Chicago City Lights

“Welcome to the team,” Blackhawks head coach, Denis Savard, told Ben as their morning skate came to a close.

“Thanks, coach,” He replied, heading to the locker room.

His teammates smiled at him as he passed their stalls, heading to his own. He sighed, looking at the piece of tape that bared his name, not a fancy plaque like the others had. He hadone of those in Philly…

He was just beginning to feel at home in Philly when the Flyers got rid of him for Jim Vandermeer. He was confused, and all Ben wanted to do was sleep, but wouldn’t have time for more than a two or three hour nap before he needed to be back at the arena.

“Hey, Eags,” He heard.

Turning his head, Ben realized it was one of his new teammates, Adam Burish.

“Some of us are headed for lunch. Do you want to come with us?”

“Nah, man, I need sleep. I appreciate the offer, I really do. I’m just still jetlagged and I want to be ready for tonight, you know?”

Ben hoped they would understand that he was being serious and not just the moody new guy. When he received smiles from the teammates who were inquiring, he relaxed.

“Next time,” He promised, as he picked up his bag and headed to his rental, his actual car, a black Lincoln Navigator, was on its way from Philly.

Climbing into the car, he turned it on and turned up the radio. Noticing he had just under a quarter of a tank of gas, he would need more for his ride back into the city from the Blackhawks practice spot in Bensenville. Reaching for his wallet, he noticed he did not have it.

Fuck,he thought. The last place he remembered having it was at the coffee shop, at the table. He could only hope that the girl he had accidentally harassed would pick it up and have the decency to hunt him down…

Hitting his hand on the steering wheel, he threw the car into drive. He had five dollars in his jeans pocket and he hoped that would buy him enough gas to get back to his downtown apartment.

Sitting in traffic for more than an hour, Ben finally pulled into the garage of his apartment building. It was a little past one, and if he fell asleep right away, like he knew he would, he could get in a three hour nap.

Unlocking his apartment door, he almost didn’t notice the piece of paper at his feet. Reaching down and picking it up, he read.

You were so tired this morning that you forgot your wallet at my table. I was here at around nine, and I sure hope you didn’t come to your door because you were sleeping.

977 124 7799

Ben smiled to himself, hoping she wouldn’t mind carrying around his wallet for a little while longer, because he really needed to sleep.

*

Evelyn looked at her phone, noting Ben had not yet called, and it was going on 7:30 PM. Bringing her plate of Chinese food into her living room, she sat herself on her couch. Turning on the TV, she felt like she had flipped through every channel her satellite system had to offer.

She sighed and stopped changing the channel, reading the show’s title.

NHL Hockey.

She shrugged, and left it on. It had been a long time since she had watched hockey, her father being an avid Phoenix Coyotes fan. Evelyn had been to a couple of games throughout her childhood, but knew nothing about the sport.

She smiled, as the Blackhawks won the face-off against the Nashville Predators. She watched as the puck seemed to fly around the ice, players in red and white jerseys chasing after it.

Three minutes into the first period, Robert Lang of the Blackhawks scored. Evelyn smiled. She supposed that she should follow her new hometown team. While she had been in Chicago, she had heard all about the Chicago resurgence, thanks to the young Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.

Just a few minutes later, the Blackhawks scored again.

Dustin Byfuglien scores with an assist from James Wisniewski and the newest Blackhawk, Ben Eager.

Evelyn’s eyes went wide, as the camera zoomed in on Ben Eager’s face. She almost choked on her rice, as she looked at the boy she had met at the coffee shop and the boy whose wallet was sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

Ben was traded here from Philadelphia yesterday, and personally, I’m excited to find out what he’s going to bring to the team. He was a big fighter in Philly…

Evelyn still couldn’t believe what she was hearing or seeing. She shook her head and continued to watch the game, as the Blackhawks scored three more times and beat the Preds, five goals to two.

As she was cleaning up the Chinese food from her kitchen, her cell rang and the number was an unfamiliar one.

“Hello?” She answered.

“I understand you have my wallet.”