Page 69 of Slapshot Obsession
I grab the hair on my temples, frustrated. “Where could she have gone? She has to be in here.”
A rustling noise attracts my attention when I step out of the bathroom. I look around Tucker’s bedroom to find the source of the noise and… bingo!
Tucker’s duffel bag is sitting on the bed, and the bag’s fabric is moving.
Sure enough, the little duckling has made herself comfortable inside the bag, nestled within Tucker’s clothes.
I approach the bag with cautious steps in an effort to not spook Baety and lift her from the bag and into my hands.
“Quack!” The duck’s loud protest makes me jump, and I drop her. Fortunately, she lands back into the bag.
“Oh, come on, Beaty.” I roll my eyes. “I know you miss your daddy, but that isn’t a bed. Besides, I’ve seen my fair share of sweaty workout clothes, but Tucker’s bag stinks.”
The duckling doesn’t seem bothered by the horrible smell coming from the bag. She’s actually trying to arrange a garment into a makeshift bed.
“Hey!” I scream when Baety snaps at my attempt to pick her up again. “Baety, I can’t let you sleep in Tucker’s bag. Come on.”
This time, I managed to grab her. But as I do, Baety poops again. I must have scared her or something. I can’t believe the mess she just made.
“Eww.” I look at the white-greenish substance. “You went poo poo on your daddy’s practice jersey and underwear. He’s probably going to need them tomorrow morning.”
I feel terrible that most of Tucker’s training gear wassoiled on my watch. “I think we should surprise your daddy and do his laundry, right? So when he comes home from his family dinner, he’s going to find everything nice and clean and ready to go.”
“Quack!” Baety agrees with me.
“Then let’s get to it.” I grab the duck in one arm and the bag with my free hand. “Judging by the smell of it, this stuff hadn’t been washed, anyway. It’s going to be a nice surprise when your daddy comes home to clean gear. But you’re going to have to come to the laundry room with me. I’m not letting you out of my sight, you little terror.”
TUCKER
Most of the ride back to camp from our family is silent. Talia has been looking out the passenger window of my truck, lost in her thoughts.
Judging by the tension in her shoulders, she probably feels just as sad as I do.
“You know none of this is your fault, right?”
“Easy for you to say.” Her voice breaks as she fights back the same tears that I can feel welling in my eyes too. “You had a full scholarship; I didn’t. Mom and Dad had to take out a second mortgage on the house to help pay for my tuition. Star Cove is an Ivy, it’s expensive. I should have gone to community college instead. Then we wouldn’t be losing the house we grew up in.”
I hate that my sister is carrying all this weight on her shoulders. “It isn’t just your tuition, and you know it.” I argue. “Kylian’s ice time and gear have been expensive too. And even with us not living at home, our parents still havethree kids to feed and clothe and put through school. You did everything you could to help; you’ve had a part-time job since high school.”
“It obviously wasn’t enough.” She scoffs.
We’ve arrived back at camp and neither of us says anything else until I park in my designated spot in the parking garage next to our building.
“Tal,” I unbuckle my seat belt and turn in my seat to look at my sister once I turn off the engine. “It’s been an unfortunate series of events. None of this is your fault. Our parents didn’t tell us that they were getting an additional mortgage to help pay for your school. And if Dad hadn’t gotten hurt at work, they wouldn’t be in this position.”
My sister loses her battle with her tears. “I know that. But they should have told us. I would have never asked them to pay for such an expensive college if I had known they were re-mortgaging the house. When I got accepted, they said they could pay the tuition if I took care of room and board.”
Talia is partially right. “True. But it isn’t just your tuition. Hockey is expensive, and even with Dad working, they were stretched really thin. This isn’t just on you.”
I’m not just saying that to make her feel better. Our parents knew it would be hard to repay two mortgages but didn’t want to deny any of their kids the opportunity they felt they deserved. Dad’s work injury came at a time when interest rates went up. “They should have gotten a fixed rate loan. Their financial advisor lured them into a flexible rate at a time when interest rates were low, and now they’re sky high. That’s made things one hundred percent worse. They decided on a second mortgage because Dad wanted to open his own shop and we all know how hard it was when the shop went out of business. Even if you weregoing to community college, they would have been in trouble.”
Talia wipes her tears with the back of her hand. “I know, but?—”
“If anything,” I insist. “It’s my fault. If there hadn’t been that mixup with my grades, I would have graduated and my signing bonus would have covered what they owed.”
Talia takes my hand in hers and squeezes it in a comforting gesture. There are only eighteen months between us, and she’s always felt almost like a twin, more than a regular sibling. I don’t have one single memory that doesn’t include my sister.
I flip our hands and hold hers in my palm. Talia has always kept up with me head on. She’s a force to be reckoned with, just in a much smaller package compared to me. My hand dwarfs hers, and yet her touch makes me feel better for the first time since we set foot in what’s soon-to-be our former home.
