Page 49 of Someone to Have
There's more to this kid's family dynamics than he's letting on. Hudson can try to hide it, but dysfunction recognizes dysfunction. He looks like he's fighting back tears, so I put a hand on his shoulder.
“Take your pads off. I'll give you a lift home. The sooner you elevate your knee and get ice on it, the better.” The trainer opens his mouth to say something, but I give him a talk-and-I’ll-cut-you look. “You won’t know anything for certain until you see an ortho and have that MRI.”
“Yep.” The man nods, although we both know what comes next for Hudson. “Maybe it's not as bad as I think.”
Hudson climbs off the table, wincing as he puts weight on his right leg.
“I'm going to let Coach know what's going on,” I tell him. “I'll meet you out front.”
“Tell the guys I'm sorry.”
“You don't have one thing to apologize for.” I walk out of the locker room, the trainer following me.
“Keep telling him that.”
I pause at the trainer’s words and turn to him, trying not to let my frustration show.
“Why?” I have a feeling I know the answer, and I already don’t like it.
The guy shrugs. “His dad isn’t going to be happy about any of this.”
“What's the story there?”
“Kent Kircher isn't a bad guy,” he tells me, “but he likes the brown liquor a little too much and doesn't hold it well.”
“Does he take out his temper on his wife or kid?” I ask without emotion.
“Not that anyone can confirm, but there's a lot riding on Hudson’s shoulders for that family.”
I’ve seen it before. Some parents want the glory, and some are banking on the money the future is going to offer.
I curse under my breath. “There's a lot of runway between high school and setting your family up for retirement. It’s a fuck-ton of pressure on a kid.”
“No arguments here. But Hudson’s got the brains as well as the talent. He's going to be okay no matter what.”
“Yeah,” I agree, even though I'm not quite as convinced. It’s alotof runway.
The score hasn't changed with fifteen minutes left in the period, and I’m peppered with questions from the bench.
“How's Hudson doing?”
“Is he okay?”
“That was a dirty hit.”
“Can’t believe the asshole only spent two minutes in the sin bin.”
I assure the players that Hudson’s going to be fine. “I'm driving him home,” I tell Toby.
He nods. “I’ll check in on him later tonight. What's Mick think?”
I'm well aware that every kid on that bench has their eyes glued on me.
“He thinks he needs to ice it and rest,” I say.
Toby can read my tone. His jaw tightens, but he only nods.
“Okay, guys, eyes on the ice.”
