Page 60 of He Has It All (Boston Brawlers Hockey)
When we get there, her mother is home, so without being invited I go inside, theoretically to say hello. I’ll need her mom on my side to get Chelsea to take the job with the Brawlers, or to take anything from me right now.
As soon as I step inside the kitchen, it’s obvious Mrs. Wilde has been drinking. She’s supposed to be working.
Chelsea asks me to leave and I should. I have no right to witness her family problems up close—or at least part of me feels that way. The deeper, more meaningful part of me feels like I own her problems, like she’s family. But then if that’s the case what the hell did I do, fucking her? Chelsea wastes no time telling her mom what happened, placing the blame squarely on me, where it belongs.
“What will you do for a job, honey?” her mom says. I know an opening when I see one.
“There’s an opening in the Brawler’s PR department and the job is yours if you want it,” I say loud and clear enough her mother, who’s not far gone enough to realize this is their salvation. She shames Chelsea into accepting the business card I hand her, telling her daughter how can she turn down such a generous gift.
“He’s the asshole who got me fired.” She almost shouts, then, folds her arms across her chest in a universalKeep Outsign.
Mrs. Wilde looks at me and I see her sneaky smile and she gets it, understands as if I’ve explained everything to her word for word and I wonder if maybe she’s talked to Maggs, but I know she hasn’t, know Maggs hasn’t talked to another soul about this so-called intervention.
“Then all the more reason to accept his offer. It’s his way of apologizing. Don’t you see?”
Chelsea stares at her mother, more to avoid looking at me, I’d stake my balls on that. She reaches out, palm up, and I put the card in it. Then she says, “Go.” She closes her hand and closes her eyes. Humiliation seeps from her, so I go when it’s the last thing I want to do. But I know anger will follow and I should be gone before that shows.
