“Maybe we could do something. Maybe we could offer her a way out. You always did that for me. When I was finally ready to leave, I had someone to call. I had someone I could trust. I’d like to be that person for her.”
He pressed a kiss to my temple. “Okay, we’ll think of something.”
My hand went up to his scruffy cheek. “Thank you for being my person, JP.”
He gave my wrist a gentle squeeze. “Always.”
38. JP - A PLAN
That night, my brain was too wired to sleep. Ali laid in bed beside me while I sat up against the headboard. I lazily gave her a head massage while researching the divorce situation and Mark Rossi.
My research led me right to the Centre Ice website, and I navigated to the squirt team’s page. They had a typical schedule for that level of play—practices every Tuesday and Thursday and a mixture of home and away games every weekend. I stared at tomorrow’s practice etched into a tiny square on the monthly calendar.
Everyone warned me to keep my distance from Rossi, and I would, but I wouldn’t keep my distance from Baker and his mom. I promised Ali we’d find a way to talk to her, and I wasn't about to break that promise. Showing up during a game wouldn’t be good, because Rossi would have a perfect view of the stands. He’d one hundred percent see me talking to her. But during a practice, Rossi would be tied to the ice, distracted by watching kids and running drills. And Baker’s mom wouldn’t necessarily be watching the entire practice. She’d most likely wander into the lobby for warmth or to order something from the concession stand. That would be my opening. It had to be.
Closing my laptop, the room was blanketed in peaceful darkness.Laying down, I curled around Ali, hating that I couldn’t drape my arm over her body. Ali stirred a little and I froze, hoping I didn’t scare her. But a couple seconds later, she scooched back until we were touching before going still again.
A mixture of relief and gratefulness filled my chest. We were almost there. We were almost to our happy ending. We just had this final piece to fix.
And now that I had a plan, I closed my eyes and easily fell asleep.
__________
2015
A sob escaped first.
I quickly pulled my phone away and stared down at the unknown number for a beat. “Ali?” I guessed.
The only sound on the other end of the line was ragged breathing.
My heart picked up speed. “Ali, is that you?” It’d been a year since I last heard from her, but deep down, I knew this phone call would eventually come.
“I-I need help,” she whispered. “C-can you come get me?”
“Yes, where are—”
“Wait, no,” she cut me off.
I held my breath, waiting for her to continue.
“This was a mistake,” she whispered. “I shouldn’t have called. Never mind. This was so stupid. I’m sorry.”
“No, Ali, just tell me where you—”
She ended the call.
Damn it.Frustration mounted in my body. I wanted to chuck my phone at the windshield. Instead, I squeezed it hard in my hand as I stared at the red stoplight ahead of me, willing myself to calm down and think this through.
I didn’t want to be right about Rossi, but I knew I was.
And that’s why I spent the last year loosely constructing a plan in the back of my brain for her. As much as I wanted that plan to include stealing her away and protecting her for the rest of my life, I knew that wouldn’t be good for her. If I hid her away like that, it would make me just as selfish as him. A girl like Ali didn’t want to be trapped. She dreamed of flying away, and I’d help her do that. I’d let her go, but I’d always hold onto the hope that we’d make it back together one day.
As soon as the stoplight turned green, I booked it down Michigan Avenue,speeding through the large skyscrapers on either side of me. My body trembled with a dangerous mixture of nerves and rage as I blew past my turn and continued to the highway.
I was supposed to be driving to our home stadium and suiting up for a game in a couple hours. But Ali was supposed to be in a safe and loving relationship.
As soon as my tires hit the highway ramp, I redialed the number she called from, but it went unanswered.
