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“One other thing,” Bain says as he stares at me, his expression hard. “My place is closer to Pitt. You’re going back to school and this will make your commute easier.”
“But I—”
Bain reaches across the table and claps his hand over my mouth. “I don’t want to hear a single negative thing about you going back to school. I promised Drake I’d work hand in hand with him to get you there. So accept it, okay?”
I stare at him, feeling that traitorous, blood-pumping organ in my chest take a flying leap off the edge of the relationship cliff. But I can’t let him get away with covering my mouth and shutting off my words.
I give him a long lick on the palm of his hand and he jerks it away, just the way Drake did when he tried to silence me that way. “Gross.”
Grinning, I watch as he wipes it with his napkin. “Okay… let’s make your condo our place.”
Bain’s eyes shoot up to lock with mine. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
CHAPTER 27
Bain
You would thinkthat for an outdoor memorial to commemorate the tragic plane crash that killed forty people associated with the Pittsburgh Titans organization, occurring in February, there would be a gray cast to the sky with the threat of precipitation to set the mood. I equate sad occasions with dreary weather.
But today, February 20, it’s mild, climbing into the mid-fifties with bright sun. The gathering is being held at the new monument Brienne had commissioned to be unveiled today and is open to the public. It sits on the outermost perimeter of the arena property, no more than fifty yards from the Allegheny River, and the design holds a ton of meaning. A roped-off area is provided with security for where the VIP guests will sit, such as the actual players, their families, executives in the organization and the widows and widowers who have chosen to attend. The rest of the crowd will spill into the arena parking lot, but there’s a stage with a jumbo screen set behind it so everyone in attendance can hear and see what’s going on.
When the large fabric covering is pulled off the monument, there’s a collective gasp from the audience. I’d not seen the mockup of it, although Kiera had. She stands beside me, our hands clasped.
Brienne, on the stage, says into the microphone, “I present to you ‘Titans’ Valor.’” She goes on to explain the design, which is now being shown on the massive screen. “We commissioned local artisan Wayne Whitely who constructed this amazing piece from local Pennsylvania bluestone. The abstract sculpture swirls from the base over twenty feet high in fluid, graceful lines that represent the motion of our players on the ice. The inside planes are left with roughened edges to represent the trials and tribulations of the sport. At the base are forty individual plinths that represent our dear friends who died in the crash, along with their names and likenesses carved into the stone. And if the cameraman can show it… yes, there, thank you—it reads, ‘In memory of our fallen Titans. Your spirit, your passion and your legacy will never be forgotten.’”
After a light smattering of applause, Brienne takes a deep breath. “I lost my brother on that plane and I grieve for him every day. I don’t let myself get trapped in that grief of loss but choose to celebrate Adam’s life. I use his memory to fuel my own passions and I think this city has done the same. For that, I honor every citizen of Pittsburgh who has stood behind this new team.”
There’s a roar of approval from the crowd and Brienne steps away from the podium to be replaced by Callum Derringer. While the mood is somber, a palpable sense of community ripples all around us.
Callum clasps his hands on the podium and looks out over the players who circle the monument before lifting his face to stare out over the crowd. “This past year has been a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit. The task of rebuilding our beloved Pittsburgh Titans was not an easy one. Every decision made, every player signed, was done with a heavy heart and a sense of profound responsibility. We had to honor our past while looking toward our future.”
I don’t mean to tune Callum out, but I do because his words punch deep. He talks about rebuilding, which is exactly what I’m doing. I was traded to a team and I’m making new friends, have a girlfriend and we’re having a baby. There’s always that tiny part of me that wonders if I’m dazzled so much by Kiera that I forget the man I was before her, but Callum says to honor the past and look forward to the future. That’s what I need to do.
As he talks about the family we’ve become… this new Titans team… I can’t help but slip my arm around Kiera’s waist and pull her in closer. She melts into me and it feels right.
Coen takes the stage next. As one of the three surviving members, he was chosen to read the names of those who died. As he does so, a small eternal flame flickers up from the center of the plinth around the base of the monument that corresponds with the person. It’s incredible to watch. Once all the individual stones are burning, a large flame erupts out of the top center of the monument. There are murmured exclamations of surprise and delight at how beautiful it all is.
“Now we’d like to have a moment of silence to honor those who died,” Coen says.
There are a few more speakers… the mayor of Pittsburgh and Cory Pearsall’s widow who is working to establish a hockey scholarship fund. Closing remarks by Brienne are short but heartfelt, her last words setting the tone for the future. “Embrace tomorrow’s dawn with a resilient heart. In every challenge, fill yourself with hope and let joy illuminate each step you tread. The best of our story is still unwritten, yet to be read.”
♦
After the memorialand at their invitation, Kiera and I go to Drake and Brienne’s home for dinner. Some of the players were going out to hoist beers in honor of those lost and I seriously considered going. Kiera urged me to, but really… I didn’t want to.
Or rather, I just wanted to be with Kiera.
Call me whipped, matured or lazy, but I wanted a quiet night after the heaviness of this morning. Of course,quiet nightin the Norcross-McGinn household does include three rambunctious boys who never seem to slow down. I found myself playing with them, running through the mansion as we shot Nerf guns at each other. Kiera, Brienne and Drake all sat around the kitchen island, drinking wine (apple juice for Kiera) while nibbling from a charcuterie board.
Once, I chased Jake through the kitchen while he screamed in faux terror. I aimed my Nerf gun at his butt but at the last minute, I turned it and shot Drake in the chest. I didn’t wait around to see what he’d do, continuing through a small butler’s pantry that opened into the dining room, through the formal living room and back into the great room.
I careened around the corner looking for Jake when a Nerf dart struck me right in the forehead. It bounced off harmlessly, but I was shocked to see Drake there holding a gun he must have snatched off one of the boys. He blew on the end of it and walked back into the kitchen. After, we all eventually sat down for pizza. It was a great night.
Now we’re at Kiera’s house, her naked body wrapped with mine. We came here as it was closer to Brienne’s.
“Want to start moving stuff to my condo tomorrow?” I ask.
