Page 38 of The Lies We Play

Liv: Well, tonight it CLICKED. But . . . you got hit at the blue line in the second period.

Liv: That man was the size of a small house.

Liv: Are you okay?

Creed: I’m always okay.

Creed: I was the small house in a previous play. Hockey is a small-house economy.

Liv: I’m not sure if I like hockey.

Creed: You should, and I’m waiting to hear something like congratulations.

Liv: For not dying? I’m thrilled. I’ll give you a gold star the next time I see you.

Creed: No, won 4-2.

Liv: I SAW. And you got an assist—I learned that at the bar too.

Creed: Did I?

Liv: Creed Lafontaine, I am going to send you the box score.

Creed: Please don't.

Liv: [screenshot of the NHL.com box score with Creed's assist circled in red]

Creed: You circled it three times.

Liv: I wanted you to feel celebrated and mildly threatened.

Creed: Mission accomplished.

Liv: James said assists are important.

Creed: James is correct.

Liv: James also said defensemen are emotionally unavailable.

Creed: James talks too much.

Liv: I find his insights credible.

Creed: Landed in Montreal. Here it’s forty-eight and grey. Leaves are still going. Different country, same fall.

Creed: [photo of a small outdoor neighborhood rink, dry boards, a few orange, red, and yellow leaves on the empty ice surface]

Creed: This is where my grandfather taught me to skate when I was four.

Liv: Creed.

Creed: Yeah.

Liv: That's a lot of trust for a Tuesday morning text.

Creed: It's Wednesday.

Liv: You know what I mean.