The Friend Zone

Chapter Thirty-Four: Everybody Has Their Stuff

 "I'm going to go say hi to Matt," I remarked to my dad as we waited for the game to start upstairs in the restaurant that overlooked the arena.

The team had played the night before and earlier on in the afternoon, Matt didn't expect me to even be at the game, he knew what was going on. Taylor had called him from the hospital after calling my dad to let him know everything that was going on. We had won both games that weekend, sending us to the league final the next weekend.

"Need help?" Dad asked as I got out of the chair.

"I've got it," I replied, grabbing my crutches and hobbling out to the elevator and into the rink.

"Hey Walters, how are you feeling?" Matt remarked as I hopped into his office.

"Trying to be better," I replied, sitting down across from him, "Have you talked to Taylor lately?"

"Not since Monday," he replied.

"My mom died," I replied, "Yesterday morning."

"I'm sorry Tess," he sighed, "I don't think I can even begin to imagine what you're going through." 

"I'm getting better though," I said, trying not to cry, "I mean, it's only been a week but I need to get back on my feet and back into my typical routine."

"How long until your stitches are out?" he asked.

"Two weeks," I replied, "So one week now, they said to stay off of it for three. It's a muscle thing so it's not like they can throw a brace on it and heal it."

"Did it hit anything major?" he asked.

"Barely," I replied, "All four shots hit relatively in the same spot so it's pretty much a giant open wound. They took the crap out of my leg and then stitched it up."
"That sounds lovely," he grimaced, "How's your dad?"

"Not sure," I replied, "He's let me be the past week or whatever it's been since he got back. Taylor told me about my mom yesterday evening."
"How long is he here?" he asked.

"Sunday," I sighed, "He got this week off but he has important meetings on Monday and Wednesday that he didn't want to reschedule. I totally get it."

"Well if you want to crash at our house, Macy and I would be more than happy to let you stay with us," he said, "Just let me know."

"I will, the game's about to start so I should get back upstairs," I replied, "Thanks Matt."

"I'll see you around," he said as I grabbed my crutches and headed back upstairs.

"Just in time," Dad said as he pulled out my chair and helped me up into it.

"Good," I said, "he's starting again."

"I've tried to watch both your games," Dad remarked as they read the opposing team's lineup, "He's doing really well." 

"He's tearing it up," I replied, "He should've gone D1."

"But he had his head in his ass in school so he didn't," Dad sighed as they introduced our starting lineup. 

We won 5-2 that night, securing a spot in the league final game next weekend on our home ice once again. Taylor had a goal and four assists, his goal came on the penalty kill too.

"Can we wait for him?" I asked Dad as we paid our bill.

"Sure," he said.

"I'm going to head down there," I remarked, jumping off of the stool and grabbing my crutches.

I hobbled over to the elevator and made my way into the arena where nobody was sitting on the risers just inside the doors.

The arena was pretty much empty, save for a couple of softball players who were tasked with cleanup duty afterward. It was then that I saw Taylor's dad on the other side of the doors.

That was the last thing that he needed, his dad being around. He messed with Taylor's head and absolutely killed any confidence that Taylor found within himself. He needed to stay away, far away.

"Hey babe, I didn't know you were coming," Taylor remarked with a big grin on his face about twenty-five minutes later.

"I talked Dad into it," I smiled, getting up and giving him a hug "Hey, why don't we go out the back door, my dad parked out that way."

"Okay," he said, "I'd hold your hand but, uh, I don't think you want to fall," he grinned.

"Good plan," I laughed as we walked to the back door, the opposite side of the building from where his dad was.

"Where's your dad?" he asked as we walked outside.

"Pulling around," I replied, texting my dad, "I'll explain when we get back to your place."

"So you're not going back to the hotel?" he asked.

"Nope," I replied, "I'm not going to get better laying around all day and night."

"Alright," he said, "I guess we'll talk when we get back to my place."

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"What was up with the going out the backdoor thing?" Taylor asked as we got back to his dorm after going out to dinner with my dad.

"Your dad was here," I replied, "Right outside of the door, I thought you'd want to avoid that mess."

"You've got to be kidding me," he sighed, loosening up his tie from around his neck and flopping down on his bed.

"I didn't think you'd want to talk to him hence the back door thing," I said quietly.

"That son of a bitch," he remarked shaking his head, "I told him I don't want anything to do with him, that he needs to stay away from me."

"I wish I could've kicked his ass," I remarked as I carefully crawled in next to him.

"The thought has crossed my mind a time or two," he sighed, "You did what you could."

"I'm sorry Tay," I sighed, resting my head on his chest.

"Look at me," he laughed halfheartedly after a minute, "I'm sitting here complaining while I have two parents who are alive and well and want to be part of my life. You lost your mom Tess, not to mention the fact that she hasn't been in your life since you were 9."

"Everyone has their stuff," I replied, "And everyone's stuff is different. Don't feel bad because someone's stuff is different than yours."

"Damn I wish I was as smart as you," he remarked.

"It'll get better," I said, "That's why I came tonight."

"What?" he asked.

"I came because I need to want to feel better," I replied, "And I need to be back in my normal routine to feel better, I can't just mope around."

"That'll help," he said, pulling me closer and kissing my cheek.

"And so will this," I sighed, burying my head in his chest and he pulled the covers over top of us and I began to drift off to sleep.

"I love you, Tessa Jo Walters, I really do," he said softly a few minutes later, kissing my forehead and brushing the hair out of my face. And for the first time since all of the shit hit the fan last week, I felt like I might be okay someday. I wasn't okay now, but I was no longer stuck in the rut of feeling like I would never feel better or shake those awful feelings.

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