“Hmm?”
Rob turned in the booth. “You seem distracted.”
Emma shrugged. “New job. Just a lot on my mind.”
He nodded. “I know how that goes. If you need anything, you know we’re there for you.”
“Of course, Dad.” She rubbed his shoulder.
“You coming to Sunday supper?”
Emma shrugged. “Not sure yet.”
“We miss you being there, you know.”
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Love you, Dad. Thanks for dinner.”
* * *
Emma had to park at the back of the Ice Centre parking lot. Fans in jerseys and scarves, blue for the Snowballs and purple for Edmonton, streamed in through the doors. The chill in the air was electric as Emma stepped inside and stomped the ice melt off her boots. She rushed down the stairs and found a spot in the stands, assuming she’d beaten Kelty and her parents there.
She’d guessed correctly. They filtered in a few minutes later and she waved them over to the spot she’d saved with her purse and coat spread out over the bench.
"Can you believe this crowd?" Kelty asked, gesturing to the packed stands. "I don't think I've ever seen it this full."
“I’m surprised at how much purple there is.” Not that Edmonton was a far drive, but for an Elite league game, it was a commitment.
"Maybe they think they actually have a chance.” Kelty winked and sat down beside her, tucking her first-aid kit under the bench.
“Refilled?”
Kelty rolled her eyes. “Hopefully we won’t need it. But yes.”
Emma pulled out her phone and shot a text wishing Sean good luck. She scrolled down to her texts with Tyler last weekend. It wasn’t strange for her to text him the same thing was it? She thought back to Merle at Co-op.Downright neighbourly,that was all.
Emma sent the text and slipped her phone back into her purse.
As the teams took to the ice, the tension among the players was palpable. Emma could see Sean's intense focus on his teammates, the weight of responsibility evident in his serious expression. Then there was Tyler—strong and confident—gliding across the ice. She watched him shamelessly as he warmed up, changing the direction of her head every once in a while so Kelty wouldn’t catch on.
"Let's go, Snowballs!" Kelty shouted as Sean moved to centre ice. "We've got this!"
The game was nothing short of intense. One player on Mills was nearly impossible to shut down. He scored twice in the first period, but the Snowballs’ wingers adjusted, keeping him at bay in the second.
Sean and Tyler were equally as dangerous on the other end of the ice. Tyler scored once off a pass from Sean, then assisted Country with a chip shot right before the start of the third period.
They battled it out after the break, but the score remained tied as the clock ticked down to its final seconds. Edmonton’s number twenty-four charged the net, but Ryan caught the puck with the end of his stick just before he took a shot.
The shrill sound of the buzzer signalled the end of regulation play, and the arena erupted in a cacophony of excitement and nervous energy. Overtime.
"Can you believe this?" Kelty shouted over the din, her eyes wide. "I think I might actually have a heart attack!"
"Seriously," Emma agreed, gripping the edge of her seat. This wasn’t how the game was supposed to go. The Snowballs had expected an easy win, based on the family chat, but Mills Hoodie looked strong.
She watched as Tyler skated to the bench and gulped from his water bottle. He would definitely be one of the players taking the ice for the extra three-on-three period. She thought of the still-fading bruises around his eyes and wondered what his ribs looked like.
Guilt settled over her. If he and Sean both weren’t a hundred percent and they lost this game because of it? Emma needed to pee something fierce, but she couldn’t tear herself from the bench.
C’mon, Tyler. C’mon, Sean.Three players on each team took the ice. Neither team had been on a power play at the end of the third. There had only been a few penalties, but now that both teams were worn down, they’d probably start to get sloppy.
