“You’ll probably never have to go in there,” Lucy says. “Bernard and Royce won’t really give you any trouble. We all mostly ignore them and you should too.”
I freeze.
How is that even possible?
Ignore the coach?
Who the hell runs practice?
Lucy smirks at me as if he can read my mind.
“Nessy here is the one who runs the show.”
“You help,” Nessy mutters, then straightens when he looks at me again. It feels significant, how they’re saying all of this in front of Patrick even while he’s not really a part of the conversation. They’re talking tome, but this isn’t some big state secret orwhatever. “We do what we can to keep the team running, but yeah, Bernard and Royce are pretty checked out even though they love to pretend they’re not.”
He rolls his eyes, but I know this is an opening they’re giving me. I know they’re waiting for me to act on this. React maybe.
So I do.
“I’ll get back on the ice as soon as I can. I’m supposed to check in with the team doctor about getting this thing off my face, so I should probably?—”
“Hey, hey,” Lucy interrupts, holding both hands up in a calming gesture. “Relax. You worry about healing. We already figured out how to keep this shit going until you’re better, okay?”
What?
No, seriously.What?
“I don’t know what you’ve heard,” I start out, because hockey players are the worst gossips in the world. “But I just want to play hockey. I know I come with a lot of baggage, but I really only want to win.”
“Slow down,” Nessy says, in a sharp but somehow still kind tone. “No one here is expecting you to do anything but what you’ve been doing. Really. Okay, we could all tell you were mostly playing by yourself the last few weeks, but we know how good you can be. You were giving your all to them for a long time, Lex. No one’s doubting that. We all know you’re an amazing player, and yeah, we need that around here, but we don’t care about your name.”
“Yeah,” Lucy adds. “It’s about the crest on your chest, not the name on your back.”
He claps me on the back in that manly but comforting way and a relieved chuckle just escapes me.
I nod. “I like that.”
And though I can’t know if they’ll still feel this way the first time we lose a game, for now I’m choosing to believe them. For now I let my shoulders fall and put my guard down if only a little.
They lead me to the locker room, and it looks, well... it’s cool, and my name’s already over one of the cubbies between Matty, the goalie, and Lucy.
Nessy claps his hands. “So, that’s pretty much it. You should go let Dr. Quincy check you out, and how about you come over for our team dinner on Friday? Hannah and I are hosting everyone on our day off.”
“Thanks, yeah, I’d love to. I’m coming to the game tonight, and I’ll be watching on Thursday when you go decimate Boston.”
We all laugh at that because honestly, that’s unlikely, but it’s the sentiment that counts. It’s only a one-day roadie and then they’ll be back for their off day on Friday, then they have a game on Sunday at home again before leaving for five days down the coast.
“We’ll try to put on a show for you tonight.”
I almost bite it back, but in the end, I feel comfortable enough to risk just a small comment. “I think you can beat St. Louis no problem.”
They love to hear it, and though I do have to go see the team doctor, I don’t mind taking just a little more time to enjoy the simplicity of talking puck.
With my teammates.
Who I don’t hate, and who don’t seem to hate me either.
That’s proven right when Nessy puts his phone number into my phone and sends himself a text before handing it back to me.
