Kevin looks over the bench as another onslaught of shots his Brian from the New Jersey Devils. One, two, three shots one right after the other hit Brian as he throws himself onto the ice saving any from going into the net. It was the second game against the Devils, but this time it was on home ice. They had all come out expecting to win another game because the Devils were becoming the fallen team in last place with a five game losing streak. Of course you can never expect anything once you touch the ice and the Flyers were finding it out the hard way now.
It was the middle of the third period and the score was 3-3 a tie. Brouduer had had hardly any shots on him in all the periods meanwhile Brian was having around forty shots and growing shot on him. At one point the Flyers had a lead with 3-1 in the second but it all came crumbling down and now the only thing holding them in the game was Brian who was growing even more tired with each passing minute.
The first goal came from John LeClaire with an assist by Justin Williams. The second had come from Williams himself finally ending his long scoreless streak. The third was a wrist shot by AJ with another assist from Williams. They were having a bad game to say the least, but Justin was going to be happy with himself hopefully. He deserved it.
The first goal for the Devils was a hard shot for Brian to get and the second was one of those ones that Brian was going to hate himself for regardless of the fact that he was saving the team right now. He had kicked it into the net with the back of his own right leg while trying to save it after it went through the five hole. He hit the puck out of the net with his glove hand after that and everyone could tell he was upset with himself. The third had been a defensive mistake leaving Holik open near the net and he had gotten off a shot.
Kevin looks up at the clock as time runs out, overtime wonderful. He hops out onto the ice with Bruno St. Jacques who was back with no damage done to his face from the previous game. AJ hops onto the ice with Roenick and LeClaire to play the overtime. Barber was screwing up the lines again, Kevin thinks shaking his head and skating over to the net to talk to Brian who was skating in small circles trying to keep himself alert.
“You ok?” Kevin asks him.
“What? Yeah I guess so,” he says pulling up his mask and taking a drink from one of the two water bottles sitting on top of the net for him.
“You’re doing great man,” Kevin says, “You’re the only thing saving us from losing.”
Brian shrugs off the complement and looks up towards the boxes, “Boosh is here. What do you think he is thinking?”
“Over for the love of Christ Brian don’t do this to yourself,” Kevin says, “You’re going great. If we lose it’s OUR fault not yours. We broke down you didn’t”
Brian shakes his head, “I should have saved that second goal.”
“You know what nevermind forget it,” Kevin says skating back to his position for the start of the overtime.
The game ended with a 3-3 tie with Brian having forty-five shots on him Broduer having only around nineteen or twenty.
Nick looks around the locker room and sighs. Williams was talking to Scott from the Comcast sports crew about the game and him finally ending his scoreless streak. Yeah well he could use a goal right about now too. He was back down to third string, which was constantly being switched around except for himself and Fedetenko. Sometimes they would play with Dopita other times it was Fedoruk.
AJ was sitting next to him getting changed coughing every once and a while, but it wasn’t your normal type of cough. It was a hard loud cough that even sounded like it hurt his throat.
“You ok AJ?” Nick asks.
“Huh? Yeah I’m fine why?” AJ asks pulling on one of his black Dr. Martens. AJ was the only guy Nick knew who wore Dr. Martens with his suit on game days.
“You sound sick. You sure you’re ok?”
“Yeah I have a sinus infection the doctor said. I just got medicine for it two days ago,” he says pulling on the other shoe and tying it.
“Nice goal tonight.”
AJ shrugs, “I should have had more. So tell me Nick what are you doing for Thanksgiving?” he asks standing up and pulling on his jacket.
Nick stares at him, “AJ I’m Canadian.”
“Ohhh yeah that’s right,” AJ says, “Sorry.”
“Nah it’s ok, but staying down here anyway.”
AJ stares, “Really? My mom is coming up you want to join us she won’t care. I never eat all the food she makes anyway. She makes wayyy too much for only two people.”
“You sure?” Nick asks.
“Yeah, I don’t care.”
“What about that girl you met?”
“Meadow?” AJ smiles, “She’s going home for Thanksgiving. I asked her to come, but well I was shot down. Nothin new to me,” he smirks tying his tie around his neck and adjusting it, “Oh that nitwit over there is gonna be there too,” he says motioning towards Bruno St. Jacques.
“I thought you didn’t know Bruno”
“I played for the Phantoms last year remember? He did to. He was the poor soul who got stuck in the dunk tank with me at the Flyers Wives Carnival. I just act like I don’t know him see who we can confuse. Right Bruno?” he says looking at Bruno St. Jacques.
“Who the hell are you?” Bruno says staring at AJ oddly before breaking into a smile.
AJ shakes his head and looks at Nick, “He’s not flying back up to Canada so he’s coming.”
