Page 95 of Two Guys One Puck
“We became friends at the Dragon’s camp over the summer. Haven’t you noticed us being a lot nicer on the ice.”
“Is that nicer?” Dad asks.
“We haven’t full out fist fought,” I say which is funny because we do kind of still hate each other on the ice.
“We thought you two still hated each other?” Emily looks at me like I grew a second head. “You were fighting last game.”
“That’s the normal amount of fighting. We are still rivals.”
Emily turns her phone around. “You’re on the top ten hockey rivals of all times?”
“Really?” I lean in to look closer. “Number three? We can do better than that…”
“See!” she says like she just won.
“The media plays those things up.”I shrug. “We’ve had our moments, but we are chill, and it felt shitty to leave him at school all alone. He’s got nowhere to go. It’s hard to even get food on campus on break! And not like he can go back to his family, so what? Should he stay in the empty dorms with barely any food?” None of that was probably true, but I want them to feel a little bad. “Plus, I figured he could come work with me. You know how much help Uncle Garret needs.”
“That would really help your uncle out,” Dad says thoughtfully, and I know he’ll get on board.
That’s easy enough, but since Emily is living here now too since dad’s fall, I want her to be okay with it. I follow her into the kitchen to check on dinner.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“You’re not going to work the whole time you’re home, are you?” Emily is still frowning.
“The extra money will help with Christmas and Zeph’s hockey fees. Leontiy could use the cash, too. It’s like three birds with one stone.”
“You can’t give up your whole life to take care of us.” She puts her hand on my shoulder. “I am working from home now and I sublet my apartment. So we aren’t as tight as before.”
“I could say the same to you.”
“What other choice do I have?”
“To live your life. I will be able to help soon. I’m almost done with school. They are already saying I’ll go high in the draft.” I pull her into a hug.
“You have so much life ahead of you,” she says when she pulls back. “This is not your responsibility.”
“What’s your fucking excuse?” I ask, leaning against the counter. “This is what I want to be doing.”
“I love both of you, and your father is my best friend. It’s a pleasure to be able to do this for him. He basically raised me and there’s no place I’d rather be than with him, whether it’s five more years or five more months. I want this time with him. My life, I have to leave. This, I won’t get back.” She’s genuine about it too.
I wipe my eyes, looking away. “I promise I’ll be able to help soon.”
“That’s not your job.”
“Not yours either, and you’re not going to win this one!” I say, knowing she can’t fight me. Family is important to us.
“It’s more mine than yours.”
“I will fucking fight you, Emily.”
She gets out two beers, handing me one.
“Damn, we can afford beer now?” I twist off the top, drinking it before it can get revoked.
“Things are a little better with not paying for my place and the mortgage.”
“Good.” I’ve known for years my first check would go to paying off the house, but I’m glad it won’t be foreclosed on before then. “How are the medical bills?”
