Page 26 of Two for Holding
Jax: Hah, good one.San Francisco, obviously.
Top comments:
1682rox: Kinda rude to put Jax on the spot
sealions4lyfe: Grant needs to work on his media face.Hockey needs more guys like Crowler.All about the game, none of this wishy-washy shit
(From “San Francisco Sea Lions Play Would You Rather,” posted to YouTube 11/08/2024)
There was no way Jax had heard right.
“What?”
“I’m gay.”
Jax wanted to say something, anything, but the only thing he could think of waswhat?And he’d already said that.The answer still didn’t make sense.
“I…you…” he tried, but nope, still no other words coming.“No way.”
Tom didn’t say anything.
“No,” Jax said.“No, see, if you were, why would you let me squirm when you found out about me?Why would you let me think you had a problem with me?Are you fucking with me here?”
“Oh God,” Tom said, pale now, his stormy eyes wide.“Oh my God.”
Jax eyed his skin-tight, light blue team shirt, thankful they’d gotten rid of the cartoon mascot with its huge eyes before he joined.He could see Tom’s chest rising and falling much too fast under it.
“Breathe, man.”
“I’m trying,” Tom said between heaving breaths.“I’m… Oh my God.I have to go.”
As suddenly as he’d come, he vanished, leaving Jax standing alone in his hotel room, nonplussed.
No, not nonplussed.
Baffled.
Bamboozled.
Extremely, extremely plussed.He walked to the door to follow, then reconsidered and stepped over to the window again.It was raining outside.The drizzle turned the lights of the Philadelphia skyline into smears of yellow and orange against the windowpane.The team had booked a hotel near the airport, clear across town from where Jax’s house stood empty.He couldn’t stomach the thought of spending the night there instead, with nothing but dust bunnies for company.Not after today.Especially not after the last five minutes.
He could only think of one thing to do.
Jax pulled out his phone and called his mom.
“Jaxon!”She was always so thrilled to hear his voice.He really should call more often.
“Hi, Mom.How’s it going?”
“Oh, you know.It’s going.Your dad’s still at work or I’d put you on speaker.”
Jax rolled his eyes.“Is he still taking late shifts?”
“Only for your games, honey.You know he can’t take the tension.”
“I play eighty-two games a year, at least.”
“Well, you know your dad.”
