Jake
After a day off for travel and then a game in Canada, we’re finally on our way home for some much needed rest before the holidays and the next push of games.
Even though we were able to come back from a rocky start, our last game didn’t end how we would’ve liked, with a three to two loss on us. I think I speak for the whole team when I say we’re ready to get off this plane and have a reset before we continue on.
“I can’t wait till I’m home and can see my wife and kids. Man, I miss them so much.” Connor beams next to me. His family knows the routine of his away games, but with his wife’s pregnancy complication, he’s eager to get home to them.
The seatbelt light flashes and the flight attendant comes over the PA to tell us we’re about to touch down. There’s lots of rustling behind me as everyone starts to wake up as we prepare to land.
“How is Tasha doing? How is everything with her and the baby?”
“It’s still a waiting game at this point. We have another check up later this week, so we’ll know more then, but I’m trying to keep an open mind and be positive.” He closes his eyes, and I can see the tired stress lines starting to form.
Clapping him on the shoulder, I give him a reassuring squeeze. “Hey, I wish I could promise that it’ll all be okay, but we both know I can’t. She has you with her, and you’ll do everything you can to help her. Just know if you need anything I’m always just a phone call or text away.”
“Thanks, Jake. It means a lot to have you in my life.” He smiles at me, and I return one of my own, the feeling of family and peace washing over me.
It’s taken me a long time to finally feel like I can be myself with others, put myself out there, but Connor’s always been someone that just gets me, even when I was so closed off.
Outside of the twins, he’s been the only teammate that I’ve let see my full self, and to know that he appreciates me just as much as I appreciate him means everything to me.
After a few more minutes, the plane touches down and it’s a jumble of people getting up, duffles being grabbed and everyone disembarking off the plane onto the awaiting buses.
It’s about a thirty minute drive from the airport to the arena with traffic, so I settle into my seat, watching the view change around me.
As we make it to the arena, we once again grab our bags and shuffle off the buses, walking inside to gather in the locker room so Coach can talk to us before he lets us go for our official break.
“Listen up,” Coach says as he walks into the locker room.
“I know this week didn’t go as planned. But what I said before Boston still stands.
I’m proud of you boys for showing up each and every day.
” He looks around at all of us and nods, his eyes conveying everything he’s saying.
“While it sucks that we didn’t win every game and had some big upsets, I know that each of you went out and played your best games.
So use this weekend off to relax, regroup and hopefully we can come back stronger. ”
Connor chooses that moment to also stand up and address the group as Coach walks off to the side of the room.
“Coach is right. I’m incredibly proud to be a part of the Blaze, and I can’t imagine playing with another team this season.
So go rest, recharge, and come back on Tuesday with a fire under your asses. ”
The whole team shouts in unison and then everyone’s gathering their stuff, making their way home. I scan the room for Kailyn, seeing her talking with Coach and make my way over to them.
“So, I hear you both would like to talk to Coach Johnson and I?” he asks, trying and failing to hide a smirk on his face.
“Yes, sir. I was also wondering if Emilia and Hannah could join us, too? We have a couple things we’d like to discuss with you both.” She gestures to the girls behind her who nod along.
I can see the way Coach’s shoulders bunch up with tension as he looks at Coach Johnson, before they both nod and turn back to us.
“Alright, follow us to my office.” We take off down the hall and to his office. Once we walk through the doors, he gestures to the chairs in front of his desk. “Please sit.”
Kailyn and I sit on one side while Emilia and Hannah pull up two more seats on the opposite side. Coach Davenport sits in the seat behind his desk while Coach Johnson remains standing off to the side of the room, shoulder leaning on the wall.
“So, before the girls get into everything with you, I wanted to talk to you about something important.”
Coach leans back in his chair, his gaze never wavering from mine. He nods, telling me I have the floor.
“I want to disclose my relationship with Kailyn. After everything you’ve done for me over the years and with everything going on, I wanted you to hear it from me.
I know this technically goes against the no fraternization rules, but it’s different between us.
We share a history, and once we reconnected, there was no denying things between us. ”
He’s silent for a few minutes, his expression giving nothing away.
I can hear my heartbeat in my ears, and I'm becoming more nervous than I was when we walked in the room. Just when I start to feel restless, like I’m going to jump out of my skin from the nerves at what he’ll think, he stands from his chair and walks around the desk, sitting right in front of me.
“And you’re happy with Kailyn?” he asks, a gentleness to his voice.
“I am.” I turn to face Kailyn, reaching over and lacing out fingers together. “She is my person, and I don’t plan to let her go again.” Kailyn squeezes my hand in response, a soft smile on her lips.
Coach nods, smiling at both of us. “Well then, that’s all I need to hear.
Jake, I have watched you for the last six seasons.
You are an incredible player, one hell of a teammate, and a great man.
I always knew that it would take a special person to claim your heart, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving. I’m truly happy for both of you.”
“Thank you, Coach. That means a lot coming from you.” I shake his outstretched hand, and the nerves I felt before start to fizzle out as his words settle in.
“I do need to tell you though, that Coach Johnson and I already knew about you two before this.”
“How?” I ask, shock and a bit of panic creeping back in.
Coach laughs, leaning back on his hands. He opens his mouth to speak, but it’s Coach Johnson who actually answers.
“Firstly, you two aren’t as subtle as you think. I mean, by the time the away series was over, we had a bet on which one of us would catch the two of you flirting or making googly eyes the most.”
