by Mandy Baggot
‘It tastes like gnat’s pee,’ Eddie grumbled, trying to sit up in bed.
‘Shall I prop up your pillows?’ Robyn offered.
‘No! Get off! I’m not helpless, I can do it,’ Eddie insisted, swaying left and right and trying to get comfortable.
‘He can’t. He had the nurse in three times yesterday to do it, gave her hell, he did,’ Max informed them.
‘They don’t know how I like to sit. So, this is Cole, is it?’ Eddie said, looking him up and down.
‘Yes. Cole, this is my dad, Eddie,’ Robyn introduced.
‘It’s nice to meet you, sir,’ Cole said, holding out his hand.
Eddie shook it. ‘So, you played for the Wolves, huh?’
‘Yes, three seasons.’
‘Robyn says you’re a center.’
‘That’s right.’
‘What’s your strike rate?’
‘I average two goals a game.’
‘Why aren’t you playing pro?’
‘I had other priorities.’
‘Like what?’
‘Dad! Why are you interrogating him?’ Robyn exclaimed.
‘If he has talent, he should be playing in the NHL. I want to know why he isn’t in the NHL,’ Eddie replied.
‘It’s none of your business. You should just be grateful he’s playing for the Panthers,’ Robyn answered.
‘It’s okay, Robyn. My father died, sir. I decided to study and now I work for Gen-All. I work on developing preventative vaccines and new drugs to counter the symptoms of all types of diseases,’ Cole explained.
Eddie didn’t respond.
‘I had a trial for the Red Wings once, though,’ Cole informed him quickly.
‘The Wings!’ Eddie said, his face lighting up.
‘Yeah, I actually played alongside Zetterberg for five minutes.’
‘Man! How about that! Did you hear that, Robyn, played alongside Zetterberg,’ Eddie said, obviously impressed.
‘I heard. I’m totally jealous. What I’d give to share some ice with him,’ Robyn said with a sigh.
‘It’s a big game today. Max and I have been studying Reading’s form. They’re unbeaten,’ Eddie informed them.
‘I know that. That just means they’re due a loss.’
‘It means they’re good, and you’re only gonna beat them if you’re better,’ Max piped up.
‘Ignore him, he doesn’t know too much about hockey,’ Eddie said.
‘I know about averages, though, and my money isn’t going on the Panthers tonight,’ Max answered with a throaty chuckle.
‘You’re not helping,’ Robyn told him.
‘You’re gonna have to play hard. I mean, really hard. It’s no use putting out your best, most skilled players. These suckers are sluggers. You want your biggest, strongest players. I’m not sure Henrik’s gonna be your best option,’ Eddie told her seriously.
‘If we play Henrik, I could cover him,’ Cole suggested.
‘That would never work. You can’t be two places at the same time. Who’s gonna cover you?’ Eddie wanted to know.
‘I just think we need strength and skill,’ Cole said.
‘What you need is a miracle,’ Max announced, laughing so hard he started to cough.
‘Shut up, Max!’ Eddie bellowed.
‘Dad, don’t get worked up over it. It’s going to be fine; I have a good feeling about tonight,’ Robyn assured him.
‘Yeah? You said that the night you punched out that girl from Grand Rapids,’ Eddie said.
‘She did what?’ Cole exclaimed.
‘Best punch I ever saw.’
‘I need to hear more,’ Cole replied.
‘No, you don’t. Listen, I’ll talk to Grant, see what he thinks about the line-up,’ Robyn said, picking up Eddie’s chart from the bottom of the bed and looking at it.
‘Don’t ask him! Waste of time. He might be a pal and everything, but he was never as good a tactician as me,’ Eddie boasted.
‘Hark at him! Anyone would think he was trying to plan the Iraq invasion,’ Max remarked.
‘Dad, don’t worry, we’re going to win. I promise you,’ Robyn said. She was determined to.
‘You’re gonna win? You’re gonna be lucky to keep the score down to single figures,’ Max told her.
‘We’d better go; I don’t like leaving Nancy unsupervised at the roadhouse,’ Robyn said, checking her watch.
‘You can’t go yet!’ Max exclaimed.
