Chapter 24 #2
Joel: You watched.
Red: during intermission. on my phone in the hallway.
Joel: You had a game.
Red: i had intermission
Red: Ro thought i was sexting.
Joel: you suck at sexting
Red: gee thanks
Joel: better at the real thing.
Red: aw. That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about me.
February 3, 7:30 PM
Red: visiting dad tomorrow
Joel: How long.
Red: just the day. back wednesday.
Joel: Let me know.
Red: yeah
February 4, 2:15 PM
Red: he knew me
Joel: Yeah?
Red: for about an hour. asked about hockey.
Joel: That's good.
Red: then he asked when mom was coming home
Joel: Red.
Red: shes been gone since I was six
Joel: sorry
Red: i told him shed be back soon
Joel: What else could you say.
Red: i dont know. the truth maybe.
Joel: The truth would hurt him.
Red: yeah
Red: so i lied
Red: and he seemed happy
Joel: That's not nothing.
Read 2:34 PM
February 14, 9:00 AM
Joel: [image: a single black rose, thorns visible]
Red: of course
Joel: What.
Red: black roses. very on brand.
Joel: I thought you'd appreciate the aesthetic.
Red: i do
Red: i didnt get you anything
Joel: I didn't ask you to.
Red: i wanted to. i couldnt figure out how to send something without the address on my statement.
Joel: Red.
Red: i know its fine. i know you dont care.
Joel: That's not what I was going to say.
Red: what were you going to say
Joel: I was going to say you called me your boyfriend last week.
Red: i did?
Joel: On the phone. When you were half asleep. You said "my boyfriend is an asshole about time zones."
Red: i was tired
Joel: You meant it.
Red: maybe
Joel: You did.
Red: fine. yes. i meant it.
Joel: Good.
Red: good?
Joel: Yes. Good.
March 8, 11:14 PM
Joel: Worlds in two weeks.
Red: good luck
Joel: thanks
March 22, 6:47 AM
Red: [image: screenshot of skating results — "Coffey Takes Silver at World Championships"]
Red: you were robbed
Joel: I wasn't.
Red: kurosawa didnt deserve that score
Joel: He was better.
Red: bullshit
Joel: I underrotated the Lutz.
Red: still
Joel: Silver is fine.
Red: you dont sound fine
Joel: I'm tired. 14 hour flight tomorrow.
Red: text when you land
Read 6:52 AM
March 24, 9:30 PM
Red: did you land
Joel: Yesterday.
Red: you didnt text
Joel: I slept for sixteen hours.
Red: oh
Joel: Red.
Red: its fine. you were tired.
Joel: I should have texted.
Red: its fine
Read 9:35 PM
April 2, 10:15 PM
Red: playoffs next week
Red: you watching
Joel: When I can.
April 11, 11:58 PM
Red: series tied 2-2
Joel: Your OT goal. The deke on the backhand.
Red: you saw it
Joel: I saw it.
Red: good
Joel: How's the hip.
Red: fine
Joel: Red.
Red: i said fine
Read 12:04 AM
April 19, 7:14 AM
Joel: Second round. Congratulations.
Red: thanks
Joel: Game 1?
Red: saturday
Joel: I'll watch what I can.
Red: okay
May 3, 2:30 AM
Red: you up
Joel: Phone was off. Training.
Red: its fine
Joel: What did you need.
Red: nothing
May 12, 11:14 PM
Red: we lost
Red: game 7. at home.
Joel: You played well.
Red: we lost
Joel: That's not the same as playing badly.
Red: feels the same
Joel: want to talk about it
Red: no
Joel: Okay.
Red: okay
Read 11:22 PM
May 14, 3:45 PM
Red: sorry for going dark
Joel: You needed space.
Red: yeah
Joel: When can you get away.
Red: i dont know. july maybe
Joel: Maybe.
Red: i have to be available for dad
Joel: right.
Red: yeah
June 8, 7:30 PM
Joel: July 15-19.
Red: where
Joel: Anywhere. I need to see you.
Red: ill find something
Joel: Let me know.
June 22, 9:15 AM
Red: dad had a bad week. flying home
Joel: Is he okay.
Red: stable. they adjusted his meds.
Joel: Does July still work.
Red: i think so
July 2, 4:30 PM
Red: july might not work
Joel: The meds.
Red: yeah. i should be there.
Joel: Okay.
Red: im sorry
Joel: Stop apologizing for taking care of your father.
Red: it keeps happening
Joel: It keeps being necessary.
Red: im sorry
Joel: August?
Red: maybe
Joel: Let me know.
August 5, 8:30 PM
Joel: August 20-22. Denver. Sponsor thing but the evenings are free.
Red: i can do that
Joel: Sure?
Red: yes
August 20, 6:15 PM
Red: just landed
Joel: Hotel on Vine. Room 1104.
Red: omw
August 21, 7:45 AM
Red: youre gone
Joel: Sponsor breakfast.
Red: you could have woken me
Joel: You needed sleep.
Red: i needed to see you
Joel: I'll be back by two.
Red: okay
August 22, 5:47 AM
Red: flight at 8
Joel: be safe
Red: this was good
Joel: twelve hours isn't enough.
Red: its what we have
Joel: That's not the same as enough.
Joel: When's the next time.
Red: i dont know
Read 5:54 AM
September 3, 9:14 PM
Joel: Preseason soon.
Red: next week
Joel: Hip?
Red: fine
Joel: You keep saying that.
Red: because you keep asking
September 18, 10:30 PM
Red: opener oct 5
Joel: I'll watch what I can.
Red: dont hurt yourself
Joel: What does that mean.
Red: nothing. forget it.
Joel: Red.
Red: i said forget it
September 25, 11:47 PM
Joel: You up?
Red: passed out early
Joel: It's fine.
Red: what did you need
Joel: Nothing.
October 1, 7:30 PM
Red: busy week
Joel: Same.
Red: right.
Joel: Yes.
Red: good luck
Joel: You too.
October 5, 11:52 PM
Joel: Two assists.
Red: yeah
Joel: Nice start.
Red: thanks
Joel: Hip looked stiff in the third.
Red: it was fine
Joel: You keep using that word.
Red: because its the word that applies
Joel: Okay.
Red: okay
October 11, 9:15 PM
Joel: Calgary tomorrow?
Red: home. 7pm.
Joel: I'll catch what I can.
Red: dont worry about it
Joel: What does that mean.
Red: it means you have things to do. you dont have to watch my games.
Joel: I want to watch your games.
Red: do you
Joel: Red.
Red: what
Joel: What is happening.
Red: nothing
Joel: That's not true.
Red: its fine
Joel: Stop saying fine.
Joel: You've been pulling away for weeks.
Red: ive been busy
Joel: So have I. That's not the same thing.
Red: maybe it is for me
Read 9:31 PM
October 12, 2:14 AM
Red: sorry
Joel: For what.
Red: being an asshole
Joel: You weren't.
Red: i was
Joel: You were tired and frustrated.
Red: i miss you
Joel: same
Red: i hate this
Joel: same.
Read 2:28 AM