Chapter 38
thirty-eight
Jeremy
September
Ihaven’t taken my pain meds in nearly two weeks. Not because my back hasn’t been hurting me, but because they slow me down.
Ever since I stopped taking them, my skating has been getting better, I can move around more freely, and I don’t have to rest as often.
It’s been great. I’m starting to feel more like myself.
Now I just need to be done with this fucking back brace.
I know people probably aren’t, but every time I walk from class to class, I feel like everyone is staring at me. Some days, I use my chair to get around campus because Lacey still doesn’t want me to overdo it, but most days, I’m on my crutches, and the eyes follow me everywhere I go.
“Hey, man.” Jax falls in line with my step. “How are your classes going?”
“Honestly, I should’ve just opted to do online.”
When I was leaving to play for the Florida Panthers, I had figured out what classes to take to finish out my degree from the road. When everything happened, once I started feeling a bit better over the situation, I reached out to see if I could get some more in-person classes.
I guess I never thought about the lasting effects of that night.
“You’re done for the day, though, right?”
“Yeah, thank goodness. I’m going to go home and take a nap before I see Tristyn after she gets off work.”
“You sure you don’t want to come to practice? I’m sure the guys would love to see you, and it would be fun for you to skate around with all of us again.”
“I would love you, really, but I shouldn’t.”
I’ve probably overdone it over the last few weeks, even though I promised Lacey I wouldn’t.
“That’s fair. You know you’re always welcome, though, right?”
“Of course I do. And sometime soon I’ll take you up on it. Hell, I’ll be front row at the first home game of the season.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
They’re family. No matter how much it’s going to suck seeing them play from the sidelines, knowing I can never be on the ice with them that way ever again, it’s worth the pain to cheer them on.
“Who’s driving you home?” Jax checks his watch. “I can give you a ride home and then come back for practice. Coach would understand.”
“Becca is going to give me a ride. Thank you, though.”
“Anytime, brother. I’ll see you tonight.” He squeezes my shoulder. “Unless you stay at Tristyn’s again, in that case, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I’ll see you when I see you.” I grin, shoving Jax away, and then heading to the student parking lot that Becca typically parks in.
“Hey, friend.” Becca is leaning up against her passenger side door. “Ready to go.”
“You have no idea,” I mumble.
“That bad?”
My face falls, and she gets the idea.
“Lucky for you, I want a coffee, and I think you need one. So, that’s where we’re going.”
“I think I’d rather just go home and take a nap.”
“Hm, I don’t think that was an option.” She squints. “Coffee it is.”
Becca pushes off her car, unlocking it, and heading to the driver’s side.
“You’re annoying, you know that?”
She pauses before opening her door.
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
I sigh, shaking my head, as I open the door.
“It was meant to be one.”
Ikind of miss my brace.” Tristyn stares at her wrist, which is a few shades lighter than the rest of her arm that was fortunate enough to bask in the sun this summer.
“Yeah?” I ask, stealing a breakfast potato from her plate.
“Yeah, my hand feels weird without it now. It’s been over a week, and there are times when I feel like I’m still wearing it.”
“You did have it on for a few months; it would make sense that your arm feels bare now without it.”
“My hand also cramps up a lot more since taking it off. I don’t know if that’s normal. I’ve been meaning to ask Lacey, but by the end of PT, it’s completely slipped my mind.”
“How much longer until you’re done with PT?”
“Honestly, I thought I would’ve been done by now, but then I had to decrease sessions for a while and was overusing my wrist and not wearing my brace, and I think it stunted my progress.
” Tristyn rubs her wrist. “Maybe by next month? Lacey said I could plan on decreasing my sessions soon. She told me the function in my wrist is good. Exactly what they want to see.”
“Good. I’m proud of you. I know it’s been hard, especially with Henry, but you’ve made it all work.”
“I’m proud of you, too, Mama.” Henry rests on me.
“You’ve got a pretty cool mom, Henry, you know that?”
Henry nods, smiling up at her.
“Hey, bud, what do you think about going to the first Rockford hockey game of the season next month? You, me, and your mom.”
Henry practically jumps out of his seat.
“Really?!”
“Yeah, I think it’ll be fun.”
I do think it’ll be fun, but I also think having both of them there will take my mind off not being on the ice with my friends.
