Page 111 of Wrong Pucking Jersey

“It was an option, but honestly, I didn’t like the stigma around it. I was already leaving a stigmatizing environment that I’d been stuck in for years. I didn’t want to leave one cycle to be forced into another,” he elaborates. “When the hacking issue occurred and the organization where the incident happened wouldn’t give the surveillance footage, it made me angry.”

“Why would they even deny it, knowing another person’s career, marriage, basically their life was at stake?”

“The owner was part of the same church,” Dimitri grumbles. “Said the Devil was punishing my father for sucking cock and thinking he’d be forgiven and all that shit. When they told him this could ruin James’ career or even push him to commit suicide, he said, ‘good riddance’ and laughed. I heard every word and recorded it. I think that was the fuel I needed to do the right thing, even though it’s obviously wrong to hack into another’s intellectual property without permission.”

“So, it’s thanks to you that James was proven innocent.”

“Basically,” Dimitri smiles. “I almost got charged for hacking and stuff, but they ended up dropping the charges when they found out the owner was withholding and altering evidence. James was cleared, and the community was forced to acknowledge he was innocent and sit in their shitty morals of what they did to their own. From there, James offered to pay for any educational degree I wanted to pursue. I originally chose kinesiology but ended up doing that and nursing. James approved of both, paid for it all, and once I graduated and expressed wanting to do something in sports health, he brought up the government project to build Strattonville Stadium.”

“That’s when the internship came up,” I say with a big grin. “That’s amazing, Dimitri. It’s like you became a damn superhero and got the education you wished for. All because of fate and your courage to help someone in need to be proven innocent.” When I think about it, he really did save Mr. Champion’s life.

“It was good timing, wasn’t it?” He jokes and ruffles his hair. “The internship seemed like a good way to know if I want to pursue being a team nurse professionally. It’s not something many talk about. Everyone always speaks about nursing in hospitals or people’s homes. I thought I’d be one of those community nurses who stay in people’s homes. I know Strattonville has many nurses who do that since we have a lot of elderly in this town. I didn’t think sports nursing was a thing, but when I found out about it, I figured, why not? There aren’t many male nurses, to begin with, and it would be good in the future if I go on an international team that may need a male nurse for cultural and religious beliefs.”

“Do you hold hate to those who did what they did to James?” I ponder. If I was in his position and that happened to my dad, I’d despise them. It wouldn’t matter how strongly I believed in God.

“Sometimes,” he admits. “I mean, it took a good two to three years before James’ marriage was considered saved. I really think James was mere inches from divorcing his wife.”

He’s quiet for a moment as he stares at his hands.

“At one point, he did try to kill himself. I wasn’t there, but I heard about it. He had to get his stomach pumped and was in rehab for a few days. They said that having him watch a few hockey games on the television during the playoff season helped him hold it together. It pulled him out of despair of his life and into the action of the game,” he breaks it down quietly.

“I’m not sure if that’s the reason why I wanted a hockey internship. I wanted to see what was so captivating. How it stole James’ attention from the spiraling void that was trying to take him away from this world… from us. I obviously can’t skate, which you found out and I’m thankful you’re helping me with it, but I guess… maybe I want to learn more about this sport so I can bond with James more.” He sighs as if he just confessed something huge before meeting my softened gaze.

“It’s not like I don’t want to call James my dad,” he whispers. “I just want to do it when it feels right. When I’m ready to acknowledge he’s a parent in my life and not simply a savior. We helped each other, despite our beliefs or age difference, and I know neither of us wanted something in return, but I want my acknowledgment of having him as a father in my life to be one he can remember and look back on. One where he can say, despite all the bad that happened to me, something good came along. I unexpectedly found a son at a gas station who’s now a team nurse of one of the established teams I contributed to.” He laughs and blushes slightly.

“In other words, I wanna make him proud and allow him the joy of knowing he’s an amazing father in my eyes.”

I’m literally blinking my eyes to stop my tears before I fan my eyes.

“Damn, Dimitri. I didn’t think I’d be shedding my eyeliner all over my cheeks before noon.”

“Oh, shit.” He blinks and realizes I’m crying. “Wait! Don’t cry. Uh… uh… what do I do if someone’s crying.”

That makes me laugh and cry as I watch him freak out. He leans over the lunch table to pat my cheeks dry with some clean napkins.

“God. Now we have to camp here until you don’t look like you’ve cried, or else my life is at stake.”

“No way. You’re being dramatic.”

“No way? I had to admit I was gay and not going to pounce on you before your growling lovers allowed me to take you back to the dorm two weeks ago. Since then, they glare at me whenever I stand NEAR you.”

“They do not.”

The look he gives me proves otherwise.

“I’ll talk to them and ensure they understand you’re a dear friend like Mack, so they don’t scrutinize you with their powerful eyes, which apparently undress me and make their competitors quiver in fear of talking to me.”

“Now you’re helping me survive this internship.”

I burst out in laughter.

“You would have survived, regardless.”

“Nope.” He shakes his head. “I thought they would jump me sooner or later. If you let them know I’m just a gay nurse trying to secure a job and live his life, I’ll be grateful.” His eyes remain on mine for a moment. “I honestly don’t know why that was so easy to tell you, Mikayla, but thank you for listening.”

“You haven’t told anyone else that?”

“Nope.” He shrugs. “I actually talk the most with you and the occasional lunches with McD. That’s her nickname, right?”

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