“Rest up tonight, you know how important the big homecoming game is tomorrow,” Dad added, with a confident smile.
As the team started to disperse, he pulled Owen aside, and I overheard their conversation as I passed. “Why have you all been wearing those bracelets the past two weeks?”
Owen grinned and nodded in Parker’s direction. “Maybe you should ask him.”
Dad only frowned before grunting and walking off the ice. He didn’t ask Parker anything. Not that I was surprised.
When I got home that evening, I went straight up to myroom as usual. My dad might have made it clear that he was pleased with the team’s efforts at practice, but he hadn’t said anything to me about my performance, or my chances of surviving probation. We still weren’t talking, even though I had plenty of questions for him.
I sat on my bed and pulled the picture of my mom and her hockey team out from under my pillow. As much as I needed answers, I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear them yet. It didn’t stop me from wondering why Dad had kept this from me all these years, though.
There was a knock at the door, and I stuffed the picture back under the pillow as Tessa poked her head into my room.
“When we first moved into this house, I didn’t realize it came with its very own ghost,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to live in a place that’s haunted.”
I laughed softly. “Sorry, Tessa. I realize I haven’t been around much.”
She walked across the room and sat on the bed beside me. “I know you’re having a hard time with your dad,” she said. “He won’t talk about it with me, either. I get that hockey is important to you both, but this has got to stop.”
Tessa couldn’t have known the issue was about more than just hockey now. It felt like there was a gaping chasm between me and my dad. One I didn’t even know how to begin to cross.
“I don’t know what to say to him,” I admitted.
“Will you try?” she asked. “I know he’s stubborn, but this is never going to get better if you two don’t talk.” She took in a breath to compose herself. “Just think about it,” she added.
I nodded.
Her expression was thoughtful when she looked back at me. “Do you know how proud I am of you, Kenzie? It’s hard enough to go after the things we want in life. But it feels impossible when we don’t have support from the people we love most. Keep going, honey. I know your dad will come around eventually. And in the meantime, know that I’m cheering for you.”
I smiled up at her. “Thanks, Tessa.”
As she left my room, I pulled out the picture of my mom again. Maybe Tessa was right. This was something I couldn’t hide from. Something he couldn’t hide from either. It was time to talk.
I headed down to my dad’s office, clutching the picture, nerves running up and down my skin and making my hands shake. Hovering outside his slightly open door, I wondered for a moment if I was brave enough. I didn’t usually back down from anything, but seeing my mom in hockey gear just like me simply meant too much. I didn’t want anything my dad might say to ruin it for me.
“Mackenzie?” Dad called out. “That you out there?”
I stepped into the doorway. “Yeah, it’s me.”
He hesitated when he saw me, like he was uncertain how to start. When his eyes caught on the bracelets on my wrist, he nodded at them. “Can you explain why you’re all wearing those?”
I instinctively reached out to touch them. It almost felt like the one Parker had given me was burning against my skin. It didn’t belong there. But I couldn’t take it off.
“Parker had us make them.”
“He did?” Dad sounded confused. He was probably worriedthey were a sign of Parker leading a team rebellion against him.
“Yeah, he called the team together last week and told us our communication on the ice needed to improve. So, we’ve been working on team bonding outside of practice.”
Dad’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t I know about this?”
“Maybe because you make it hard for the team to trust you,” I said. “You have me on probation. Parker’s convinced that if he looks at me wrong, you’ll bench him, and yet he’s been helping me train anyway.”
“What are you talking about?” Dad growled.
“Well, I wasn’t getting any support from my coaches, was I?” I snapped. “And Parker will do anything to help the team win. He’s a clear leader, but you still haven’t named him captain. Why? Because I kissed him a few years ago?”
“This isn’t about that. Parker Darling only cares about his own game. He’s not captain material.”
