I couldn’t help but laugh and watch Sav in the stands going crazy as they announced my name for the assist… It felt surreal.
That got me thinking… Maybe we could just stay this way forever. Maybe things would naturally progress with my game and with Sav… Maybe we wouldn’t even have to address all the weirdness and we could just be together. We both wanted the same things- that white picket fence life with little figure skaters and hockey players running around… So why not just make it happen? We both hated being alone… and Ilovedher. And I think she really liked me too… She liked my touch, I knew that much…
The front of my shirt was grabbed a second later and I was forced to look into Coach’s gray eyes. “Stop staring at Blondie in section 2A. Ice, now!” he hollered in my face.
I looked out to the ice and immediately fumbled to jump over the boards… Duke was already out there giving me a strange look.
But I finally felt calm.
Nothing was stopping us.
And forty seconds later, that idea was cemented in my brain with my first NHL goal.
I knew that I was supposed to be here at this moment with the Callahans…
It wasfated.
52. Sav
Griff, Duke, and I found a nice rhythm during the week.
They were staying up in the NHL for the weekend’s games as well, and the stadium was just down the street from the townhouse, so they ended up going to practices and then coming back to my place to help me with the baby’s nursery the rest of the day.
I got a kick out of listening to the two of them watching game tape and discussing plays while painting the extra room a soothing sky blue color.
They wouldn’t let me help because they were afraid the fumes might affect me, so I was only allowed to bring them food every once in a while.
They ended up crashing here on my living room couch because it was late by the time they finished each night. But it was worth it because by Friday night, the room was finished…and it was better than I could have everimagined…
“Okay, Sis… C’mon in!” Duke called.
I felt my face stretch into a bright smile as I unfolded myself from the couch.
“You guys sure?!” I sing-songed.
“Move it or lose it!” Duke responded. I could hear Griff’s deep rumble laugh as I walked back toward them.
When I threw the door open, my heart practically stopped.
They did not follow my directions.
Theydiduse a soft blue color… but only for the sky above the boards…
They painted the walls to look like an outdoor rink, and they purchased a rug that resembled an ice rink with the lines and circles and everything. On top of that, all the furniture was assembled… It was completely finished.
And I was speechless.
“Oh shoot.” Duke’s face fell. He turned to Griff with slumped shoulders. “See, I told you she’d be mad that we didn’t follow her boring directions, man.”
Griff came closer to me and held the small of my back as he craned his neck to make eye contact.
“You upset?” he asked with a cringe.
I moved forward and pulled them both into a tight hug.
“This is perfect,” I said. “I’m… I’m…”
“Overwhelmed with the beauty, eh?” Duke chuckled.
