Chapter Four November #2
“I didn’t lose it,” Chad said with a laugh. “It’s in my wallet.”
This got Nick’s attention enough that he looked up. “You still have it?”
“ ’Course, bro!”
Nick’s phone vibrated again, several times in succession. He eyed it longingly. Checking it was a lot more tempting than it had been a minute ago. Whatever that was, it was going to be way less frustrating than this conversation.
He tapped his phone a couple times as he tried to work up the willpower to deal with Chad. “Then why do you need a new one…?”
“I maxed it out on my last business trip, and I’ve got another one coming up this weekend—” The phone buzzed again, and Chad’s face twitched. “You gonna get that? Like, you should have your phone on silent during work hours, bro.”
Nick gave Chad a scathing look. Like he didn’t see Chad checking his phone every two seconds during meetings, notifications or not. Honestly, Nick was already showing inhuman restraint by both ignoring his phone and not kicking Chad’s ass out of his office.
“I’m not authorizing you for a new credit card,” Nick said firmly.
“But—but the company should’ve already paid the balance—”
“As I have said no less than 100 times, it’s paid at the end of the week.
Sometimes it doesn’t get processed until Monday of the next week because of the banks, and there’s nothing we can do about that.
That’s why you need to make sure you don’t get too close to that max, especially if you know you’ve got another trip coming up. ”
“But if I had a second card—”
He was cut off by another buzz from the phone. Nick picked it up this time, the ultimate power move to show how little he cared about this conversation.
Brady was texting him.
“I can’t help,” snapped Nick, “but even if I could, I wouldn’t. If you went over your allotted per diems, that’s on you, bro.”
“E-excuse me?” Chad sputtered. “Bro—”
“Sorry,” Nick said and waved his phone. “Oh no, looks like this is Stacy from upstairs. Super urgent. You know how it is. Gotta reply ASAP. Have a good trip. Hope it’s not too expensive.”
It took effort not to rub it in more, but he forced himself to ignore Chad and instead unlock his phone.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chad slink away, and he congratulated himself on the small victory, even if the victory would likely be short-lived…
His inbox would be flooded with emails from both Chad and Chad’s boss, both of them CCing Nick’s boss to try and get him in trouble.
It wouldn’t work—Nick was following company policy—but that wouldn’t make it any less of a headache.
Jensie from Hockey (2:45 p.m.)
what is wrong with this state
[crab6582c.jpg]
[Image description: A picture of a meme. It looks like a screenshot from a video game. It has a picture of a crab and reads, “You approach a LONELY CRAB. He appears to be weeping.” There are two choices at the bottom: “Seduce him” and “Devour.”]
Jensie from Hockey (2:47 p.m.)
[maryslkjeowiumeme0981234098.jpg]
[Image description: A picture of a meme.
It has nine pictures of Leslie Knope, each with a wildly different outfit and facial expression.
The pictures are labeled with different locations in Maryland: Baltimore, Southern MD, Eastern Shore, I-495, Annapolis, Bethesda, Mechanicsville, Dundalk, and Glen Burnie. ]
Jensie from Hockey (2:48 p.m.)
where are you from??
I’m just gonna guess from the pictures
you are most definitely from… Annapolis
I don’t know much about Maryland but that 495 one is spot on
is there really a Mechanicsville?
Jensie from Hockey (2:53 p.m.)
[20973247987324.jpg]
[Image description: A picture of two billboards. The first billboard has a picture of a crab and reads, “I’m ME, Not MEAT. See the Individual. Go Vegan.” The second billboard has a picture of a crab pouring Old Bay onto itself; it reads, “Okay, Now I’m Meat. See the Individual, Put Old Bay On It.”]
Jensie from Hockey (2:55 p.m.)
[butterfl09832.jpg]
[Image description: A picture of the “butterfly man” meme, but with the man on both sides and the butterfly in the middle.
The man to the left is labeled “the North” and says, “Is this the South?” The man on the right is labeled “the South” and says, “Is this the North?” The butterfly is labeled as “Maryland.”]
Jensie from Hockey (2:58 p.m.)
dude where you at normally I say Maryland’s in the south and you immediately appear out of nowhere to kick my ass
Nick laughed at the absurdity of the messages (and saved a few of the memes to share with his cousins). Honestly, how was he supposed to not fall for Brady? There was a very obvious trajectory between where he was now and where he’d be if Brady kept this up.
Nick (3:04 p.m.)
dude, seriously aren’t you supposed to be working?
i’m hardly getting anything done with my phone vibrating across my desk every two seconds
also that last one is a low blow you know how i feel about your northern propaganda
Jensie from Hockey (3:08 p.m.)
