Page 187 of Slapshot Baby

"I told him what I saw. Told him the team's already made their decision and the front office can either catch up or pretend they don't see it."

He drops his hand. "Hargrove agreed. Your captaincy has been reinstated officially, effective immediately."

My chest feels lighter, like the feeling of putting down a weight I'd been carrying so long my arms forgot they were holding it. My shoulders drop half an inch.

"Thank you, Coach."

"Don't thank me. You forced my hand." His mouth tightens. "And Kai?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't ever walk into that locker room and make a speech like that again without giving me a heads up."

"Understood."

But we both know I'd do it again if I had to. And he knows I know. His mouth flattens into something that might be irritation or might be respect, and he waves me out.

I drive home with the windows down, the warm air hitting my face as I let the weight of all the weeks of trying to regain what’s mine drain out.

At home, I pull up Ava's contact and call her.

"Hey." Her voice is soft.

"I got the captaincy back."

Silence. Then a sharp inhale. "Kai. Are you serious?"

"Brennan told me an hour ago. Hargrove signed off."

"What happened? Tell me everything."

"I'll tell you later. I want to drive out and see your mom this weekend. Can you set it up?"

"My mom? Really?"

"I want to meet her properly. And Lucy's there."

"You want to voluntarily spend time with Lucy?"

"I want to meet your family, Ava."

She's quiet for a beat. When she speaks, her voice has that particular crack she gets when something lands deeper than she expected.

"I'll call her right away."

"I'll need your mom's number too. I want to call ahead, introduce myself before I show up at her house."

She laughs. "My mother will lose her mind. Give me a moment, I'll text you her number."

After Ava texts me Joan's number, I call her.

Her voice is warm and careful. "Kai. Ava's told me so much about you."

"All good, I hope."

"Mostly." A soft laugh. "She says you're stubborn."

"She's not wrong."