Page 5 of Wrong Pucking Jersey

He was super successful up until a few years ago.

He usually tried to stay in Saskatchewan for longer periods of time before coming here in Strattonville, but it’s been hard for a number of reasons. When he came to Ontario, he always stayed with us in this little town. Just made more sense than getting an apartment, especially with how house prices have been across Canada.

Almost four thousand for a shoe box that can’t even fit a queen-size bed? No, thanks.

“Mikayla has decided she wants to be adventurous,” Father declares.

“That’s not a bad thing,” Mack points out as she raids our fridge for chocolate milk.

She finds her source of nutritious protein, spins the lid off, and gulps it down in on go.

“Unless you decide to come home utterly wasted and singing Mary Had A Little Lamb while attempting to go up the flight of stairs.”

And my best friend is spluttering milk everywhere.

“WHAT?!” My girl looks at me in horror while I’m staring at my father with my jaw dropped. All I can do is slowly look at Coach Cyrus, who just opens the newspaper to full length and hides behind it.

“Have fun saving yourself,” he hums, and I know he ain’t going to get me out of this.

He never does. Always on my father’s side. Traitor.

“If you have anything else embarrassing to reveal to my memory-loss self, I’d like no part in the discussion,” I conclude in defeat. “Instead, I’ll get a towel to clean that up.” I point at Mack’s mess as she groans.

“I’ll help. My bad.”

“Clean it up and meet us at the kitchen island,” Father concludes with his ‘serious’ tone.

That has me and my bestie giving each other looks before we race to clean up her chocolaty mess.

Are we actually in trouble?

We move like the wind before we’re situated on the miniature island that can fit four people.

We used to have a big house back in the day. A mansion of marble white that helped bring out the pop of colorful luxury furniture Mother absolutely adored. Heck, I loved it even more. Rooms were dedicated to various colors before the massive basement that felt like a rainbow wonderland filled with various things to do. Dad loved to call it a man cave, but he had something for everyone down there.

It gave us the best of both worlds, which was why I worked so hard to save my money throughout my teen years in hopes of one day “buying it back” after we lost it.

Foreclosure.

Pretty embarrassing.

We didn’t have a choice back then.

Honestly, the house was the least of our worries.

But I dreamed of getting that place I called home for as long as I could remember.

“If this is going to be about me getting shit-faced, Mary-had-a-little-lamb drunk, then I’ll admit I’m not sorry,” I voice and can’t help but glance to my right to see Mack pinching her nose in dismay.

“You never apologize unless you mean it,” she acknowledges.

“Glad you know me well,” I voice back and look at Father, who’s shaking his head.

Coach Cyrus just shakes his head. “With that trait, she’s gonna get kicked out before her placement is done.”

“Placement?” I frown and look between the two of them.

Mack is gasping.

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