Drop The Puck, It's Time To Go

“You’re leaving me!?”
“Clam down Ben, I’m still in the city.”
“You’re leaving me!?”
“Yes, I am, I’m going to be moving in with Tuuk.”
“You’re leaving me!?”
“Ben, stop giving me that face!” I went to close my suitcase I had on my bed, and found it not wanting to close fully to a point where I could zip it. “Dammit…” I muttered. Ben was standing at the doorway of my room starring all dejected at my suitcases.
“That good for nothing goalie…” He growled, crossing his arms and pouting like a little kid. I stopped struggling with my suitcase and looked at my brother.
“Look Ben, I’m not going to be far away and I don’t want to be a burden on you. Plus, I’m dating Tuuk and we both work at the same place. It works out the best like this.”
“Rask sucks.” Ben responded. I sighed.
“Ok, fine, be that way. I won’t come visit you on the weekends.” My brother gave me a huge bear hug and ruffled my hair.
“I’m kidding Roxanne. You know I’m happy for you, just don’t want to let my sister go again. It’s been two years we’ve been living together.” I pushed my brother’s head.
“I know, it feels weird and I don’t like doing it. But I want to live with my boyfriend. We’re adults now, time to live apart.” My brother let me go and nodded.
“I know Roxy. You’ve always been the independent one too. Which makes me feel like you and Rask are only going to last…saaaay…eight months?” I grabbed the nearest object, which happened to be the stuff bear in a Bruins shirt, and smacked my brother in the face with it.
“YOU SUCK!”
“How dare you use Bruin against me!” I then took a moment to look at the stuff bear that was in my hand that Dad had gotten me when I was ten. I then gave a sad face, and frantically placed the bear gently in another suitcase.
“I’m sorry Bruin!” I said. “FORGIVE ME!”
“I’m not forgiving you!” Ben snapped.
“Not you! The bear!”
“It can’t talk!” Ben stated the obvious, holding out his hands to the stuff bear now sitting in my suitcase. “And if it could, it wouldn’t forgive you!”
“Bullshit! It would!”
“Would not!”
“Would to!”
“Would not!”
“I’m not debating this any longer! I’m going back to packing!” With that I turned away from my brother and went back to struggling with my suitcase.
“Fine! I see how it is! Fins before bros huh!?” I rolled my eyes.
“Suck it up Ben.”
“Meh!” He said, leaving the room in a huff. I smiled at my brother’s retreating form, it was fun to still have sibling squabbles. They always happen, even when you’re in your twenties.
“Ok, for the love of God, will you just close!?” I snapped, squishing my suitcase down as hard as I could to zip it close, but terribly failing. I jumped on it and then managed to slowly but surely begin the sip to finish. “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon!” I said.
“Ummm, Roxanne, what are you doing?” I looked behind me to see my brother staring oddly at me. I bet it was quite a sight, me sprawled completely on my suitcase swearing at it.
“Zipping my suitcase close, duh!” I said, like this was an everyday occurrence. “Either I have accumulated more stuff over the years or my suitcases have shrunk.”
“I’m choosing the first one.” My brother said.
“You would…you would…” I then finally got the last leg of zipper, successfully closing it. I jumped off my suitcase and shot both arms in the air. “VICTORY!!! WE HAVE VICTORY!!!”
“Now that you’re role-playing Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, I’m going to take this moment to leave.” I ignored my brother’s retreat as I did a little dance around my room. “Victory, victory, victorrrrryyy! Ok, time for the second one.” The second suitcase went much easier and I sat back to stare at the now empty room, looking like it did the day I moved in two years ago. I noticed I almost forgot to pack three photos off my bureau. Walking over, I picked each one up, staring at the bubbly faces of me and my brother, me and my dad at the last Bruins game together, and me and my brother again, earlier this year at Boston Beer Works. There was a knock on our door and I could hear my brother going to answer it as I continue to stare at the pictures, wondering what life would have been like if dad hadn’t died and mom hadn’t run away.
