Chapter 38

I could hear Sidney’s phone ring in the background, I told him to get it just in case it was the team needing something. He handed me the box and I slid the ring on, it fitted perfectly and the diamond shone liking a bright star in the sun light.

“Gill, it is your Dad asking if he can stop keeping his secret now. I was traditional and asked him for your hand in marriage about a month ago and he has been biting his tongue ever since even managing to keep the secret from your Mum. Can I say that we will meet them briefly before going to work?”

We met Mum, Dad and Andy who had come to Vancouver for a holiday to time it in with seeing Sidney and myself at the All Star Game. They were over the moon with the news. They all got on so well with Sidney.

On the way back to the Arena we phoned his parents to let them know the news. Unfortunately they could not be here as Taylor has exams. We also decided we would phone the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins after the game and then announce the news at the after game conference.

We had more time on our hands than we realised when we arrived back at the stadium so we found a quiet spot and between us we phoned around the guys that had gone home to be with their families for a long weekend.

The only penguin’s team members that were here with Sidney to play were Jordon, Geno and Marc-Andre so we had a lot of calls to make. Everyone was delighted so now that everyone knew we decided I would leave my engagement ring on just to give the press something to talk about before we made an official announcement at the press conference after the game.

Very briefly before we started working again we cornered Mario to tell him the news.

Sidney started by saying;

“Mario, we have some news to tell you before we make an official announcement at the press conference after the game.”

Mario interrupted, “It is about time you put a ring on that girl’s finger. Congratulations to both of you.

We all headed off in different directions to start back at work. I headed to get changed to do a small warm up with the West team before I did the same with the East before the big game tonight.

“Gill, look you have an engagement ring. That was not there this morning. Congratulations, I am very happy for you both, I will tell Sid the same over dinner. He is a very lucky man.” Eric Nystrom announces as he skates over to say hello. He plays for the Calgary Flames and is such a friendly guy.

The training for the 2 teams went well and was a good laugh. Although the All Stars weekend in one hand is serious and a big part of the NHL, on the other hand it was meant to bring players from different teams together to get to know each other and have a laugh. It was a big promotional weekend.

At the team meal everyone congratulated Sidney and I on our news and we told them what the plan was with the media.

Both teams joined together for the meal and it was pretty spectacular having so many of the top names in NHL in one room at the same time. I was honoured to be part of it.

The game went well and everyone had a good time with the East winning 7-4. Sidney scored three times and also had 2 assists so he had most points of the game and was named MVP winning a shiny new red Lotus Sport.

I sat at the press table with Sidney, Geno, Jordon and Marc-Andre, the 4 representatives of the Pens, 5 if you want to include me. The boys were fielding most of the questions. I was only being asked a few about how I felt training the best of the best.

Eventually we heard the question we had been waiting on:

“Before we finish up we have a question for Sidney and Gill. We see that you are wearing a diamond ring on your left hand Gill, are we right to speculate that there will be a wedding on the cards?”

We looked at each other and Sidney reached out for my hand, he was sitting on my left so he took the hand with my engagement ring and held it out for photographers.

“Yes, Gill has agreed this afternoon to be my wife. We have not yet had time to make any plans for the wedding as we have been so busy with the All Stars festivities. We are both very happy”. He leaned over and kissed me on the lips. The press cameras were flashing frantically.

I turned to the press again and said. “In the few hours we had off this afternoon Sidney planned a very romantic break and proposed to me. I am very happy to say that in the near future I will become Mrs Crosby”.

We posed for another couple of photos with the press then headed off back to the hotel. Although we had just played the All Star game we still had some events on tomorrow before our flight back to Pittsburgh on Monday and back to our normal training routine on Tuesday. I was spending less and less time in the office only trying to catch an hour here and there.