Page 2 of Icing the Enemy

“Don’t. He’s serving our country. Living the life in Germany. He’s not in a war zone, and… he’s drinking great beer.”

Mamaw laughs. “With his blond hair and bright blue eyes, I’d say he’ll be married before you.”

“Don’t worry about me. I get plenty.”

Becca rolls her eyes, knowing it’s a complete lie.

I could have a string of puck bunnies and maybe even a few of the women who work in the Notes organization, but I’m a relationship guy, and I’m not having one until I’m out of the league.

“All right, you get going and spend time with your brothers and sisters. I know your mom and dad appreciate you coming and giving them a break.”

“Love you, Mamaw.”

Her frail arms still tuck us under her wings as she kisses each of our cheeks.

When we get to the home we grew up in, Mom has everyone ready to go and hands us both instructions. Becca gets her organizational and leadership skills from our mom. My mom could have been anything she wanted, but she wanted to be a mom, and she worked when the babies were in school and has been the PTA president for the better part of the last two decades.

My dad is a traveling furniture salesman, so he’s gone a few days a week. The first thing I did when I signed my hockey contract with the Nashville Notes was hire an assistant for my mom to help get the kids where they need to be. My mom cooks the meals, and they eat shortly after the kids get home from school. Then she has a snack prepared for them when they get home from their activities.

There’s a schedule on the fridge, and it’s hard to believe my parents still have six children at home, ranging from fifteen to six.

Mom hands Jasper a bag of snacks. “Love you, baby. Play your heart out.”

“Always. Gotta show my big brother who has the insane puck skills in the Shearer family,” he says with a blinding, crooked smile.

Mom adjusts her shirt and says, “And Pepper, I know it’s just rehearsal night but show your big brother how much you love pretending to be someone else.”

“I will, Mom.”

Mom hugs all of us, which takes a good five minutes. She whispers in my ear, “Thank you for coming home. I know you’re traveling next week to Bryce’s wedding. Maybe you’ll meet a nice girl there.”

Maybe.

“You know, Mamaw says I don’t want a nice girl. She says I need someone to turn me upside down.”

Mom just smiles. “Okay, we’ll all meet at the fair at eight o’clock.”

The Shearer kids’ activities are all over the area. I honestly can’t understand how my parents do it even with Lena helping. She took off this week for her vacation, so Becca and I planned on coming home before Mamaw got sick, anyway.

Jasper and I drop off Pepper at the high school where she’ll be performing. We head another twenty miles to the ice rink. I’ve been paying for Jasper to play on this U16 team. He’s only fifteen and as I’m watching, I realize he’s better than me—or will be.

I trained outside for my first years. There was an outside pond that froze over every year where I learned to skate. Then my dad paid for me to go to an actual facility. The same arena where we are now. He would pay older kids in the neighborhood to take me when he or Mamaw couldn’t.

It’s hard to comprehend just how much I owe my parents, yet they act like I owe them nothing. They hate that they can’t pay for all of the extras for everyone. Becca supplements their clothing, and I pay for hockey and the assistant. Once a year, I pay for everyone to come to Nashville the week before the season starts. Call it my last hurrah until the season is over.

Jasper takes a shower after practice, then we drive to the high school and sit in the audience, cheering for Pepper. She belts out a song that rivals the voice of many A-list stars, then we head to the fair with all ten siblings and our parents.

Back in Nashville,I take Mamaw’s advice and ask my friends to meet me to go out. Dane, Nashville Fireflies basketball star and his wife Lettie meet me and a few other friends at a comedy show. During intermission, we visit the VIP bar. Several women’s fingers crawl up my arms, wanting to take me home. I’m not feeling it and thankfully, Dane senses my hesitation and saves me by talking about my nine children. He almost blows his beer out when they scurry off.

“Thanks for the save. But you’re the one who’s closing in on nine children.” I exaggerate.

“Three isn’t nine, and the baby girl isn’t here yet.” He half-smiles into another pull of his beer. “But I think you have the perfect family. Lettie and I were both only children, so we want a large family. I guess you want the opposite.”

“Well, a few is fine but not more than that. I have to find the right person first.”

He nods as we head back to our seats. Then I leave alone.

One of my teammates calls and asks if I’ll go on a double date. His girlfriend’s cousin is coming into town from South Dakota, so I reluctantly agree. She’s pretty but when I ask her a simple question, the answer lasts for thirty minutes. She only knows how to talk about herself and seems uninterested in hearing anything about me.

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