CHAPTER 15 #2
Rila knew that Aunt Alex was right about that. Love and passion made people stupid and she was living proof of that. She experienced this stupidity firsthand and lost herself because of it. She wouldn't let that happen again.
—You keep telling Jessie to stop hiding and live, but you can see that you're doing the same, right?
— That's not fair. She locked her heart in a cage and threw away the key, while I just put an electronic lock on mine and don't want to give him the password. They are totally different things.
— But in the end, you are both stopping yourself from experiencing something because you're afraid of the consequences.
You don't know if he'll hurt you again and I understand that this possibility is scary, but it's been six years.
Six years, Rila, and apparently that man hasn't forgotten you.
Just like you haven't forgotten him either. Doesn't this tell you something?
— Yes, that we may need therapy.
— Oh, dear. We'll talk about this again when these three dates come to an end — she laughed and shook her head from side to side — I'm going to lie down for a bit, don't leave without saying goodbye.
— I wouldn't dream of doing that — Rila hugged the woman with slightly gray hair and watched her walk slowly to the door next to the stairs.
They moved Aunt Alex's room to the first floor at the beginning of the year due to her deteriorating motor skills. Parkinson's not only caused tremors but also slowed her movements, and the Beckers siblings were worried that one day she would have an accident on those steps.
Rila's chest felt tight when she thought about the course of the disease and how the woman she had so much affection for could look like in a few years.
Sighing, she left the table and headed towards the turquoise couch where Lucas was perched.
— What are we watching? — Rila threw herself into the small space available on the seat.
— Hockey, it's time to see the Bruins shine, baby — Luke whistled, his green eyes glued to the television — They're the best and it's not just because it's Boston's team.
Of course the game of the last team she wanted to see was on, and of course her best friend's brother was a fan. The universe could only be messing with her face.
— Can we watch something else? — she gulped and crossed her arms against her chest — Literally anything else would be better.
— Fuck no, they're crushing it — he looked in her direction for less than two seconds before turning his attention back to the game with a mocking smile on his lips — What do you have against hockey? Did someone hit you with a puck?
— It's more like someone stuck the stick in me — she murmured and tipped her head back, staring at the slightly yellowed ceiling.
— What? — Lucas asked, green eyes still glued to the screen.
— Nothing.
Rila focused on her cell phone for the next five minutes, and when her friend joined them, the two were about to bother Lucas to let them watch a movie when something happened in the game that made everyone on the TV celebrate, and the blonde jumped out of his seat with his arms in the air.
— The Bruins are crushing this season, that forecheck was incredible! Ward was like a goddamn lightning on the rink, the number twenty-two is definitely the player of the night.
The broadcaster's speech made Rila choke on air. Her friend, who had sat on the floor with her back against the sofa, looked up, frowning at her, when the emergency doctor's surprise caused her to receive a small kick in the shoulder.
— Kieran Ward is the number twenty-two? — her voice was too loud even for her ears.
— Yeah, he is the best defender this team has ever had. The guy is like lightning on the ice.
The youngest spoke full of admiration, still paying attention to the television, without realizing that all of that had another meaning for her. But her best friend had understood.
— Rila, isn't twenty-two your birthday?
The realization made her mouth go dry. It could be a coincidence, right? Players could choose the number that would be printed on their uniforms, the number that would become their mark on the ice, and, by a mere coincidence, Kieran's was her birthday. Right.
— Hun, that's right — the blonde made a thoughtful face — Why doesn't anyone on the Bruins wear fourteen? I want to see my birthday playing for the best hockey team in the NHL.
Her breath caught in her throat and the image on the screen became blurry. No, that wasn't happening, not at all. Rila didn't feel like crying over a fucking number. She could have ten other reasons to cry, but that wouldn't be one of them.
She wouldn't cry about it.
Really wasn't.
However, a treacherous tear ran down her cheek.
— Oh, shit — she heard Lucas swear next to her and the seat beneath her moved — What did I say? What did I do? Please don't cry, Rila. I'm sorry.
— Shut up, you didn't do anything, Luke — Jessie stood up and lightly pushed the side of her brother's head — This is not about you.
— So what's going on? What do we do? — he seemed to be panicking with the situation.
Rila understood. She was also kind of freaking out internally. And externally, because another wet trial ran down her face.
God, why was she crying? It wasn't a big deal.
— Just keep watching the game —the gynecologist countered.
But she couldn't keep seeing that. She couldn't see the number of her favorite day engraved on the uniform of the first man she loved and hated. Number that was probably there on purpose.
— Turn if off.
— What?! It's in the middle of the last game.
— Lucas Beckers, you hear what she said, turn off the damn game — Jessica growled at her brother before crouching down in front of her friend and softening her tone — You didn't know he wore your birthday.
It wasn't a question, but Rila denied it with a shake of her head, not trusting her ability to speak.
When did he start this? She knew the Montreal Canadiens had assigned him a random number the year he joined as a regular player, but after the Christmas Eve that changed everything, she stopped following anything related to Kieran Ward.
Had he changed his number when he returned from leave?
Or was it something that started with the Bruins? And why should she care?
— Wait, are we talking about Ward? — Luke stared at her with wide eyes and an open mouth as he held the TV remote in the air, completely shocked — Holy shit, are you the person behind his jersey number? Do you know the Kieran Ward?
— Lucas, this is not the time to act like a fan — his sister scolded him — What do you need?
— That Kieran fucking Ward go back to the hole he's been in all these years and stop making me act like a hormonal teenager who wants to punch him and kiss him at the same time — the siblings stared at her with raised eyebrows and a strange look — And a beer.
That new information scrambled her brain and now she needed to search about him on the internet to find out exactly when that number became associated with his name.
And she would have four days to process whatever she found and let go of any feelings related to it, because the last thing she needed was to go on that second date with a weak spot.