Page 54 of The Pucking Single Dad

Luna shook her head, unsure of how to express what she felt. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones clouding her thoughts. What she knew for certain was that she couldn’t wait for Hunter to arrive. Ella recognized that this wasn’t the time for small talk; the gravity of the situation loomed over them. Luna reached for Ella’s hand, grateful for her friend’s support during this challenging time. The two women sat in the waiting room, anxiously waiting for any updates on Adam’s condition from the medical staff.

Meanwhile, on the ice, Hunter was fully immersed in the game. With just five minutes left on the clock, the two teams were once again tied. Sweat dripped down every player’s face, a testament to the intensity of the match. Frank shouted from the sidelines, rallying his team with fervor, determined that they would not accept defeat.

“We only need one more goal!” he yelled. “One more! Come on! The clock is ticking down!”

Hunter and Henry looked at one another. It was crazy to think about the total transformation that their friendship had taken. Almost half a year ago, they were sworn enemies of one another. Now, there was a level of respect there, almost brother life.

“You take number twenty-seven,” Henry said. “He likes to hang left. You block him, and I will block number sixteen.”

Hunter nodded in agreement. The two men got ready, and when the referee blew the whistle, they challenged their opponents. Suddenly, Hunter heard the sound of cheering. He had been focused on blocking his opponent, so he did not know what had occurred. He looked up at the scoreboard and smiled. His team had just scored. Hunter was elated. Henry’s plan had worked. He searched the ice to find him. When the two men saw one another, they nodded. They had done it. The buzzer soon rang. Time had run out. They had won the last game of the season. They were truly undefeated.

As the men skated off the ice and returned to the locker room, everyone was in good spirits. It was a good feeling to know that they were number one in the entire national hockey league. Hunter started to change his clothes when Frank walked up to him.

“Good game,” he said to him genuinely. “You made one hell of a comeback. If it had not been for you and Henry blocking their two best players, we would not have been able to score again and would have gone into overtime.”

“It was Henry’s idea,” Hunter said happily. “He was the one who took charge so we could win.”

Frank smiled. He was happy to see that Henry and Hunter were getting along. It sure made coaching the team easier.

“Are you excited to celebrate with Luna?” Frank asked Hunter. “I looked for her, Ella, and Adam, but I couldn’t find them in the crowd. I thought you had them sit right up front?”

“I did,” Hunter stated bluntly. “You did not see them out there?”

“I looked, but I couldn’t find them,” Frank replied to him.

A sinking feeling traveled down into Hunter’s stomach. He could not describe exactly what he was feeling, but it was strange and negative. He could sense that something was wrong. Hunter did not even bother showering. He quickly ran to his locker and searched for his cell phone. When he turned his phone on, he saw that he had numerous missed calls and several text messages from Luna. Before he could read what the messages said, Frank came running back into the locker room.

“I have several missed calls from Luna,” Frank said with anxiety. “Is something wrong? She never calls me.”

Hunter explained that he was attempting to find that out. He tried calling Luna back, but his calls went straight to voicemail. She did not know it, but her phone had died while she was sitting in the waiting room. Hunter started listening to the voicemails and reading the text messages that she left him.

When he finally realized what was wrong, his face turned pale.

“Hunter,” Frank said concerned. “Hunter, what is it, son?”

“It is Adam,” Hunter stated with sadness. “It is Adam. He is in the hospital. He had a flare-up. Apparently, Luna has been trying to get a hold of me, and I missed all of her calls and texts. She has been at the hospital now for over an hour, I am sure.”

“Well, let’s go, then,” Frank said with certainty. “You didn’t think I would let you go alone, did you?”

Chapter Twenty-One: Finding Happiness in Sadness

Hunter sat quietly in the passenger seat as Frank drove them to the hospital. A mix of guilt and gratitude swirled within him. He felt guilty for missing Luna's calls and text messages and for not being at the hospital with Adam. At least he was on his way now; that was the best he could do. It felt as if he were being pulled between two worlds: the life of a famous hockey player and that of a dedicated family man. Perhaps this was just life—things weren’t always easy. Despite the trauma he and his son had experienced, he knew he had more than most, and they were incredibly blessed. So, he tried not to complain.

When he thought about it seriously, he couldn't imagine giving up either world. He understood he would need to find a way to balance both, especially now that he was marrying Luna. She deserved a husband who would be truly present, and he never wanted either Luna or Adam to feel like they were second to his love for hockey.

Frank remained silent as he drove, understanding that Hunter preferred not to talk during serious moments. He had been with Hunter through enough difficult situations to know when to keep quiet.

When they arrived at the hospital, Frank pulled up to the front entrance. “Go ahead and go in,” he said calmly. “I’ll park the car and meet you in the waiting room. Go be with Luna.”

Hunter felt grateful for Frank's support during this challenging time and watched as Frank drove off into the parking lot. He quickly turned and briskly walked into the hospital, scanning the waiting room for Luna but not seeing her. His eyes continued to search the area until he finally spotted Ella sitting alone. He rushed over to her, wondering where Luna was.

“Thank God that you are finally here,” Ella said with intense emotion. “Don't worry, Adam is fine. They are giving him medications now, but he did have another flare-up. His pain came on pretty strongly this time. There is no fever, though, which is good.”

Hunter was relieved to hear that Adam was being taken care of. The fact that there was no fever was excellent news. Adam had struggled with both getting and being able to naturally break fevers before. At least his pain was being monitored and managed. He looked around the waiting room again.

“Where is Luna?” Hunter asked with curiosity. “Is she still here?”

“She... she is in the bathroom,” Ella stuttered. “She… she is not feeling well.”

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