Page 41 of Game Changer
“So he probably picked up on the fact you want to make amends, even if he didn’t understand all the words.”
I consider that.I’d like to believe that.I knew Molly would make me feel better.“Last night he seemed so with it.”He shakes his head.“Chelsea says his cognitive abilities vary from day to day.”
“You’ll have more chances to talk to him while you’re here.I’m sorry.”
I nod, tightening my lips.“Thanks.We have to deal with it.I also heard from Everly.”She texted me earlier.“She’s getting everyone together tomorrow night.”
“Oh good.”
“She said to bring you.”
Molly shakes her head.“No.That’s family stuff.”
I shrug.“It’s not that big a deal.”
“I don’t want to intrude.I’m just tagging along to escape Chicago.I’ll be fine here.”
I tell her a few anecdotes about my afternoon with Grandpa, and she listens so attentively I keep talking.
“Did you ever play hockey with your grandpa?”she asks at one point.
“Yeah.”I smile faintly.“When I was little.He’d play with us kids when we got together for Christmas.It was really cool, because he was always so much better than us, but then…Théo started to get better than him.Faster.Softer hands.And then JP, Asher, Harrison and me too.He loved it, though.And Noah and Riley played goal, so we gave them a run for their money every time.There aren’t many players in the league today who can say they stopped shots from Bob Wynn.”
She smiles.“I guess not.”
“Grandpa was so proud of all of us.”My lips twist.“Even me.And we loved trying to outskate him.”
“What about your dad?And your uncle?Did they play too?”
“Oh yeah, of course.My mom played hockey too.”
Her eyes widen as she picks up a chip and dunks it into the guacamole.“Really?”
“Yeah.She just played for fun when she was a teenager.”
“That’s awesome.”
“My mom’s pretty cool.”
“Where does she live?”
“Toronto, right now.But apparently she may be moving to Los Angeles too.”I rolls my eyes.“I hope she doesn’t.”
“Why?”
I shrug.“My dad’s here.He’s an asshole.And the rest of the family can be a lot.”
“They don’t like her?”
“No, no.Actually they do.I just think she’s better off not being involved with them.”
“Los Angeles is a big city.And…” She grins.“She’s a grown woman.I’m sure she can make her own decisions.”
My lips pucker up and then I smile.“Yeah.I guess that’s true.Women don’t like being treated like children, huh?”
“Fuck the patriarchy,” she says mildly, and I burst out laughing.Molly and I have always laughed over the same things, and right now it feels good to laugh with her.
9
