Page 50 of Two for Holding
“Right.Um, I think I have to go talk to Luca.”
Tom let him out of the seat, wondering if he should have also discussed that the problem wasn’t the word “queer” as much as the way Howie had said it.Jax called himself queer sometimes, after all.But no, a political correctness lesson wasn’t in the cards, not today and not from Tom.Howie ought to get his LGBTQIA+ education from someone who knew what they were talking about, not a man so afraid of his own sexuality he could barely even think the words.
“Don’t I get a nice captainly pep talk?”Hayes asked snidely from across the aisle.
Tom contemplated it.“I don’t know what to say to you.”
“Written me off already, huh?”
Tom rubbed at his temples.“No, but you’re not a rookie I can teach something to.I thought we were friends.I thought you and Phil were friends.”
“Don’t bring Phil into this.”
“You did that yourself by saying racist shit.”
Hayes’s chin jutted out stubbornly.
Tom was so tired, though he’d slept well.Jax kissing him until his brain shut up seemed like a dream he’d had months ago rather than yesterday’s reality.
“If you’re mad at me, be mad atme, not Luca.And if you’re going to be a bigot, do it where I can’t hear it.”
He slumped into his own seat and stared out the window.Instead of pleasant kissing thoughts, worries flitted across his mind about what to do with Hayes and the text from his mom.
Halfway through the flight, Jax sat next to him.“Whatever you said to Howie worked like a charm.”
Howie had taken Jax’s place in the four-way, the young guys all back together where they belonged.
“I’m glad.”
Jax had brown eyes.Previously, Tom hadn’t many thoughts either way on eye color, but Jax had a way of looking at him, his eyes so warm and understanding it made Tom feel safe.
“Are you okay?”Jax asked him.
Tom wanted very much to tell Jax he’d never been as okay as he was after kissing him.But they were on a team plane, and the team was in shambles, and he had to see his parents tonight.
“I’ll be fine,” he said instead and let his arm rest against Jax’s between their seats.
ten
[“Anyone can play hockey” logo]
Tyson Fuller: Anyone can play hockey.
[Image: Instagram picture of Jaxon Grant in a Magpies jersey hugging another player after a goal.Top comment reads: “tfulls87: kinda gay bro lol”]
Jimmy Hayes: Everyone is welcome in my locker room.
[Image: Jimmy Hayes’s Twitter likes.Camera zooms in on Allie Jenkins’s post: “tfw you’re the only white people in the bar.Guess we’re not coming here again!”]
Top comments:
sealions4lyfe: hockey is for men, bro.real men.not for fags and affirmative action whiners.
seelionssaylions: best sport worst league
(From “Anyone can play hockey (except you),” Supercut posted to YouTube by hockeyfanofcolor88 on 11/30/2024)
They lost to Toronto 5–1.Jax scored the lone goal off an assist from Tom, but that was cold comfort.The team couldn’t function this way.At least whatever magic Tom had worked on Howie had been effective.He apologized sincerely to Luca and everyone else, even if he still sounded like a dumbass doing it.But not every problem could be fixed so cleanly.
