The Tales of a Professional Hockey Player

Chapter 31: Daycare

~Ben~

After the game against The Devils, everyone made plans to meet up at a bar known by hockey players. All my teammates talked about how welcoming the barmaids were, a comment to which I couldn't help but cringe. "They give us free beers," one of them said. "Yeah, it's because they want you to repay them later," another answered. I, of course, could not go, so I went straight back to the hotel. Coach Bailey even gave me a lift, so I didn't have to walk. I step in my room at only ten-thirty, and, even though I am exhausted, I decide to call Eleanor to check up on her and Ophelia.

"Hey, how was the game?" she asks after picking up. She sounds tired. I hope I didn't wake her.

"Was good. I only played for like five minutes, but it was good. We won," I can't help but add after a few seconds. "How was your day?" I hear her sigh as I wait for her answer.

"Weird," she ends up saying. "I went to Tracy Finley's house with Oph and seeing the way they live made me question so much," she explains after I asked her why. Nathan told me at practice this morning that Tracy invited Eleanor for a playdate. He kept going on and on about how excited his wife was to have a friend coming over. "She doesn't have many friends," he even told me.

"Question what?" I felt my heart speed up a little. If Tracy talked to Eleanor about how it is to date an NHL player and Eleanor decided that it's not what she wants, I don't know what will happen next for us.

"The way I want to raise Oph, the values I want to give her. That kind of stuff."

"What does that mean?" I ask, confused.

"They have a nanny, Ben. Tracy doesn't work and they have a nanny and a housekeeper!" She sounds offended, annoyed even.

"Ok... And?" I have no idea where she's going with this, but, right now, I don't see the big deal.

"And she told me I should hire one too!"

"A nanny or a housekeeper?" I struggle following this conversation. I woke up at six and worked out like a madman before studying the game plan for tonight's game. My mind is filled with hockey techniques and formation plans. I can't seem to concentrate on anything else.

"A nanny!" she basically shouts. "I told her I didn't have time to write for the past few weeks because of Ophelia and she told me to hire someone to take care of her while I work. How absurd is this?" I can see her roll her eyes in my head. I can even imagine the little pout on her face. The arm that isn't holding her phone is probably crossed on her chest and her foot is almost certainly tapping on the floor regularly. The image brings a smile to my face.

"Maybe not a nanny, but maybe a daycare could be a good idea?" I say, more like a question than a statement.

"Why?" I can hear the anger in her voice.

"Well... it would give you time to work while I am away, and kids learn so much in daycare. She would meet other kids her age and learn to play with them. I am sure there are great daycares close to where you live," I calmly say. She stays silent for a few minutes, long enough for me to check if she hasn't hung up on me.

"I don't want to leave her alone somewhere with people she doesn't know," she ends up stating. She's calmer now. From the sound of her voice, I would even say that she's a little bit sad.

"She'd get to know them, and it would only be a few hours a week. It's not like you would drop her off in the morning and pick her up late at night. Just a few hours to let you write without being disturbed." We're getting somewhere, I know we are. I honestly think I could cry if we resolve this issue without fighting.