‘Why not?’
‘Because you haven’t told us about Taboo,’ Max said, practically foaming at the mouth.
‘Nothing much to tell. We went, we drank too much, we saw lots of girls with very little on and then we went home,’ Robyn stated quickly.
‘Lordy! Bet you had a close look, didn’t you, son?’ Max remarked to Cole.
‘Closer than I anticipated at times,’ Cole admitted with a smile.
‘Right. Are we done? Beef stew on the menu today with fruit salad for dessert. Make sure you eat it. And you, Max, you dare to bet against the Panthers winning tonight, and I’m going to force-feed you tomorrow’s lunch—I hear it’s chickpeas,’ Robyn warned, pointing at him.
‘Eddie, you have to do something about your daughter, she’s unhinged,’ Max exclaimed.
Twenty-Four
‘Welcome to the Portage Arena, home of the Portage Panthers! Tonight, in charge for the game of the season, Robyn Matthers! Let’s hear it for Robyn, everyone! For anyone who doesn’t know Robyn, she is none other than Eddie Matthers’ daughter and also the only Portage player to net three in one game and get sent off for misconduct. Now, time for the team news,’ the PA announcer said, his voice echoing around the arena.
Robyn had been at the arena since five-thirty making sure everything was ready for her first game in charge. Before that, she had spent two hours at the mall with Sarah hearing all about Mickey’s failings as a boyfriend. She had also caught Sienna and Sierra trying to shoplift half the make-up counter in the department store, devoured two toffee chocolate ice creams and bought half a dozen T-shirts she didn’t need. Now it was time to turn herself into an ice hockey manager.
‘I feel sick,’ Robyn told Cole as he skated up to her.
It was less than ten minutes until the game started and seats were rapidly filling up. It was good news for ticket sales but bad because Robyn didn’t want the entire county scrutinizing her team choice if it all went wrong. She had chewed every nail down to the quick and she was seriously concerned about the size of Reading’s enforcer.
Cole looked completely hot in full hockey uniform too, and that wasn’t helping her temperature. She was already sweating. She’d argued with him over not paying attention to her team-talk to throw the players off the scent of their coupling, but what she really wanted to do was take off his pads, strip him of his underwear and see how far she could get before the fear kicked in.
Now she sat on the bench, watching the team warming up. The Reading team was doing some complicated drills. They looked so professional.
‘Hey, it’s going to be fine,’ Cole assured her.
‘Dad’s going to be listening on the radio, you know. They’re just giving out the team news and he’s gonna be shouting and cussing and going crazy. He might even go so nuts that he ends up down here chastising me in his hospital gown,’ Robyn said, putting her fingers in her mouth to chew her nails again.
‘You did the right thing picking Henrik. The team relies on him. We don’t have someone who goes insane and hits people and we have to stick to what the team knows,’ Cole replied.
‘Cole, I’m expecting you to enforce where you have to. I’ve seen you can throw a punch. Don’t let me down and go all namby pamby on me,’ Robyn ordered.
‘Namby pamby?’ Cole questioned with a smile.
‘See the big guy? He’s slow, but he looks like he could crush Wes with one arm and probably snap Mickey in two at the same time. Don’t let that happen,’ Robyn told him.
‘I’ve got it cov
ered. Relax, have an energy drink,’ Cole suggested, putting his mouth guard back in and joining the team.
‘Yeah, like I need any more energy! I’m still wired from that extra strong coffee this morning,’ Robyn yelled after him.
‘Hey,’ Grant greeted as he sat down on the bench next to her.
‘Nice of you to join us,’ Robyn remarked, not looking at him.
‘I’m sorry I’m late. Listen, Robyn, Jason—’
‘Stop. Stop right now. This is an important game, I need to focus,’ Robyn said, dismissing him at the mention of his son’s name.
‘Just… let me say this,’ Grant begged.
He stood in front of her so she couldn’t avoid him.
Robyn met his eyes and tried to remember that this man may be Jason’s father but he wasn’t Jason. And he didn’t have to atone for things his son had done. He had also always been a good friend to her dad.
