The clock keeps moving. What even happens if they don’t win? Extra time? I need to ask Bella about it later.
Holden shouts something to them—not that I can hear him—but I can’t take my eyes off him. They all skate to him. A time out, it seems.Sweet Carolineplays through the speakers, and the crowd chants the common “pam, pam, pam.”
“He’s hot,” Cara shouts in my ear for everyone to hear, even over the loud song.
“Shh. Your husband is back there!”
“Manny probably thinks he’s hot, too, if you ask him.” The girls change lines in a blur of skates and jerseys.
Cara leans in. “This is it. They’ll pull the goalie if they get possession.”
“They’ll do what now?”
“Extra attacker,” Roe says.
I’m so lost.
The puck slides to Bella’s stick, and there she goes, in control, holding the stick and gliding through.
“She sees the opening,” Roe says softly.
Bella passes. The puck moves side to side, a blur of blue and white. Back to Bella.
“She’s open,” Cara says.
“She’s open!” Allie echoes, even though she definitely does not know what that means.
Bella winds up.
I stand again. I cannot help it. “Bella,” I whisper, like she can hear me through plexiglass and all the space between us.
“Mama?” Vero whispers.
I gasp.
She shoots.
The puck flies.
Time snaps.
Goal.
Goal?!
Goal!
For half a second, there is silence. Then, the red light flashes, the horn blares, and the entire rink explodes!
“Goal!”
I scream. I laugh. I cry. I hug Vero to my chest and then Allie, who screams too, and Roe, and Cara, and possibly a stranger behind us.
“That’s my daughter!” I shout, voice cracking. “That’s my girl!”
“Bella! Bella!” Vero chants; even after just waking up, she’s ready to go.
Bella throws her arms up, teammates swarming her.
