Page 164 of Puck Me Secretly

“Unless you want to fly back tonight, but I think you could use somerest.”

She nodded and continued to cry. “I’m sorry. I always cry. It’s the hormones.”

I pulled her into a hug. “Thank you for doing this for Max.”

“I hope it helps him.”

Me too. God, me too.

After dinner,I ensured Lolita got back to her hotel room. I booked a new flight for her and then stopped by the hospital. I felt so exhausted, I almost couldn’t cope.

I found Mom in the waiting room.

“How’s Dad?”

“He’s sleeping.”

“Has he heard the news?”

“What news?”

“Baxter fired Max and is bringing in Joseph Flanynk.”

“Rory, do you think I care about this?”

“Dad would care.”

“We’ve moved the TV out of his room. Anything to do with hockey right now upsets him. We wanted him to avoid all the news about Max.”

I rubbed at my head. My head felt like it was about to explode. “Baxter fired me.”

“What?”

“He fired me. He banned me from the stadium.”

“Rory, come on. Stop being so dramatic.”

Mom’s level of denial made this conversation impossible. “What do you want me to do?”

She sounded baffled. “Well, I don’t know.”

“You have to get me reinstated.”

“Maybe it’s better if you’re not involved.”

“What?”

“With that horrible business with Max. Rory, we taught you better.”

I wanted to scream. “Mom.”

“Do not tell your father.”

“You’re not going to do anything?”

She crossed her arms. “I have one priority right now and that is your father. I want nothing to upset him.”

I hated that she was right. Right now, the only priority should be Dad’s health. And the one way I could help him was to shelter him from the shit storm that was blowing up around us. I prayed I wasn’t too late. I wanted to help Max. It felt like my entire future depended on that.

---