Chapter 22
twenty-two
Aknock at the door has me wondering who could be here. The guys are at an away game, so I know it’s not Wyatt.
“Agatha, get the door, would you?” Dad mumbles in his sleep.
He fell asleep about an hour ago. I don’t normally like letting him take a nap so late, but he had a rough day, according to Will.
Leaving him in the living room, I make my way toward the door. I’m surprised when I open it to find Cora, Peyton, and Grace standing there.
“Emery wanted to come too, but the baby is sick, and she didn’t want to subject your dad to that,” Grace tells me when she sees the look on my face.
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask.
“We are having a watch party, obviously,” Cora says, holding up the bags.
“I have ice cream that should probably find a freezer,” Peyton adds.
I step to the side and usher them in.
“I thought you were going to the game,” I tell Cora.
“I was going to, but then I thought it would be fun to watch it together. I know you couldn’t go because of your dad, but we brought the party to you.”
My eyes tear. They changed their plans for me? To include me? My old friends would have never.
“Are you sure? I know you two really wanted to see Wyatt play in person,” I say, looking at Grace and Peyton.
“The guys know we are here. It’s fine. Trust me,” Grace says softly.
“Grace and I can watch Beckett and Clay play anytime. Besides, hopefully one day Wyatt will be playing with them, and we can all go together.” Peyton turns toward me, leaning against my kitchen counter.
That sounds like a fantasy, but I don’t know if Wyatt and I will even be a thing by then. Sure, we have been taking baby steps forward in whatever this is, but it still feels so fragile. Like it could end at any minute.
Or maybe that’s my own insecurities talking. He has big things planned for the future. He is going to be drafted while I will be here. Sure, I could nurse from anywhere, but I refuse to leave my dad behind. If I take him with me, I will be taking him from Will.
My life is complicated, which means the future she speaks of is out of reach as long as my father is alive, and I refuse to wish anything different for him.
I don’t say all of this, though. Instead, I force a smile on my face.
“How about we order pizza and wings?” I ask them instead.
“Already on it. It will be here in twenty,” Cora says, heading into the living room.
Grace comes to stand beside me. “Are you okay with us being here? We would have asked, but we figured you would say no.”
“I would have. My dad isn’t always the easiest to deal with. He gets agitated and lashes out. I don’t expect anyone else to deal with that.”
Peyton comes over to stand on my other side.
“You don’t have to go through this alone.
We are here for you, and we can handle it.
He’s family. We won’t think anything differently of him or you based on any of his actions.
He is living with a disease that we cannot fathom.
The least we can do is treat him like a human being and continue to live as if everything is okay. ”
“Thanks, guys. Really. This means a lot,” I tell them, sniffling.
“No crying. You’ll make me cry,” Grace says.
I hug her, with Peyton hugging both of us.
“Group hugging without me? I see how it is,” Cora jokes, but she comes to join when Grace opens her arms.
It’s in this moment that I realize nothing I experienced before was real. This right here is real friendship. A sisterhood that I searched for without even knowing I needed it so badly.
I will never be happy about Dad’s disease, but the silver lining is the lessons it has taught me. The ones it continues to teach me.
His suffering isn’t in vain.
“I put the sports channel on. The game should be on soon. I’m hoping they show some of the pre-game stuff,” Cora says as we all step back and make our way into the living room.
“Lyla? What’s going on?” Dad asks, his eyes groggy as we step into the living room.
My heart breaks over the fact he just said my name. Of course this is the moment he chooses to have a moment of clarity.
“These are my friends Grace, Peyton, and Cora. We are going to watch the Wolves’ hockey game together.”
“I’m hungry,” he grunts.
“Food will be here soon. Can I get you anything until then?”
He shakes his head.
We all take a seat and start to chat, but what surprises me is that Cora doesn’t chat with us. She focuses on my dad.
“I heard you used to do construction. I was wondering if you knew anything about electricity,” I hear her ask.
“Sure do. Wired my house myself. Not this one. We had to sell the house I built.” He frowns.
Before he can fall into a depression like he does whenever he thinks about all he has lost, Cora continues on.
“My bathroom outlet won’t work. It seems to have power to it, but it refuses to work.”
Dad lights up as he starts to offer solutions to her.
“I’m glad he is lucid right now. You get to meet him on a good day,” I tell the girls.
“Cora used to volunteer at the nursing home back in high school,” Grace tells me. “She spent a lot of time with people with his condition.”
I look over and see Cora in a new light.
“Is her outlet even broken?” I ask.
Peyton smiles, shaking her head. “Nope.”
My eyes tear as I look up at the ceiling, willing them away. Cora will never know how much it means to me that she is giving my dad attention. None of the girls are treating him like a nuisance. They are joining in and asking their own questions.
When he loses his lucidity, they pivot and start talking sports with him. By the time the game starts, Dad is chatting like he does when Wyatt is over.
It fills my heart with joy seeing him so happy.
It’s all thanks to these women who have become my friends.
