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Byron

I’m sitting in my locker in the Riley Center on Saturday afternoon with my headphones over my ears and my pre-game playlist on full blast. We are coming off an impressive eight to one win last night and I’m ready to do it all over again.

Some of the guys like to talk strategy before a game–I think the moment you step in the arena on game day you should already be prepared.

I prefer to reduce the risk of over complicating the game.

I like to remember this is all supposed to be fun.

Coach Stevens walks into the locker room and suddenly all conversation stops. It’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I take my headphones off and place them in my locker.

“Okay boys we are still early in the season, but it doesn’t mean I want to take these games against lesser opponents lightly. We are the reigning National Champions and we will have a target on our backs all season. Do you want to add anything, captain?”

I get up already in my full pads, ready to take the ice and look around the room. Taking in the faces of the men who put their all into this pre-season.

“We are coming off a bye week, but that doesn’t mean I expect us to go out there and play like it. Remember that how you play in these games will carry over to the big time games. Let’s go out there and get this win.”

The locker room breaks into cheers with sticks banging against the wooden lockers.

We take the ice to a fully packed arena.

My eyes dart to the family section to see if my parents are here yet.

It takes only a second to spot them. My eyes instantly find Lola, my parents are sitting on the other side of hers.

Last night my dad was grateful for Dr. Adams offering to set up a second opinion.

I learned that his cancer started in his pancreas and had already spread before he got his diagnosis.

We stayed away from any cancer talk after that. Opting to have a nice dinner. Oliver tagged along making it easier to keep the night light. I used the excuse of having to get a good night’s rest to avoid ruining the nice night we were having.

Lola’s sitting there dressed in all black with a leather jacket placed over her shoulders. I asked her to wear one article of Westvale clothing today and she said no. Only making my will to get her in my jersey that much stronger.

After the National Anthem I watch my dad take Mom’s hand before she laughs at something he’s said.

After spending a night with my parents I can see how happy he makes her.

He had the whole table laughing and me wondering where this guy had been my whole life.

This is the dad I would have loved to have had. The one I deserved to have.

The buzzer rings and as I skate my way to the center circle to take the opening face-off. I lock eyes with Lola. I shoot her wink before I settle in for the face-off.

I get the puck out to Marcus who takes it in and scores.

The game doesn’t slow down from there. We get a quick 4-1 lead and half way through the second period I find myself sitting on the bench for longer stretches of time.

“What are those?” I ask Oliver as he pulls something out from behind his leg pads.

He dangles a gummy worm above his head before dropping it in his mouth.

“Dude what the fuck? Don’t let Coach see you,” I say as I go in and grab one.

“I mean I haven’t gotten into a game yet this season I’ll be fine.”

Without missing a beat the referee’s whistle draws our attention to the ice where a fight has broken out. Our goalie, Eric, is sprawled out whaling in pain.

It’s like Oliver summoned some kind of karma because it looks like he is about to play in his first collegiate game.

He takes the gummy worms out of his pads and tosses them to me.

Coach stares at me and I just give him a shrug. He rolls his eyes, but he lets it go. I’m sure he’s seen weirder shit in his over twenty years of coaching.

“You got this Oliver!” I yell as I rip the head off of a purple gummy worm.

Everything just clicked today and it was another easy win and set the tone for the night. Oliver played absolutely amazing. We don’t know how long Eric will be out for yet, but Oliver definitely made a case for them sharing starts if he continues to play like that while Eric recovers.

The lobby is nearly empty after my post-game press conference; only my teammates and their families are left mulling around. Lola’s parents have Oliver wrapped in a hug. Oliver drags Lola in and even though she tries to protest, she is wearing a smile that takes up her entire face.

I’m glued to the Adams’ family embrace when I’m pulled into one myself. After the initial shock wears off I look down at my mom.

“It was a good weekend for you to come.”

“You played amazing. But what were you eating on the bench?”

Oliver looks over his shoulder and we both fall into a fit of laughter.

“You played well today, Byron,” my dad says with a shaky voice. He stays a step away from me, like he feels like he’s intruding on something.

“If your coach didn’t bench you, I think you had a real shot of beating your career high for points in a game you had last season.”

“Against Vermont,” we say that at the same time.

I look at my dad and I mean really look at him for the first time. Has he been following my career this whole time? But if that’s true then why didn’t he come around more?

“I watched every one of your games going back to high school.” His voice is meek. He keeps his eyes cast down as he continues. “I thought about trying to reach out so many times, but I was a coward and was scared of your and your mom’s rejection,” he says, running his hand up and down his arm.

“I wish it didn’t take your mom finding me sick in the hospital for me to come around again. I never stopped loving you Byron. I hope we can make the most of the time we have together now.”

That last sentence shakes me to my core.

How much time do we have left? Does he know something I don’t?

I do know that I don’t want to regret not spending time with him.

I’m sure it’s going to be weird at times, but he is looking for a door into my life.

I am just now realizing that I don’t want to be the lock keeping it closed.

“We are having a party at my house tonight. It’s Lola’s birthday today and mine is tomorrow. Do you and Mom want to come to the party?”

“Party?” my mom asks. She’s been pretending like she hasn’t been listening to our conversation, but I know my mother better than that.

“Yeah, do you want to come tonight?”

Mom gives Dad these big doe eyes. One simple look and she is puddy in his hands.

“We’ll come.”