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We won that first playoff game on the road, and the team bus rolled back into Cold Pines late that same night. It was nearly 10:00 p.m. as we jolted over the familiar bumps and potholes of Main Street.
I decided we would make one final stop before the arena. It would give us a chance to burn off some of the victory adrenaline still flowing through our veins.
When the bus pulled up to Dave's, the highest capacity bar in Cold Pines, something felt different. I couldn't put my finger on it at first, but as the bus door hissed open and we stepped out, it hit me.
We wouldn’t be alone in celebrating our first win of the playoffs. A small crowd stood outside. It was only an inkling of what awaited us as we stepped inside.
A roar erupted to greet us. A sea of faces, familiar and not-so-familiar, burst into cheers and applause. I saw hand-drawn signs, Cougars' jerseys, and loads of smiles. They lit up the bar like the stars outside in the night sky.
“Are you sure this is for us?" Jensen asked, his eyes wide with disbelief as he looked at me for confirmation.
I chuckled. “Do you know another hockey team in this vicinity? We’re the hometown squad. You guys shoot one goal, and the whole town loses its mind."
A chorus of greetings rained down on us. "Great game, men!” "You made us proud, Cougars!" "Pete, you're a miracle worker!"
Fans packed Dave’s wall to wall. Even Barb, the usually stoic bartender, cracked a massive smile. I heard clinking glasses and watched high-fives spread around the room.
"Autographs, anyone?" With a Sharpie in hand, Hoss made the rounds as he squiggled his signature on coasters, napkins, and even a couple of foreheads. I laughed; he could turn any situation into an all-out party.
This time, he didn't have to try hard. It felt like the entire town of Cold Pines turned out to celebrate us.
Fans, young and old, stepped up to congratulate me. I posed for selfies and spoke about the team in glowing terms. I felt more slaps on the back than I could count.
Just as I was about to finish my first beer, the door to Dave’s burst open. I expected another wave of fans or maybe a local news crew. The crowd that entered surprised and shocked me.
It was a flood of moms, dads, and siblings of the players, plus even a few pets on leashes. My jaw dropped as my sister, Kathy, walked in, scanning the crowd until she spotted me.
I rushed up to him and hugged him tight. “How did you get here? I mean, I guess I know that, but who suggested this?”
Kathy looked around the room again, and then her eyes landed on Hoss. “You’ve got a good man there, Pete, and he drives a hard bargain.”
I heard Jensen exclaiming, “What the hell?” as a couple that looked to be his parents’ age hugged him tightly.
Still wielding his Sharpie like a sword of honor, Hoss stepped up beside me. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
"You sly dog," I said, shaking my head in disbelief but also in genuine gratitude.
I turned to Kathy. “You’ve probably guessed who this is already.”
“He looks just like his pictures and even more handsome than you, Pete.” Ouch, that stung, but I grinned as they hugged.
All around me, similar reunions took place. Waller hugged a bear of a man who had to be his brother. Several other players laughed as young women, sisters, or girlfriends playfully scolded them for unreturned calls.
I turned to Kathy. “All the way up from New York, eh?”
“I needed a little time off,” she smiled.
Suddenly, Hoss climbed onto one of the tables. It wavered slightly while Kathy and I lunged forward to steady it. He raised his arms for attention, and miraculously, the room hushed.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and four-legged furballs,” Hoss began. "Let's hear it for the friends, families, and our town, the real MVPs behind the Cougars!"
As Hoss climbed down, I raised an eyebrow. “What about yours?”
“Didn’t you see her?” he asked. “Hannah, my big sister. She’s the loud one.”
The night had one more surprise in store. The front door swung open, and an audible gasp spread through the crowd, followed by frantic whispers.
"Holy crap, is that really her?"