“Are you coming out with us?” Kellan asks.
I don’t want to, but Lyla texted me earlier telling me she tried to wait up, but was going to sleep.
I hate that the postgame interviews took so long. I wanted nothing more than to go straight to the locker room and call Lyla. Especially since I know the girls were planning to go surprise her.
I wasn’t sure it was a good idea, but Cora told me to mind my business. I should have warned her. Will she be mad when she finds out I knew and didn’t tell her?
I won’t know until tomorrow now. I shouldn’t have had a shutout game. I should have sucked a little more.
I shake my head before focusing back on Kellan.
“I’ll come out for a little bit,” I tell him.
He smiles. “Awesome. We are planning to hit the hotel bar.”
I shake my head. We always stay at The Williamson Hotel when we end up in Boston for an away game. The owner donates the rooms to the team, making travel to the city easier.
I take my bags to my room before meeting the guys back in the bar. They all order drinks, but I stick with water. Could I have a drink or two with them? Sure, but I don’t enjoy the way the liquor affects my mind. I’d much rather make sure my friends make it back to their rooms.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in. I heard a couple of punk kids were playing a hockey game tonight.”
I turn, seeing Beckett and Clay walking over to us.
“What are you guys doing here?” Kellan asks as he stands to greet them.
Calvin and I do the same, while Jason looks a little starstruck. I forget that he hasn’t had the chance to meet my friends. To him, they are celebrities. To me, they will always be the guys who took me under their wing.
“Hey, guys. This is my protégé, Jason Pender. Jason, this is Clay and Beckett. Our best friends,” I tell him.
He sputters, “Hi. I’m a huge fan.”
Calvin laughs, clapping him on the back. “Bro, chill out. They are normal people like you and me.”
“Dude, they are famous,” Jason hisses at him, making us all laugh.
“Sorry about him. He’s a freshman,” I tell them.
“We know. He must be really good to study under you, though. Wyatt here is the best goalie in D1 hockey. You better soak in what you can from him,” Clay tells Jason, using his captain voice.
“Yes, sir,” Jason whispers, guzzling his drink.
“Let’s go over there before you make a fool of yourself,” Calvin tells Jason, taking him away.
Clay and Beckett take a seat at our table, pulling chairs from the surrounding ones. After they order their drinks, they settle in.
“It almost feels like the old times,” Kellan jokes.
“Almost. We are only missing Brett. I heard you had a shutout tonight. That’s awesome. Good job, man.” Beckett leans over to slap my hand.
“Thanks. It wasn’t worth the press,” I grumble.
“Still a quiet grump who hates the spotlight, huh? Guess we shouldn’t be trying to convince Brantley Gibson to draft you?”
I swallow hard. I haven’t thought about being drafted since I started this with Lyla.
I could be drafted anywhere. I know she won’t leave her dad, and I would never ask her to.
He needs to be her priority. The question is, would she be willing to do long distance?
I don’t want to let her go. I know hockey is important, but is it more important than her?
I don’t think it is.
“It doesn’t matter where I’m drafted. The media will always be the part of it I hate,” I tell him, avoiding his question.
I would never ask him to put in a good word for me. It’s a burden I hate from others, so why would I put it on my friends?
I have to admit that it would be a good solution, though. I wouldn’t be too far from Lyla.
“Are you even listening?” Clay jokes, kicking my foot.
“No. You all bore me,” I deadpan.
“You love us,” Kellan snorts. “Don’t mind him. He’s fallen in love. His head is all about Lyla these days.”
Beckett smiles wider. “How is it with the new girlfriend? Peyton seems to be fond of her. Hell, all of the girls do. They ditched us tonight to hang out with her.”
“I’m glad she has them. She needs a good support system.”
All of the guys frown, but it’s Clay who speaks. “Why? Is there something wrong with her?”
“It’s not really my place to tell,” I admit.
“No. Fuck that. I get respecting her privacy, but if there’s something wrong with her, then we need to know so we can help.” Kellan sits forward, looking anxious now.
I sigh, rubbing my hand down my face. “Her dad has dementia and some other health issues. She can’t leave him at home alone, which is why they ditched you for her.”
Kellan lets out a soft curse while Beckett nods.
“Peyton said she had a good reason not to be at your games. I trust my wifey. How is she doing with it?” Beckett asks.
“It’s rough on her, but she is strong. Resilient,” I admit.
Clay nods. “They always are. You let us know if there is anything at all that we can do.”
“We will do it without hesitation,” Beckett adds.
“Anytime.” Kellan puts his own promise in there.
This is why they are my family. They barely know Lyla, but every single one of them is willing to lay it all on the line for her.
“Thanks, guys. What about your game? I haven’t even looked up how you did.” I turn the attention off myself.
The guys start to debrief about their game, but my mind is on Lyla.
She is strong, like I said, but it’s more than that. She has a vulnerability inside of her that makes me scared for her. She might be able to push her feelings aside, but what will happen when they all boil over?