The Brick Wall

Chapter 53

Curtis POV

  Of course my wanting the proverbial cake and eating it too wouldn't be easy. Right off the bat I was headed out for a long road trip in which Collins nor Lennox would be able to be a part of it.  It's not unusual to have a full couple of weeks with away games at least one month during your season. For us, that was the rest of January.

  I didn't start in the first game, but Coach Anson assured me it had to do with the lackluster ability team we were playing against. He told me to rest and that I'd be up next.

  The next came, but I was still sitting on the bench. 

  "It's because of me," Collins groans into the phone late that night.  

  We had another game against Atlanta tomorrow night before traveling on the bus to Florida. Blake and I were sharing a room, but he'd gone down to the hotel bar for a round with a few of our teammates. 

  "Knock that crap off," I tell her.

  "I didn't say anything except that he's doing it because of me."

  "I know what's about to come out of that smart mouth of yours, Collins."

  "Really? You're so sure, Pookie?"

  "Hell yes, I'm sure. You were about to go into a spill about how he's keeping me pulled because you and I are dating and then you'd offer up dumping me so I'd have the number one spot again."

  I hear the annoyance in her scoff.  "You know me so well, huh? How about all that was going to come out of my mouth was my tongue sticking out at you? Now what do you have to say for yourself?"

  I don't hold back. "I'd say I'd suck it into my mouth without a second thought."

  There's a whole different type of groan that fills my ear this time.

  "You can't be talking like that."

  "Then don't offer up your tongue, gorgeous," I smart back. "How was my girl tonight?"

  The change of topic gives me a chance to change my focus on my fledgling hockey career and back onto something much more important. "She's toddling everywhere now.  I mean, it's just a step or two before she's back on her butt, but then she's pulling up on things and trying again.  She may be fully up on those skates of hers by her first birthday."

  "That reminds me. My mom is going to be coming in the night before I get back.  Said she's got something big to talk to me about."

  "Oh," Collins grows quiet. "Did you still want me watching the princess or?"

  "I told her you were keeping her but that you might enjoy the break."

  I see her take a deep breath through the video call, her teeth worrying her bottom lip and I know I've stepped in something.  "What did I do?"

  "You mean other than basically telling your mother that your girlfriend needs a break from your daughter?" she argues. "Which by the way, I don't. I love that little munchkin even if her daddy can be a real pain in my b-u-t-t."

  My head cocks to the side, ignoring the first part of what she said. "Is she still awake or something? It's like eleven o'clock."

  "No, she's not. I'm just trying to watch my mouth before I spout out something I shouldn't."

  "Not like that's ever stopped you," I tease.  That tease earns me an arched brow and a set jaw. "I didn't mean anything by what I said to my mother."

  "You make it sound like I don't want to be around your family, Curtis. I'm with you, right? We've established that, correct?"

  I nod, already realizing my mistake in what I said earlier.

  "Then I need your mom, and maybe even you, to understand that I adore your daughter. She's kind of my favorite person right now."

  My jaw drops with mock agitation. "Seriously?"

  "Well, I mean, yeah," she answers as though it's an obvious statement. "She doesn't smart back or get all broody when she's in a mood."

  "You're right. She screams, cries, wears her food and poops her pants."

  That's when I get the laughter I've been craving, the sounds I've been missing since being on the road. "Ma knows you love Lennox, sweetheart. I promise."

  "Maybe don't cut my time short with her without telling me about it then," she gives an honest and open request.

  I answer with a quiet 'okay' because I can see how this would look. "I'm sorry, Collins. Truly."

  The next night I finally get my start again. Might be because our guy let in three the night before, along with the fact that he tried to play like a hotshot and skated way too far out of his crease thinking he could take on a forward. He left the net wide open for a simple fake and the puck had nowhere to go but in.

  I was on the bench hearing the reaming Coach was giving him during a timeout. I could've smirked and been smug, knowing that I wouldn't have made such a ridiculous  mistake but I kept my face schooled and listened, even took some of the berating words our leader threw my way even if they were meant for the starter.

  Never look the gift horse in the eye. I take the starting call and prepare, get myself in the zone just as soon as I text Collins to let her know. She sends back a quick video of both she and Lennox in my jersey. My baby girl is squealing "DaDa" over and over, getting louder every time.  Collins completes the call with a "You got this, Pookie!" 

  "Pookie?" Blake asks, leaning over my shoulder.

  "It's a long story," I tell him with a grin, knowing good and well that if this had been a little over a month prior I'd have told him to get lost and mind his own business. "I need to zone in. If I don't pull out a shutout I've got a strong feeling my ass is grass."

  "Coach still not thrilled with you and the little sis?"

  "How can you tell?" I smart back.

  "Play the game of your life and get the call up. Leave the disappointed big brother behind and go live your life."

  His words ring true, and I get what he's saying, but the sudden ache in my  heart makes me realize if that dream comes true I won't be leaving behind just Coach Anson and his disappointment over me dating his sister. 

  It's too soon for me to ask her to go with me, right? We've been dating barely a month, I can't ask her to upheave her life for something that's just beginning. 

  "Focus, Wall. You've got a point to prove, remember?"

  And prove it I did.  

  I proved it so well that Anson pulled me off the team bus and handed me a plane ticket back to Raleigh.

*Unedited