No, I don’t want that type of misery. I can see it in every line on Tacker’s face, feel it in his voice. I didn’t lose Erik the way he lost his fiancée. He’s right. My mistake can be fixed and I could never imagine the emotional agony he must suffer.
“What was her name?” I ask him in barely a whisper. I want to know because it’s always been talked about in hushed tones and she’s always been known as “Tacker’s fiancée” that died in a plane crash. He’s such a closed off man, I have no clue if my request for her name will upset him or not. But he’s made this so real to me…what that pain would feel like if I can’t make things right with Erik, I want to know her name out of a sense of honor and respect.
Tacker’s lips curve slightly upward…just barely noticeable but he doesn’t try to hide the warmth and tenderness in his eyes. “Melody. But her middle name was Jane so everyone called her MJ.”
“I’m sorry, Tacker. I can’t even imagine.”
We stare at each other, the silence between us heavy with sorrow on both sides. Finally, he gives a slight nod and turns for the door. When he grasps the knob, he pauses and looks over his shoulder at me.
“MJ’s older brother is wheelchair-bound,” he reminds me of something he told me once before. “I know the responsibility that comes with it and I just want you to know…your brother is really lucky to have you.”Chapter 28ErikTrudging up the stairs of the team plane, I see Valerie at the top. “Hi, Erik,” she says with a bright smile.
“What’s up?” I return with a chin lift before cutting right. I give more chin lifts and a few fist bumps to my teammates who have chosen to sit up front. Rows of plush leather seats that recline flat into beds, primo seating for late-night flights back to Phoenix.
But I’m headed toward the back to the table I normally sit at with Bishop, Dax, and Legend. We’re headed to New York on a late-afternoon flight so it will be cards and liquor to relax on the way there, along with some nice snacks on the flight to tide us over. We’ll do a late dinner out in New York once we get there.
The teammates I pass have reason to smile a little more today, thus why I’m offered fists as I walk by. The team seems to have gotten a bit of our mojo back, despite the fact Tacker is still going to be out until next week. We won in San Diego and again at home on Saturday. Hopefully, we can keep it going for the extended road trip to play both New York teams as well as Boston.
While we may have won the last two games which was cause for much revelry, my weekend was still shitty because I was missing Blue. At least Tacker alleviated my worry about Billy by going to see him at the Cresson. He’d texted after he left to let me know that Billy was doing great and was all smiles when he got there and when he left. That mollified me somewhat and I owe Tacker a big-time favor.
I had wanted to go see Billy myself but I was afraid that if Blue caught me there, she’d think I was stalking her. Her lack of response to my handful of calls and texts spoke volumes to me. If Blue didn’t want me in her life, then she most certainly didn’t want me around Billy.
So yeah…I owe Tacker for giving me that peace of mind.
In the back portion of the plane, I find Bishop, Dax, and Legend already seated at our table. Sadie is bustling around from table to table taking orders but it could be awhile before she makes her way to us. I don’t see the new flight attendant, a woman whose name I still have not bothered to learn.
I plop down into my chair and swivel it toward Bishop, although I cut a nod to Dax as well. “You guys ready to kick some Vipers ass tomorrow.”
The New York Vipers was the team that Bishop and Dax played on before coming to the Vengeance in the expansion draft. They’re doing well this season as was expected and early odds are for them to be a Cup contender next April. It had to have burned Bishop and Dax a bit that they weren’t given protection in the draft, which essentially let the Vengeance come in and swoop them up.
“Now that we seem to have our shit straight again,” Dax mutters in reply. “I’m definitely looking forward to it.”
Bishop nods. “Tacker’s suspension definitely threw us off but I think we’re past it.”
“Fucking right we are,” Legend adds on.