Page 24 of For the Win

“I let the waitress know I’d be back.”

She sits across from me again.Pink stains her cheeks and her eyes are bright.She sets her backpack down and stares at the table.“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”I want to reach across the table to touch her hand, but I stop myself.“Do you want to tell me about it?”

She lifts her eyes to meet mine.“No.”

“Fair enough.”I smile, holding her gaze, hoping to ease her anxiety, whatever it’s about.I’m not going to push her.Someday she’ll tell me.

“Tell me about your tattoo,” I invite, picking up my beer to take a big swallow.“I noticed it outside.”

“Oh.”She lifts a hand behind her head to touch her neck.“It’s an unalome.”

“Say what now?”

She smiles.“Unalome.It’s the symbol for the journey to enlightenment.”

I blink.

“I like it because it shows us that the journey isn’t always a straight path.We make mistakes and learn lessons along the way.Sometimes we go sideways or backward.”

I nod.“Can I see it again?”

She turns in her chair and lifts her golden ponytail.I study the swirling lines and understand what she means.

“I get it,” I say.“My journey is like that too.I mean, I don’t think I’m heading toward enlightenment.”My lips quirk.

“Maybe you are.”

“Maybe.But I have a goal and that’s how it feels...sometimes things go sideways.Sometimes I feel like I’m going backward instead of forward.”

“Yes.”Her eyes are steady on mine.“What’s your goal?”

“I want to play in the NHL.”

Her eyes crinkle up and her forehead creases.“You do play in the NHL.”

“Yeah, right now.I got called up from the farm team a couple of weeks ago because they have a bunch of injuries.When everybody’s healthy again, I’ll probably get sent back down.”

“Sent back where?”she asks quietly, then sips her drink.

“Pasadena.Not far.But yet, so far.”I smile.“It’s just frustrating being called up and sent back down, when younger guys are making the team and staying there.I’m getting so old, they won’t want me anymore.”I pause.“That sounds pathetic.I don’t really feel that sorry for myself.But I have a pretty high-achieving family and I always assumed I’d play in the NHL.”

“Ah.I understand.”

“Right now, I’m trying to do everything I can to make them want to keep me.Even going to yoga classes.”I give her a half-smile.

“That’s why the yoga interest?”Her eyelashes flutter.

“Well, you’repartof the yoga interest.”I hold up a hand.“I mean that sincerely and I think you already knew that.But if doing yoga will make me better, give my game an edge...I’m all in.”

“I see.”She nods thoughtfully.“Well, I admire that.”

“Thanks.I’ve been working out hard, practicing hard.”

“Yoga’s not something you go hard at.”

I grin.“I know.But I want to be as flexible as Bergie.”

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