“Can we, Mama?”
“Of course, baby.” She kisses his head. “How could I say no to you. Either of you. That being said, we need another night out soon, just us.”
“You read my mind.”
The bell above the door rings, and I instinctively turn around.
This time of year, the only people who set foot in Greystone are my friends.
I think that’s one of the reasons why Maia’s boss doesn’t care that we’re constantly hanging out here, aside from the occasional free French fry, we’re paying customers. Business is business.
“What are you guys doing here?”
“Morning practice was short this morning, so we felt like a breakfast date was in order.” Declan pulls Ember into his side.
“We?” Ember yawns. “I was fast asleep and woke up to this lunatic pounding on my door.”
“Pounding on your door?” My head falls to the side. “Don’t you have a key?”
“That’s what I said.”
“I didn’t want to startle her.” Declan shrugs.
“And pounding on her door at the early hours of the morning wouldn’t do that?” Tristyn studies Declan’s face as he considers her question.
“I guess I didn’t think things through. I was just trying to be romantic.” Declan kisses Ember, and Henry’s nose crinkles.
“That’s gross.”
“Henry,” Tristyn whispers, and I chuckle.
“It’s no big deal,” Declan reassures. “One day, you’ll understand why this is the opposite of gross, little man.”
“Declan.” I scowl, and he shrugs.
“What?”
“I’m okay.” Henry takes a bite of his food and gets back to drawing on his menu.
“What are you guys doing out this morning?” Ember asks, wrapping her arms around Declan’s waist.
“Just decided to get a yummy breakfast this morning,” I respond.
“And this has become Henry’s favorite place to eat since earlier this year.” Tristyn laughs. “I don’t think he realizes other restaurants exist.”
“I like Miss Maia. No one else is as nice as her.”
Tristyn kisses the top of his head.
“She is quite the server.” Ember grins.
“You guys are welcome to join us.” Tristyn motions to our booth, but Ember waves her arms in front of her.
“Oh, no. We didn’t come here to impose on your little family date. You guys enjoy your breakfast.”
“Am I imposing on your date?” Henry’s eyes weigh down with sadness as he looks between the two of us.
“You could never.” I reach across the table and mess up his hair.
“When was the last time you guys went out, just the two of you?” Declan questions.
“Um, I’m not sure. Not that long, right?” I look to Tristyn, who seems just as unsure as I am. We don’t mind doing things with Henry, honestly. I think for Tristyn, it’s refreshing to have someone so open to having Henry with us all the time.
I know we need our time alone, and we get that when I stay over at her place after he’s in bed, but Henry needs to understand that I care about him just as much as I care about his mom.
“We get to hang out every night. We usually watch a movie and fall asleep on the couch,” I add.
“I think you guys need a date night,” Ember suggests. “Declan and I can watch Henry this next Saturday. You guys deserve a night for yourselves. Plus, Zeke has been itching for a rematch in NHL 17.”
“You guys don’t have to do that.” Tristyn shakes her head. “That’s too much. I would never—”
“You’re not asking us to, Tristyn, we’re volunteering,” Ember promises. “He’s a fun kid, we’d love to hang out with him.”
“Only if you’re sure. I don’t want you to feel—”
“We’re sure,” Declan says.
“We can even take him for the night,” Ember suggests. “Obviously, that’s up to you, no pressure, but I think he’ll have a blast.”
“Now that’s definitely too much.”
“You’ve been taking care of him basically by yourself since the day he was born; he’s going to have a whole house looking after him.
It’s not too much with all of us together.
No pressure, but if you guys want a night to yourselves,” Declan continues.
“We’d be more than happy to have Henry at our place for a sleepover. ”
“Tate gets back on Friday, so she can come over, and Brin and Avalon will be there. You don’t have to worry about a bunch of knuckleheads looking after your son. We’ve got him.”
“I don’t know.”
She looks over at Henry, who is in his own little world, drawing hockey sticks on his menu and coloring in the various breakfast foods.
“I’ll think about it.” Tristyn gives them a small smile.
“No problem,” Ember replies. “Just know the offer always stands. Just say the word.” Ember reaches out and squeezes Tristyn’s hand.
“We’ll see you guys later.” Declan pats my back. “Enjoy your breakfast.”
“You too.”