Page 66 of Cross Checks

Hank smiled. “Hey, buddy, what’s this call about, and why are you outside?”

“Chase, Hank, you won’t believe what’s happening here, and I’m blaming it all on the two of you.”

Hank and I looked at each other and shrugged, eager to hear more from Lyle. “There’s a war going on here,” he insisted. The two of you are responsible for bringing the Cold Pines Cougars and the Cold Pines Fire Department together, and now we’re at war.

Suddenly, he ducked out of frame, and a white ball went whizzing across the screen. “Is that what I think it is?” I asked.

Lyle’s face reappeared. Yes, it’s the snowball war to end all snowball wars. We’ve got forts built out here on one of the town’s baseball fields.

We listened to laughter, shouts and the occasional yelp as more snowballs went flying in the background. “How is it…um…” Lyle started to ask his question, but then he had to duck out of the way again.

Hank and I laughed out loud as we watched. Lyle held the phone up away from his face. “There’s Jensen lining up a shot at Waller. Hey, wait, they’re on the same team.” Another snowball suddenly whizzed past Lyle’s head.

“Now, it’s turning into a free-for-all. Oh, the humanity!” Lyle wailed.

“Watch out, Lyle!” Hank shouted as he spotted Coach Hoss with shifty eyes in the background.

“I’ve got to give it to those hockey players, they have impressive aim.”

“Thunk!!” A wet icy ball landed on the phone. Something wiped it away, and we found ourselves looking at a damp, blurry version of the Great Cold Pines Snowball War.

“I think I’m going to need to hang up,” Lyle told us. “I’m in the danger zone, but we wanted to let you know that once the two of you skipped town, all hell broke loose.”

“You guys look like you’re having a blast!” I shouted.

“We are!” Lyle shouted back. “There’s only one problem here. These two armies need their generals, and I heard a rumor they skipped out on the last flight to sunny Florida.”

The call ended with Lyle promising to send more updates. Once he was gone, Hank and I sat back, laughing. There was a stark contrast between our sunny beach and the snowy battlefield back in Maine.

“That is so funny,” laughed Hank. “I wonder who came up with that idea. It smells like a Waller prank to me.”

“I don’t know. Did you see that look on Coach Hoss’s face? It was positively nefarious. I wouldn’t put it past him to hatch the idea.”

“I bet they’ll be talking about the Cold Pines Snowball War for years,” Hank said.

Later, we lay together on the air mattress in our sparse but cozy new apartment, staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling. The mattress was surprising comfortable, and I worried that we’d only have a sleeping bag on a bare floor.

“You know, this ceiling could use some glow-in-the-dark stars,” I mused aloud. “I had those in my bedroom when I was a kid. Did you?”

“The Big Dipper, Orion, and Cassiopeia,” Hank stated. He chuckled softly as he rolled onto his side to face me. “I suppose some people would think we’ve outgrown those, but we can do whatever we want. This is our story, a brand new one to tell our way.”

“Yes, a fresh start,” I insisted. “Just you, me, and the air mattress.”

Hank propped himself up on one elbow. “We’re really doing this, aren’t we? We’re here in Florida and we’re going to live here.”

I nodded, feeling a new surge of emotion. “It’s a little scary, but it’s exciting, too. I never thought I’d be anywhere like this with somebody as amazing as you.”

Hank reached for my hand. “We’ve come so far, from the cold ice rinks of Maine to the sunny shores of Florida. It’s like an unbelievable dream.”

“It’s our dream,” I insisted.

We lay in silence for a few minutes, lost in our thoughts. I contemplated the enormous journey that lay ahead.

“Do you ever think far into the future?” Hank asked. “About what will become of us?”

“Every day,” I admitted. “I think about someday retiring from the NHL, saying farewell to the coaches, players, and the fans. Then, all that’s left is us, you and me, and the life we’re going to build together.”

Hank squeezed my hand. “I can’t wait to see you out there on the ice, living your dream. That arena looks amazing, so sleek and modern. I’m also looking forward to finding my place here, too. I wonder if there’s a way I can make a difference.”

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