Past Lives

I knew Ads was debating telling Brooks about the job. As I sat in our hotel room the morning of game two, I curled up in a ball and waited for Ads and her mom to come back from lunch. They had invited me, but I hadn't felt like going. I was just too worried about everything. I knew both sides of the story and I had to deal with all of it. Ads wanting to move, Brooks wanting to propose, neither of them knowing what the other was planning. It was exhausting and confusing.

Craig would have helped, I know he would've. I just couldn't handle it right now. I needed to talk to Ads and figure out if there was a way I could hint to her how badly she needed to stay here. I knew Brooks would propose soon, I just didn't know how soon.

"Jamie?" I heard the door open and Ads walked in. I rolled over and gave her a little smile.

"Hey, Ads."

Ads came over and sat next to me on the bed. "You ok?" I knew she was worried about me, but she didn't need to be. I was worried about her.

I nodded. "I'm fine." Sitting up, I smiled again. "Just still tired." I pulled my hair back into a ponytail and cross my legs, facing her. "Have you, uh...have you thought about what you're going to do?" I was terrified to hear her answer.

She thought for a second. "I don't know, Jamie..."

"Ads...please..."

Ads looked up and shook her head. "Why should I stay? This is my dream."

I wondered what had happened when she went out with her mom. I knew Max and Brooks had both talked to her, but I didn't want to think about how her mind had changed. "Ads," I took a breath, "really? You have me, your friends, the guys. You have an amazing job. You love your job. You have an amazing boyfriend who you're basically married to."

"Basically isn't the same thing, Jamie!" I thought she was going to burst into tears. I quickly pulled her into a hug and rubbed her back.

"Ads...Hey..."

She shook her head. "We've been together forever, Jamie, and he won't propose." I heard a sniffle. "Maybe I'm not good-"

"Don't even, Adisyn. You're amazing and Brooks loves you."

"But-"

"Ads, give him a little time, ok?" I pulled her away from me to look at me. "Please just give him a little more time. He loves you more than anything. He's just caught up in the Final. You need to tell him about the job, Ads. Give him some warning. If you disappear out of no where, it'll be the same thing that he did to you. You need to tell him. Maybe that will help him man up."

I felt her nod and she gave me a hug. I really just hoped I'd gotten through to her.

--

We sat in the stands as the Red Wings celebrated Abdelkader's goal in the third and held our heads. I gave a minute smile as Mama Carrie yelled, "FUCK!" at the top of her lungs. It was short-lived, though. Soon after, the game ended and the red and white celebrated as the black and gold fled the arena. I shook my head. Naturally they were running.

Waiting around, Carrie almost got into a fight with a woman behind her.

"You gonna run away, too?"

"Hell no. Those are my boys win or lose."

"Good thing. They'll need fans when they lose the Cup to us in Pittsburgh."

"Not gonna happen."

"You've got a lot of hope for a bandwagon fan."

"MAMA, NOT NOW!" If there was one thing Carrie didn't deal with, it was being called a bandwagoner.

We led her downstairs to the locker room and waited for everyone. Ads looked at us both and shook her head. "I'm going to get it out of the way tonight." I didn't say anything, just nodded. I didn't know how that would go over, but...it was her choice.

Craig was one of the first out of the locker room. He took my hand and led me around the corner. "Can I come see you tonight?"

I nodded. "Yes." I was surprised. "Why did you have to ask?"

"You kind of bit my head off last night."

I blushed. "I'm sorry. I just...couldn't handle it last night. I was trying not to kill Orpik."

Craig kissed my cheek. "I understand." He nodded towards the bus. "I'll come find you. I'm gonna head to the bus."

I just nodded and he headed out. Ads and her mom headed over after Brooks went to the bus. "I'm going to to talk to him after."

I hugged her. "Good call, Ads."

I really just hoped that Brooks asked her soon. He needed to step it up or he was going to lose her.