Jack

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter thirteen

Jack

I kept looking down at the big A on my jersey. After seeing Haley and her family in the stands it was decided before I got back in the locker room that night that I was going to be an alternate captain.

Pierre and the guys all explained that was a job of a captain and alternate captain to notice stuff like that, and then do something about it. I was overwhelmed and the guys were all happy for me.

It would have been even better if the road series had gone better, we lost half the games, but we were in the fight in all of them. It was still hard coming off the losses, but, it still felt good being named the alternate.

We only had ten games left in the season and tonight was a home game against our rivals from Toronto. We were close enough that we would have a lot of their fans in attendance tonight, but we would play hard for our fans because that's what we do, and we had been.

I had been talking to Maddie every night and I was missing her so much. After tonight we had a two game break before our next home game, and I wanted to see her so bad. I was going to sneak away and travel to Syracuse and see her as soon as I could tomorrow.

With her new job I couldn't surprise her like I wanted, but when I told her my plan she was on board, I just had to get through tonight and morning skate tomorrow. I was laced up and heading to the ice for the national anthem.

"Jack," I turned as my voice was called and Mr. Green was waiting for me.

"Yes sir," I said heading over.

"After the game tonight we are having a meet and greet with some kids from the hospital that saw you on television with Haley. They would like to meet you and talk to you."

"Yeah, no problem, where, in the player's family lounge again?"

"Not this time, this time it's in the news room." He said sounding a little nervous.

"This isn't just a publicity stunt is it?" I asked because everyone knew my feelings on that.

"Not for the most part, but the kids asked the television station to set it up, and we are stuck. Miss Alvord will be there, can you handle it?"

"I'll do anything for kids, but I won't play nice with her if she just used them to get to us to tear us down."

"All I can ask, go get em son." He said slapping me on the back as I headed to the ice.

Maddie

The game just finished and I knew it was safe to say that Jack wouldn't be coming back to the Storm. He scored tonight, but more important, fans were buying the We Are Buffalo shirts in droves. All of that was because of Jack and the way he faced each game.

I had been working hard on the Storm, and even starting our own junior Storm program like the Blizzard had with their team. I was waiting for the news conference section that I knew Jack would be at, because Mr. Green told me he would, and was working on some finishing touches as I waited.

Jack and Pierre came out with Mr. Green to the conference and were being immediately hit with questions. Mr. Green was fielding most of them, and Pierre took the ones directed at the team and then that Alvord bitch started in.

"You're quiet tonight Jack, scoring a goal tonight doesn't mean as much to you as it did?" She asked.

"I love scoring for the team, but my scoring doesn't affect me. It's all about the team."