In My Rearview Mirror, JACK.HUGHES

TWO

I get wake up by my ringtone.

Shit it's almost 13h pm. I slept too much. I look at my phone to check the call I just missed.

Braden is no longer by my side, and he didn't wake me up. As I touch the spot where he slept last night, the coldness suggests he left some time ago. Usually, we wake up at the same time and take the time to have coffee together. Participating in his daily activities creates a sense of inclusion in his everyday life, and I often enjoy these shared moments.

With a sense of anticipation, I reach for my phone to inspect the missed calls, secretly hoping to find Braden's name lighting up the screen. As my eyes scan the display, the words "UNKNOWN NUMBER" emerge. A sense of intrigue and confusion washes over me. The unknown caller adds an element of mystery to the morning, leaving me with more questions than answers.

When I don't know the number I don't answer.

Despite the curiosity itching inside me, when I see an unknown number, I never answer.

As I place my phone on my bedside table to start my routine without distraction, my phone vibrates with a notification. My hand swiftly reaches for the phone, as if its notification holds a significance in that moment.

"It's Jack. Can you answer please ASAP"

Jack who ? Jack Hughes I believe. Why would he want to talk to me. The persistent caller tries again, and this time, I decide to answer the call.

"Hi Jack, what do you want?" I ask, a hint of shyness in my voice. "Yesterday, you didn't give me my credit card back," he says.

I express my disagreement with a subtle shake of my head, even though he can't see the gesture through the phone. "I'm pretty sure I did"

"No, you didn't. Please, check in your stuff. I'm really anxious about this; I don't want to deal with it," he replies, a tinge of frustration in his voice. "Wait, I'm looking"

I get up and look in my purse, but it's not there. A sense of guilt makes my palms sweaty. I glance around and notice my little working pouch on the floor. Emptying its contents, I discover his card tucked inside.

"Shit, I do have your card," I affirm. "Ah, thank god," he responds with a sigh of relief.

"How did you get my number, Jack?" I inquire, realizing that I don't recall giving him my number yesterday. "I went to the bar this morning, and your boss was there. He helped me look for it, and then he gave me your number so I could check with you," he explains.

"Okay, well, do you want to come pick it up at the bar?" I suggest.

"No, I really don't have time to drive to New York. Tonight, I have a practice, and tomorrow I'm out of town," he replies.

I hear the front door open, prompting me to stretch my head to see who it is. To my relief, I spot Braden and Ced entering with a gym bag, a clear indication that they had their morning practice with the team. I welcome them with a big smile, staying silent and pointing to the phone to indicate that I'm on a call.

"Actually can you come by my house tonight at like 21h pm ? I'll be there." Jack adds. "okay it works", I accept. "Sick, I'll text you my address. When you get there, text me."

I agree and hang up.

Braden walks towards me and hugs me. "Who were you talking to?" he asks. "My sister. I was talking to my sister," I lie with a smile. "Is she doing well?" he asks kindly. "Oh yeah, she's great."

He walks to the bathroom and start up the shower. "I'm going in the shower, would you like to come ?", he asks me which I accept.

After taking our shower, Braden and I decided to relax a bit before tonight's game. The Rangers will face the Blues at Madison Square Garden.