Chapter 24

24

Colver

I have practice in the afternoon.

Coach Patty tells me to be ready for a phone call in the next day or two.

My guess is it's coming tomorrow since we have a game.

I also can sense he knows something I don't.

As I gear up to go out on the ice, there's clapping and cheering from the locker room hallway.

I look forward as the doors swing open.

Led by Dax, the guys are clapping for me.

Everyone except Faust.

He's just there to be there, hands in his pockets, probably already thinking of ways to stop impossible one-timer shots and how to go post to post to make saves that will be replayed twenty years from now.

Dax drops to one knee and looks between my legs.

He keeps clapping. "Well done, big guy! You shot a full load and it hit the target!"

I lift my foot - which has an ice skate attached to it - forcing Dax to fall back on his ass.

"Dude!" Dax yells.

"Can we at least get some kind of details on this situation?" Turner asks. "This is a big deal."

"It's a one-night stand gone too far," Faust says. "He's fucked."

I stand up. "Say that again, Faust. Louder. Get closer to me."

"Hey, relax," Rhett says. "This is supposed to be a happy time. Right?"

"It's a chaotic time," I admit. "I don't want to get into it. I'm not dating anyone. I'm not with anyone. It's not like that. It's just…"

"What Faust said," Dax says as he gets back to his feet. "Respectfully speaking."

"Even still, who cares?" Ben asks. "We just wanted to say congrats. You're having a kid. That's pretty cool."

"Hey, did you get any pictures yet?" Rhett asks.

I catch myself almost wanting to smile.

Like I have a sense of pride… for what?

I have one of the ultrasound pictures with me. Right in the front right pocket of my jeans.

I reach into my bag and hand Dax the picture.

"Looks just like you, Colver," he says.

The guys gather around.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Rhett asks. "How small that actually is. And then it's going to grow into a baby and come out and then…"

"Are you going to cry right now?" Faust asks Rhett.

"Please don't fucking cry," I say. "Things are fucking intense as it is."

"Speaking of intense," Turner says. "Your baby mama . She did not like you at the club, huh?"

"She threw the glass itself at your face," Ben says.

"I was there," I say. "I know. And, yeah, Abrielle is a little intense right now. She has every right to be. She got pregnant by me. You think I'm going to whisk her away and marry her and promise forever? That's not who I am."

I can feel the tension in the locker room.

I'm unapologetic for who I am.

The ultrasound picture gets passed around.

Faust gets it and hands it right back to me.

He doesn't even look.

Our eyes meet.

He's an angry prick, but he has the right idea.

Let's just practice some hockey and forget about everything else in life for a little while.

I'm ambushed after practice by a few reporters asking about the rumors of my fine and suspension. I'm not one to hide behind a story or act a part, so I just shrug my shoulders and walk away. I really have nothing to say because I know nothing.

It does piss me off though that rumors can swirl around without me being involved.

One thing I get to do is pass the buck. Or the emotion. Or whatever you want to call it.

That means Arty gets a call and an earful.

He's a smart guy and just stays quiet until I'm done calling him every name I can think of.

"How'd the doctor go today?" Arty asks in a calm voice.

"Fine," I say. "She's pregnant. Saw the baby and everything."

"That's great, Colver."

"Arty."

"There's a meeting tomorrow, okay? Nothing is set in stone."

"I don't believe that for a second. You always have an idea on this kind of thing."

"Truth is, right now, we're all working to make sure there are no legal issues. You attacked the player, Colver. The fight ended and you kept going. There's been inquiries. Police… okay?"

"Fuck," I whisper.

"Yeah. Doubt you want to get arrested right now, huh? So go home and relax. I'll talk to you in the morning. We'll see where this thing shakes out. I know there are rumors flying. Just ignore them. I'm sorry you were asked about it. I'm making some calls right now myself about that. Nobody was supposed to bring up the situation."

"Let it go, Arty," I say. "I'll face whatever is coming my way. You know that's how I do things."

"Sure thing, Colver."

I end the call as I turn into the parking garage.

In my apartment I find Abrielle asleep on the couch with an open pizza box in front of her.

She skipped the mushrooms this time, which means the three slices leftover are plain and ready for me to eat.

Unless, of course, I'm supposed to leave them be for her if she wakes up with a midnight craving for more pizza.

I rub my jaw and watch Abrielle sleep.

I mean, I'll be fair and honest about things. She's always been pretty. Cute. Beautiful. Sexy. In her own messy artist kind of way. Not that I'm the kind of guy that requires some high-maintenance woman.

Hell, why do you think Dr. Whitney and I clashed so badly? That had been a disaster from the second I met her. The only reason we were cordial now was because of how bad that date and introduction was for both of us.

I sneak to my bedroom, grab the heavy top comforter and bring it out to the couch so I can cover Abrielle up.

She lets out a long breath but doesn't move.

I grab a slice of pizza - I'm only going to eat one - and I sit in a chair.

I consider turning on something to watch but then I decide I don't want to make noise and wake Abrielle up.

I'm not sure if I'm being considerate or I just don't want to hear her talk anymore for today.

So I sit there in the dark, eating a slice of pizza, with nothing left to do but think.

About my career.

About my unborn baby.

About the way I feel about my unborn baby's mother…