“It’s stupid.”
Ben pointed to the TV, where the commercial break had ended, and the broadcaster showed a slowed-down replay of the fight Howie had gotten into with Damir Denisov, who stood easily a head taller and about one-and-a-half times broader than Howie.“No, that’s stupid.Look at them wobbling around on their tiny little skates, trying to hit each other.”
Charlie watched and, when Howie’s flailing arms made him overbalance and fall to the ice, laughed.“Okay, yeah, he looks pretty dumb.”
“So what happened today?”
Running his thumb over the seam of the couch cushion, Charlie said, “I went to school.It was…I don’t know…normal?But I didn’t know anyone, and all the classrooms looked different, and I just…” He looked down, but Ben caught the tears slipping down his cheeks.“I missed my mom.”
Tentatively, Ben rested a hand on Charlie’s shoulder.“That’s not stupid.”
“She hates me.”
There were so many things Ben could say about his own experience and his mother and what he felt about her.He didn’t.“You know how they preach about turning the other cheek and how God is love?”
“Uh-huh.”
“These days, I like to think I live up to those words more than they do if I can love people who gave up on me.”
Charlie took a deep, shuddering breath and slumped a little closer to Ben, close enough he could wrap an arm around Charlie’s shoulders.They stayed that way until Tom Crowler skated onto the ice for the first face-off of the second period.Then Ben got a tub of Rocky Road from the freezer, and they ate it straight from the carton.
Later, when he’d poured a half-asleep Charlie into bed, Ben sat in his room and stared at his phone.He had to get a move on with Trout.It was more imperative than ever he figure out an exit strategy from this job.
Trout had offered to cover for him.Maybe Ben should take him up on it.
Thanks,he texted.Late night gone wrong.I’ll be back for the roadie.
Almost immediately, Trout responded.Late night gone wrong, eh?Sounds interesting.
Got into it with my bookie.Never go drinking with a guy when you owe him money.
There was a longer pause this time.Ben toggled over to his messages with Phil.It would be a while before Phil got home, longer if the team went out.Would it be weird to let him know Ben was thinking of him?
He drafted a few attempts:Thank you for your help tonightread too formally.Looking sharpmade him sound like someone’s grandmother.Can I please lick your thighs?was just too much in general.Nothing sounded right.
Trout responded.Let’s get a drink when we’re in LA.I know a guy who could help you out.
Finally, an in.
Ben gave it six-and-a-half minutes before shooting Trout a thumbs-up.
Then, he texted Phil.Nice suit, by the way.
He resisted double texting until he went to bed.Then, the sight of his toothbrush by the sink next to Phil’s as if he really lived here, as if he could stay, destroyed his sense of self-preservation, and the second message blinked up at him from his phone screen before he’d fully realized he intended to send it.
I’d like to take it off you.
Chapter Nine
“The Sea Lions defense is starting to shape up!After a rough start, rookie call-up Luca Mazetti is more than proving his worth in the first D-pair.He’s racked up four apples and a goal in his first six games—almost a point per game if he keeps the pace up.But where does that leave the Sea Lions’ more established players?Well, Jimmy Hayes has been demoted to the second D-pair and kicked off the first power play unit, and here’s a few pictures of him pouting on the bench while play continues without him.Then there’s veteran player Phil Easton, who’s looking at LTIR status in a contract year.It seems clear the best bet for the Sea Lions will be to dump the cap hit his six-million-dollar contract causes and invest in cheap, young talent.”
Top comments:
hockeyfanofcolor88: Talking about Easton’s cap hit and trading him off while the man’s dealing with an injury that could end his career.Classy.
phileastfanclub: Crossing fingers for Easton to heal up fast and prove y’all wrong.
sealions4lyfe: Easton’s been a waste of cap space for years now everyone saying anything different is lying or an idiot.
