Page 127 of Hard to Get

Sending you snacks? Why? Do you need snacks?

Stella

No. Never mind.

I crunch on a chip as I watch the game. The first period is almost over and we’re already down two goals. Then LG gets the puck on a long pass from Jayden and has a breakaway.

“Yes!”

I watch eagerly. An LA player is right on LG. Can he stop him? Maybe this is a goal!

LG shoots… but the goalie makes the stop.

Damn.

But as LG coasts into the corner, that LA player is still right on him and checks him hard into the boards. LG crumples to the ice.

“What the fuck!” I yell at my TV. “That was a late hit! The whistle already went.”

LG is writhing, then struggles to get to hands and knees, head down.

A couple of Orcas players arrive to look after LG. The camera pulls back. And there’s Jayden going at the LA player, immediately challenging him for his hit on LG.

The gloves fly off and Jayden loses his helmet. The crowd is roaring, cheering on their player. I drop my bag of chips and cover my mouth with both hands and I stare wide-eyed at the TV.

Betty whines.

Jayden finally takes the guy down to the ice and the linesmen jump in to separate them.

LG is still down on the ice, a trainer now crouched beside him.

I press my fingers to my mouth.

The camera zooms in on Jayden’s face. His helmet is off, his hair hangs over his forehead, and sweat rolls down his tight jaw. He swipes at a gash on his forehead that’s bleeding.

“Oh no…” My stomach sinks.

Jayden leaves the ice and LG is finally on his feet, being helped by a couple of teammates, and he follows Jayden off.

Shit.

The LA player gets a two-minute minor, five-minute fighting major and ten-minute misconduct. Jayden gets a two-minute instigator minor, five-minute fighting major and ten-minute misconduct. LG is out for concussion protocol.

I let out a long sigh and sink back into the cushions of my couch. How is this going to affect the team? They’re down by two.

But as I watch, they step up their game. When they come back from the second period, Jayden is back, although in the box at first, with stitches in his forehead, but the defence is really hemming LA in their zone. And the Orcas fourth line is revved up. Moosetail lays a couple of hard hits and by the end of the second period, it’s tied two all. In a nail-biter at the end of the third, Finn scores to win the game for them, his second of the night.

I’m not happy Jayden’s hurt but he looked like he was fine and he was playing great. And they won. And I’m once more ridiculously proud of him for stepping up for a teammate.

I have to talk to him. I don’t know when they’re getting back from this trip. It could be late tonight, or tomorrow. I have to figure it out.

34

JAYDEN

Sitting on a bench in the park, I sip my coffee from the cardboard cup in my gloved hand. It’s early evening but dark here in Vancouver. And cold. I adjust my wool scarf up under my chin.

At this time of year, the trees in the park are bare, the branches stretching black and jagged against the cloudy sky. Except for the big Scots pine near the bench, whose needles are long and bright green. The lamps lining the paths of the park glow amber and the skyscrapers glitter all around the park.