“Here, let me help you put it on.” She takes it from my hand, and as soon as she touches my skin with her, our eyes meet. There’s no chance in hell she didn’t feel what I felt. Our eyes linger on each other’s long after she’s secured the clasp. “It looks nice,” she says, breaking the trance.
“Yeah, it does. Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome.”
From this point, I ignore who got what because I’m focused on everything Thea does, from the way she laughs when she opens her present from Nolan which is a waffle iron, pushes her hair behind her ear, and casually looks over at me, giving me a soft smile.
The mood turns somber after every gift has been opened, the hot cocoa drank, and the cookies eaten. I never thought I’d feel this way about my roommates, but Thea’s presence has made me see things differently. They’re no longer just people I happen to share a house with, or play with on a team. They’re becoming more of a family than my own is and I can feel the walls I’ve carefully built up around me slowly coming down.
Hugs happen, and goodbyes are said. Jude, Nolan, and Devon will be back the day after Christmas, but the girls will be gone until New Year’s Eve, when Saul has promised to throw the biggest party Northport has ever seen. We’ll see about that.
I’m the last one to skate off the ice after our victory. I can’t explain it. It’s like I need to see the other team leave my ice before I do. When I reach the locker room, everyone cheers. They’re celebrating our tournament win. Granted, it was only two games, but nonetheless, we were the victors, again. I say again because we’ve won this holiday tournament twenty years in a row. Some teams take jabs, saying we’re choosing the weaker opponent. This is simply not the case. Teams beg to come here because playing the better team makes you better. It’s common-sense coaching. If you want your team to be the best, play the best. Playing weaker teams to assure a win is a weak mindset. Sadly, a lot of youth coaches think this way. If I ever become a coach, it’ll be nothing but the best for my kids. When we enter tournaments, we’ll always strive for greatness and play any upper-level team who wants to give us a game. It’s the only way for athletes to get better.
“Great game, Rose,” Coach says as he pats me on my back. I added another hat-trick to my list of accomplishments, which pleases me. NHL scouts are starting to come around, and I’ve fielded a couple of calls already. I’m not at the point where I need an agent, though. When the time comes, Coach and I will sit down and discuss all the options. However, I’m confident a team or two will show interest in me going into this new year.
After I shower, get dressed, and gather all my gear, I head outside. It’s cold, about forty-something, and a shiver comes over me. I hear my name yelled from somewhere in the darkness, and after a few more steps, I find my mother standing there.
“Mom.” We haven’t seen each other since Christmas Eve. I went to her place, as planned, only to find a new boyfriend crashing there. He was drunk and acting like he owned the place. They had met a week or so prior, and my mother swore he was a good guy, but from what I saw, he was just another freeloader. I packed up Lacey, her presents and called my sister to tell her I had her daughter and to come to my house after work. I wasn’t going to allow my niece to have her Christmas ruined by my mother.
“You haven’t returned my calls.”
“I have nothing to say.”
“Kyler—”
I hold my hand up. “Listen, I have done everything I can to help you. I give you money, pay your bills, and worry about where you’re going to live when this sale of the land finally goes through. I’m at my breaking point, Mom.”
“You just don’t understand.”
“Then explain it to me? Please? Tell me why some low-life with no job is better than your children or your granddaughter? Tell me why you can’t seem to pull yourself out of this funk? Tell me why you can’t hold down a job? What is it?”
“Your father,” she pauses. I feel she doesn’t know what to say because she’s used him as an excuse for far too long. She shakes her head. “You ruined my Christmas,” is what she says instead.
I nod and bite the inside of my cheek. There are so many thoughts running through my mind right now, like how she ruined my childhood and how she’s doing everything she can to ruin my life. I should feel like the king of hockey right now, but I’m stressing about where my mother will get money for groceries. Oh, I know. I’ll take another fight and see how many ribs I can break, just for her.
Instead of answering her, I sigh and step past her. There really isn’t anything to say to her right now that won’t make me regret my words later.
“Kyler!”
“What?” I ask as I turn around. “What do you possibly need from me?”
When she doesn’t say anything, I say it for her. “Money? Is that why you’re here?”
She nods, and it takes me a minute to realize this is never going to end with her, especially if I make it to the NHL. I turn back around and head for home. If I’m lucky, she won’t follow, but we all know I’m the unluckiest person in the world right now.
Every so often, I check behind me. She’s not there. It doesn’t mean she won’t show up, and for once, I’m thankful I won’t be home. I hadn’t planned to go to Saul’s, but now it’s the only place I want to be.
Saul’s house on New Year’s Eve is everything I need it to be. He managed to tap the keg without my help and told me there was only beer, so no need for a bartender. Saul is making me a very happy man tonight.
With my red Solo cup filled, I check out the scene. The men’s and women’s hockey teams are here, as well as both basketball teams. We’re the two winter sports playing through vacation, and there are a few non-athletes here, which is nice to see. Saul and the other guys who live here have an excellent sound system set-up, and music blares through the house. Outside, they have a burn barrel going, which gives off enough heat so you’re not freezing if you venture out back.
That’s where I am, enjoying my beer, the thumping music, and the fire when Thea comes into view. It takes her a minute to see me, but when she does, her smile beams.Damn, she’s beautiful.
“Hey,” she says as she sits down next to me.
“Hey, yourself. Did you just get back?”
“No, I was at the game.”