JJ: Facts.
Dev chimes in a few minutes later with his usual calm, reasonable energy. He’s even more chaos averse than I am.
Grant: I’ll split up the volunteer list with Cole. We can go through and contact everyone to make sure they’re still on board.
Cole: I can talk to the Walk Safe team as well. I’m sure I can get some of them on board to help at the event. After all, it’s for the kittens.
Me: And underprivileged youth in hockey.
JJ: AND kittens.
Dev: I’ll lift the tables. And help with the cleanup.
Maisie: We need to get new signage. We’ve got some gear donations, but a handful of donors backed out, so we’ll have to get back in their good graces. We needsnacks. And if someone doesn’t call Cece for promo art, I’ll deem you all hopeless.
Me: Obviously I’ll loop my sister in. Why is she not already in this chat?
I send a side text to my sister.
Me: You free for a graphics sprint? It’s for a good cause. We need to rebrand the charity scrimmage. Men v Women. New location. Let’s call it rustic.
Cece: Sounds terrifying.
Me: It’s the old rink at Glen Hill. We’ll clean it up.
Cece: I don’t know Beau. Isn’t that place condemned?
Me: It’s for the cats, Cece. You can’t say no to helping the cats.
I include a picture of Bluebeard lying on his back, paws folded in the air as he exposes his fluffy belly. That should drive the point home.
Cece: That’s emotional blackmail.
Me: What else are brothers for?
Cece: Right. Of course I’m in. Just wanted to string you along a little first. Really make you beg for it.
Me: Speaking of emotional manipulation…
The energy builds fast. Faster than I expected. Once we get the ball rolling, everyone jumps on board with ideas, and the plan starts to fall into place.
And for once, instead of feeling like the pressure is closing in, I feel like I’m holding the line. I’m taking action and taking control of something that means something. A business deal with my father’s firm would never feel like this.
Maisie catches me zoning out and throws a sugar packet at my face. “Hey. We’re not done yet. You still need to recruit the rest of the women’s team. Don’t expect me to do all your work for you.” I know she would if I dropped the ball on it, but I’m not going to. I’m ready to step up and beg if I must.
“Do I have to bribe them?”
“Probably.”
“With what?”
“Chocolate. Free tape. Debasing yourself in a trending dance on social media, maybe.”
“Chocolate and tape I can handle. Hard pass on the dance routine.”
“Then you better make the speech of your life.”
The women’s team has agreed to meet me in their locker room after practice.
