I glanced at Remi.
He gave a single nod.
“Mav is right,” Remi’s voice boomed. “We need to give everything we’ve got to Coach and his family. They want us there. As a team. As more. And we’re going to be there.”
“We’re going to support Carrie,” I said. “Stand by her side. Hold her up when she feels tired and weak. We’re going to make sure those two kids know we’ve got their backs.”
“How are you going to do that from another city?” Lay asked.
A rare serious question from Lay.
One that I didn’t have an answer for.
“That’s why this event matters so much,” I said. “It might be the last time we’re together as a team with me as the goalie.”
The locker room went somber.
I stayed stoic. My jaw tightened.
Sometimes honesty just plain sucked.
I then noticed Abel and Remi looking at each other.
Nodding.
“What?” I asked.
“There’s something you should know,” Abel said. “Go ahead, Remi. You tell him.”
“Tell me what?” I asked.
“It wasn’t a big deal until now,” Remi said. “Actually, I should have thought about it. I mean, I did. I just didn’t think… I didn’t know…”
“What?” I growled.
“The event for Carrie,” Abel said.
“What about it?” I asked.
“Oh, fucking hell,” Lay said. “Alonso’s daughter is going to be there taking pictures!”
“Yeah,” Remi said. “What Lay just said.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Really,” Abel said.
I swallowed hard.
I never thought in a million years that Madison would show up to that event.
The subject was really hard for her to face.
But she was going to face it.
“That’s fine,” I said. “Nothing to worry about.”
I looked around at the guys and they all knew I was full of shit.
There was plenty to worry about.
I couldn’t turn my love for Madison off.
But maybe I could at least prove to myself that I could be in the same room with her and have nothing happen.