Don't Make Me Spell It Out For You

Chapter Thirteen

It was early July and almost time to go back home to Chicago. Kris had been acting funny for the past week, but I decided against pushing it. He would tell me when he wanted to tell me.

The summer had been good. It was just the family and the Stanley Cup for two whole days and let me tell you, those two days were ranked in my top five days ever.

“So when does our plane leave tomorrow?” I asked Kris the day before we were leaving to go back home.

He bit his lip. “Your plane leaves at noon.”

My ear twitched. “What do you mean by that?”

He turned to me, looking at me with pity. “Rose, I didn’t want to tell you until the summer was over and you’ve had the best summer of your life. Just please understand that.”

I nodded slowly, knowing where this was going. “Who else got traded Kris?”

He closed his eyes. “I’m not going home with you.”

My heart skipped a beat. “Why not?”

He took a deep breath and walked over to me. “I got traded to Toronto last month.”

I opened my mouth but no sound came out at first. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Who else?”

“Madden.”

“Is that it?”

“No.”

“Just tell me already!” I shouted.

“Nemo,” he whispered.

I fell onto my bed, stunned. It wasn’t just Andrew. It was all of my closest friends. My hands shook, whether it was out of anger or shock, I wasn’t sure.

“Rose. . .”

I shook my head. “I don’t know what to say.”

He hugged me and told me it would be okay. I didn’t believe him. It was kind of hard to believe someone when all of your friends had been traded.

“I’m going home alone?” I asked quietly.

“I already have most of my stuff sent up here. The house is your’s Rose,” he told me.

“That big old house,” I rephrased.

He nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“I have to call Nemo,” I said and walked outside. I had him on speed dial and I held the shaking phone to my ear.

“Hey,” he said. “Kris told you?” He was always one to get straight to the point. I would miss that about him.

“Yeah. Just now,” I said, sitting on the bench outside.

“I’m sorry.”

“Where are you going?” I asked, laying down on the bench, staring up at the cloudy sky.

“San Jose.”

“They need a better goaltender,” I tried to make light of the situation. “I mean, we did sweep them after all.”

He sighed. “You’re the top goaltender now Baby V. I leave you my net for forever.”

“I don’t want all that pressure,” I whispered, my head throbbing from thinking about all that.

“I know. You guys have Turco now and I heard Coach say something about bringing up Corey Crawford again from the AHL. You’ll like him. He’s a quiet kid.”

I nodded, then remembered he couldn’t see me. “I hope you do well at San Jose Nemo.”

“And I wish you the same in Chicago. Are you going to play against me?”

“You know, I was just saying Kris earlier in the summer how I was going to give you the games against Atlanta.”

“Crow will take them,” he said, referencing Corey.

“Bye Nemo.”

“Bye Baby V.”

And then I was seemingly alone.

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Early November and we sucked. Granted, I did make friends with Skille, Crow, and Stalberg so I wasn’t really alone when we lost. It just. . . wasn’t the same.

That night we were facing Atlanta in their stadium and I had been dreading that night since the season started. “Are you sure about this?” Crow asked as I suited up. “You know I will take it.”

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”

“All right. Just you remember that you’re the best goaltender woman out there,” he reminded me.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes and smile at the guy. Nemo was right. I loved Crow like a brother. “I’m the only woman goaltender out there.”

“And I wonder why,” he shrugged and wandered off. One thing I hated about the guy was that he was almost always right.

“Ready Baby V?” Coach asked as he passed by.

I nodded. “Let’s do this.”

Three minutes into the game and Antropov scored. I was embarrassed, but I kept it in my head, giving myself a pep talk.

I couldn’t even look at him. Not yet. I’d be thrown off my game and just want to hug him. That’s not good to think that when you’re playing in a game to win.

Thank God for the kids, who scored or else I would not be a very happy goaltender.

The buzzer went off to signify the end of the first period. I skated off, but a hand kept me back a second longer.

“Where’s the fire sweets?” the familiar voice was so close to me.

I turned around and grinned at him. “I’ve missed you,” I said to him right away.

“You open your present yet?”

I blushed. “Twenty minutes after you gave it to me. Thank you.”

He nodded. “I’m sorry about Steeger and Nemo,” he said before going to his dressing room.

“Me too,” I whispered before I walked off into mine.

We ended in a freaking shootout. Andrew and I looked at each other once more before getting off the ice. We couldn’t even stay the night. I couldn’t even see him a moment longer.

“See, I thought you did pretty good,” Crow said as I stripped down to my leggings and tank top.

I rolled my eyes. “Nice shot Stalberg,” I complimented him as he wandered by.

He grinned and threw me the thumbs up. “All skill baby.”

I laughed and I wished that I was in the other locker room with Andrew.

“Baby V,” Skille dragged me away from everyone else and threw me out of the locker room. Yeah, not exactly what friends do to other friends. . .