I would never have lived in Boston, met the Bruins, and started dating Tuukka Rask. A negative lead to three positives.
“Hey man!” I heard my brother say. “Yeah, she’s in her bedroom last time I checked. Touch her and you die.” I snapped out of my daydream and yelled to my brother.
“For god’s sake Ben, stop threatening him!”
“Hey! It was highly justified ok!?” My brother yelled back, showing up at my bedroom doorway, Tuukka Rask following closely behind.
“It was highly unjustified in my view.” I snapped back.
“If you were the brother, you would understand.” Ben said, pointing at me, then turned on Rask. “By the way. You suck.” With that my brother walked away whistling to continue watching whatever was on the TV.
“Why do I suck?” Tuuk asked, at my brother’s retreating form.
“Because you’re taking my sister away! That’s why!”
“Ben, stop gripping like a two year old and watch football, ok?” With that, I approached my boyfriend and embraced him, giving him a big kiss. “Nice to see you again today.” Rask didn’t embrace me back, instead his eyes looked over at my brother and his hands went up in surrender.
“She’s touching me, it was all her! Don’t kill me.”
“HEY!” I let go of Rask and gave an annoyed face.
“You men all suck…I might as well get my own apartment in freaking…Canada or something.” I stated, going back into my room and taking the pictures and opening up the less empty suitcase and placing them inside, rezipping it.
“You know Marchand would gladly hook you up with that much to my displeasure.” I laughed at Tuuk’s comment.
“Oh, he would. Him, Bergeron, and Boychuk.” I grabbed both of my bags and placed them on the floor.
“You got everything?” Tuuk asked, reaching for one of the bags. I waved it away.
“I can carry both of them! And yes, I have everything, just have to grab my Bruins bag on the way out.” Entering into the main area of the apartment, I let go of my wheelie suitcases and held out my arms in a awaiting hug stance, facing the chair that held my brother. “Alright you stupid carrot-headed, annoying, overly-protective, pathetic, caring brother of mine, time for a hug goodbye.” My brother looked over at me.
“Carrot-headed? Annoying? Pathetic? No, I’m not giving you a hug for that.” I dropped my hands.
“Really…” He jumped up and nearly barreled me over in a big hug.
“Just kidding! I know I’ll be seeing you around the city, just sad that you wont be sharing this apartment with me anymore.” I hugged him back.
“I know, it’s sad, but you will manage.” He broke away from my hug and pointed at Rask.
“You take care of her. You have no idea how much trust I’m placing in you.”
“I think I have a good idea how much trust it is. And you don’t have to worry, I can take care of Roxy.” Tuuk wrapped his arm around my waist and I smiled up at him.
“Good. I’m glad. Well, see you later guys.”
“Bye Ben.” I said, grabbing my bag and turning around to grab my suitcases to find them gone. “TUUUUUUUK!” I yelled.
“What? I’m not going out empty handed, that’s just an asshole move!” Tuuk commented from the opened front door. I growled in annoyance.
“I can manage shit myself, thank you very much.” I went to go grab a suitcase from me and he darted it out of my reach.
“Nice try. Now let’s go.”
“Fine.” I grumbled, exiting the apartment and heading out into the hallway. “Bye Ben!” I said again.
“Bye Roxy!” I closed the door and went to head towards the elevator when a loud yell of a teenage boy made me jump out of my skin.
“IS THAT TUUKKA RASK!?”
“Oh shit…” I said. “It’s Jordan…quick! The elevator is open! Get in!” I dragged my confused boyfriend towards the elevator but a loud POW made me stop and curse.
My suitcase exploded all over the hallway.
“GOD DAMN SON OF A BITCH!! I HATE YOU KARMA!” Rask was laughing his ass off while Jordan, the kid from yesterday, was blabbering his head off, and I stood in utter defeat in the hallway. “I hate my liiiiiife!”

