‹ Prequel: Takes Me Back
Sequel: Leads Me Here ›
Status: Rated 'R' for language. Will start soon!
Brings Me Home
Blushing
“Let’s go guys!” I yelled out to my teammates one night in mid-June. It was our night. Or at least, it would become ours. In Detroit, we were playing the Red Wings with the possibility of hoisting the Cup that night.
It was the 2nd intermission and with only 20 minutes left to play, we were ahead by one goal. The 2-1 score was all thanks to Max.
“You’re staying strong out there, boys,” Dan nodded as the team sat in there stalls. “We’ve got to keep our D going and create some traffic in front of the net. We’re down a man,” the room cringed. Sidney had gone out after landing on his knee in the 2nd. We could only hope he returned. “But that doesn’t mean we’re down as a team. Keep playing the way we are and it’s ours. Good job out there, Talbo.” He exited the room then to speak with the other coaches, leaving us in silence.
“You hear coach,” Geno said speaking up. “Stay strong. We have shot.”
There was a sound of approval, silenced only by the sound of an opening door. In walked our captain.
“I can play,” he said gruffly. It was obvious he was hopped up on all sorts of pain meds. “But I don’t know for how long.”
“Don’t do anything risky,” I warned him as I picked up my phone and checked my messages. I had a few waiting in my inbox, like I suspected.
Eric had sent me one, as had Marc and Jared. Theirs only said to watch my stick handling and wished me good luck. Mom had sent me a picture of Leah with baby Parker on her lap. (I saved that one.) And of course, there were three from Leah.
She had sent me one right before the start of the game, wishing me luck and that she’d be waiting for her picture with the Cup. Another in the 2nd, yelling at me to stop looking up at her in the stands, and one just now. The most recent one was a simple message, just saying ‘I love you.’
Sure, we hadn’t been together long, but when you were dating your best friend, time didn’t matter. I had asked her out right before she left to go back to school after the start of playoffs. I remember her laughing at me and me worrying that she would say no. Instead, she smiled up at me and brought my lips down to her level. I don’t remember ever being so relieved.
*****
The final period started with Detroit coming back ready to fight for their win. None of us wanted to take unnecessary penalties, and we didn’t, but it got close. It seemed like the Wings knew just what to say to get under our skin.
“Ignore it, boys!” Dan shouted to us as I took my seat on the bench after my first shift of the period. He knew just as well as we did that one too many words could push even the calmest of players over the edge.
Sid took to the ice then and we all watched with bated breath. You could see him struggling out there and before long, he was off the ice and shaking his head.
“No good,” he huffed and sauntered into the hallway that led to the locker room.
“Okay,” Dan called to us above the noise of the crowd. “That means we’re all working 110% for the last ten minutes. No mistakes!”
In seconds, my line was back on the ice, ready to defend our one point lead. On the family bench, I saw my parents, Leah, and Jared sitting while Eric, Marc, Tanya, Parker, and Lindsey were up a box. I could tell Leah was worried. She knew the game as well as any hockey player, being surrounded by it growing up and she could tell that Detroit was hot on our tails. I shook any thought of Leah out of my head for the time being and focused on one thing. Lord Stanley.
It seemed that just as I took my seat on the bench, things started heating up. There were players skating every which way, trying to gain control of the puck and put into the goals. As the minutes ticked by, and I was out on the ice again, the whole arena seemed to hold its breath. Especially when a puck was shot at Flower and it only missed being a point thanks to the cross bars getting in the way. It was something out of a movie.
00:00
The Penguins fans in the arena were on their feet, screaming. The team and staff wasn’t too different. Those of us already on the ice were quick to pile on Flower, joined by everyone else. We had done it. We had won our Cup.
Family and friends made their way onto the ice soon and I found myself searching out Leah and my family.
“Congratulations!” she threw her arms around my neck as I picked her up and spun around with her. “You did it!”
I kissed her lightly before hugging my parents and brothers. It had been a family effort getting Eric to his Cup and me to mine, none of which would have been possible without our parents.
“Jordan, my brother from another mother!” a familiar voice said behind me. Cabbie.
As annoying as the man was, he was still one of the favorite interviewers and media personnel across the league.
“Cabbie,” I nodded as we fist bumped and one armed hugged. “How are you doing?”
“Probably not as good as you,” he said. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks, man,” I said as I absentmindedly wrapped an arm around Leah.
We talked for a few minutes, him even giving me a ‘medal’. Leah stood next to me, quietly, just listening. I’m sure her writer’s brain was whirring with ideas.
“I’ve got to ask,” Cabbie said. “Who’s this?” He gestured to Leah, making her face go red.
“This is my childhood best friend,” I squeezed her side, making her smile. “And girlfriend, Leah Emerlee.”
“Hi,” she waved. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Cabbie nodded as they shook hands. “My girlfriend loves your books.”
If she wasn’t already the deepest shade of red possible, she went even more so then.
Her blush, one of her many endearing qualities.
