Page 175 of Slap Shot

“I’ll take a poll after the surprise,” I say. “We’ll see if your answer is the same.”

“And if it is?”

“I don’t know. Guess we’ll find out.”

Madeline smiles. “Guess we will.”

FIFTY

HUDSON

I’ve playedin half a do-or-die games over the course of my athletic career.

I’ve waited to see what NHL team I would sign with.

I’ve lined up against some of the best athletes in the world when I was kid in his first year in the league.

I’ve never been more nervous than I am right now.

I’m practically sweating on the couch. Lucy is next to me, and Madeline is on the other end. Gus is at my feet, and I think he can sense how anxious I am.

My knee is still bouncing like it was earlier. I keep wringing my hands together and flexing my fingers. At one point in the princess movie we’re watching, Madeline asked, again, if I was okay, and I’m sure the smile I plastered on my face made me look like a lunatic.

“I’m going to grab a hot chocolate for Lucy.” Madeline pauses the movie and stands. “Do you want anything?”

“I’m still full from the ice cream. Thanks, though,” I say, and when she disappears into the kitchen, I take a breath.

Lucy glances at me, grabbing my notebook off the coffee table. It’s the third one I’ve gone through, and I don’t plan to throw any of them away after I show off what I’ve learned. I likethe notes we’ve written each other. I like her misspelled words. I like how she adds smiley faces to the end of a sentence that makes her particularly happy—usually when she’s talking about her mom or the dogs—and I like the drawings she’s added to the margins.

I like that we’ll be able to communicate on her terms even more.

Where’s Millie? she writes, and I point to the kitchen.

Following your mom around and hoping for a marshmallow to fall on the floor, I scribble, grinning when she giggles.She said you have a surprise? I have a surprise for you. Do you want to go first?

You go first, she replies under my note, and I move the notebook out of the way.

“Everything okay in here?” Madeline leans against the wall and holds Lucy’s mug. I know she’s waiting for it to cool down, and I smile when she blows on the top of it. “Are you all planning to take over the world?”

“Maybe one day. I was telling Lucy about the surprise I have for y’all.”

“Oh, I’m so excited.” Madeline crosses her feet at the ankles and watches me. It makes me feel like I’m on a stage with a million people in the crowd. “What is it?”

I’m terrified I’m going to mess this up. I’m terrified I’m going to sign something incorrectly and miss half the words. I take another breath, and faintly, like it’s pulled from somewhere beyond earth, I hear my mom’s voice.

The echo of her laugh and how she held my hand in the kitchen when I told her about my terrible grade in French.

“At least you tried,” she said with a smile. “Imagine how much less exciting your life would’ve been if you hadn’t.You might have failed the class, but you’re better off than the people who didn’t even show up.”

At least I tried, I remind myself.At least I showed up for them. I’malwaysgoing to show up for them, and that’s enough to propel me forward.

I turn my body to face Lucy, and she watches me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Madeline frown. I hope I’ll be able to get her to smile again in a minute.

I think of Piper’s lessons and my teammates’ encouragement. I think of Madeline’s patience and Lucy’s excitement when I showed her the notebook, and I lift my hand in the air.

“Hello, Lucy,” I speak and sign. Her mouth pops open and she scoots closer to me, looking at my hands then up at me. Madeline gasps, but I don’t let myself get distracted. “My name is Hudson.I have two dogs,Gus and Millie.My favorite food is a cheeseburger, and I play hockey.” I go slow and take my time to make sure each motion is deliberate. I keep eye contact with Lucy and use lots of expression on my face. “I’ve been practicing my signing. I’ve loved having you and your mom here.And I hope you’ll stick around for a while.You are one of my favorite people in the world,Lucy girl,and I’m so excited we can talk to each other.I might not be very good at it, but I’m going to keep learning for you,okay?”

Lucy’s bottom lip trembles.Hi, Hudson, she answers, and it’s not lost on me that she’s signing slower than she does when she talks with her mom.My name is Lucy. I’m so glad we’re friends. I love your doggies. And you. You make me happy. You make Mommy happy too. How old are you? I’m six.

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