‘I didn’t know he was coming back here. He’s been staying with a friend. He told me he tried to speak to you last night and I apologize for that. He shouldn’t be bothering you after everything that’s happened,’ Grant told her.
‘Cole hit him,’ Robyn stated.
‘I know. I don’t blame him for that, but I really think Jason’s telling the truth,’ Grant stated.
‘What?’ Robyn said coldly, looking straight at him.
‘He’s always said he didn’t do it, right from the start. I know he didn’t have anyone to substantiate his alibi, but I believe he was at home,’ Grant continued.
‘I was raped, Grant,’ Robyn said, standing up and facing him.
Her body fizzed with rage. His words acted like a thousand pinpricks being jabbed incessantly all over her skin.
‘I know. It was horrible and we all feel so—’
‘It was his DNA,’ Robyn accused, scrunching her fingers up into a ball.
‘So they say,’ Grant said.
‘So they say? What’s that supposed to mean?’ Robyn snapped.
‘Well, mistakes are made, aren’t they? And I believe Jason; I’ve always believed Jason, deep down,’ Grant told her.
‘Well, I don’t. He had photographs of me all over his bedroom; he had a sweatshirt of mine…’
‘He had a crush on you, Robyn, he was fifteen. He was a shy, nervy boy, and he liked you, that’s all,’ Grant insisted.
‘I don’t want to talk about this. We’re about to play Reading! Reading who are unbeaten and have an enforcer who looks like he should be in the WWF,’ Robyn announced, moving past Grant and going to stand beside the ice.
‘He’s hired a solicitor to try and get the case reopened,’ Grant informed.
‘Come on Panthers!’ Robyn yelled at her team.
She had to blank him out. She didn’t want to hear it. If she couldn’t hear it, it wasn’t really happening.
Grant let out a sigh and picked up the tray of water bottles. For now, the conversation was over.
*
‘They’re holding their own,’ Grant commented, watching play.
‘There’s only ten minutes gone,’ Robyn reminded him.
‘Yeah, but still…’
‘Hold him up, Cole! Don’t let him get past you! Bam! In the boards, that’s what I’m talking about!’ Robyn hollered, clapping her hands together as Cole crushed a Reading player against the advertising hoardings.
‘Wes looks like he’s taken a knock,’ Grant remarked, watching as the player held the side of his body.
‘He got swiped by the number eleven; it’s probably just bruised ribs. Come on Brad! Pass it to Henrik. Yes! That’s it! Shoot, goddamn it! Argh… Oh my God! He’s scored!’ Robyn shrieked hysterically, raising her hands in the air, and leaping off her seat.
The crowd went wild, Robyn screamed at the top of her lungs, and the team bundled on Henrik. They all skated toward the bench where Grant was dancing excitedly along the edge of the ice.
Victory horns and organ music filled the air and the lights flashed up on the scoreboard.
‘Get in!’ Brad exclaimed as the team high-fived Robyn and jostled with Grant.
‘Henrik, I am now in love with you!’ Robyn squealed, hugging the player.
‘We’re gonna win!’ Mickey said with a smile a mile wide and jubilation in every step.
‘I want focus; don’t let this lead go. Back out there, one hundred per cent,’ Robyn ordered, trying to calm herself down.
She couldn’t believe they were winning. She couldn’t believe they had scored against the best team in the league. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest it hurt. It was the best feeling.
‘It was an amazing goal,’ Grant remarked as the referee recommenced play.
‘Yes, it was. Are they filming the game for the website?’ Robyn inquired.
‘I believe so.’
‘I want that DVD; I want to relive that goal twenty times over. Oh, what’s happening? Where’s the defence? Shit! Cole! Get back! Oh man! No! No! This can’t be happening!’ Robyn yelled as Reading scored at the other end of the rink and their fans began celebrating the equalizer.
‘Stupid error from Wes caused that. He needs to come off, he’s hurt,’ Grant told her as the heads of the Panthers team went down in recognition of their lost lead.
‘There’s only five minutes until the end of the period,’ Robyn said, looking at the clock counting down.
‘Yeah, but that player just skipped past him. He does that again, we’re losing,’ Grant told her, stating the obvious.
‘Who would you put on?’
