The first thing I was going to do was make an appointment for one of those fish tattoos all the guys sported. Then I was calling my mother and my two hockey-playing brothers.

Tonight, I was celebrating.

For a moment, my joy was dampened when I realized my best buddy on this team, Axel, wouldn’t be celebrating with me. I’d still invite him, of course. He was young. He’d make it. Guys got traded, or injuries prevented them from taking the ice. Not that I’d wish an injury on anyone, but that shit did happen.

I dialed my mother. Mom was as excited as I was. Mom had been the consummate hockey mom after my dad had died and she’d been forced to raise us on her own. She’d gone to every game when we were kids, not an easy feat considering there were three of us, but she managed to juggle her responsibilities and support us at the same time. She was a computer programmer and made pretty good money.

My brother Zane was starting his third year in the league. My younger brother, Max, played junior hockey and lived at home. Mom would tell Max.

After I hung up with Mom, I called Zane. He answered on the first ring as if he’d been waiting for my call. “Well?” he said, not giving me a chance to say hello, how are you, or fuck you.

“I’m a Sockeye,” I blurted out. Zane let out a whoop, enjoying this moment almost as much as I did. I heard him say something and then heard clapping.

“Where are you?”

“I’m having lunch with some of the guys. We’re all happy for you.”

“I did it. I really did it. I’d worried so much my choice to go to college might screw with my ability to make a team, but in the end those five years didn’t hurt me one bit.”

“You made the right choice for you, E.”

“I did,” I said proudly. I could’ve followed in Zane’s footsteps and gone the major-junior route. Things had worked out great for him. Now they were working out for me.

All those hours of practicing, playing through injuries, and sacrifice culminated in this moment. I’d worked my entire life to be here and allowed nothing and no one to stand in my way.

Chapter Five

Just Do It

~~Caroline~~

It’d been a month since I’d gotten the devastating news from the DNA test. I hadn’t talked to Easton yet; instead I’d worried myself into an absolute frenzy of fear, dread, and loathing of my own shortcomings. I conjured up all kinds of scenarios in my head, and most of them weren’t good. What if Easton didn’t want to know his kids? Even worse, what if he took me to court for custody? I’d never have enough money to fight him legally. What if? What if? What if?

No matter what, I knew I had to tell him. My life had been put on hold until I told him, as had Fran and Howard’s. They weren’t leaving me for their well-deserved retirement until we’d resolved this. And what would be the resolution? Once Fran and Howard left, there was nothing to keep me here. I had so many questions and zero answers.