Page 48 of That Thing You Brew
“Do you know what he’s doing for his number?” Bailey asked. “They wouldn’t let me into the rehearsal.”
I shook my head. “No idea.”
The lights dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the dry ice cloud in the left-side corner of the ice. “Officiating for Xavier Schwann’s Breakaway Challenge, Coach Zaaaaaaaaaander Conway of the Palmer City Voltage.” Xavier’s former coach and mentor skated out through the cloud, clad in the black and white stripes of a referee, complete with orange armbands. I grinned, loving that Xavier’s mentor could make it with his own team’s schedule and all-star festivities.
“And now, introducing your starting lineup for Xavier Schwann’s Breaaaaaaaaaaaakaway Challenge!” My eyes were glued to the jumbotron to see who’d come out next. “Xavier has put together his own all-star lineup. Join me in welcoming some familiar faces. At left wing, Atlanta Suns Hall-of-Famer and five-time all-star Liiiiiiiiiiiiincoln Dexter! At right wing, retired Denver Edge forward and three-time all-star Roooooooooman Kubek! At center and holding the record this season for the most points, your current captain and two-time all-star from the Phoenix Wolves, Tristaaaaaaaan Dexter! Keeping it in the family, on defense, Boston Whalers four-time all-star and Hall-of-Famer Harrisooooooooon Dexter! Also on defense, retired Seattle Evergreens captain and three-time all-star Heiiiiiiiiiiiinrich Schwann! And in goal, facing off against Swanny, your 2024 Central conference fans’ choice all-star and his Denver Edge teammate, Jaaaaaaaaason Dexter!”
I grinned as Xavier’s “starting lineup” skated to the red line. He’d stacked his act with family hockey celebrities and his favorite coach. Next to me, Bailey was grinning, and I wondered why she wasn’t out there, too. Several women’s league and Olympic champions had participated in some of the events this weekend. Why not her?
And … where was Xavier? I didn’t see him anywhere on the ice.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” I looked back up at the screen. “The opposing team has pulled their goalie, allowing a sixth skater on the ice!” A familiar tune began as the lights came up, and I recognized the score fromThe Mighty Ducks.I’d played this tune on several occasions for the hockey kids at the Bevvie Bar.
I watched in awe as the men on the ice glided into a vee formation on the far side of the center red line. Xavier explained to me that it was one of the most unrealistic plays in hockey for a bevy of reasons, yet being part of a flying vee had nonetheless been something he’d always wanted to do. Tristan skated backward to form the point of the vee, and a puck appeared at his feet. They skated in formation toward the goal and Tristan passed the puck forward to—Xavier!
What was happening?
Xavier sprinted from the bench and raced to the center of the ice, catching the puck on the tip of his stick. He darted left, right, then left again, setting up for a shot. His stick rose above his shoulders and fell sharply. The puck flew into the air, sailing over Jason’s shoulder into the back of the net.Yes!
Instead of dropping to his knee like he usually did when he celebrated a goal, Xavier dropped his stick, tossed his helmet and gloves as he skated toward the other guys, high-fiving them and—passing through them?
A spotlight appeared on the other side of the red line, where three of the ice crew were waiting, one adult and two—hold on a hot minute! His sisters!
Karina and Edyta held their arms up while Daniella looked on. Xavier scooped them up, one under each arm, and spun them around. As the spin slowed, the girls touched down and pulled at his jersey and shorts, tearing them away and revealing—oh my!
OH. MY.
I lost it. The audience lost it. I was laughing so hard I was crying, vaguely aware of the tears streaming down my face.
Wearing sparkling tight-fitted skating pants and a matching collared shirt with the Edge logo on the back, Xavier picked up speed as he circled the rink, arms extended, on his way back to Daniella. She caught his hands, and they skated as a pair back to center ice, where he lifted her into the air and spun in a slow circle.
I watched in awe as he gently let her back down to the ice and lifted her up again over his shoulder. She gripped his hands as he pushed her up, and her legs stretched out to the side in a split. They skated past the judges in that position, and then Xavier lowered his arms while Daniella brought in her legs and sat on his left shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her shins to secure her and glided back to where Karter was waiting for him.
The ladies in the stands behind me hooted and whistled and screamed their approval.
“Ten! Ten! Ten!”
Karter’s face appeared on the jumbotron as the music faded out. Daniella sat coolly on Xavier’s shoulder as if she’d been doing it for years, and I remembered she probably had.
“Swanny.” Karter looked from him to the spectators behind me. “What was in that coffee?”
The arena erupted in laughter again. This guy should do standup.
Daniella waved at Karter, and he aimed the mic up at her. “KP, I think that coffee had more than luck in it. I think it was made with—dare I say it?” She furrowed her brow for the cameras, in the same way Xavier did. They really could have been twins.
“Say it, say it!”the crowd chanted.
KP shook his head. “Ladies and gentlemen, my former babysitting charge, the beautiful and incomparable national figure skating medalist Daniella Schwann. And what do you think was in that coffee, Dani, if not luck?”
The decibels this crowd was reaching! I needed earplugs.
Daniella turned her head toward the tunnel. “Karter, I think that coffee was made withlove.”
I stared open-mouthed at the jumbotron.
Bailey tapped my shoulder. “Be ready for that kiss!”
Oh wow. Oh gee. Oh no.
