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What if my mom has terminal cancer?
I know thinking negatively isn’t going to help her or the situation. I need to focus, like I’ve been trained to do with hockey. And I need to be there for her.
I sit down to drink my coffee, but we don’t say all that much. I look down at the plate where Emmerson’s cake was and stare at the crumbs for what seems like forever.
I have to get back for training this afternoon, and dinner with Emmerson.
A thought passes through my mind to take a rain check with everything going on, but cancelling on her would be shitty since she’s not in town for too long.
“I gotta go, Mom. But I’ll come see you tomorrow before the game.”
Mom smiles. “You’re a good boy,” she says. “You always have been.”
“Would it make you happy if I talked to Dad?”
Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. It’s always been a hard thing for me to even contemplate having some kind of deeper relationship with him after all this time, but if it makes her happy, I’ll do it.
“I’d like that.” She nods. “And when we have some more time, I’ll sit down with you and talk to you about your Father.”
“All right.” I reach over and kiss her on the forehead. I’ve no idea what more she could possibly say about my dad, but if she wants to get something off her chest to help her relieve some tension, then I can take it. “I love you, Mom. I’m here for you, remember that.”
She smiles and gives me another hug. “I love you too, Taylor. From the moment you were born.”
“Stop, you’ll make me cry… ruin my reputation and all.”
We both laugh, and it’s nice after all the heavy stuff I walked in on.
I drive back to the stadium early to shoot some pucks into the net as fast and as furious as I can before any of my teammates get there. That always relieves some tension, and today is no exception.
* * *
I shower after training and dress in jeans and a black button-down shirt. I even buffed up my shoes beforehand.
“Hot date?” Tyler chortles, hauling stuff out of his locker while I sit on the bench and contemplate whether what I’m doing is a good idea or not.
I laugh. “Something like that.” Though it’s anything but what he’s suggesting, I go with it anyway. It covers all bases and saves explaining anything.
Wrong choice of words, of course, especially when Jay comes cruising around the corner with a towel wrapped around his waist.
He whistles when he sees me. “Looking dapper, bro… Who’s the babe?”
I grin, shaking my head. I knew it was a bad idea to not go home first to change. “No one you would know.”
“Wouldn’t be that hot, little, redhead ex of yours, would it?”
I roll my eyes. “None of your business,” I tell him.
For some reason, I find myself not wanting them to know. It’s hard to keep anything private these days, and who knows if the paparazzi will be lurking tonight.
I’m trying to keep it low key with the restaurant… so I figure we should be okay.
“Awesome, you won’t mind me asking her out then while she’s in town… show her the sights?”
Tyler shakes his head next to me. “The sights of your bedroom, you mean?”
Something resembling jealousy surges within me, mixed with a little bit of anger.
I mean, she was with that geek Doug Allbright for however long after me, so it’s not like she hasn’t dated other guys. But, I still don’t like the thought of her and Doug. I couldn’t fucking believe it when I heard.
