Page 104 of Goaltender Interference

Nolan slumped onto a stool, leaning his elbows on the counter. “I just like … I don’t know what todo.”

“About what?” Jesse grabbed one of the other stools, dragging it around so he and Nolan sat kitty corner to each other and he could look at Nolan’s face while they talked.

“Like, if I should tell my parents.” The microwave beeped and Nolan hopped off the stool to grab his popcorn.

Oh shit, Jesse mouthed behind his back. “Well,” he said aloud. “If you do decide to, your dad will be great.”

“Will he?” Nolan’s expression was back to being painfully earnest.

“Absolutely. He loves the fuck out of you.”

“I know but like … won’t he be disappointed?” Nolan dumped the popcorn in the bowl.

“Of course not!” Connor would be a lot of things but Jesse couldn’t imagine him being disappointed his son was bisexual. Worried about him? Yes. But never disappointed.

“He kinda took it hard when Uncle Kelly came out.” Nolan slumped on the stool again, cradling his food.

Jesse nodded. “I get that. Look, I wasn’t here for that so you’d know more about it than I do. But I get the feeling he was shocked by the news and upset at himself for making Kelly feel like he couldn’t tell him sooner.”

“Sure, but …” Nolan crammed a bunch of popcorn in his mouth.

“But what?” Jesse asked when Nolan didn’t finish.

“But like, Uncle Kelly wasn’t hiskid.”

“You think it’ll be different for you?”

Nolan shrugged. “I mean, this whole family is so … like everyone’s so good at hockey and they’re all married with kids?—”

“Kelly and Anders have kids?” Jesse asked, confused.

“Well no, not yet, but they’re talking about it happening in the next year or two or whatever …”

“And you feel different than all of them?” Jesse guessed.

“Sometimes. I mean, I know I’m too young to get married and have kids but like … even my older cousins are settling down and talking about getting married and having families and I feel like I’m not—not like they are somehow.”

“Well, I have it on good authorityyou’regood at hockey too,” Jesse said. “In fact, your dad was bragging about you while we were on the road. Your grandpa had sent him some footage of the goal you scored in the game and he was showing it off to everyone on the team.”

“Really?” This time, Jesse was pretty sure Nolan’s flush was from pleasure, not embarrassment.

“Really. Totally bragging you up.”

“Okay. But I’m still … maybe gay and …”

“You might be,” Jesse agreed. “But so is your Uncle Kelly. And your Uncle Anders is bi. And I know he’s not a blood relative, but hello, they just got married last summer. That’s also a signyoucan get married and have a family if that’s what you want someday. And you can play fucking great hockey while you do it.”

“You think so?”

“Dude. Have you not been paying attention to which teams have been killing it in the postseason lately? They’re totally queer. And hi, did you forget about me? Bisexual and Stanley Cup winner here,” he teased. “I’m the total package.”

Nolan giggled. “True.”

“So, I get that it’s scary. And I get feeling different. Because I’ve always been different too. My family’s great, they’re supportive, but they’re kinda quiet and reserved and you know,straight. And I was always the one creating chaos everywhere I went and being unapologeticallynotstraight.”

“But like, that’s what’s cool about you.”

“Well, obviously,” Jesse said because he knew it would make Nolan laugh. “I’m the best. But you just have to figure out how to beyourbest.”

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