Focused on the scene unfolding in front of me, I barely register my name.
“Maggie Gallagher!” combined voices call.
I turn around to see Nia and Kayley standing in their seats, waving.
Oh wow . . . They came.
“Come up here!” Gemma is pointing to the seat by Julie.
I rise and then drop down remembering how much trouble it was to shuffle past an entire row of people. They’re six rows up, and on the opposite end of their row.
“Sit down!” someone yells as he stands gesturing wildly that he can’t see.
Kayley spins around. “You want to come down here and make me? Shut the hell up, that’s my brother’s girl and he’s riding next.”
The man shakes his head and drops back to his spot.
“Please, Maggie, come sit with us?” Nia begs, her hands pressed together in a prayer.
“Oh, for the love of all things holy, you gotta be up there.” The man behind stands, turning to the side so his seat is empty. “Hop on over, love.”
The woman two seats back does the same. “Sit with your family, go on.”
The young guy behind her rises and smiles.
Then another person does the same.
Then another.
Until a direct diagonal path is waiting for me to make my way to the women who are beaming at me.
Shit.
I grab up my bag and climb onto my seat. As I move to step over, the older man takes my hand, and I climb up and stand on his seat. The woman reaches for me. I take her hand and navigate the next one.
The young guy bows and holds out his palm. I slap my hand into it and his smile turns into a grin.
“Thank you,” I say, and he simply nods.
Another hand, another seat stepping stone.
I make it up the six rows, thanks to the help of utter strangers, and emotion burns behind my nose by the time Kayley folds me in her hug. “Hell, we didn’t know if you’d come.”
“I almost didn’t.” The words are too wobbly to hide my emotion now.
Nia shoves her sister along a seat. “You are absolutely sitting next to me.”
I huff a laugh and sit by her, folding her into a hug. “Hey, gorgeous.”
“Man, I thought we lost you when you two broke up.” Her eyes search mine, as if waiting for an answer I can’t give her.
“Nia,” Kayley warns.
“But—”
“Now this pairing right here,” the announcer chirps, “was almost a fatal one, this time a year and a half ago. These two know each other well. In chute number three, say hello to Hells Bells! And the man who came back to tame his archnemesis, HAD-LEY J-O-N-E-S! He’s fighting for the hardware tonight folks, and injured to boot, so give it up!”
Nia’s hand slips into mine. My stomach is a wildfire of nerves. I haven’t seen Hadley since the day he was carted off the arena. It feels like a lifetime ago, not a mere seven days.