I’m sick
I’ve been watching game shows all day I’m bored
Nick (3:09 p.m.)
you’re sick? we got a game tonight
Jensie from Hockey (3:10 p.m.)
and I will make a miraculous recovery by then
call it a mental health day
Nick (3:10 p.m.)
so you’re not really sick??
There was a long enough delay that he put his phone down and tried to get back to work (and tried not to imagine Brady watching The Price is Right in bed). He’d almost gotten back into the flow of it when his phone buzzed again.
Jensie from Hockey (3:15 p.m.)
was I right btw?
Nick (3:15 p.m.)
about?
Jensie from Hockey (3:16 p.m.)
you from Annapolis?
Nick (3:16 p.m.)
oh
no
western hoco
Jensie from Hockey (3:17 p.m.)
what is a hoco
Nick (3:17 p.m.)
howard county
you would probably only know it from the columbia mall
Jensie from Hockey (3:18 p.m.)
I have heard of that mall true
Nick (3:18 p.m.)
i grew up like a half hour from there
okay i gotta go not all of us are fake sick today and i got a shit ton of work to do if i have any hope of getting out of here with enough time to eat dinner before the game
Jensie from Hockey (3:23 p.m.)
cool see you tonight
*
Brady lobbed a protein bar at Nick so hard his hand hurt a little after he caught it.
He raised an eyebrow, and Brady shrugged.
“In case you didn’t have time for dinner.”
That was sweet, actually. Minus chucking it at Nick’s head.
Don’t read too much into it…
“Thanks,” Nick said and pocketed the bar in his back pocket. “But I already ate.”
Granted, it’d been a rushed trip to a fast-food restaurant on the drive to the rink, and he’d scarfed down as much as he could in the car, but he had technically eaten.
“All right, boys,” Benns said, only half in gear, as he stepped to the center of the locker room. “And lady,” he said with a nod to Gail.
She gave a fake smile. Given how loud she was on the ice when other teams gave her shit, Nick was amazed at her restraint and patience with Benns.
“Could I have your attention for a moment before the game?”
Everyone paused in curiosity, their gear abandoned for the time being. Benns’s weekly lessons and motivational messages via chat were commonplace now (and secretly Nick enjoyed them, because they gave the team a real, measurable skill to work on and improve), but Benns had never tried it in person.
This might be a disaster.
“Just wanted to say thanks for coming out last week. It was a lot of fun, and I could really feel us bonding over those beers,” he joked.
“And I’ve been meaning to thank you for indulging me when I send out skills and strategies.
I know I’m the captain and not the coach, but I was happy to see how responsive everyone has been, and I think that’s translated to the scoreboard. ”
There was a whoop from Young Greg. “Getting those Ws!”
“Thank you, Young Greg. I’m hoping to have more outings in the future for the team, mostly hockey-related since I know that’s our one unifying hobby.”
“That and drinking,” Donno said and winked at Benns. Nick wasn’t sure, but he had the impression Benns and Donno were friends outside of hockey. It would explain why they played so well together on the ice.
“I also got an update on our stats so far this season,” Benns continued, pointedly ignoring Donno even though he was trying not to laugh. “Turns out we’re the only team this season who hasn’t allowed a single goal during the second period—”
“You’re welcome,” Guy said with a wave of his goalie stick.
“You’re welcome,” Gail and Brady shot back.
“We’re welcome,” Young Greg said.
Benns gave a long-suffering sigh.
“So we’re Second Period Titans,” Nick prompted. “Any other stats?”
“Yes, Nicki!” Benns perked up. “We outscore teams in the first period, on average, two to one. Our weakest period seems to be the third. That’s where we lose games. Any suggestions on how to fix that?”
Charged with solving a real problem instead of mouthing off, the room fell silent.
“Actually,” Brady said, his hand raised like he was in school, “could I send some stuff out? I think what you’re doing is a great idea, and I have a list of things we could work on.”
“Wow, look at Jensie,” Young Greg said. “Trying to get that ‘A’ on his jersey.”
“Jens is already listed as an alternate captain,” Benns said slowly, carefully, bewilderedly. “As is Guy.”
“Wait, what?” Gail said. She looked betrayed and stared at Brady. “Since when?”
“Since the team was formed over two years ago,” Benns said. “It’s listed on the official roster.”
“What the fuck?” Lexi said. “How have none of us noticed this?”
“Because you’re all unobservant children,” GG said. “It’s literally listed on every sign-in sheet.”
“I just thought it was their initials or something,” Young Greg said defensively.
“You thought my name was Brady Jensen A?” Brady asked. His tone wasn’t as incredulous as Benns’s or disapproving as GG’s; he sounded genuinely amused. “And that Guy was Guy Prince A? What about Curtis Bennet C?”
Young Greg’s cheeks were scarlet. “I mean…”