Page 83 of Game Changer

“I don’t want any trouble,” Dwight began.

Jeremy snickered and Dwight flashed him a hurt look.

“I don’t, man. Really.”

Jeremy looked unsure. He glanced at AJ.

“It’s ok, Jer,” AJ assured him. “I’ll be fine here,” he nodded to the room of on-edge hockey players. Even though coming to say sorry was generally protocol, AJ knew the team would be ready to tear this largely unwelcome visitor limb from limb should the need arise.

It’s an easy choice between wanting you or Lisa here right now, Dwight. For all of us. Christ the atmosphere got chilly in here quickly.

Jeremy nodded.

“Go find her, please?”

Jeremy nodded again, “On it. And you,” he pointed his finger at Dwight accusingly, “He’s still fragile, don’t fuck with him, ok?”

Dwight simply nodded in reply and Jeremy took off in search of Lisa. Before the door had closed behind him, he came back, “Marc, Mike – wanna help me look for a pissed-off leprechaun?”

“Sure, and then I want you to call her a pissed-off leprechaun to her face so we can YouTube her kickin’ your ass,” Mike answered as they left to help find Lisa.

As the door closed behind them, Dwight took a step towards AJ’s bed. Brad raised a questioning eyebrow and squared his shoulders as AJ indicated that Dwight should sit in the chair next to the bed. He was clearly upset, uncomfortable and didn’t want to do this with an audience.

“Give us a minute?”

“But –”

“Brad, please? He’s clearly not here for trouble. I’ll be fine. Leave us alone, please.”

Now what?

A heavy, awkward silence hung between them.

“I’m so sorry, man,” Dwight’s exhausted, sad eyes met AJ’s and despite feeling as though he were being genuine, AJ was still angry.

He took a deep breath and sighed, “About what, Dwight? Feeling up my girlfriend in the bar, or putting me in a coma?”

Ouch. Harsh.

“I deserved that.”

Yeah. You did.

“Both,” he answered truthfully. “I dunno what came over me in the bar that night. I was drunk and pissed at you and –”

AJ held up a hand to interrupt Dwight, “This isn’t something you need to say to me, Dwight. It’s Lisa that deserves the apology from you. She could probably have taken it further if she wanted. She could have done serious damage to your college game, man. You know that, right?”

Dwight wrung his hands together nervously, “I know. I was so frickin’ stupid. I’ll apologize to her, really, I will. I’ve been meaning to, but I knew she’d be here and I’d be the last person she would want to see. And you,” he paused. “I swear to God, man, I never meant for things to go down like they did. I wanted you out of the game, sure. But not out of, well, everything ever. I’m so sorry.” He paused and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

“It’s ok, I know how easily it could happen to any of us.”

“I know, I just saw red, though, and charged you. I’m getting old, I know I’m not going to get picked up by the NHL and I just wanted to go out on a high. I just wanted my moment, y’know? And now I’ll be remembered as the douchebag who almost killed one of the best enforcers in the college league. What a way to go, eh?” he asked bitterly.

“Almost, sure. But you didn’t kill me. It’s a dangerous sport and accidents happen. Or at least things we didn’t intend to happen, happen. As players, we know the risk we take every time we lace up. You apologized and I forgive you.”

“How can you just be so… so… calm? I almost killed you, AJ,” he was clearly upset and struggling with his own emotions.

“Being in that coma was hell. Waking up, that was hell too. I went through days of not knowing anyone, least of all, myself. I didn’t recognize my family, my friends, and I fought the medical staff. It has been the worst experience of my entire life. But you know what?”

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