Page 17 of Hockey Bois
Both froze, bodies contorted in their latest effort to gain the upper hand (thumb?). Nick knew that tone of voice, and it vividly brought him back to his childhood.
Max and Jenna walked over through the crowd of people buying tickets and pretending not to watch Nick and Terry make fools of themselves.
“He started it,” they said in unison and jumped apart.
“What are you doing in town?” Nick said and went in to hug Max. It was hard to get over that his cousin Max, ten years older than him, formerly constantly stuck with babysitting his younger cousins, was now several inches shorter than him.
Younger cousins and cousin’s cousins, he amended as he watched Terry hug Max next. That was part of why it had taken Nick so long to realize how the different branches of his family were connected: the farm where he’d grown up had brought together everyone from everywhere, regardless of blood, and made people like Terry and Max end up close even though their only connection was through Nick.
“Drove up to get some of my old baby stuff from my mom,” Max said once the hugs were done. “She’s got some infant outfits and toys and maybe a highchair hiding somewhere in the basement. I’m too cheap to refuse free stuff and too afraid of my mom to ignore her when she begs me to dress her future grandbaby in my old onesies and take a million pictures.”
“It’s a girl,” Jenna said with confidence. “I’m gonna have a niece.”
“Or a boy,” Terry said. “Could be a nephew.”
They glared at each other.
“It’s certainly a human,” Nick said, earning him a glare as his joke fell flat. He rolled his eyes at them and turned back to Max. “Jenna tricked you into movie night?”
“Something like that. She said ‘movie’ and ‘they serve beer at the theater’ and then conveniently waited until we were in the car to mention it was a foreign movie with subtitles.”
“It’s going to bespectacular, you uncultured swine,” Jenna said. “C’mon, we gotta load up on snacks before previews.”
The movie was in fact spectacular, mostly for how bizarre and ridiculous it was. French cinema always threw curveballs, and the horror aspect added cheesy effects with funny-sounding French phrases that had the four of them doubled over laughing by the end. Not exactly what the filmmakers were going for, if the disapproving looks they got on the way out were anything to go by. It made Nick fiercely miss his childhood when Max and Jenna lived literally next door. Even his cousins from his dad’s side were common fixtures on the farm because their parents needed a place to put them during the summer while they worked. Having ten to twenty kids together on a farm seemed more manageable than finding babysitters, nannies, or daycares.
“I drive out on Monday morning, so we’re getting drinks, and you two are filling me in on everything going on in your lives,” Max declared.
“Why does Jenna get off the hook?” Terry whined.
“Because she’s my sister and a menace. She calls me once a week and talks my ear off for an hour straight. If I could find the mute button on her, I’d use it.”
“Awww,” Jenna said as she swooped in to wrap him in a hug. They were almost the exact same size, making it easy for her to crowd into his space and mess up his hair. “Love you too, bro.”
Max affectionately pushed her away. “You see what I gotta put up with?”
Terry’s life was the same mess it had always been. He’d gone from art school to business school and now was working in physical therapy. Max nodded along, sneaking confused looks to Jenna and Nick whenever he could, but he did a good job playing the role of supportive cousin. He asked polite questions, gave gentle words of advice, and wasn’t judgmental, which would have only caused Terry to shut down.
“And you?” Max asked and tapped Nick’s foot under the table with his own. “Jenna tells me you’re doing hockey?”
“Yeah,” he beamed. His family was well aware he’d loved the sport since he was little, but none of them were skaters and their family hadn’t had the time or money to invest in hobbies for the kids. They all worked on the farm up until their grandparents sold it, and by then Nick was in high school and it had felt like it was too late to start.
Thank God for beer-league hockey and the relatively large number of novice players around Baltimore. If he lived in a bigger hockey area like Michigan, he’d never have been able to break into the sport.
“We play in the bottom division in our league, so I’m actuallynotthe worst person on the ice on any given night.”
“Tied for worst?” Max teased.
Nick laughed. “Sometimes. I’ve been doing clinics and stuff to try and get better. I’m not looking to get into the top division, but one higher would be awesome.”
“Nice. If you’ve got any videos of you playing or anything, send ’em my way.”
“I don’t really, and I won’t until Jenna or Terry come to a game—”
“They play atmidnightsometimes,” Jenna stage-whispered. “Fuck that.”
“Rinks are cold,” Terry added sagely, like he was letting Max in on some well-kept secret.
Nick rolled his eyes. “We’re also technically on a break between seasons right now, so it’s not happening any time soon. Everything I’ve got is blurry webcam feeds from Live Barn. You wouldn’t even be able to tell it’s me.”
