Chapter 6 "Choices"
Coach Orion wasn't happy about losing his star player, even if it was only for one game. He grumbled to himself for a good hour, but knew better than to say anything to Adam. He knew it wasn't Adam's fault that he couldn't play. He hadn't asked to be sideswiped by a random car in the middle of the night. Orion just had to grin and bear it. He had thought that he might get to at least have Adam behind the boards, acting like an assistant coach or something, but Adam asked specifically to be allowed to sit in the crowd and watch, like a normal spectator. Orion really wanted to say no (he had the right, after all), but he couldn't bring himself to say no to such an earnest request from his star player. He knew, of course, that Adam was having some sort of internal struggle, and he only hoped that a short respite would help him through it.
And so, for the first time, Adam sat in the crowd and watched the Ducks play the Friday night game. He was strangely excited about watching the game, more excited than he had been playing the game in long time. He and Amy sat with other seniors and cheered the Ducks along to an 8 to 6 victory.
"That was great game," Adam said to the team as he approached them after the final bell.
"Woulda been better if you hadn't bailed on us," Averman said. "With you on the ice we could've creamed em."
Adam's stomach made a sickening lurch. 'Is that what they think?' his mind reeled. 'Do they think I bailed on them?'
Adam must have looked as if he was going to be sick because Averman laughed and punched his shoulder good-naturedly. "I was just kidding Banksie. Geez, lighten up."
Adam forced himself to laugh, but his stomach was still feeling a little queasy. He realized that some of the Ducks were really looking at him strangely, including Coach Orion, so he tried to banish his ill thoughts and look like a normal human being. Most of them accepted his façade, but Amy knew what was going on beneath the skin. She gave Adam's hand a quick squeeze and flashed him a smile to let him know she understood.
When the Ducks headed back to the locker room to change, Coach Orion sidled up to Adam. "How are you feeling?" he asked, casually.
"Alright, I guess," Adam replied, but he still looked a little sick from what Averman had said, and Orion didn't really believe him.
"What did your doctor say about your recovery?"
Adam had been to see his family doctor the day before, and had been given an almost clean bill of health. His bruises were starting to disappear, and the soreness was slowly fading. The doctor credited his speedy recovery to the simple fact that he was young and in very good health. He had also told Adam that he didn't see any reason why he shouldn't jump right back into playing hockey. That had not been what Adam wanted to hear. He felt bad for thinking so, but Adam saw the accident as being an extremely lucky thing to have happened. He felt terrible that it had to happen (he had felt a little better when told that the other man was recovering, and would be okay), but the accident was giving him a chance to think about his life, about hockey, and his future with fewer distractions. But now that he was healthy enough to play again, he just wasn't sure he wanted to. But he wasn't sure he didn't want to play. What he was sure of was that he needed more time.
Adam looked up at Coach Orion, and though he didn't want to lie, he said, "He said that I seem to be on the right track, but he wouldn't be surprised if new pains and aches rise to the surface in the next few days. Something about after you get over the initial shock, your muscles sometimes take time to realize they've been hurt. Or something like that."
Orion looked skeptically at Adam, but didn't try to argue. "Well, I just hope you get back up to peak form soon. How's your arm?" he asked Amy, who had been listening to the whole conversation.
"It's healing," she told him. "It wasn't too bad of a break, so I should be able to get the plaster cast off in two weeks or so."
"Glad to hear it." Orion took one last parting glance at Adam and said, "Hope to see you at practice on Monday, Adam." Then he turned around and headed for the Duck locker room.
As soon as she was sure Orion couldn't hear her, Amy gave Adam a good slap on the arm with her good hand and asked, "What exactly was that all about?"
Adam slunk into a seat and for a moment hid his face in his hands. When he looked up, Amy had sat herself down beside him and was looking slightly more friendly and encouraging. "I don't know," Adam said. "I just…I didn't want him to know that Dr. Parach said that I could start playing again. This has been a good break for me, and I've gotten to do a lot of thinking. But I need more time."
"You won't be able to fool him for long," Amy warned. "Especially not with that weak story."
"I know. But I've got to buy myself a little more time." Adam looked at Amy seriously. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"
Amy looked for a moment as if she were considering it, then smiled. "Of course not. It wouldn't be my place. However…" Adam groaned because he knew what was coming, "I think you should talk to Charlie," Amy finished in a sing-songy voice.
"I know, I know," Adam said. "Are you ever going to let up on that?" he asked.
"I'll think about it," Amy said.