‘Art.’
‘He’s defense.’
‘I know.’
‘We can’t do that. We can’t start defending a draw, we need to win,’ Robyn told him.
‘A draw against this team would be a great result,’ Grant told her.
‘That wouldn’t be good enough for me. Jon, you’re going on for Wes. Wes!’ Robyn shouted, beckoning him over as play was stopped.
*
‘You’re doing real well,’ Grant said to the team at the end of the second period.
The score was still one-all, but the Panthers were looking tired. Their squad was smaller than Reading’s, and they didn’t have the option to change players around so much.
‘We need another goal,’ Robyn told them seriously.
‘I’m done,’ Mickey announced, drinking water like it was going out of fashion.
‘Me too. My knees are on fire,’ Wade said, supporting his side with his hands.
‘I have ankle that feel like large rock hit it,’ Henrik announced, holding up his skate as if everyone could see.
‘Anyone else got any complaints? Because I thought you were an ice hockey team and not a ladies’ club,’ Robyn shouted at them.
No one dared answer back.
‘Now, what we need to do is hold up their attackers and at every opportunity get the puck to Henrik. He’s your main front man. Everyone else… I want you to consolidate their attack. That’s all,’ Robyn instructed them.
‘Their number fourteen’s carrying an injury,’ Brad informed everyone.
‘Then take him out. It isn’t rocket science, guys, is it? We can beat them, they’re nothing special. I have no idea how they’re top of the league if they play like this every week. We’re better than them,’ Robyn told her team.
‘She’s got a hundred dollars on us to win,’ Cole spoke up.
‘A hundred dollars! You’re kidding me! Are you crazy?’ Mickey exclaimed as the players all turned to stare at Robyn.
‘You promised you wouldn’t tell them!’
‘What were the odds?’ Brad inquired.
‘Fifty to one.’
‘Oh man! You get five thousand dollars if we win?’ Mickey said excitedly.
‘What is odds?’ Henrik wanted to know.
‘I put that bet on because I have faith in you. Don’t prove me to be as stupid as the bet sounds,’ Robyn said as the team huddled close together.
‘A hundred dollars,’ Brad said
shaking his head at her.
‘Oh, easy come, easy go,’ Robyn replied with a smile.
*
‘You know, if Reading get another goal, we’re done for, right?’ Grant remarked as Robyn gnawed at her fingers.
‘Thanks for that Grant, what d’you want me to do? Sub myself on?’ Robyn asked.
‘I’m just saying; don’t be disheartened if we leak a goal now. We’re under constant attack.’
‘I am well aware of that.’
‘You’ve done a good job picking their chins up off the floor, you know. They all really want to play for this team now, the camaraderie is returning—that’s down to you,’ Grant told her.
‘That’s all they needed. Success is eighty per cent belief, don’t you know,’ Robyn replied.
On the ice, Brad picked up the puck, dodged past one player and laid the ball off to Henrik. Henrik picked it up but was immediately slammed into the boards by the Reading enforcer. The puck slipped free and Cole caught it with his stick and turned. He looked up, shrugged off a tackle from a Reading defender, drew back his stick and hit the puck toward goal.
The goaltender went down on his knees, the puck flew past him into the top of the net, and the light lit up—Goal!
Robyn let out an ear-splitting scream, throwing her hands in the air and punching it in delight. Cole was mobbed by his team and Grant was almost on the ice, jigging up and down and yelling while the referee was surrounded by Reading players demanding the goal be disallowed.
Two minutes later, time was up and the Panthers had won. It was unbelievable, no one had thought victory was achievable but they had done it.
The Portage crowd seemed more satisfied than they had been in months and excited about the games to come.
*
‘I can’t believe we won, I mean, hell!’ Mickey exclaimed loudly.
He then threw his head back and howled like a wolf.
‘Jeez man! You have to stop doing that, it freaks me out!’ Wes said as they all began to strip off their kit and get into the showers.
‘He’s done it since we were kids,’ Robyn informed them from the corner of the room where she was sorting out the water bottles.
‘Is that traditional celebration noise?’ Henrik asked, pulling down his jockstrap and getting under the water.