“I requested to be traded,” I said.
“What the fuck?” Remi growled.
I put my hands out. “Look, this is just too much to be here. I love you guys. You’re like brothers to me. Family, but I can’t be near her. I can’t hide this anymore. I can’t pretend I don’t know who she is or that I love her. So I have to leave. It’s for her. There’s a lot of history there. I can’t be the guy that ruins all of that.”
“This is bullshit,” Lay said. He stood up. “You can’t leave us, Mav.”
“I’m already suspended,” I said. “Let Alonso get everything he can for me. Think about the team he can build.”
“You’re going to run and hide or what?” Abel asked.
“It’s not that easy, Abel. Just trust me. Okay? I’m explaining to you all what’s been going on. You’ve all probably noticed it in me. This has been my life. Sneaking around to be with her. It went from something fun and physical to much more. There was another situation with a goalie.”
“Hans,” Reid said.
“That’s why that happened?” Matias asked.
I nodded. “I found some stuff out. I lost my cool.”
“Screw that,” Abel said. “You defended the woman you love. Take that suspension in pride.”
“There’s no pride right now,” I said. “Just honesty. And on top of that we have Coach’s wife’s event. I don’t want to be a distraction there.”
“Hold on,” Remi said. “You’re telling me you love Madison and you’re going to just leave her?”
“It’s something we both agreed upon. Sort of.”
“That sounds like bullshit to me,” Riff said.
“I agree,” Lay said.
Lay put a fist out for Riff to bump.
“I’m not touching you when you’re mostly naked,” Riff said. “And I know where you’ve had that hand.”
“I’m trying to keep this simple here,” I said. “Trying to be honest with you guys.”
“Sounds like you’re trying to convince yourself of everything,” Abel said.
“No,” I said. “I’m telling you what happened and why.”
“So you beat the shit out of another goalie,” Matias said. “I think that’s awesome. You’re famous now.”
“That’s not who I am,” I said.
“It’s who you are now,” Reid said.
“You’re really going to get traded?” Abel asked.
“I told Alonso what I wanted,” I said. “I can’t see her every day and not have her. Especially knowing we both love each other. But I understand it. I get why things are the way they are.”
“You’re torn,” Remi said. “Love does that. Tears you up. Challenges you.”
“That’s why I don’t believe in love,” Lay said.
“Yeah, you just write messages in your pubes,” Riff said. “Why are you even talking right now?”
“Listen to me,” I said with a smile. “I wanted to talk to you now so we can all forget about this mess. This is about Coach and Carrie now. And the kids. Carrie has been fighting so hard and she wants this event. She wants to stand up and show everyone that she’s brave and tough. And it’s our job to be there to support her, Coach, and the kids. Got it?”