in close. “Do you think we could talk later? There’s something important I need to discuss with you.”
My stomach dropped. Exactly what I’d feared was coming to pass. He wanted to talk about my secret. Of course. He couldn’t just forget it and move on.
“Let’s just enjoy the game,” I said with a smile.
“Later then?”
“I’m supposed to meet Sledge after the game, so…” I shrugged.
“You’re meeting Sledge? That’s good.” He leaned in close and whispered. “Are you going to tell him about-”
“Oh! Did you see that?”
“What?” he said alarmed. “Sledge almost scored. You missed it. Aren’t you working for the team now?”
“Yeah, Sledge got me a job as a-”
“We’re not keeping you are we? I don’t want to get you into trouble.”
“No, it’s cool. I’m just-”
“You should go. I know Sledge really went out on a limb to get you this job. He’d be heartbroken if you lost it.”
“Really? He talked to you about it.”
“Sure,” I lied. I just didn’t want to talk about my baby with Chick. It was best if he left.
“I guess you’re right. I don’t want to disappoint Sledge,” he said.
“It was good to see you again, Chick.” I jumped up, took his arm and led him to the door. “We should hang out sometime.”
In truth, I didn’t want to see him again. It wasn’t anything personal against Chick. It was just that every time he was around the specter of my baby hung over the conversation. I didn’t want to encourage him to talk about it. What if he blabbed to someone and Sledge found out? The only thing worse than telling him the truth myself would be if he learned about the baby through someone else.
At the door, I grabbed Chick and pulled him close so that Astrid wouldn’t hear. “Look, I really appreciate what you’ve done for me.” He stared at me blankly. “Keeping my secret, I mean.”
Realization sparked in his eyes. “Oh! Sure. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
I put up my hand silencing him. “We don’t need to talk about it… ever . I’m trying to move on with my life. I can’t do that if I’m constantly being reminded of what happened.”
Referring to my pregnancy out loud felt forbidden. My insides twisted with anxiety at the mention of the word baby.
“Yeah, but…”
“It would ruin Sledge’s life if he learned the truth. You don’t want to hurt him, do you?”
“No. I just think it would be best if-”
“I really appreciate all you’ve done Chick, thanks.”
I pushed him out the door before he could say anymore. I hoped it was the last I saw of him. Though I doubted I was that lucky. I returned to the game.
“What was that about?” Astrid asked.
“Nothing.”
She looked at me hard, but didn’t press the issue. Sledge scored again. I watched with less excitement. I had a new fear: Chick. I had the sinking feeling he would expose me. He was a simple guy who was guided by a simple belief in right and wrong. I’m sure he saw me as in the wrong. He thought it was best that the truth be revealed. Life’s not that simple though.
I chewed on my fingers as the game played out before me. A player for the rival team jumped on one of our guys. Sledge skated over to defend his teammate. He threw punch after punch. More people joined in. For once, Sledge was fighting side-by-side with his teammates. It was a nice change from watching him fight against them.
The fight was quickly broken up. The ref penalized two players, but no one was ejected from the game. The game resumed and wound down. The final score was four to zero.
“Should we head down to the locker room?” Astrid asked. I could tell she was eager to catch a glimpse of the players undressing.
“Maybe we should wait here.”
She gave me a look that said stop being a wet blanket.
“Fine,” I conceded. “Let’s go down there.”
We made our way to the locker room. I assumed they wouldn’t let us in, but the security guy recognized
My stomach dropped. Exactly what I’d feared was coming to pass. He wanted to talk about my secret. Of course. He couldn’t just forget it and move on.
“Let’s just enjoy the game,” I said with a smile.
“Later then?”
“I’m supposed to meet Sledge after the game, so…” I shrugged.
“You’re meeting Sledge? That’s good.” He leaned in close and whispered. “Are you going to tell him about-”
“Oh! Did you see that?”
“What?” he said alarmed. “Sledge almost scored. You missed it. Aren’t you working for the team now?”
“Yeah, Sledge got me a job as a-”
“We’re not keeping you are we? I don’t want to get you into trouble.”
“No, it’s cool. I’m just-”
“You should go. I know Sledge really went out on a limb to get you this job. He’d be heartbroken if you lost it.”
“Really? He talked to you about it.”
“Sure,” I lied. I just didn’t want to talk about my baby with Chick. It was best if he left.
“I guess you’re right. I don’t want to disappoint Sledge,” he said.
“It was good to see you again, Chick.” I jumped up, took his arm and led him to the door. “We should hang out sometime.”
In truth, I didn’t want to see him again. It wasn’t anything personal against Chick. It was just that every time he was around the specter of my baby hung over the conversation. I didn’t want to encourage him to talk about it. What if he blabbed to someone and Sledge found out? The only thing worse than telling him the truth myself would be if he learned about the baby through someone else.
At the door, I grabbed Chick and pulled him close so that Astrid wouldn’t hear. “Look, I really appreciate what you’ve done for me.” He stared at me blankly. “Keeping my secret, I mean.”
Realization sparked in his eyes. “Oh! Sure. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
I put up my hand silencing him. “We don’t need to talk about it… ever . I’m trying to move on with my life. I can’t do that if I’m constantly being reminded of what happened.”
Referring to my pregnancy out loud felt forbidden. My insides twisted with anxiety at the mention of the word baby.
“Yeah, but…”
“It would ruin Sledge’s life if he learned the truth. You don’t want to hurt him, do you?”
“No. I just think it would be best if-”
“I really appreciate all you’ve done Chick, thanks.”
I pushed him out the door before he could say anymore. I hoped it was the last I saw of him. Though I doubted I was that lucky. I returned to the game.
“What was that about?” Astrid asked.
“Nothing.”
She looked at me hard, but didn’t press the issue. Sledge scored again. I watched with less excitement. I had a new fear: Chick. I had the sinking feeling he would expose me. He was a simple guy who was guided by a simple belief in right and wrong. I’m sure he saw me as in the wrong. He thought it was best that the truth be revealed. Life’s not that simple though.
I chewed on my fingers as the game played out before me. A player for the rival team jumped on one of our guys. Sledge skated over to defend his teammate. He threw punch after punch. More people joined in. For once, Sledge was fighting side-by-side with his teammates. It was a nice change from watching him fight against them.
The fight was quickly broken up. The ref penalized two players, but no one was ejected from the game. The game resumed and wound down. The final score was four to zero.
“Should we head down to the locker room?” Astrid asked. I could tell she was eager to catch a glimpse of the players undressing.
“Maybe we should wait here.”
She gave me a look that said stop being a wet blanket.
“Fine,” I conceded. “Let’s go down there.”
We made our way to the locker room. I assumed they wouldn’t let us in, but the security guy recognized
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