Page 106 of Slots & Sticks
“Hey.” Knova grins when I sidle up to her. “I thought you were gonna miss this part.”
“Never.” I nibble my thumbnail. I hope Vi’s plan, whatever it is, will work. I’ve been feeling nauseous for the last couple weeks, but with my nerves right now, I’m at risk of ruining this moment by being sick right there on the jumbotron for all to see.
Vi comes out of the back and waves to the mascot. The Venom Viper skates over, the giant snake head wobbling like it’s seen things it can never unsee. Vi slips him the baggieas stealthily as possible. He nods once, solemnly—“mission accepted”—and glides off with my literal pee in hand.
Toward, of all people, Viktor Abbott.
“Nooooo!” I slap my palms against the glass. “Wrong player!”
Violet, too, is waving her arms over her head to get the mascot’s attention.
It’s too late.
The crowd gasps as Viktor freezes mid-stride, staring at the baggie. Then he holds it up to the lights, squinting. “Knova!” he bellows. “Did you…? Are we…?”
Knova blinks. “What are you—oh, hell no. That is not my brand.”
Viktor looks personally betrayed by biology.
“Kill me now.” I thump my forehead against the glass and let it rest there, grateful for the chill. “I’m never taking anyone’s advice ever again.”
“Dot? Are you okay?” Sofia presses a hand to my back.
No. I am not okay. I am in some frozen version of hell, and it’s a hell of my own making.
At least Viktor’s taking this well. Too well, in fact. He’s doing something that might, if I squinted, be the Floss. It’s… very bad. There’s a lot of arm-waving and hip-thrusting. His voice drifts across the ice as he shouts, “Dad bods for the win!” The crowd is losing their minds.
Suddenly, as if summoned by dark magic, Dante appears at my elbow. “Who do I need to kill?”
I grimace. “Er…”
“Metaphorically speaking, of course.”
I tap one finger against the glass. “The mascot gave the pregnancy test to the wrong guy. I was trying to make some magic before the game, Dante.”
“Oh, thank God.” Dante’s frosty expression melts a smidge. “So Viktor and Knova did not reproduce. Oh, but you and Camden did! Congratulations.” He gestures to the mascot, who starts to skate toward us. Another sharp gesture sends the mascot back for the test, though Viktor is reluctant to give it up. After an exchange I can’t hear from this distance, the mascot yanks the test away from Viktor and turns to Dante for more guidance.
Dante points to Camden. At last, my test makes it to the right guy.
“I didn’t know Viktor was so excited to have kids,” Sofia observes.
“Nor did I.” Knova examines her husband with an attentive eye. “Interesting. Though I’d be more interested if he’d stop playing video games until the wee hours, or moved his own dirty socks to the laundry basket.”
A tap on the glass.
No, not a tap.
A knock, right through it.
I blink, startled, and realize there’s no glass between us anymore. One of the panels is gone, like some magic trapdoor was opened for me.
Behind me, Violet gives a tiny wave, looking way too innocent for someone holding a power tool clipboard.
Maintenance. Of course. She got maintenance to pull the panel. For me. For this.
Camden’s already skating toward the opening full speed ahead. He’s clutching the test baggie in one gloved hand like it’s the damn Olympic torch. His helmet’s off, curls wild, eyes burning.
He stops in front of me. Breathless. Unblinking. Mine.
