Coach Collins stood and walked around his desk slowly, stopping right in front of me. “Brody, you have been with this team since the minute you graduated college, and I’ve been with you longer than any other player on this team. You grew up in Minnesota. You have ice crystals and pine needles in your blood. You are Mr. Minnesota Wild. I’ve watched as you grew into a man and, eventually, a leader right before my eyes. I love you like one of my own sons.” He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes with his fingertips in exhaustion as he continued. “Your contract is up this year and I only have so much control over what happens in the front office. If you don’t perform, they’re going to trade you, and just the thought of that pisses me off. Not only do I not want to lose you as a player on this team personally, but I think you’re talented and you deserve to finish up your career here, in your state, however many years away that might be.”
Coach Collins issued me the same roundabout warning that Viper had. They were both nervous that my head would be so far in the clouds it would interfere with my game play and I would end up traded. While I appreciated their concern, it was a non-issue for me. Kacie didn’t complicate my life, she simplified it. She made me want to do better.
I looked him straight in the eye, attempting to drive home my sincerity. “I’m good, Coach. I promise.” I extended my right hand to him.
He looked down at my hand then back up at me, nodding slightly as he shook it.
“I hope so, Murphy. I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t. And thank you for considering me one of your sons.” I tried not to laugh. “Now, can I borrow twenty bucks? Me and Viper wanna go see a movie later.”
Coach rolled his eyes and pushed me toward the door of his office. “I’m not sure which one of you two idiots is going to give me a heart attack first.” He walked around behind his desk and sat down as he pointed to the door. “Out. Go block things. I’ll be down in a bit.”
The first practice of the season always kicked my ass and this year’s was no exception. I work out hard in the off-season and keep in shape, but actual practice is a different kind of workout. Knowing that it was an important contract year for me, I felt even more pressure to block every single shot and focus harder than I ever had before.
After taking Diesel for a walk, I sat down on the couch and saw that I had a missed call.
I dialed my mom back and smiled when her cheery voice picked up. “Hello, my favorite son.”
“Your only son,” I teased.
“If I had ten sons, you’d still be my favorite.”
I laughed. “How are ya, Mom?”
“Good. Busy, busy as usual. How about you?”
“Exhausted. First practice was today and my legs are on fire.” I pushed my palms into my sore quads, trying to give them some relief while suddenly wishing Kacie were going to school to be a massage therapist instead of a nurse. “I’m dreading standing in the shower after this.”
“Poor baby. Sounds like you need a little R & R.”
“Mom, I’ve only had one practice.” I laughed. “I’m not quite in need of a break yet.”
“You work hard, Brody. You could always use a break. When do Lucy and Piper start school?”
“Uh… a couple weeks. Why?”
“Your dad and I were thinking we’d really like to get to know Kacie and the girls better. The hospital wasn’t exactly the ideal location for our first introduction, and other than a few phones calls here and there, we haven’t really talked to her since. Would you four want to come spend next weekend here?”
Kacie and I hadn’t even approached the topic of her bringing the kids to my house yet, let alone my parents’.
“Oh God, you’re not going to interrogate her, are you, Ma?”
“Absolutely not!” she snapped. “But I’d like to get to know the woman who has stolen my son’s heart… and all of his time.”
Ah, so that was it.
“Ahhh, so that’s what this is about. Mom, if you want me to come home for a weekend, just ask.”
“Of course I miss seeing you, but I do want to get to know Kacie and the girls. I promise, no ulterior motives here.”
“Okay. Let me talk to her and have her look at her work schedule, and I’ll get back to you tomorrow, okay?”
“Sounds good! One more question—will you be in town two weeks from Friday? I have to come into the city for my scans and since it’ll be a long day, I was hoping I could stay there. Maybe a mother-son sleepover?”
My stomach dropped. I knew these scans were normal and just a precaution, but I got anxious every time she had to have them. Though I would never admit it to her, I had never completely let go of the fear that her cancer would come back. I’d feel better in a couple weeks when she got the all clear from her doctor.