What You Work For

I sat in a conference room trying to comprehend the past 24 hours. It had been a whirlwind day and night, so I hadn’t had much time to really think about everything that had happened.

At the moment, my fiancé, Nick, was on my left and my younger sister, Lucy, was to my right. Mom and Dad sat across from me with my middle brother, Mark, and my oldest brother, Jeremy, on either of their sides. Jeremy’s wife, Melanie, and Mark’s girlfriend, Eva, had the twins up in the hotel room.

I let my mind wander to the day before. The NHL Draft.

I had woken up to cameras in my face and a microphone being practically shoved down my shirt. As much as I just wanted to roll over and go back to sleep, I had to put on a happy face and go about my business.

I had seen the coverage of Sidney Crosby’s draft, but I didn’t see what the big deal was about me. I mean, sure, I was the first woman to be drafted into the National Hockey League, but I wasn’t Sid the Kid.

Lucy had barged into my room soon after I woke up to help me get ready for the big day.

“You’ve got to get ready!” she sing-songed. “Today’s the day.”

“How are you so damn chipper at,” I checked the time. “8 in the morning before coffee?” I then realized I had sworn. “Oops. Sorry, I didn’t mean to cuss.” I looked into the camera directly.

“It’s a gift,” she said pulling me onto my feet. “Come on. Mark and Jeremy are waiting downstairs.”

“Sibling Coffee Run!” I laughed as she dragged me down the hall.

One camera managed to follow us into the elevator and I did my best not to frown.

“Starbucks?” I asked hopefully.

“Of course!” Lucy smiled. “Where else would we go?”

“Eh, we’re close to Canada. I’m sure there’s a Tim Horton’s around here somewhere,” I shrugged as we got off at the lobby.

“Why would we drink Timmy Ho’s?” Lucy asked with a fake expression. “That’s so… un-American.”

I rolled my eyes as I embraced my older brothers.

“Ready for the big day?” Jeremy asked.

I nodded. “You better be saying good stuff about me up in the broadcast booth.” Jeremy was a panelist with the league.

“All the best,” he chuckled.

“Come on!” Mark urged. “It’s too early not to have coffee.”

“You and Olivia have to be the laziest people I know,” Lucy sighed.

“We are not lazy!” I protested. “We just aren’t alive until we’ve had caffeine.”

“Well let’s de-zombie-fy you two with some Starbucks, then,” Jeremy laughed. “Nice pjs, Ollie.”

I glared at Lucy before following my brothers out into the streets of Minnesota.

*****

“Hey Ryan! Hey Gabe!” I waved to the draft picks that were just above and below me, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Gabriel Landeskog. “What’s up?”

“Not much, Ollie. You ready for today?” Ryan asked as he and Gabe waved back.

“Why does everyone ask that?” I shook my head. “But yeah, I am. I just don’t see why I’m getting all this coverage.” I gestured to the cameras that were on the other side of the room setting up.

“Get used to it,” Gabe advised in his accent. “You’re the first-,”

I cut him off. “First woman ever to be drafted in the NHL, yadda yadda yadda. Yeah, I know. But do they really have to document a photo shoot?” All the draftees-yes, all 211 of us- were in a giant room somewhere in our hotel. Everyone was dressed for the draft that would be happening in just over an hour.

“You’re so negative,” Ryan chuckled. “How’d you get to where you are today without being positive?”

“I work my ass off that’s how,” I said. “Shit, I hope they didn’t turn the mic on. I swore this morning.”

“Too late for that,” Gabe gestured to the cameras. They were on us.

“Fu-,” I corrected myself. “Crap. I meant crap.”

“Can we have the top three picks over here, please?” a voice called out.

Ryan, Gabe, and I all sighed together. And so it begins.

*****

Eventually, the photo shoot wrapped up and we all made our ways to the arena. I sat with my family in the seats and could see Gabe and Ryan sitting with their families several yards away.

Nick took my left hand. “I’m glad I get to be here.”

I smiled at him before pecking his cheek. “Me too. I’m not looking forward to you leaving again.” Nick was an active duty soldier and would be leaving again for Iraq in a few weeks.

“Trust me,” Nick said twisting the diamond ring on my finger. “I’m not looking forward to leaving you God-knows-where with a bunch of hockey players.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been around hockey players all my life. It’s nothing new.”

“Sure thing,” Nick shook his head. “Sure thing.”

We turned our attention to the draft as it began. Ryan was drafted to the Edmonton Oilers, a team that was in desperate need of a player of his caliber. I know he’ll do well.

With baited breath, my family and I sat in our seats, waiting for my career’s fate to be announced.

“And it is with great pleasure that we announce the team that the first female player will be spending her rookie year with,” Gary Bettman began. “Olivia DuPont, the 2nd overall draft pick, has been drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins.”

I was in shock. I didn’t have to move- I would be playing in my hometown. I would be playing hockey with my idols. Shit, I’d need to clean out my closet.

I embraced my parents. “Thank you. For everything. For getting me here, for being supportive, just thank you.”

I hugged Mark. “You’re an ass sometimes, man. But I love you.” He laughed and pecked my cheek.

I pointed up at the panelist table and smiled at Jeremy. I hugged Melanie and Eva quickly before pecking the twins on the cheek.

“Next summer,” I said to Lucy. “Anywhere you want to go. It’ll be you and me, babe.”
She grinned and squeezed me close.

Nick cupped my face and kissed me on the lips. “Congratulations, baby.”

I blushed and hugged him. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

I made my way up to the stage and put on my own Pittsburgh jersey. A hat was placed on my head and suddenly, I was standing with my arms around Mario Lemiuex and Ray Shero as pictures were snapped.

I saw Gabe in the crowd cheering and Ryan off to the side with the media had stopped his interview to clap. Everything started in that moment.