*****

“Whoa, what’s Jeremy Jacobs doing here?” Tyler Seguin commented, standing up straight and letting the puck I passed to him slide by and get swooped up by a passing Krejci who took it towards Thomas.
“INCOMING!” Krejci cried, smacking the puck as hard as he could at Thomas, but his shot went wide as wide could go, smacking Tuukka in the chest.
“DAVID KREJCI!” I cried.
“SHIT, ROXY, I’M SORRY! DON’T KIL-” I skated over as fast as I could and jumped Krejci, taking him down to the ice. Everyone gathered around and began to cheer me on as I began to wrestle with David Krejci.
“How could you send a puck into my boyfriend like that!?”
“I SAID I WAS SORRRYYY!”
“Y’know…I love how when someone lands a hit on Tuuk we all have to swirl and apologize to Roxanne to save our asses.” Lucic commented, crossing his arms. Tuukka was rubbing his chest from the collision and attempting to pick me off of Krejci.
“I know, I no longer get the apology…alright Roxy, let Dave go.” Tuuk picked my up around my waist and carried me away from Krejci like he was a referee and this was a game.
“Muhahaha, who kicked David Krejci’s ass!? MOI!” I called from my position.
“Shut it Roxanne! Or I might start singing!” My victory ended and my eyes went dark.
“Oh hell no-”
“ROOOOOXXANNNNNE!”
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO PUT ON THE RED LIGHT!”
“ROOOOOXXXANNNEEE!”
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO WEAR THAT DRESS TONIGHT!”
“GOD DAMMIT KREJCI, YOU STARTED UP TEAM CANADA, WAY TO GO!” I snapped, as Brad, Patrice, and Johnny instantly jumped into singing thanks to Krejci’s threat.
“Payback is a biiiiitch.” Krejci taunted. I just scowled and wrestled from Tuuk’s arms.
“This calls for another round! LET’S GO DAVID KREJCI! ROUND TWO!” Tyler quickly skated in between us.
“Let’s not, Jeremy Jacobs is watching.” Everyone slyly looked to their right to eye in the stands the Bruins owner sitting in the stands watching everyone’s movement with a critical eye.
“Oh…” Everyone mutter.
“Probably should have put that in consideration before jumping you Krejci.” I commented.
“Yeah, probably.” Loud clapping erupted in the arena, announcing Claude Julien’s presence. I quickly skated to the bench to begin preparations for practice, noticing Mr. Jacob’s eyes seeming to follow my every move. Kind of creepy if you ask me.
“Alright boys. Tommorrow we have to fly out to Florida to meet the Tampa Bay Lightnings. Now lately we haven’t been consistent like we should. We’re winning, losing, winning, losing. We can’t keep doing this. Now let’s practice long and hard today boys so we can kick Tampa Bay’s ass like we did with Atlanta last weekend. Agreed?”
“Agreed.” Came a chorus of shouts from the boys. Yeah, not men, boys. Do I need to explain myself on this one?
“Good, now let’s get moving boys!” My home team instantly dropped into their serious practice mode…ok, Brad Marchand still has his dumb mischievous smile on his face…but everyone else was else was in game mode. I chilled at the edge watching and being prepared for if I was needed. It was a very boring practice cause I had hardly anything to do, so I just sat on the goalie’s chair, resisting the urge to get my iPod and start listening to it.
“Hey camera!” Blake Wheeler said enthusiastically and skated up to the guy who was taking pictures for the Bruins website, squinting at it in intensity. I giggled, hoping that the guy snapped that picture cause it was way too good. Out on the ice, Tuukka was practicing in goal and out of the corner of my eye I saw Marchand all of a sudden trip on his own skates and slide on his ass into the goal, plowing Tuuk right over and he into the net with him.
“GOOOOAL!” Marchand cried from within the net, hands up in victory while my boyfriend had trouble dissecting himself from Marchand and inside the net.
