Counting Down The Days (Counting on Hockey #3)

Chapter 13: Here We Go Again

I have to be the most crazy person at this game. With my normal seat next to the Bruin's penalty box, I have Noah's visiting jersey he gave me back this morning, and a Jonathan Toews scarf I got a few years ago. Some people around me give me odd looks, others give me looks saying You're pretty brave.

I leave my seat for just a moment to get a bottle of water and a pretzel, because I'm starving. I go back and take a seat. One seat beside mine is empty, so I put my food there for safe keeping. I check in on Facebook saying that I'm at TD Gardens watching the game. I immediately get a like on the post from Noah, and I laugh a little in my head.

"Excuse me, I think this is my seat. Do you mind?" a voice says from the side of me. I look up and study the guy's face for a moment.

"Why the hell are you here?" I all but screech out at him. I instinctively pick up my food and walk away. People around me are giving me weird looks.

Why the hell is he here? Doesn't he have a job, or some meeting with his coach or something?

I run into the tunnels and sit outside of the Hawk's locker room, since it was the closer of the two. With my back to the wall, I slide down with my knees to my chest. I don't cry, there aren't any tears in my eyes. I just sit there. Facing the yellow wall, thinking about the shit he thought of to make sure he sat right next to me at a game. I can not believe him.

The locker room door opens and the players start to stream out. None of them notice me, so I just watch them closely.

"Meredith", I hear someone whisper from in front of me. I look up at him. Jonathan squats down in front of me, balancing himself of the front of the blades on his skates. "What's wrong?"

My voice cracks, but no tears have appeared. "Cole's here. His seat is right next to mine".

"What?" Jonathan says at the same time as Kane, which he must have heard what I said as he walked out of the locker room.

"I was sitting there, and my food was sitting on the seat next to me, and someone asked me to move it, so I looked up at them, because the voice kind of sounded familiar, and there he was. Leaning down to tap me on the shoulder, looking at me with content. I yelled at him, asking why he was here. Then I ran off, and came here".

"Let's go, team. Tunnel line up, now", Coach Q yells from the doorway beside me. Kane gives me a real sympathetic look, then walks the opposite direction to the tunnel onto the ice. Jonathan puts his gloved hand under my chin, and looks me dead in the eye.

"Meredith, you are an incredibly strong woman whom I have had the honor of watching grow up. That stupid kid out there is the least of your worries, and you know that. You need to use your strength and sit next to him for one game because that strength is what makes you, you. He is immature if he thinks that sitting next to you during this game is going to change something", Jonathan smiles a little. "Now, you go back out there, and show that little dick who's the boss".

I laugh a little as Jonathan stands back up, and helps me up. "Thanks, Jonathan. You are so much better than Cara".

I walk back out there and find my seat again. I stand a few steps up, examining the back of his head and his back. He's wearing a Patrick Kane jersey, and he was a Bruins hat in his hands. He's examining the hat, inch by inch, like he's never seen it before.

I take a deep breath, stuff my bottle of water into the top of my purse, after taking a drink while scarfing down the pretzel before walking into the rink, and walk down the last few stairs. I walk slowly over to my seat. Cole eyes are on me, but I don't look back. I sit slowly and watch the ice. He sits back in his seat, rattling mine from the force.

"Ladies and gentlemen. The game we have been waiting for", the announcer starts over the speakers. "All the way from the Midwest, the Chicago Blackhawks".

I stand up and cheer, along with a few others in the stadium. The team takes a lap around the glass. I bang on it when they come around. Jonathan hits the glass on the way by and he winks at me. Kane looks at Cole for a quick second, then at me. He smiles at me, then skates by like the rest.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen. The team you have all been waiting for. Your Boston Bruins".

The entire stadium attendance stands up and cheers for their home team. I once again stand and cheer. Cole stands beside me, neither of us wanting to really look at each other. Noah skates around and spots me. Once we make eye contact, I move my eyes to the side, as in pointing to the person next to me. He looks over, and his smile dissolves. I nod and he skates by, tapping the glass in front of me.

The game goes on, and the Hawks score a goal thirty seconds into the game. A shot by Kane, assisted by Panarin. I haven't looked to the left of me one second this game. I'm too afraid to.

The first period ends with the score being 1-1. The bruins goal was shot by Vatrano, assisted by McQuaid. I sit on my phone, going through the pictures I took of Noah and Jonathan on the ice.

"Meredith, we need to talk".