The Pain of Remembering

John Moore POV:

I was sitting on the bench anxiously. The game had just started against the Los Angeles Kings. Three periods and I would be on the plane home to my family. I would be able to see my wife again. That’s what kept me going.

By the middle of the second period the game was tied by the LA Kings at 1. I hopped onto the ice as soon as Dan skated off and took off towards the puck in our zone. Ryan beat me to it and skated up, I followed quickly passing him to get into a scoring position. A quick pass to Steps was made and he dragged the goalie over to him. I stood right by the empty side of the net as he shot it toward me. I deflected it in giving us the lead. I blew a kiss at the camera as I skated by before the guys circled up around me. Maybe they had turned the TV on for Ally and she was watching the game.

By the end of the game I had scored the game winning goal. I walked into the locker room smiling.

“Okay! Broadway hat time, boys!” Captain Callahan announced as we sat down at our stalls. “I think that we can all agree that Johnny over here deserves the hat tonight for his game winning goal!” He tossed the hat over to me and smiled widely as I put it on while the media poured into the room.

“John, I saw that you blew a kiss to the camera after that goal you scored, was it for anyone special?” One of them asked.

“That was for my wife who is in the hospital with brain cancer.” I explained.

“You want to send her a message?” Another asked.

“Happy day early birthday, Ally, that goal was for you, babe! I love you!” I said looking straight at the camera and smiling.

Derick Brassard POV:

“Uncle Derick! Put me down!” Alexis giggled as she pounded on my back playfully. I had picked her up and was carrying her around the house over my shoulder. I was out with a tailbone injury and was in charge of Johnny’s little daughter, Lexi, until he got back.

“I think it’s time for someone to go to sleep.” I told her in a sing song voice. I walked her to her room and put her in her bed. After singing her a lullaby she was out like a light and I turned the game on.

The phone started ringing and I saw it was the hospital. They were only supposed to call if something changed with Ally.

“Hello?” I asked as I picked the phone up.

“Mr. Moore?” The person asked.

“No this is his friend, Derick. What’s up with her?” I asked him, pinching the bridge of my nose. I looked at the screen and saw Johnny sitting on the bench.

“I’m afraid to tell you that your friend’s wife is dead. She passed away just a few minutes ago.” He told me grimly. I stood there in silence. No, this couldn’t happen right now. John wasn’t with her. He wanted to be there when she went. She was supposed to have a week left. “Are you still there, sir?”

“Yeah… yeah… Can you do me a favor and not call his cell and tell him? I think he’d like to hear it from me.” I explained.

“Okay, just please pass on the message.” And with that he hung up. I put the phone down and looked at the TV. Johnny was set up in front and Steps passed to him. John shot the puck in and scored the goal giving the team the lead. He blew a kiss at the camera before the guys circled around him. A kiss that his wife would never see or receive. Tears rolled down my cheek, how would I explain this to him when he got back? He was expecting to go see her tomorrow to celebrate her twenty third birthday. I would break the news to him in the car on the way home I decided. That would be the best time to.

Finally the game ended and the interviews came on. I smiled slightly seeing John in the Broadway hat.

“John, I saw that you blew a kiss to the camera after that goal you scored, was it for anyone special?” The first interviewer asked.

“That was for my wife who is in the hospital with brain cancer.” He told them, looking down slightly, his smile breaking for a second.

“You want to send her a message?” Another asked.

“Happy day early birthday, Ally, that goal was for you, babe! I love you!” He said looking straight at the camera and smiled widely. He looked so happy and proud of himself for scoring.
“Oh, Johnny boy, if only you knew the news.” I said sadly, getting up to turn the TV off.

They wouldn’t be getting home until tomorrow morning so I had time to figure out how to break the news to him. I would give him the night to celebrate the victory and then I would break the news. How would he even explain this to his daughter? Would he take some time away from the game? How would he even react?
“Tomorrow, I have to tell him tomorrow. As we start going home I’ll tell him.” I told myself as I walked to the guest room.