Chapter 23

Karen jumped out of bed when the alarm rang "what the hell?" she yelled startling Sidney. "Why is the alarm going off at 2:30?"

"You set it before you fell asleep last night, you know to get up for work today." Karen sat there stunned and confused "you ok baby?"

"Yeah" she said shaking her head "I guess I just dreamt today was Saturday or something and didn't need to get up. Sorry for waking you" she said leaning over to kiss him "go back to sleep." Karen got up and went to the bathroom, looking at herself in the mirror "did I set it by habit or was it just a dream?" She decided to get ready and if her dream was true, she'd see when she got to work.

After Karen got to work, everything seemed normal. No one questioned why she was there or brought up that she quit. She shrugged it off as a dream and went to work. At lunch, Diane and Natalie had taken theirs early to go with her.

"Are you ok Karen? You seem distracted today" Diane asked her.

"Not really. I had a very realistic dream last night. I was here like any other day but had a blow up with the queen B and quit" she whispered the last part. "I went home and told Sidney and it just seemed right and natural to want to stop working and be his wife. I woke up with a jolt when the alarm rang at 2:30."

"Well apparently it wasn't true since no one seems to be talking about it" Natalie added.

"I know" she chuckled "I figured if I came in and people questioned why I was here, then I knew it was true and just out of habit set the alarm."

"Besides, you know you'll never quit. You can't stay away from me or Di everyday."

"That is true. Its sad that I can count on one hand my true friends here at work" she said as they all laughed and went back to their lunch.

After work, Karen went home and saw Sidney on the couch watching tv.

"Really, NHL Network?" she said sitting beside him.

"Its the playoff previews babe. Have to see what the media says about our match up with the Sens."

"Well that's easy...will Ottawa be able to handle Crosby and Malkin? What about Jordan Staal who's had a great year and steps up big this time of year? What do the Pens need to do this round to make a strong run to repeat?"

"Funny baby" he said as she kissed him before heading upstairs and changing clothes. After she left, they started analyzing the Pens-Sens game and Sidney smiled when they said exactly what Karen just mocked. He loved when she did things like that and knew she could predict the future if she tried hard enough.

Karen came down 20 minutes later and sat back down beside Sidney "so what'd they say?"

"That if we, as a team, stay healthy then they see us being a force to reckon with in the finals again."

"So basically what I said, you just don't want to tell me I was right."

Sidney looked at Karen and smiled "you were absolutely right baby" he said before kissing her. "So let me ask, what was with this morning?"

"I had an all to real dream that I was at work and had a blow up with my lead then quit. You came home from practice and saw me still sitting in my car and I told you I quit." Sidney sat shocked not knowing what to think "when I went into work today, nothing seemed wrong and people didn't question why I was there so I had to put it as a dream."

"You know, some of your dreams do have a way of coming true."

"I know."

"Karen?" he said softly.

"You know I still struggle with this everyday Sid. I want to stay home and be the wife you deserve, but I don't want to stop working unless something tells me it's time to."

"What told you in your dream?"

"That they revoked my vacation for August and they tried to write me up for disrespect of my lead. I got fed up and just quit."

"Karen, the wife I want and need is what you provide for me everyday. Whether you're a stay at home mom with kids, or working while I'm at practice everyday doesn't mean you're lacking in the wife department."

"I know and I love you for being patient and not pressuring me to quit. It will happen one day Sid."

"And when that day comes, you will be the happiest you have ever been."

"Really?"

"Yes, then you can really taste what being a hockey wife is all about." Karen just shook her head and laughed before she cuddled up into Sidney's side and they finished watching the playoff previews.

A couple days later, the first round of the playoffs started and didn't know what to expect with Ottawa. They've had some pretty good rounds with the Pens and she saw this series could go either way.

"You seem nervous" Sidney asked as they ate dinner.

"Why would I be nervous, I'm not the one playing."

"You're nervous for me I think."

"I don't get nervous for you. You've done this enough times I just sit back and become a proud wife watching her husband do what he does best."

"You must feel that way when we have sex too."

"Oh god, you did not just say that?" she laughed as Sidney just shrugged. They continued to eat so they could get ready to head into the arena for game one of the playoffs.

After they got to the arena, Karen went to the lounge as Sidney went to change. He started doing that so he could spend the most amount of time with her before falling into his pregame ritual. When he came out, he sat beside Karen who was talking with Marc and Vero.

"If I can talk this one into it, I would love that."

"Talk me into what?"

"That during August we could head to Montreal and meet up with these two and go somewhere for a weekend."

"I wouldn't mind that baby."

"Thanks honey" Marc said smiling sweetly at Sidney "I knew you couldn't stay away from me for the whole summer."

"You know, when you two make plans without me, I get jealous and sad" Max said coming over.

"It could also be that we see you more often then everyone else too Maxwell."

"You love seeing every bit of me Kiki" he said that got Karen to smile "see, she's remembering."

"Baby?" Sidney all but yelled.

"Sorry, but after the inital shock wears off the visions do seem to come back." Sidney was about to protest but was interrupted when Coach Dan came in and told them to start getting their heads in game mode. "I guess that's our cue. Shall we go Vero?"

"You're not getting off that easily baby. We will talk about this tonight at home" Sidney yelled as they walked out. Karen just turned around and blew him a kiss before walking out laughing.

"You guys are so cute together."

"I know, its sickening."

"So what's going on with Max?"

"He's engaged to my best friend and when they started dating it was kind of rocky at first. Well, they were over at the house one day and Sid and I went for a walk. Needless to say, when we got back, I saw Max's bare ass on the living room floor."

"Ah. So how was it?" Vero asked smiling.

"It was...nice" she said smirking to get them laughing. They went up to meet the others and to wait for the start of the game. They went into the Igloo club and got some beers. "I can't wait until next year when we have our suite. It'll be so much nicer to come in earlier and wait around there then what we have now."

"The team's going to have a family room for all the player's families, wives and girlfriends to watch the games next year" Vero stated.

Karen heard the somberness in her voice "well you know, anytime you want you are more than welcome to come sit in our box and watch the game."

"Thanks Karen, I appreciate that." Soon, Vero left the four friends and went to the section designated for the families. Karen knew she hated being there as it seemed the others were only there in spirit and not too much into the game as she would like to be. Fact was, out of all the player's wives or girlfriends, Karen could see implanting Vero in their little group. She was soon brought out of her thoughts as they heard the crowd erupt for the teams coming out for warm ups. They grabbed their beers and headed to their seats to watch the guys get ready for the game.