Page 203 of Pucking Strong

“They’re shutting all these down,” Natalie explains, holding hands with Evie as I push Karolina in her wheelchair. Now that her arm cast is off, she’s using her crutches way more. But at these crowded home games, it’s nice to have her safe in the buffer of a chair.

The game is over. Rays lost by two. Now we’re working our way down the concourse towards the WAG room. “Henrik usually texts me by now. I don’t know what’s keeping him tonight.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket with a new message.

POPPY:

PRESS ROOM. NOW. HURRY.

“Oh no.”

Nat looks over at me. “Teddy?”

“What’s wrong?” asks Jay. “You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”

“Stay with Karolina.”

“What?”

“I said, stay with Karolina. I’ve gotta go!” Not waiting for their reply, I take off down the concourse.

“Teddy! Hey! Where the heck do you want us to go?”

“’Scuse me,” I shout, ducking around some drunk Panthers fans as they weave their way towards the stairs. “Outta the way!” I take the stairs two at a time, racing down for the lower level.

Majorie, the volunteer docent, stands watch at the press entrance as I sprint up. “My goodness. Everything alright, honey?”

I pat down my chest and all my pockets, trying to catch my breath. “I—can’t find—fuck, my pass is missing.” Groaning, I press a hand to my forehead. My arena pass is in the front pocket of my backpack, which is strapped to Karolina’s wheelchair. “I don’t have my pass. Marj, I don’t … it’s not here.”

Oh my god, of all the times to not have my arena pass. Something is happening down there. And now I’m gonna miss it?

Marjorie glances around. “That’s okay, honey. You go on through.”

Just like that, the storm clouds clear. “Wait, really?”

She smiles, holding a finger to her lips. “It’ll be our little secret.”

Grabbing her by her bony, birdlike shoulders, I smack a kiss on her cheek. “Miss Marj, if I wasn’t married, I’d get down on one knee!”

“Well, my heavens.”

Ducking around the stanchion, I bound like a gazelle down the escalator. Landing at the bottom, I dart left and hurry down the hallway to where the crowd of press members wait. Looks like a full house tonight. It’s always a full house when we play another Florida team. I weave my way through the back of the crowd, looking for a good view of the top table.

I think the press conference only just started. Coach Johnsonis in the middle seat. DeGraw is to his left, Novy to his right. And there, next to Novy sits my Henrik. He hasn’t done a press conference since the one where we announced our marriage. That feels like it happened a lifetime ago.

“Sorry we’re running a little late, folks,” Coach Johnson says into his microphone. “If you’ll all find your places, we’ll get started.”

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