My cheeks feel like they're on fire at getting caught like that. When I turn Kailyn, her face matches mine.
“Oh, no.” Emilia giggles in the background with Hannah following shortly after.
“Listen, we get it. We’ve both been there before. When you meet the one girl who changes everything, there’s nothing that can stand between you and her.” Coach Johnson says, his hand raising as he flashes his wedding band.
I nod in agreement, smiling over at Kailyn who blows a small kiss towards me.
“That being said…” Coach Davenport interjects, a more serious tone to his voice. “That’s not the only reason we knew.” He nods over his shoulder as Coach Johnson pulls a paper off the table, handing it to me.
“What’s this?”
“That is an official complaint filed against the two of you for breaking the no fraternization rule. It was filed anonymously while we were on our away series.”
“Wait, are we in trouble? We didn’t disclose anything to HR yet. Am I gonna lose my job?” I can hear the panic rising in Kailyn’s voice, and it takes everything in me to be strong in this moment for both of us. I won’t fully panic until I have all of the facts.
“You both got lucky this time. HR called me, and I was able to get everything straightened out. I told them you disclosed it with me first and that once we got back I would have you file the proper paperwork so they could vet everything. They agreed after looking at everything and dropped the case.”
“So no one’s getting in trouble?” I ask.
“As long as you both fill the papers out and drop them off on your way out, you’re both in the clear as far as HR is concerned. And no, Kailyn, you are not losing your job. I promise.”
“Oh, thank God,” Kailyn heaves a sigh of relief, and I feel my shoulders sag as well.
“I’m so sorry we put you in this position, Coach.”
“Neither of you did anything wrong, so there’s nothing to apologize for. We all know who really filed that complaint and why, which I’m assuming is the other reason you girls all wanted to talk to us.” Coach looks at Kailyn and she nods, rolling her and heaving a frustrated breath.
There’s frustration written all over his face, his hands scratching at his short beard.
“I’m so sorry that it had to even come close to this.
I’ve tried to get rid of him before, but just me saying I didn’t like him wasn’t enough.
We’ve been keeping an eye on him since you brought this to our attention, while we tried to come up with a full proof game plan.
Unfortunately, he’s never had a complaint filed against him, so it’s been hard to come up with something that will stick. ”
“Actually…” Hannah starts, her hands balled up in the sleeves of her sweater, fingers playing with a loose string as she fidgets in her seat. “I tried once, but HR told me with no physical proof, it would make things worse, so I didn’t end up filing.”
“What?” Coach says, his tone growing ice cold. He stares at Hannah like she’s just told him the world is ending, and honestly, I’m just as shocked.
“He tried to assault me last season, but Connor walked in before he could do anything. He told me to report the incident to HR, and I did, but they didn’t do anything. Connor followed up with me, but I lied and told him that they were looking into everything and let it be.”
Even with her head tilted downwards, I can hear her sniffling, her hands reaching up to wipe under her eyes.
“When was this?” Coach Johnson asks cautiously.
“It was right in the middle of the playoffs.” There’s a hitch to her voice, and she lifts her head to wipe the now visible tears on her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry, Coach. I should’ve told you when it happened, but with the playoffs happening and then being dismissed, I figured no one would believe me and… ”
Coach gets up from the desk, crouching down on his knees in front of her.
“First of all, none of this is your fault, Hannah. He touched you without your consent. He made you feel uncomfortable and violated your body. The people who were supposed to listen and help you didn’t.
That is not on you. You do not need to feel sorry or apologize for anything.
They let you down.” His tone is soft, softer than I’ve ever heard it before.
I’ve never seen Coach react this way to anything before.
“I let you down by making you think that you couldn’t come to me or any of the staff. Your comfort and safety are always more important than the game.”
Hannah looks at Coach, holding his gaze as she nods at his words. “Thank you,” she whispers.
Coach places his hand on her knee gently, eyeing her to make sure she's okay, and when she nods again he squeezes in reassurance.
“I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make this right, for both of you.” He looks over at Kailyn, before he stands back up, walking back over to his desk, grabbing a box of tissues and handing them to Hannah, who accepts them with a soft smile.
“So, what’s the plan then going forward?” Emilia speaks up as she reaches out her hands to Kailyn and Hannah in silent support.
Sighing, he leans back on his hands. “I have to be honest. If this is how HR is going to handle it, it’s not going to be resolved right away.
We have to first file a report with HR for harassment and sexual misconduct.
We have to make sure there’s a report on file and they listen this time.
Once that’s done, he will be suspended and an investigation will be opened. ”
“What good will that do? Since they have no physical proof, no one will believe them right?” Emilia deadpans, and I can see the defeated look in all of their eyes.
“I’m not saying that. If you all trust me and want to do this, it will be an uphill fight. In order for anything to be done, we have to file an official complaint. Once it’s on record, it can’t be taken away. ”
“You believe us?” Hannah asks, and the softness of her voice shows just how vulnerable she really feels.
Coach, with so much pain and frustration mixed in his gaze, looks right into her eyes.
“It was never a question of believing you. The second you said he did those awful things to you, invaded your space, and violated you, it became my mission to fight for you because I don’t condone this kind of behavior under my roof. ”
She nods her head before she looks at Kailyn, who also nods and then turns back to Coach. “Okay, so, what do you need us to do?”