Status: contest entry
Battling Love
two
“What do you need, Toews?”
“I injured my shoulder last night and I carried my gear bag upstairs like a moron. I can’t move it much right now. I was wondering if you could just help me get situated out here on the couch and then you can go.”
“Why not in your room?” she looked really confused as to why a professional hockey player like myself who can buy a $10,000 bed would rather be set up on the couch that wasn’t expensive in the least.
“Lexi’s gone and I’m not talking to my Dad.” I relented to her with a sigh.
“Oh dear old Dad slept with your girl again? Will he ever learn?” I shook my head and she let out a giggle. “Have you eaten?” again, I shook my head. “When did you put the ice on?”
“When I sat down,” I told her.
“When was that?” she asked in a very motherly manner.
“About a half hour ago,” I replied sheepishly. “I can’t reach it to take it off,” I smiled slightly. She just shook her head with a wide grin and slowly helped me remove the ice pack so that I could do the whole 20 on and 20 off, except that I had already reached 30 on.
“What do you have to make for dinner?” she asked as if I would actually know. I had just come home from my two week road trip and I had left Lexi enough money to buy groceries before I left, but who knows if she actually bought some. I didn’t answer her as she walked into my kitchen and came back out within minutes. “You have nothing. Like, literally. That girl of yours stole your food. I think there’s one can of cream of mushroom soup and that’s it.”
“Sounds about right,” I sighed and tried to get comfortable against the old couch.
“Let me help you get comfortable and I’ll run down to Sheave’s. They still know your favorite?” she asked about the diner two doors down from my apartment building. I nodded and she slowly helped me move my big hockey feet to the other end of the couch, slowly turning my entire body to a lying position rather then sitting. “Alright, it hasn’t been a half hour yet, so when I come back we can put the ice back on. I’m going to run down now and grab the food. Try to stay still because I don’t know how bad it is. Wait, what did the trainers say?”
“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t ask them.”
“Jonathan, seriously? You separated your damn shoulder and you are too stubborn to say anything? Don’t you know you could be hurting your own damn career this way?”
“I know exactly what I’m up to, Lys.”
“Whatever, I’m going down to Sheave’s,” she grabbed my keys and locked the door behind her. I sighed and closed my eyes.
“I injured my shoulder last night and I carried my gear bag upstairs like a moron. I can’t move it much right now. I was wondering if you could just help me get situated out here on the couch and then you can go.”
“Why not in your room?” she looked really confused as to why a professional hockey player like myself who can buy a $10,000 bed would rather be set up on the couch that wasn’t expensive in the least.
“Lexi’s gone and I’m not talking to my Dad.” I relented to her with a sigh.
“Oh dear old Dad slept with your girl again? Will he ever learn?” I shook my head and she let out a giggle. “Have you eaten?” again, I shook my head. “When did you put the ice on?”
“When I sat down,” I told her.
“When was that?” she asked in a very motherly manner.
“About a half hour ago,” I replied sheepishly. “I can’t reach it to take it off,” I smiled slightly. She just shook her head with a wide grin and slowly helped me remove the ice pack so that I could do the whole 20 on and 20 off, except that I had already reached 30 on.
“What do you have to make for dinner?” she asked as if I would actually know. I had just come home from my two week road trip and I had left Lexi enough money to buy groceries before I left, but who knows if she actually bought some. I didn’t answer her as she walked into my kitchen and came back out within minutes. “You have nothing. Like, literally. That girl of yours stole your food. I think there’s one can of cream of mushroom soup and that’s it.”
“Sounds about right,” I sighed and tried to get comfortable against the old couch.
“Let me help you get comfortable and I’ll run down to Sheave’s. They still know your favorite?” she asked about the diner two doors down from my apartment building. I nodded and she slowly helped me move my big hockey feet to the other end of the couch, slowly turning my entire body to a lying position rather then sitting. “Alright, it hasn’t been a half hour yet, so when I come back we can put the ice back on. I’m going to run down now and grab the food. Try to stay still because I don’t know how bad it is. Wait, what did the trainers say?”
“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t ask them.”
“Jonathan, seriously? You separated your damn shoulder and you are too stubborn to say anything? Don’t you know you could be hurting your own damn career this way?”
“I know exactly what I’m up to, Lys.”
“Whatever, I’m going down to Sheave’s,” she grabbed my keys and locked the door behind her. I sighed and closed my eyes.