“BRAD MARCHAND!” I cried, getting up off the stool and standing in an “it’s fucking on” stance. Marchand looked at me and his victory smile faded into an innocent half smile.
“But Roxanne, I scored.” He picked up a puck from within the net and held it up.
“That was there before dumbass.” Tuukka snapped, smacking him with his goalie stick. “Now get your fat Canadian ass off me so I can get out of here, you’re crushing me.”
“It’s not my fault you barely reached 200lbs.” Marchand responded, getting on his knees and crawling out.
“You want to make fun of my weight? You don’t want to piss off the goalie.”
“I wouldn’t be shocked if Roxanne weighs more than you!” I stopped laughing at the scuffle at that.
“EXCUSE ME!?” I cried. “You want to call me fat again Brad Marchand!? Cause I will deck your fucking ass right now! I don’t care who is here or that there are cameras, I will destroy you motherfucking Canadian ass!” Rask looked at Marchand.
“I’m not protecting you from this one…”
“I don’t weigh more that 176 lbs!! And the last time I checked, YOU haven’t reached 200lbs!”
“That’s beside the point Roxy!” Marchand defended.
“No it isn’t Brad.”
“Yes it is Roxy.”
“That’s it, time to settle something!” I was then caught off guard as a hockey stick flew into my vision. I caught it quickly and turned to see Coach Julien had tossed me it.
“How about settling it with a game of hockey instead of a fight.” I brightened.
“Sure thing Coach. Didn’t expect this but I’m all for it!” I then turned to Marchand and pointed at him. “It’s going down in this scrimmage.”

*****

Jeremy Jacobs watched in vigor as Roxanne McGregor prepared for the face off against Marchand.
“I hope you won’t be wasting my time with this Claude.” Jacobs commented, nodding to Roxanne as she…won the puck from Marchand. Jacobs rubbed his chin. “Not that bad of a win right there.” Claude gave him a nod.
“See, you won’t be wasting your time.” Jeremy continued to watch as Roxanne McGregor skated around the rink with concentration equivalent to the players around her and passing the puck around with such vigor. None of the team seemed scared to check her and she sure as hell wasn’t afraid to do it back. Jacobs’ raised his eyebrow in surprise as she took a good hit on Blake Wheeler, sending him down on the ice and slapping the puck away, dashing for the goal being guarded by Thomas. With a hard slap with her hockey stick, she sent the puck wide, over Thomas’s shoulder and into the goal.
“Fuck yeah!!!” She cried, hands in the hair in victory, everyone on her side giving her congratulatory hugs. Thomas fished the puck up and they gave each other high fives.
“Wow…I’m impressed at that. She plays like a true player. You sure she didn’t do any hockey at all over the years?” Julien shook his head.
“The only time I’ve seen her play is with the guys.”
“They welcome her well too. That’s always good for a team.” Jacobs commented. “But haven’t seen anything that’s been really sets her apart from everyone.” Julien pointed to Roxy, just as she hip checked Marchand onto his ass and skated off with the puck, quickly avoiding Chara and sending a pass back to Boychuk.
“She scores like star player and she can check like no one else. She utilizes the player around her, bringing everyone together as a team. She passes and receives extremely well. She would do good for the Bruins, getting them to really work together and pass well.” Jeremy watched as Roxanne began to really get into the game, skating back and forth like a pro, shooting on Thomas or catching up for rebounds.
“I see where you’re coming from Claude. Her teamwork and workmanship is growing on me. You were right about not wasting my time, this is really entertaining to watch…shit, did she just take out Chara?” Jacobs titled his head in disbelief as Roxanne McGregor checked Zdeno Chara off his feet, causing roars of approval from everyone on the team.
“You did it again!” Krejci cried, holding up his hands in victory, Chara at his feet struggling to get up.
“Again…?” Jacobs commented, pointed at how the team was still skating around but chattering to each other about how red-heads and Massachusetts blood shouldn’t mix. Claude nodded.
