Page 243 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

***

Coach stands. For a second I think he's leaving. Instead, he walks to the refrigerator.

He studies the brightly colored rehab sheets Annette taped there weeks ago.

His fingers lightly trace one corner.

"She put a lot of work into these."

"Yeah."

"You still doing them?"

I let out a short laugh. "She'd haunt me if I stopped."

Coach smiles. "So, keep doing them."

I frown.

"What?"

"The exercises."

He turns back toward me. "Not because she's coming back."

A pause. "Because she'd be furious if you quit now."

I reach for the sandwich. Not because I'm hungry, but because Annette would have expected me to.

Coach notices. He doesn't say a word, simply nods once.

***

Three days later...

The cabin still feels like she's only stepped out for a few minutes.

Long enough to buy groceries.

Long enough to grab coffee.

Long enough to come walking back through the front door saying she forgot something.

Every time headlights sweep across the front windows after dark...

Part of me looks up.

Every single time.

The driveway is always empty.

***

Rehab has become strangely quiet.

No teasing.

No arguments.