It was the 2nd intermission and with only 20 minutes left to play, we were ahead by one goal. The 2-1 score was all thanks to Max.
“You’re staying strong out there, boys,” Dan nodded as the team sat in there stalls. “We’ve got to keep our D going and create some traffic in front of the net. We’re down a man,” the room cringed. Sidney had gone out after landing on his knee in the 2nd. We could only hope he returned. “But that doesn’t mean we’re down as a team. Keep playing the way we are and it’s ours. Good job out there, Talbo.” He exited the room then to speak with the other coaches, leaving us in silence.
“You hear coach,” Geno said speaking up. “Stay strong. We have shot.”
There was a sound of approval, silenced only by the sound of an opening door. In walked our captain.
“I can play,” he said gruffly. It was obvious he was hopped up on all sorts of pain meds. “But I don’t know for how long.”
“Don’t do anything risky,” I warned him as I picked up my phone and checked my messages. I had a few waiting in my inbox, like I suspected.
Eric had sent me one, as had Marc and Jared. Theirs only said to watch my stick handling and wished me good luck. Mom had sent me a picture of Leah with baby Parker on her lap. (I saved that one.) And of course, there were three from Leah.
She had sent me one right before the start of the game, wishing me luck and that she’d be waiting for her picture with the Cup. Another in the 2nd, yelling at me to stop looking up at her in the stands, and one just now. The most recent one was a simple message, just saying ‘I love you.’
Sure, we hadn’t been together long, but when you were dating your best friend, time didn’t matter. I had asked her out right before she left to go back to school after the start of playoffs. I remember her laughing at me and me worrying that she would say no. Instead, she smiled up at me and brought my lips down to her level. I don’t remember ever being so relieved.
*****
The final period started with Detroit coming back ready to fight for their win. None of us wanted to take unnecessary penalties, and we didn’t, but it got close. It seemed like the Wings knew just what to say to get under our skin.
“Ignore it, boys!” Dan shouted to us as I took my seat on the bench after my first shift of the period. He knew just as well as we did that one too many words could push even the calmest of players over the edge.
Sid took to the ice then and we all watched with bated breath. You could see him struggling out there and before long, he was off the ice and shaking his head.
“No good,” he huffed and sauntered into the hallway that led to the locker room.
“Okay,” Dan called to us above the noise of the crowd. “That means we’re all working 110% for the last ten minutes. No mistakes!”
In seconds, my line was back on the ice, ready to defend our one point lead. On the family bench, I saw my parents, Leah, and Jared sitting while Eric, Marc, Tanya, Parker, and Lindsey were up a box. I could tell Leah was worried. She knew the game as well as any hockey player, being surrounded by it growing up and she could tell that Detroit was hot on our tails. I shook any thought of Leah out of my head for the time being and focused on one thing. Lord Stanley.
It seemed that just as I took my seat on the bench, things started heating up. There were players skating every which way, trying to gain control of the puck and put into the goals. As the minutes ticked by, and I was out on the ice again, the whole arena seemed to hold its breath. Especially when a puck was shot at Flower and it only missed being a point thanks to the cross bars getting in the way. It was something out of a movie.
00:00
The Penguins fans in the arena were on their feet, screaming. The team and staff wasn’t too different. Those of us already on the ice were quick to pile on Flower, joined by everyone else. We had done it. We had won our Cup.
Family and friends made their way onto the ice soon and I found myself searching out Leah and my family.
“Congratulations!” she threw her arms around my neck as I picked her up and spun around with her. “You did it!”
I kissed her lightly before hugging my parents and brothers. It had been a family effort getting Eric to his Cup and me to mine, none of which would have been possible without our parents.
“Jordan, my brother from another mother!” a familiar voice said behind me. Cabbie.
As annoying as the man was, he was still one of the favorite interviewers and media personnel across the league.
“Cabbie,” I nodded as we fist bumped and one armed hugged. “How are you doing?”
“Probably not as good as you,” he said. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks, man,” I said as I absentmindedly wrapped an arm around Leah.
We talked for a few minutes, him even giving me a ‘medal’. Leah stood next to me, quietly, just listening. I’m sure her writer’s brain was whirring with ideas.
“I’ve got to ask,” Cabbie said. “Who’s this?” He gestured to Leah, making her face go red.
“This is my childhood best friend,” I squeezed her side, making her smile. “And girlfriend, Leah Emerlee.”
“Hi,” she waved. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Cabbie nodded as they shook hands. “My girlfriend loves your books.”
If she wasn’t already the deepest shade of red possible, she went even more so then.
Her blush, one of her many endearing qualities.
♠ ♠ ♠
A nice, long update that will probably be the last one for a few weeks. NaNo starts in just 2 days, so I'll be very caught up in that. On another note, if you start missing me-and I know you all will, lol- you can check out my tumblr blogs. I'll leave links below for you all to check them out. One's hockey related and the other isn't. The last one has a little more...meaningful blogging on it, if that makes sense. Check 'em out and follow me! I follow back! Let me know what's on your minds, lovelies!Hockey Blog
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