“She did it the other day too. It was one of our selling points.” Jeremy Jacobs watched the rest of the scrimmage, finding himself more and more warming up to the prospect of having Roxanne McGregor possibly becoming a forward for the Boston Bruins. Not only could it bring the Bruins up in talent but it would give more revenue and publicity to them, having the second woman in the league, like the other coaches had mentioned. We have our hands on the next Erika Harper. At the end of the practice, Roxanne’s team won, thanks to two of her goals and one from Krejci. Everyone gave each other praise and gave Roxy big bear hugs commenting about how much it felt like she was a part of the team itself, not just the water girl.
“I’m up for another Roxanne/Rask shoot out.” Wheeler said.
“Why not?” Rask commented, skating back to the goal.
“Roxanne Rask? Doesn’t sound that pleasant…hey Roxy! When you marry our goalie, don’t change your last name.” Lucic comment.
“Actually, I think it would be funny. When Tuuk goes out with Roxy, it’ll just be a little R&R time.” Krejci said, smiling at his dumb ass joke. Roxy hit both Lucic and Krejci with her stick.
“Like I’ll be getting married anytime soon…”
“Why not? I want to see little Rasks!” Lucic commented.
“Ok! Shut up and give me puck!” Jeremy looked away from the scene and looked at Julien.
“She’s dating Tuukka Rask?” Julien shrugged.
“Apparently, explains a lot though. But anyways, if she impresses you on this shoot out, you going to take it or leave it?” As Roxy began to skate down the ice, charging after a prepared Rask, Jeremy Jacobs resolved his decision as Roxanne’s goal went in and she pumped a fist in victory, skating around to be greeted by cheers from the boys.
“We’re going to take it. Tell Roxanne she has a meeting with all of us tomorrow just before the team departs for Florida.”

*****
*Roxy’s POV*

I grinned in satisfaction as my small bag was packed easily with just throwing bras, underwear, and socks into it.
“I love being lazy sometimes! Look at this Rask, I’m completely packed for the next two days without breaking a sweat OR spending the past fifteen minutes like you!” Rask looked at me with an annoyed faced from the other side of the bed. I gave him a cheery smile. “Hug hun?”
“No.” He said, finally zipping his bags up and tossing them on the floor. “Besides, might as well go to bed now, we have to get up early for the flight out.” I sighed as I dropped into the bed.
“The annoyance of my job, having to follow the team around.” Tuukka looked at me.
“Travelling with your boyfriend has become an annoyance?” I rolled over, propped my head up on my hand and smiled at him.
“That’s what’s going to help me through the tiredness of travel.”
“Suck up.” Tuukka commented, ripping off his shirt and tossing it to the edge of the room and shutting off the bed light and crawling in next to me. “You only said that cause you were caught in an insult.” I rolled away from him.
“Fine, be that way.” I then got Rask’s arm around me and pulled me back towards him, kissing my neck. I laughed. “Ok, stop that it tickles!” Rask stopped.
“Seriously…?”
“…Yes…”
“Ok, fine, I wont be affectionate, enjoy your night without me.” He let go of me and slapped him with my pillow.
“You suck.”
“Love you too.” He said, blocking the pillow and smirking as I stuffed the pillow under my head again. “Night Roxanne.”
“Night Tuukka.” I then closed my eyes, snuggling up to him, wondering about tomorrow. Coach Julien had talked to me after class, said that owner Jeremy Jacobs had something to ask of me.
What could he possibly want from me?

*Rask’s POV*

“Ben…you suck…that was totally a goooooal…” Roxanne was muttering in her sleep, smacking the bed and then rolling on her side. “You are such a fucking cheater…” Tuukka raised his eyebrows in amusement. Roxy talks in her sleep, how adorable. “No Marchand no! Don’t touch Bruin! Get your grimy Canadian hands off of him!” Rask had to snort at that. His laugh was cut short when Roxanne’s hand came out of nowhere and smacked him in the face. “Stop laughing Boychuk! It’s anything but funny!”
