Page 97 of Playing to Win

“They have more of a stripe pattern than those. I’m gonna check the laundry room.”

“Okay, but we have to talk about the rollerblades!”

I ran down the stairs to the back room where we had a washer and dryer. I checked the dryer—nothing but lint. The washing machine had a sock in it, but not one of my blue ones. I double-checked the dryer and then hunched down to look between them.

Yes!But also, when I finally pulled them out they still stunk, so they hadn’t been cleaned. I didn’t have time to wash them now, so I’d have to take them as they were.

Jayna turned to me when I entered the room again. She saw the blue in my hands and then put a hand up to her nose. “Those are filthy.”

Hockey players had stinky feet. She knew that, didn’t she? “Don’t your feet sweat?”

“I swear, not like that.”

Well, most of the guys had feet like mine. I rolled the socks, dirty as they were, into a ball and started to put them in their place.

“No!”

I jerked. She darted over and grabbed the socks. “You can’t put those in your bag. The whole suitcase will smell.”

I reached for them, but she ducked them behind her back.

“I need those, and I don’t have time to wash them.” I checked the time. “I have to leave in ten minutes.”

Jayna stalked over to the trash, and I leapt after her. If she threw those out?—

Instead, she pulled out a plastic bag. She shoved the socks inside and twisted it closed. She slapped the bundle into my hands. “There, lucky socks, and hopefully you won’t smell like dirty feet the whole time you’re in Minnesota.”

I reached my free arm to pull her close. “Thanks. Sorry, I’m a little freaked out.”

She pressed into my side, but away from the socks. “It’s okay, I get it. But could you please answer my questions?”

“Just let me get my suitcase zipped up.”

I put the socks in their proper place. The plastic bag wouldn’t mess with things, would it? I hoped not, because I didn’t want to smell like dirty feet, which the team would notice and tease me about. And I didn’t think Jayna would let me take the socks out of the bag. I double-checked that everything was in its proper place, then zipped it up.

“Okay, hit me.”

Jayna crossed and straddled my lap. “You’re going to be fine. You have everything in the right place, and you’re prepared. You’re nervous, but it will pass once you’re on the ice.”

“Promise?” I asked.

“Promise.” She kissed me, but I grasped her waist to bring her closer.

“Okay, quickie instead of questions for now, but on the plane you have to answer the questions about the towns that don’t have ice…”

* * *

Minnesota was determined.They fought hard, and the fans were loud and supportive. I wanted to play, of course. But seeing how they peppered Petey, I didn’t mind so much that I was stuck on the bench. Minnesota took both those games, and it was a quiet flight back to Toronto.

We fought back and won the two games in Toronto. Well, I didn’t play. But the team was reinvigorated for the return to Minnesota. Jayna flew out a day early to check out some stuff for the summer program and watched the game with my parents. Unfortunately, they got to see the Blaze lose again, and I didn’t move off the bench.

My parents flew to Toronto for the next game. Mom said it was more important that they support me than avoid Frank Devereaux, and that having Jayna around would help her through it.

* * *

The tension amped up,both for the team, and the whole city. A loss tonight meant Minnesota won everything. The Cup was in the building, and we desperately hoped we wouldn’t see it.

I met my parents for an early lunch before my pregame nap routine. Jayna joined us, and despite the fact that we were about to play game six of the finals, my parents happily discussed everything but that, preferring to talk about my project. They’d been supportive from the beginning, looking forward to having me and Jayna around for a couple of months.

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