Page 99 of Mind Pucked

Wayne Goodall: Washed up hockey player breaks nose on the ice, more like I broke his nose on the ice. It’s so sad his temper got the best of him…the best thing about that guy. #WhyStayIfYouCantPlay #WashedUpAndWasted. #FannyOfTheNanny

Sandra Fisher to Wayne Goodall: Wayne, why don’t you leave that poor man alone. He’s a great player and you have no room to talk. #NoGoodGoodall #WashedUpWayne

Wayne Goodall to Sandra Fisher: Looks like we know who has class and who doesn’t. #BanThisBlueJaysFan

Chris Patrick to Wayne Goodall: Keep your mouth shut. Everyone knows what you said to him on the ice. #HateOnTheIceNotNice #BadallTheGoodall #WastedOnWayne

I close out before I can read anymore.

“What is it?” Amelia asks as she comes to stand beside me, obviously reading the irritation on my face.

“It’s nothing, just some childish bullshit from that guy I beat the shit out of on the other team,” I tell her. “There are a lot of comments from fans coming to my defense,” I admit, and my heart swells with love for them.

“The guy you slammed into the barricade?” she says. “He’s an ass, don’t put any stock in what that guy has to say.”

“Yeah, it’s him. I hoped he’d drop it, but I should’ve known better.” I close the laptop in frustration. “He never could let go of anything. He holds grudges better than he holds a hockey stick. The truth is, I don’t know what I did to him in the first place. He said he tried to bag Lyla and she said no…maybe it’s that…” I trail off.

“What are you going to do?” Amelia asks me as she goes back to the table to help Hayden pick up the crayons and papers, talking to me through the doorway.

I think for a moment before I answer her. I honestly don’t know what I’m gonna do to shut him up, but I need to do something…and fast. Before it gets out of hand. I’ve been thinking about doing something for charity, and an idea starts forming in my mind as I think about the things he said in his comments.

“I think I’m going to suggest a charity boxing match between us. He’s too chicken to actually go through with it, but it might make him think long enough to shut him up,” I tell her, wondering if she’s going to try to shut down the idea.

I watch as her eyes widen in shock and her mouth drops open. She clamps her mouth shut and narrows her eyes at me.

“Jackson…”

I can tell by the look on her face that she’s about to lecture me and tell me I don’t need to do anything like that, or that I’ll get myself hurt, but it’s the only thing I know that will get him to shut his cocky mouth.

“I know what you’re going to say. But I don’t think we’ll have to worry because I don’t think he’ll even go for it.” I open my laptop again and start making a new post on my social media. “Or, he’ll accept and not show.” I smile.

I am calling on Wayne Goodall to accept an invitation to a charity boxing match I will be hosting. Information TBD. Wayne, if you accept, you’ll be boxing against me…fair and square. Let me know by midnight tonight. #WailingOnWayne #JackedByJackson #StandUpForWhatsRight

I finish the post and hit publish, grinning as I close my laptop.

“Now we wait,” I say, sitting back on the stool and wondering,Did I just make a mistake?

29

AMELIA

Istand in front of the home I grew up in and I’m nervous, to say the least. I raise my hand to knock on the door, but the door opens before I can.

I’m greeted by the maid of all people…she must have seen me coming in the ring camera.

The vast amount of security around my childhood home makes sense now that I know who and what my father is.

“Is he home?” I ask her, not even mentioning whoheis…she knows who I’m talking about.

She nods without saying anything, and I know exactly where I’ll find him.

I head inside and march down the hall toward the study where father spends most of his time. I walk in without knocking and his head snaps up in surprise. He’s on the phone and his conversation stops abruptly.

“Lou, I’m gonna have to call you back. My daughter just barged in without knocking,” he says, looking at me in shock.

He knows I’m not normally like this, so he likely realizes I’m here for a reason. My father and stepmother have been begging me to come home for a while now…demanded it, in fact. Now that I’m here, I don’t know that my father is going to love the reason.

He slams the phone down in the cradle, clearly irritated that he’s had to end the call. He’s the only person I know who still has a landline in their home, but then again, he’s never been one to advance with technology.

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