Page 89 of The Call-Up
“Why would they?” Ryan speaks up as he lays his stick across his legs. “Doing that would mean them having to admit I’m their son.”
He grabs another roll of tape and begins working on the blade. Everything about him right now is calm, casual, and confident. He’s gearing up for a monster game. I can feelit.
“You’re the only one who gets a pass in this,” Coach says as he comes over and sticks his fist out for Ryan to bump. After Ryan hits it, Coach takes his attention to Danton. “I’m guessing this adventure was your idea. What the fuck were you thinking?”
“Team bonding,” Danton states on the other side of me. “A little boost to get us hyped for tonight’s game.”
“And are you feeling hyped? Because you all got shellacked game one.”
“I know I am,” Danton says, gesturing at himself. “What about the rest of you boys?”
“I am ready,” Ivanov says in a murderous tone with an equally murderous look on his face.
Clemmers claps Ivanov on the shoulder but he’s looking at Coach in the center of the room. “Don’t worry about us, Coach. We’re out for blood tonight.”
“You better be,” he says, as his lips start to pull up at the corners. His mad dad façade is beginning to fade. “Because you better believe we’re going to the finals! Even if we have to outrun the cops to get there!”
Ryan
This round is ours and it’s not even close. Dallas may have won the first game, but we’ve beaten them the last three, and we’re about to end this round by winning again tonight.
Danton’s team bonding exercise did the trick. Though if I’m being honest, we’re already bonded. But I appreciate Danton calling it team bonding; it gives a name to their way of telling me that the Mules are my family now. I may have lost my sisters, but I’ve gained twenty-three brothers. And that’s something special.
“We are twenty minutes away from punching our ticket to the finals, boys!” Coach Chris says as we gather around for the period to start.
He’s been doing this countdown all night. It was one game, then three periods, then two, one.
He’s a good coach. The best I’ve ever had, in more ways than one.
“Christianson! Your line is up!”
I lightly knock Brandon’s and O’Shea’s helmets with my fist, then skate away, leading them to center ice. Like Coach said, twenty more minutes. And those twenty minutes start the moment I win this draw.
Brandon
This round has been a whirlwind. Our bodies, but more so our emotions, have been put through the wringer. It’s all been worth it for this moment right here. We did it. We’re going to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Buffalo Blizzards.
But first, we have to get through the presentation of this trophy for winning the Western Conference without any of us touching the damn thing.
I’m nervous as I watch my teammates circle around it for a post-win photo. Smartly, I’m sticking to the outside. I don’t want to be the one responsible for accidentally tapping it with my elbow. I will not be responsible for cursing us before we even get to game one of the final round.
Ryan, however, is thoroughly enjoying himself. He’s getting as close to the trophy as one can without touching it. I’m trying to contain my nerves. One stumble on the carpet that’s being laid out for people who aren’t wearing skates to come celebrate with us is all it could take to ruin our chances at true glory.
“Ryan Christianson!” Danton yells out like he’s scolding one of his children. “You’re making me nervous. Quit fucking around near that thing.”
Ryan fakes touching it, but I can see his hand is being held about an inch away from the trophy’s wooden pedestal.
“Brandon!” Danton calls for me. “Go get control of him, would you?”
“Yeah,” Roysy says, giving me a friendly nudge with his elbow. “Get control of your man.”
“Ugh…” I groan as I skate over to grab him by the elbow that is farthest away from the trophy. “Come on,” I say under my breath. “If you touch that thing, you’re not getting a celebratory blow job tonight.”
He leans in close to my ear. “That’s convenient,” he says. “Because that’s not what I had in mind for tonight.”
“Oh, really,” I say, still pulling him away.
“Yup,” he says. “Get ready, Brandon. I’m in the mood to fuck you tonight.”
