Page 68 of Slap Shot

“You’re from Florida—it wouldn’t have helped,” is what Liam tosses his way, before he signs something to Lucy. She smilesand signs back, and our goalie looks at me. “She needs to use the bathroom.”

“Oh. Okay. Um.” I scratch my beard. “What do we do? Do we let her go in by herself? I can’t go in with her. That would be weird, right? What if someone steals her while she’s in a stall? What if she falls in the toilet and drowns?”

“For fuck’s sake. You all can be so dense.” Liam holds out his hand and Lucy takes it, swinging their arms back and forth as they walk to the information desk. I glance at Maverick, Grant, and Riley who shrug and follow after them. “We need a family bathroom,” he says to the woman scanning a stack of books.

“Please,” I add, and Liam rolls his eyes.

“Um.” She looks at Liam and Lucy, then me and Maverick, then Grant and Riley. “All of you? Together?”

“No.No.” I point at Lucy who’s smiling. My teammates and I must look like fucking idiots. “Just for her.”

“We’re codependent, but we’re notthatcodependent,” Maverick says.

“Speak for yourself,” Grant says.

Riley sighs. “None of you are helping.”

“The family bathroom is on the first floor,” the woman says.

Liam leads the way, and after a few minutes of us standing guard outside the door and waiting for Lucy to wash her hands, we find the large room designated for story time. Riley directs us to the section closest to the interpreter, and we settle on the floor.

“This is a whole production, isn’t it?” Grant says. “There are props.”

“And backdrops,” Maverick adds.

“I really hope they pick Liam as a volunteer for something,” Riley says.

“Fuck you,” Liam growls, and Grant gasps.

“Not in front of the kids, Goalie Daddy.”

I laugh and tap Lucy’s shoulder. She turns to look at me, and I point at the stage. I give her a thumbs-up then a thumbs-down, smiling when she gives me a thumbs-up.

The story is more entertaining than I thought it would be, and the interpreter keeps eye contact with Lucy throughout the performance. Liam does get picked as a volunteer, and after shooting daggers at us, he puts on a pink apron and pretends to pour tea much to the delight of the three dozen giggling children.

“Think we need to petition the team store to do a pink Sully jersey,” Maverick whispers, and I hold back a laugh.

“Only if you want to get murdered.”

My phone buzzes. I pull it out of my pocket and see Madeline’s name on the screen.

Madeline

Hey, hockey guy. How’s it going? Is Lucy doing okay?

I angle my phone and take a photo of her from the side. Lucy climbed into my lap ten minutes ago and is leaning against my chest. Her eyes keep closing, and I adjust my position so she’s comfortable. I send the picture to Madeline, and I only have to wait ten seconds before I get a response.

Madeline

That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

Me

We’re having a blast.

Madeline

I’m so glad. Piper invited me out tonight with the girls. Is it okay if I join them, or do you need a break?

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