“That’s fine with me,” Nick says, “I know him.”
AJ nods, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow then cause right now I gotta get home and call Meadow.”
“Whipped,” Williams coughs walking by.
“I really do hate that child,” AJ says shaking his head before walking off out of the locker room with his gear.
Nick shakes his head laughing to himself and then looks up as Brian sits down next to him and smiles.
“You look happy,” Nick says.
“I know and I lost,” Brian says shaking his head.
“So why are you so happy?”
“I dunno,” Brian says shrugging, “Barber actually complemented me in a Barber sort of way.”
“Yeah I heard, but I gotta go I’ll see you tomorrow at practice though,” Nick says picking up his bag.
“Alright see ya,” Brian smiles as Nick walks off out of the locker room.
“Oh oh what ya gonna do now,” AJ yells at Boosh as he hits the ping-pong ball back across the table to him.
“AJ you’re ruining my concentration,” Boosh says hitting back to him.
“Yeah well…damn,” AJ says as he misses the ball and it falls to the floor.
“I win again,” Boosh smiles, “What is it twenty to one now?”
“Shut your mouth Boosh,” AJ says pointing the paddle down and pointing at him.
“Whose next?” Boosh asks as Nick walks up to the table and takes AJ’s paddle.
“This isn’t conditioning anyway,” AJ says to Boosh.
“Well for a guy who can hardly walk and needs to keep up his reflexes it is,” Boosh says as AJ walks into gym as Brian stares at him.
“You lost again didn’t you?” Brian asks smirking.
“No…maybe…ok yeah I did,” AJ sighs sitting down at a bench press, “Bri can you spot me?”
“Sure,” Brian says walking over and standing above him as he starts to lift the weight that is already on the bar, “You know what I think I may be able to pull this off,” he says.
“Brian…” AJ says.
“You know the more I play the better I feel and the better I get in goal…”
“Brian…”
“I mean I didn’t even feel that and after the game yesterday because I know I played my best. Barber even told me that I was what kept us from losing...”
“Brian…”
“Not to sound like I have a big ego or anything though…”
“BRIAN!”
“What?” he asks looking at AJ.
“For the love of God help me,” AJ says straining to push the bar back up.
“Oh my God sorry,” Brian says helping him life the bar up and placing it in the holders, “Are you ok?”
“Dandy,” AJ says, “Who was here before me?”
“I think Fedoruk.”
“That explains everything then. 245 pound man compared to a 135 pound one,” AJ says sitting up and catching his breathe, “I have an idea lets go do the treadmills then.
“Alright. I really am sorry though AJ,” he says as AJ gets up and starts walking towards the treadmills.
“It’s ok Brian don’t worry about it,” AJ says waving it off while getting onto a treadmill.
“AJayyyyy,” a voice says from behind them as they turn around to see Marty Murray on a treadmill that is equipped especially for skates, so they can practice skating.
“Martyyy Murrayyy,” AJ says starting up the treadmill.
“You think Nick is ok?” Brian asks starting to run on his own treadmill.
“What? What’s wrong with him?” AJ asks.
“I don’t know. He’s been acting kind of weird though.”
“When was the last time he got a goal?”
“I’m not sure.”
“He may be going through the same thing that Williams went through.”
“Yeah, you think I should ask him?”
“I don’t know Nick isn’t exactly the type of guy who likes to talk about how he feels.”
Brian shakes his head and sighs.
“I WIN,” a voice yells from where the ping-pong table is.
AJ turns his head to look into the room and sees Nick holding up his arms and Brian Boucher staring at him.
“Damn,” Boosh says.
“What! Wait! No!” AJ yells, “I’m supposed to beat him damnit. Me. I am supposed to…” AJ says as he takes a wrong step and goes flying backwards off the treadmill into the wall, “I’m ok,” he says getting up as the others stare at him.
“I am the ping-pong king,” Nick yells holding up his arms again.
“He’s as bad as Williams now,” AJ mutters shaking his head as Nick continues to dance around the ping-pong table.
“Hey hey hey the sun was in my eyes,” Boosh says.
Nick walks into AJ’s apartment the next day shutting the door behind himself as the smells of turkey, mashed potatoes and corn fill his nose. He hears the faint music of Jimmy Eat World playing from the stereo system. As he walks further into the apartment he sees AJ standing in the kitchen next to a smaller woman who Nick guessed was his mom.
“No mom it’s a pound of turkey per person not mashed potatoes,” AJ sighs.
“AJ?” Nick says walking up to the kitchen.
“Oh hey Nick,” AJ says, “This is my mom. Mom this is Nick Carter you know the blond guy who plays wing.”
“I know hun,” she says and smiles at Nick, “Hello Nick. Is Bruno coming too Alex?”
