Page 22 of Hot Puck
“Perfect. Let me know how it goes with Johnathon.”
“Of course. Talk later.”
Eli disconnects a milli-second before a loud screech fills the room. Jumping from my seat, I race to the fridge and grab one of the bottles of formula. I drop it into the warmer and hit the start button before I jog out of the kitchen and up to Candace’s room.
I don’t need her disturbing her brother yet. I want to have her cleaned up and fed before he surfaces.
Chase
I think it’s the laughter that wakes me.
It’s definitely the laughter that puts a smile on my face.
The twins are downstairs giggling, and I can hear the murmur of a feminine voice. I picture Mom teasing the girls like she always does early in the morning.
For once the girls are up before I need to head to the rink. I can’t remember the last time that happened.
Although I do recall the shit they give me for not beating them out of bed and my smile grows. My sisters might be a pain in the ass most of the time, but I love them. I’ll miss them when I go to college.
Smiling, I keep my eyes closed and roll over to listen. I’ll get up in a minute, get my bag and head to practice.
Stretching my arms above my head and my feet toward the end of the bed, I wait for my muscles to settle into the pull. I’m aching more than normal this morning. I’ll need to make sure I warm up properly before I hit the ice today.
Opening my eyes I’m met with darkness. And it’s not the early morning darkness I’m used to seeing when I roll out of bed. Glancing at the window I see someone has lowered the blind.
I never lower it. It’s the thing me and Mom argue about most. I hate it down.
The low rumble of voices catches my attention again, the twins and Mom…
I frown.
It doesn’t sound like Mom. There’s an accent I can’t place.
Confused, I push up and look for my phone, but my eyes snag on a shelf holding a tower of pucks.
Images and words from the last few months slam into my head, memories flickering rapidly. Memories I don’t want to have lived through, never mind think about.
“Fuck!”
I dive out of bed and race for the door. Now that my sleep-fogged brain is remembering the last few months—this morning—I tear through the house for the second time today.
It has to be after nine. I slept the whole afternoon away and left Natalie to take care of Candace.
The twins too.
They would have been home hours ago.
I don’t understand why no one woke me, but I know I need to get my ass downstairs and do my job.
Look after my sisters.
When I barrel through the living room on my way to the kitchen I don’t see the four females on the floor. I’m focused on one thing and one thing only.
Getting to my sisters.
“Chase?”
Skidding to a stop, I wrap my hand around the doorway into the kitchen in a last second attempt to slow my trajectory.