“Home Skillet!” I exclaimed as I tried to yank the door open. No dice. The door was locked.

“Want to go in that quickly, huh?”

I spun around and jumped into Andrew’s arms. “I didn’t think I’d get to see you,” I admitted.

“Skille found me and thought I would need a pick-me-up since we lost.”

I laughed. “Skille would do that. So, Captain huh? Told you Atlanta would be your hero city.”

He smiled. “I know, but I miss you guys. It was so weird for the first couple weeks not having a girl in the dressing room.”

“I bet. A lot of the new guys found it weird that there was a girl in the dressing room, though Kopy and Tazer established rules like the first day.”

He nodded, a smirk on his lips. “As it should be.”

“You know,” I said, thinking back to that day. “It was weird and totally random actually.” I looked at him and then I got it. “If it were you and Kris, it would make sense though. Which it was,” I laughed, the lightbulb clicking on. “You two are horrible and amazing at the same time. You really called them up? Losers.”

He ruffled my hair, grinning, telling me that yes, indeed, they did call. “Well I gotta get back. It was good to see you though.”

I nodded and we embraced one more time. “Right back at you,” I managed a strong smile. “Good game.”

“You too.”

And then he was gone.

~~~~~

So that winning game didn’t hold up so much in games further down the road. Turco absolutely sucked and he was sent back down to Rockford and then it was just me and Crow. Actually, more Crow than me.

The next five games I played, we lost. We played San Jose and well Nemo definitely outplayed me. Then again, he knew how they all shot. I never got to talk to him except for a passing glance, but he sent me a text message later that night saying that I looked absolutely miserable and have I considered having Tazer make me skate laps till I smile? No Nemo, that’s called suicide not happiness.

Crow played more games than me and I worked my ass off to try and get back on my game. I stayed after practice was over until I was exhausted. I watched every game I could find on nights we weren’t playing to study how goaltenders worked and how guys shot. I just wasn’t really all there when it came to games.

The All Star game was interesting. Tazer and Kaner were mad at each other and beating up on everyone, so I took the liberty of taking in Kaner who was basically kicked out of their house.

At least the house wasn’t as lonely.

“It’s so empty,” Kaner said as he tried to make it more inviting and open by throwing his stuff everywhere.

We obviously had different opinions.

“When does the All Star game end?” I asked him.

“This weekend.”

“I don’t see why you and Tazer can’t just hug and make up. Take him out for dinner and tell him you love him. That will win his heart.”

He rolled his eyes. “We’re not in love like a certain lonely someone is,” he snapped. I forgot how cranky he could be when he was tired.

“Oh really? And who is this lonely someone Kaner?” I challenged him.

He faced me. “Think about it Rose. You lost Steeger, Laddie, and Nemo this past summer. I mean sure you have us, but it was always you guys together. And let’s finally face the truth that everyone else already knows. You and Andrew are in love with each other. I know, shocker to no one but you.”

I only stared at the younger hockey player.

“We’ve all known it,” he went on. “Probably within the first month since you’ve come here. Hell, the guys who came this year know it and they haven’t even seen you two together.”

I shook my head and walked away. I didn’t want to hear anymore. I couldn’t love someone who I could never be with.

~~~~~

“Bye Baby V,” Skille hugged me goodbye and swung me up and off my feet slightly. “I’m sure going to miss you.”

I numbly hugged him back, not really knowing what else to do. He had just been traded to Florida in exchanged for Frolik. I was devastated. Another one of my friends lost to the evils of trade. There wasn’t really much left to do.

“Bye Home Skillet,” I whispered.

“I’ll call once a week, okay?” he promised. He held me by my shoulders, forcing me to look him in the eye. “We shall always be friends.”

I sighed. “I’m sick of everyone leaving me.”

“Then why don’t you chase after him?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes. “Kaner got to you too? Is there anyone he hasn’t told his theory?”

He shook his head. “Everyone knows it’s supposed to be you and Andrew. It always has been you and Andrew even if you two were never officially together. It’s like common sense to everyone. We see one of you, the other one isn’t far behind.”

He had stunned me into silence. I only nodded my head slowly.

“There are teams looking to get you for their own, you know. Maybe go talk to the GM and see what your options are. You could at least be closer to him, if anything,” he said and kissed my cheek, walking out of the UC. “I’ll text you when I land to ensure my safety!”

I slowly made my way up to Stan Bowman’s office and knocked on his door, my heart pounding so loud. He waved me in, on a phone call and quickly hung up. “I’m glad you’re here actually,” he said. “There are some teams who would like to have you. I wanted to discuss your options and what you want to do.”

“What teams?” I asked.

He rattled them off and I nodded, thinking. He got on the phone with their GM of the team that wanted me the most and we held an hour long phone conference.

Finally, it was over and I stood up. “Thank you Stan. I really appreciate this.”

He nodded. “I’m here to help.”

And with that, I walked out of the UC.
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