“Ow…fuck…” Rask groaned, rubbing the left side of his face, staring at Roxanne who was now facing him, hand now draped over his chest, eyes closed in a deep sleep.
“Suck it up Marchand, I only hit you.” Roxy responded to Rask’s groaned.
“I feel highly insulted you called me Marchand.” Rask responded.
“I wasn’t talking to you Tuukka! You have no reason to complain! If I was to insult you I would call you a stupid Scandinavian.” Roxanne’s hand came up and smacked him in the face again. Rask brushed her hand out of his face in annoyance and was about to shake her awake fully, cause why the fuck suffer through this sort of abuse, when she then rolled over more and was nearly lying on top of him, wrapping her arms around him and snuggling her face into his neck. “But I love youuuuuu.” Rask sighed in defeat and let Roxanne stay there, wrapping his arms around her too and attempting to fall asleep with her mumbling incoherent sentences about hockey, Dropkick Murpheys, and him. Finally beginning to doze off, Tuuk was then roughly awaken to a change in weight on him and a loud BOOM that shook the bedroom. Bolting up he looked to his right to find Roxanne sprawled on the floor, shuffling around in confusion.
“Roxy, did you roll off the god damn bed?” He asked. Roxy sat up on her knees quickly, shaking her head and looking at him.
“I think I did…” She then blinked. “ WAIT! I had to roll over you to do this, why didn’t you stop me!?”
“I was asleep! I didn’t know you were going to roll off me onto the floor!” Tuuk defended.
“Now my whole body hurts and we have very annoyed neighbors downstairs…” She grumbled getting off the floor and finding her way back to her side of the bed. Then he heard a squeak, the sound of a stuffed bag being tripped on, and the sound of his girlfriend’s body hitting the floor again. He groaned and hid his face behind his hands.
“Roxy, let me turn on a light for you…”
“Now you offer to do that! You should have mentioned that earlier!”
“I’m just saying…” The bed shifted as another body crawled back into it, a Roxy slammed down on her end in a huff. Tuuk smiled and wrapped his arms around Roxy and pulled her back into him. “You talk in your sleep by the way…” Roxy snuggled back into his chest, pulling sheets around her.
“Yeah…I know…probably should have mentioned that before I stated sleeping in the same bed as you.”
“You called me Marchand multiple times and smacked me in the face with your arm.” Roxanne pushed away and looked at him.
“…I what?” She muttered.
“Called me Marchand and smacked me in the face. Then you started yelling at me calling me a stupid Scandinavian and then rolled on top of me and started mumbling about Dropkick Murpheys.” Roxy burst out laughing and began to roll around.
“Haha!! I can abuse you in my sleep!”
“That shouldn’t be funny!”
“It is!” Tuuk wrestled with Roxanne and she continued to laugh her ass off. “STOP YOU ASS!” Rask complied and kissed Roxy. She kissed back, snaking her arms around his neck.
“I think we need to try and sleep again, if we go in tomorrow looking dead the guys wont let that down, you know that right?” Roxy let go of him and sighed.
“Yeah, I know well and I want to avoid Team Canada antics.”
“I love how you call them Team Canada.”
“What else can I call them? Team Asshole?”
“Good point…” Tuukka rolled off of Roxanne and she snuggled back into her beginning position.
“By the way…apparently Jacobs wants to talk to me about something…” Roxy commented. Rask felt confused.
“Why?” He asked. He felt her shrugged.
“I don’t know…its making me wonder though…”
“You afraid they want to lay you off?” Rask asked, but Roxanne was already asleep again, not bothering to answer back. Sighing, Tuuk closed his eyes and wondered what Jeremy Jacobs wanted with Roxy.

*****
*Roxy’s POV*

Sitting in the office of Jeremy Jacobs, I felt positively confused. The plane for Florida was leaving in two hours but I wasn’t with the team, I was instead here to find out about this mystery.
