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Because there I was on the screen, still in my hockey equipment, sans jersey, using my stick as a microphone while singing ‘Go Your Own Way’ with my eyes closed.
“Dude!” my brother’s faint voice yelled on the other end of the line.
I smoothed a hand over my hair. The damn broadcaster was laughing and the headline under the shitty iphone video read: “Who Hurt Tyler Jettersen?”
After the initial shock wore off, I picked up my phone. “Whatever,” I muttered into it.
My brother was still laughing. “Itisa great song. Addie loves it. She recorded your performance so she’d have it forever. She says you dance spectacularly well.” The tone of his voice assured me they were laughingatme, not with me.
“Great,” I ground out sarcastically.
“Well, just calling to double check that you’re coming to dinner tonight.”
“Yeah,” I muttered. We had weekly family dinners these days, and I usually looked forward to them, but now I was dreading it. I knew his toddlers were probably going to roast the shit out of me about this as soon as I walked in their door. Casey was seemingly training his sons to skateandchirp, and despite their cute cherub faces, they could be little meanies.
“Dude, don’t stress,” my brother said, but I could hear the damn giddy smile in his voice.
“It’s one of the most hype songs to ever exist,” I said defensively.
“It is! I told you, it’s a great one!” he replied in a placating tone.
“Whatever. I’ll see you later,” I grumbled.
I threw my phone away from me and rewatched the video. My eyes slowly drifted to the framed picture on my wall. Dreamy.
I couldn’t help but shake my head and let out a wry chuckle over that one school year where Fiona Haley had me wrapped around her little finger. I didn’t think about her much these days, but I hoped wherever she was, she’d see the video and it’d make her smile and wanna call me up to argue that ‘Silver Springs’ would’ve been a much better song choice.
3. Josie - November
Sitting in my idling Jeep, I stared at my huge rock of an engagement ring while waiting for my fiancé to finally emerge from his apartment building.
Garrett had completely disregarded the ring I originally loved– a simple, delicate gold band with an oval diamond. Instead, he picked out this square rock sitting on a diamond encrusted silver setting. It was beautiful, but I just wasn’t a flashy person... or a silver gal for that matter. And there’s no way I was about to start wearing silver earrings and necklaces anytime soon, so I guess I’d just be clashing for the rest of my damn life. Which wasn’t a terrible thing. I realized this was a total champagne problem, and I felt like a bitch for not appreciating the ring, especially when he was so proud of it. I was just… surprised, is all. Because we’d been together for years. Literalyears. And this ring just wasn’tme. At all.
I checked my phone again, wondering if I’d somehow mixed up the time I was supposed to pick him up. I’d just driven three hours from Detroit to be able to send him off on his first NHL road trip. I knew I wouldn’t have much time with him, but I wanted to show support. Him being late though? That just meant we’d have even less time together.
I forced myself to take in even breaths. I couldn’t snap at him and risk throwing off his game. This wasn’t a big deal, and the long distance would be over as soon as he was a little more established in his career. Garrett had been bouncing around to different minor league teams over the past few years, and I was a high school teacher. I couldn’t just pick up and move in the middle of a school year to follow him, so the plan was for me to live with my parents in Detroit until he had a secure spot on a roster… and he was finally closing in on that goal.
A little part of me knew I should’ve been happier for him. But I was kind of dreading moving. I loved my life in Detroit. I was now teaching my fourth year at my small K-12 school, and I was excited to watch the freshmen from my first year walk across the graduation stage this May.
A little worried voice in the back of my mind wondered if maybe it wasn’t a good thing that Garrett and I were so okay living apart from each other… But all couples were like that after being together for so many years… right? We were just comfortable and we had our own lives, which was a good thing.
Garrett finally bounded down the steps of his high-rise apartment wearing a plaid suit, Minnetonka slippers, and a beanie covering his blond hair. If he had any other profession, he would’ve looked ridiculous in his get-up, but because he was a hockey player, he could get away with it. Hell, some of the things these guys wore were ridiculous, but they always managed to look good.
He laughed at something the doorman said, then his long stride carried him to my Jeep. He threw the door open and plopped in his seat, then swiped on his phone for a second.
“Uh… Hi,” I said.
“Hey babe,” he said with an easy smile, still looking down at his phone.
I paused for a minute, feeling weird that he didn’t immediately kiss me like usual.
“Sorry, had to take care of that text to my agent,” he said, finally looking up and planting a quick kiss on my lips.
His agent. Okay, that was important, that was okay.
“How was the drive?” He pulled the brim of my hat. “Hate when you wear hats, babe,” he pouted. “Can’t see your pretty face.”
I threw my hat in the backseat and moved to gather my long hair into a messy bun.
