking at a picture book on fairies and elves that Vladdie had given her. "Time to go to sleep, honey," Marc said, and she nodded and handed him the book to put on the nightstand.

"Daddy, where's Vladimir?" she asked as Marc bent over to tuck her in.

"He's in Providence, honey," he replied.

"Why?"

"Because... he needs to learn, Isabel. Like you learned when you went from kindergarten to first grade. He needs to get better, and then he'll stay in Boston."

"Oh," she frowned. "I miss him."

"I miss him too, honey." 

"You love him, don't you, Daddy?" she asked, looking up at her father. His mouth went dry. 

"I love all my teammates, honey. You know that," he said. "They're like my family here, you know -- they take care of me when you and your brothers and Meme and Pepe aren't around." You're babbling, man. Just stop. She can't know, she can't, she --

She nodded in agreement, then looked at him, her blue eyes serious. "But Vladimir's special, isn't he?"

Marc's blood froze. His mouth opened, but nothing came out. Finally, a hoarse, "Isabel, I -- I --" 

"Daddy, don't worry," she pushed the covers back, clambered up on her knees, and cupped her hands to his ear. He leaned towards her, and she stage-whispered: "I won't tell Mommy." 

She pulled back and looked into his eyes. As he stared back, she lifted her right hand, pinky finger extended. "I promise," she said solemnly, and Marc did the only thing he could do -- he linked his finger with hers and closed his eyes. The tiny digit squeezed his own, and her voice ghosted: "Pinky swear." 

"Pinky swear," he replied, slipping his arms around her and squeezing her tightly, feeling tears behind his closed eyes. "My Isabella," he said. "I love you so."