Page 111 of Slap Shot

I burst out laughing. “Sorry to disappoint, but my dick does not have a piercing. And I’m not telling you whodoeshave a piercing.”

“I’ll get it out of you one day.” She caps her pen and smiles at me. “What’s up?”

I take a deep breath before starting to speak. “I want to learn sign language so I can communicate with Lucy. I want to be able to ask about her day and tell her about mine. I want to know what she’s saying to Madeline that makes her laugh so much. I want to be included, but more importantly, I want to include her inmyconversations instead of talking around her. I should’vestarted learning it sooner. I don’t know why I waited so long, but I?—”

“Hudson.” Piper reaches for me. Her smile is bright when she wraps her fingers around mine. “That’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Are we forgetting the time I tied my wedding ring to my skate?” Liam grumbles. “That was sweet.”

“This isn’t about you.” She waves him off and turns back to me. “I’d be honored to help. ASL—that’s American Sign Language—can be really complex. Its linguistic features make it different from any other language, and it’s itsownlanguage. It’s not based off English. The grammatical structure is different from what you’re familiar with, and it’s very visual.”

“Do you think I could learn some basic phrases if I practice and put in the work?”

“Of course. I can send you videos to get you started, but you live in DC. Gallaudet University is right up the road, and it’s a private college for deaf students. You’ll be more effective learning ASL from a native speaker instead of me.”

“Really?” I sit up in my chair, excited. “I wonder if I could find someone to tutor me even though I’m not a student. I’d pay them, obviously.”

“I bet you could. It would be a more authentic experience, and I’d never want to take away that opportunity from someone more qualified than me.”

“I’ll do some research and see what I can find. Thanks for the suggestion, Piper.”

“Why don’t you ask Madeline? Lucy’s school is under Gallaudet’s education umbrella. I’m sure she could point you in the right direction.”

“I ah, don’t want to tell her,” I admit, and Piper frowns.

“You don’t? Why not?”

That’s the question I’ve been weighing since I first had this idea.

It happened when I saw Lucy zone out of a conversation Madeline and I were having because she couldn’t communicate with me and I couldn’t communicate with her.

The notepad and Etch A Sketch help us get by. They’refine, a tool that works, but I don’t want Lucy to have to change her way of doing things for me. I should be the one making an effort.

It seems dehumanizing. Like I’m talking to a piece of paper, not to her. I don’t get to see the way her eyes light up when she’s sharing something that made her happy. I don’t get to see her smile when she asks if she can bring the dogs in for show-and-tell because I’m too busy flipping to a new page. Jotting something down, and by the time I look up, the moment is gone.

I know Madeline would be happy to teach me, but she’s always doing things for other people. She deserves to have someone show up and do something forher. Not because she asked, but because they want to.

“I want it to be a surprise,” I finally say, and I’m glad when Piper doesn’t press me any further.

“Do you want to start now? I can make you all some food, then we can go over a few things.”

“Really? You’d give up some of your evening for me?”

“Oh, Hudson. You don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?” I ask, confused.

“You’ve done so much for me. For the team. For Liam. Forus. You organize volunteer hours for the guys. You stop to sign autographs for anyone who hands you a piece of gear. After our accidental wedding in Vegas last New Year’s, your level-headedness kept us both calm. I know we’re where we are today because of your ability to get us to communicate,” she says, blushing. “You’re so selfless, all the time. Helping you with something you’re clearly passionate about isn’t a chore. It’ssomething I’d be glad to do. You’re a good man with a kind heart, and if learning sign language is what you want to do, I’m honored to play a small role in it.”

Piper makes me sound like a hero, when, really, I’m just treating people how I’d want to be treated. Therightway to be treated, and that boils over to Madeline and Lucy too.

“Shucks, Little P.” I grin at her. “You’re too good to me.”

“Fuck me, I guess,” Liam grunts. “It’s like I’m not even here.”

“Calm down, you jealous oaf.” Piper pushes back her chair and claps. “Food, then we’ll get to work. You’re going to be an expert in no time, Huddy.”

Me

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