"Aquariums aren't complicated. I mean, they are, but the fundamentals hold."
A laugh slipped out. "That sounds like a voice of experience."
"I know a thing or two."
"It sounds like you do more than fixing bar tanks."
Kieran's jaw shifted into a slight smile. "I volunteer at Shedd. Have for a while. You pick things up."
I'd heard about his volunteer gig. High profile, but this wasn't that.
"So you're good at this?" I gestured at the tank.
"Enough not to kill anything." Another sip of water. "Filtration's about balance. Nitrogen cycle. Making sure nothing spikes too fast. You test, adjust, wait."
He rotated his water glass on the bar.
"There was a sea turtle at Shedd last year, hit by a boat propeller. Took five months before she'd eat on her own. You can't rush that. You just show up and keep the water clean."
I realized I'd turned on the stool to face him. Didn't remember doing it. "Lots of waiting."
"Yeah." His voice dropped. "That's the part that matters."
He stopped. Looked at his water glass.
"Anyway. Owner's happy. Fish lives another day."
I looked at him. Held it a beat too long.
He angled toward me, away from the bar.
"You played well in preseason," he said.
I tensed. "I stuck around. That's it."
"That's not it." His eyes stayed level. "Our spot isn't charity."
The certainty in his voice hit sideways. Like the math was obvious to everyone but me.
I wanted to argue. List every reason he was wrong, including every shift where I'd second-guessed myself, and every goal that felt more lucky than earned. Like that one against Detroit where the puck had deflected off my skate, bounced off my ass, and somehow ended up in the net.SportsCenterreplayed it six times. The commentators laughed every time.
I didn't say any of that.
Standing here in a bar that wasn't pretending to be anything, talking about water chemistry, I felt more solid than I had all night. My body didn't brace.
Kieran asked nothing of me.
"Thanks," I said. An honest response.
He checked his phone. "I should head out. Early skate."
"Yeah. Me too."
He stood, paused, and looked at me once more. "See you tomorrow, Donnelly."
"See you tomorrow."
He left.