“Yeah,” AJ says wiping his hands on a towel, “He’ll be here in a few minutes. You know him mom he’s always late. Anyway I hope you like mashed potatoes Nick because my mom made four pounds of them.”
“Uhhhh,” Nick says
“See he’ll eat them,” AJ’s mom says.
AJ shakes his head, “I told you already mom it’s a pound of TURKEY per person not mashed potatoes. Honestly woman and you call yourself my mother,” he says smiling and then hugs her, “You need anything else done?”
“Can you set the table?”
“Sure,” AJ says, “C’mon Nick” he says walking towards the dining room, “Uh silverware,” he says to himself walking over to a cabinet and opening a drawer.
“AJ Bruno is here,” his mom yells.
“Send him in here please,” AJ yells back setting up the silverware, “Hey man,” he says looking up at Bruno as he walks in.
“Hey AJ. Nick,” Bruno says walking in, “Man AJ I haven’t seen your mom in a while.”
“Yeah I know,” AJ says.
“AJ,” his mom yells.
“Yeah,” AJ says walking over and sticking his head around the doorframe.
“Can you help me carry some of this into the dining room?”
“Yeah sure,” AJ says, “Nick can you finish setting things up in here?”
“Sure,” Nick says.
“Ok,” AJ says walking out of the room.
“Americans and their holidays,” Bruno says to Nick who smirks while setting down the plates.
“She made a lot of food too,” Nick says.
“Yeah I know,” Bruno says rubbing his hands together, “I can’t wait for it. I haven’t had home cooked food in God knows how long.”
“Same here,” Nick smiles putting the last glass down.
“Oh wow,” Bruno says looking at the door way as AJ walks in carrying the turkey.
“Don’t touch it yet,” AJ says sitting it down on the table and walking back out then walking back in with a bowl of corn and a bowl of mashed potatoes.
“Ok that’s it,” his mom says walking in with a basket full of rolls and a bowl full of stuffing.
“Alrighty then,” AJ says walking over to the table and taking a seat across from Nick and his mom sits down next to him.
“AJ will you say grace?” his mom asks.
“Sure,” AJ smiles and folds his hands.
“I’m Jewish,” Bruno says.
“Oh no you’re not be quiet,” AJ says and starts to say grace, “God thank you for giving us this food that we are able to share tonight. Thank you for giving us the talents that we value so much for playing hockey and making it able for us to make a living while still doing something we love. And above all else thank you for our friends and families, especially my mom. Amen.”
“Amen,” the other three say.
“Let’s eat,” AJ says.
About a half an hour into the meal the phone rings and AJ stands up to go answer it in the kitchen.
“Who would be calling now?” Bruno asks.
“Barber,” Nick smirks and then taking a sip of his water.
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Bruno says.
Nick looks over his shoulder as AJ walks back in the room and sits back down, “Who was it?”
“No one,” AJ says.
“What was it Barber?”
“I said don’t worry about it ok,” he snaps, “You know what I’ll be back in a minute,” he says standing up and walking out of the room.
“Damnit John you just had to do it again didn’t you,” AJ’s mom mutters to herself standing up and following AJ out of the room.
“What happened?” Nick asks looking at Bruno.
“His dad I bet,” Bruno says, “Whenever he talks to his biological father he gets like that. Stupid fuck always calls at the worst times too.”
“Is he gonna be ok?” Nick asks.
“He always is,” Bruno sighs, “He always is.”
Nick sighs and looks down at his hands, so he wasn’t the only one with family problems.
Nick walks into his apartment around 10:15 at night and immediately walks over to his answering machine.
“You have three new messages,” the voice says as he pulls off his jacket.
“Hey Nick,” Kevin’s voice says as it comes from the machine, “I just wanted to call you and wish you a happy Thanksgiving and Brian says the same,” he says as he hears Brian yelling in the background to say the same for him, “Anyway I hope you have a good break and I’ll see you tomorrow night at the game. Get ready to beat those Dallas Stars.”
Nick smiles to himself and shakes his head. Even during a holiday Kevin still thought about hockey.
“Hey Nick this is yourself calling to remind you to remember to pick up your skates from the skate shop because they are closed tomorrow.”
Nick stares at the machine and slaps himself in the head, “Stupid,” he mutters to himself pulling on his jacket quickly as the third message begins to play.
“Hello Nick it’s dad,” the voice says, “I just wanted to tell you that we’ve been watching you play and you’re doing good, but remember to keep your head up that’s why you got hit that time. And they’re getting too many interceptions off your passes…”
Nick walks over and pulls the plug out of the wall before the message can finish, “Whatever you say dad,” he mutters to himself, “Sure dad,” he mutters again before walking out his front door.
He had skates he needed to pick up.