“You have no clue why you’re here, do you Miss McGregor?” Jacobs said, his steady voice rising the tension in the room. I began to fidget in my chair, Julien and all the assistant coaches sitting around me, watching me. The nagging voice in the back of my head kept telling me that they were laying me off or something. But yet again, that wouldn’t call the attention of these five men.
What is going oooooon…
“No Mr. Jacobs, I have no clue what so ever.” Jacobs folded his hands and looked at me.
“Roxanne McGregor, what do you think about the NHL?” Confused, I shrugged, giving an honest answer.
“I love it, grew up watching it and it was the sport that bonded me with my father before he died. Hockey is also a sport I love to play, I always feel at home on the ice.”
“You ever thought about trying to get in? You sure have talent.”
“Well…my dad tried to and I think he trained me and my brother in hopes one of us would. But we never pushed ourselves. It would be amazing but, we went off and did other things instead.” Jacobs got up from his chair.
“Miss McGregor, we have been watching you play with the Bruins during their practice and we see such high potential in you. You play like a professional, and the Bruins need talent, skill, and more comradery to make it to the playoffs, to bring that Stanley Cup here to Boston again. It’s been to long.” I felt a little stunned.
“Sir…are you suggesting-”
“That we want you on the team? Yes. Roxanne, you have hidden talent. Talent that this team needs and if you play enough games, do enough practices you can become equal to or even better that Erika Harper. You can be the Bruins spotlight, a hero for this city and all those fans. You’ve got what it takes to get there.” I sat there stunned.
“Wait…wait one minute. I don’t think I have what it takes! I didn’t do anything, how are people going to react to how I barely did shit and got in?” Coach Julien was the one to speak.
“Roxanne, you took out Zdeno Chara twice, you can score on Tim Thomas, the leading goaltender at the moment, you understand the use of team work. You’re talking to a bunch of old timers here. We know what we’re talking about.” He leaned in. “We want you on this team.” I pinched my leg in secret, telling myself this was a dream and that two guys were begging me to become a part of the Boston Bruins.
“The team already loves you, we can see it. They’ll be ecstatic to have you, it will help them, I know it.” Jacobs added. “The fans will warm up to you the minute you prove the world your worth.” I felt my arms shaking. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“Roxanne, if you agree to this right here and right now, we’ll settle a number for you and a spot and you will be announced after the New Year to the world.”
“The NHL. It’s a dream all hockey guys have. Even me, but I wasn’t good enough in their eyes. Hell Roxy, to have people begging you to be on their team is a high honor, I dreamed of the day that would happen to me but it didn’t. Maybe your brother will get it but I don’t see it. I know it’s a long shot, but I wish I could turn on the TV and see my daughter making history…” I felt tears forming in my eyes at the old words my dad spoke to me that day we watched our last live game together during the break between second and third period. “To say no would be idiotic and insulting to the hockey world…” This is for you dad…all for you. Up there you can see your daughter make history like you dreamed of. I know you’re behind this…I’m going to go with it. For you. Standing up from my chair and made my resolve.
“I’ll take it. I want to be part of the NHL. It’s shocking for this to be happening, but it’s an honor and it would be insulting to refuse.” The guys clapped their hands.
“We’re glad you chose it Roxanne. Two years I’ve known you but I never thought this would ever happen. Let’s hope you don’t let us down.” I smiled at Coach Julien.
“I won’t. I’m not going to let you down, the team, Boston, or the fans. Let’s make history Mr. Jacobs.” I said, shaking his hand.
“Deal. What do you wish your number to be?” I opened my mouth then let it closed. What should be my number…Dad, what do you think? Then it hit me.
49.
The age of my father when he died.
“49…I wish to be 49.” Jacobs nodded.
“We can do that. You, Roxanne McGregor, have made history here in Boston by becoming number 49, center forward of the Boston Bruins.” I felt myself go completely numb at the utter shock.
I was officially part of the NHL.