Page 73 of The E.M.M.A. Effect
The rain begins to fall harder, but I don’t break my stride. After all, sometimes you need a good storm to clear the air.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Gale sat on the cold hardwood floor of his unlit foyer, his broad shoulders hunched over a small cat carrier. The muffled mewls coming from inside tugged at his heart, each tiny cry a reminder of the responsibility he’d inherited—and was now considering abandoning. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair, the scent of guilt clinging to his fingers.
It had all seemed so simple just a little while ago. Little Mama had chosen his pool deck as her delivery room, and he and Harriet had spent the morning watching in awe as the kittens came into the world. When he’d first held their tiny bodies, he’d felt invincible. Of course he’d keep the kittens. It felt right, like the beginning of something beautiful.
But now, with Little Mama split and Harriet... well, that was another story altogether. The weight of responsibility felt crushing. How could he care for these lives when he couldn’t even keep his own from falling apart?
A sudden knock at the door startled him from his brooding. Brooke always had a knack for showing up when he was at his lowest. “It’s open,” he called out, not bothering to move from his spot on the floor.
His sister’s familiar silhouette filled the doorway, her eyes widening as she took in his slumped position on the ground. “Gale? You look like fresh hell. What’s going on?”
“The kittens.” He gestured weakly to the carrier. “I just got them in there. Little Mama’s gone. Ran off sometime last night. Abandoned them.”
Brooke’s face softened as she knelt beside him, peering into the carrier. “Oh, the poor things. But wait, I thought you were going to keep them? What happened?”
Gale let out a mirthless chuckle. “Turns out I’m not cut out for this whole responsible-adult thing after all.”
“What are you talking about?” Brooke asked, settling down next to him, her shoulder brushing his in a gesture of silent support.
Gale’s jaw clenched. “I guess I’ll take them to the shelter. They’d be better off there, right? Give them a shot to find a home with someone who actually knows what they’re doing.”
“You have flabbered my gasted.” Brooke’s voice was incredulous. “Gale, you were so excited about this. What changed?”
Gale closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the wall with a soft thud. “Everything.”Getting suspended. Harriet manipulating E.M.M.A.“And now Little Mama’s gone too. Maybe she had the right idea, you know? Just... leave when things get tough.”
Brooke was quiet for a moment, and he could feel her studying him. When she spoke, her voice was gentle but firm. “Hey. Is it really about all that stuff? Or is it really all about Dad?”
His eyes snapped open, meeting his sister’s knowing gaze. She’d always been able to read his thoughts, even the ones he tried to bury deep. “I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe it’s about everything.”
“You know,” Brooke began carefully, “you’re nothing like him. Dad, I mean.”
Gale felt a bitter laugh escape his lips. “Aren’t I? Here I am, thinking about abandoning these kittens. Just like he abandoned us. Just like—” He cut himself off, but Harriet’s name hung unspoken between them.
Brooke shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips. “That’s where you’re wrong, big brother. You’re sitting here, agonizing over what to do. Dad? He just left. No second thoughts, no looking back. And let’s not forget, you’ve been taking care of these kittens. You didn’t run at the first sign of responsibility.”
A lump formed in his throat. “But what if I’m not cut out for this? Any of it? Hockey, relationships, being a... a cat dad? What if I’m just fooling myself?”
“Okay, let’s break this down,” Brooke said, shifting to face him fully. “First off, hockey. You were drafted at twenty. You’ve led your team in scoring multiple years. I know it’s been a bit off lately, but from a big picture? I’d say you’re doing pretty well there.”
Gale shrugged, trying to brush off the praise. “On the ice, when I’m in the right headspace, I know what I’m doing. It’s... simpler. It’s not like I have to use a lot of brain cells.”
Brooke raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me? You’re responsible for executing strategies. Plus it’s so much more off the ice. You have to navigate press conferences, contract negotiations, sponsorship deals, and still find time to visit kids in the hospital and do all that other charity. That doesn’t sound simple to me.”
“Yeah, but—”
“No ‘but’s,” Brooke interrupted. “Now, let’s talk about relationships. Specifically, Harriet.”
Gale stiffened at the mention of her name. “Brooke, I don’t think—”
“Well, I do,” she said firmly. “Gale, what is happening with Harriet? I’m not dumb. You sent me a picture of the two of you when she came to your practice. You both looked happier than I’ve ever seen you. I’m going to repeat... what is going on?”
His mind flashed to that afternoon by the pool—Harriet’s laugh, the way her eyes lit up as she cradled the newborn kittens, the way he felt like he could never get tired of looking at her. Howhe always wanted to talk to her. But then... “That’s her story to tell you.”
Brooke’s expression softened. “The question is, do you think what you have is worth fighting for? Are Biscuit and Deke in there worth fighting for?”
Gale looked down at the cat carrier, at the tiny lives depending on him. “I don’t know,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I want to be the good guy. God, Brooke, I want to be the good guy so bad. But what if I’m not enough? What if I can’t be what they need—what Harriet needs?”