The rink was pretty much empty by now and Ducks were slowly starting to emerge from the locker room. Most said their goodnights and headed along their way, but Julie and Charlie stopped to talk to Adam and Amy. Charlie was busy describing some of the on-ice action that Adam had missed being in the stands so Julie pulled Amy aside and said, "Scott's coming into town tomorrow to see me and we want you and Adam to come to dinner with us."
Amy really wanted to go, but wasn't sure if Adam would be up to it. She was about say she'd have to ask him when Julie continued. "Please say yes. I know something's been bothering Adam, and he may have talked to you about it, but for some reason, he won't talk to me, or Charlie. I thought he might talk to Scott. Please, just convince him."
Amy was a little surprised at Julie's cunning. Now that she thought about it, Adam might actually talk to Scott. Not only was he not a duck, but he was someone who was still playing hockey in college and was really enjoying it. Surely, he'd be able to tell Adam something useful.
"Okay," Amy agreed. "I'll talk him into it."
Julie gave Amy's hand a supportive squeeze and said, "Great. I'll call you tonight just to make sure things are still on and tell you where we're going." They rejoined the boys just in time to catch the end of Charlie's animated description of his triumphant trash talking episode of the day.
"Come on, Charlie," Julie said eventually, tugging on his sleeve. "Linda's probably waiting on us at the diner." She gave Adam a hug and said, "I hope you feel better soon." Then she half pulled Charlie out of the rapidly emptying ice rink.
"What were you and Julie talking about?" Adam asked her once they were alone again.
"Oh, nothing much. Girl stuff," Amy passed it off. "Oh, and she said Scott's coming around tomorrow and she wants us to have dinner with them tomorrow night."
Adam looked at her skeptically. "I don't know, Amy."
"Please, Adam. You never know, it might do you good," Amy tried to convince him. "You could talk to Scooter, he might give you some great insight." Adam didn't look like he was going to buy it. "Besides," Amy said finally, "you have to go. I already told Julie we'd be there."
Adam started to say something, but thought better of it. He didn't want to yell at Amy, but he was a little ticked that she would go behind his back like that. He was ticked, but he understood. He knew she was only trying to help. He sighed deeply and said, "Fine. I'll go. But don't expect me to be pleasant company before the main course."
Amy smiled triumphantly and draped her arms around Adam's neck. "I can live with that." Adam's arms snaked around Amy's waist and he pulled her closer. "You'll be fine," Amy told him. "You can't help being charming." She was going to say something else, but Adam stopped her with a kiss. She soon forgot completely what was on her mind and lost herself in her boyfriend's arms.
Coach Orion wasn't happy about losing his star player, even if it was only for one game. He grumbled to himself for a good hour, but knew better than to say anything to Adam. He knew it wasn't Adam's fault that he couldn't play. He hadn't asked to be sideswiped by a random car in the middle of the night. Orion just had to grin and bear it. He had thought that he might get to at least have Adam behind the boards, acting like an assistant coach or something, but Adam asked specifically to be allowed to sit in the crowd and watch, like a normal spectator. Orion really wanted to say no (he had the right, after all), but he couldn't bring himself to say no to such an earnest request from his star player. He knew, of course, that Adam was having some sort of internal struggle, and he only hoped that a short respite would help him through it.
And so, for the first time, Adam sat in the crowd and watched the Ducks play the Friday night game. He was strangely excited about watching the game, more excited than he had been playing the game in long time. He and Amy sat with other seniors and cheered the Ducks along to an 8 to 6 victory.
"That was great game," Adam said to the team as he approached them after the final bell.
"Woulda been better if you hadn't bailed on us," Averman said. "With you on the ice we could've creamed em."
Adam's stomach made a sickening lurch. 'Is that what they think?' his mind reeled. 'Do they think I bailed on them?'
Adam must have looked as if he was going to be sick because Averman laughed and punched his shoulder good-naturedly. "I was just kidding Banksie. Geez, lighten up."
Adam forced himself to laugh, but his stomach was still feeling a little queasy. He realized that some of the Ducks were really looking at him strangely, including Coach Orion, so he tried to banish his ill thoughts and look like a normal human being. Most of them accepted his façade, but Amy knew what was going on beneath the skin. She gave Adam's hand a quick squeeze and flashed him a smile to let him know she understood.
When the Ducks headed back to the locker room to change, Coach Orion sidled up to Adam. "How are you feeling?" he asked, casually.
"Alright, I guess," Adam replied, but he still looked a little sick from what Averman had said, and Orion didn't really believe him.
"What did your doctor say about your recovery?"
Adam had been to see his family doctor the day before, and had been given an almost clean bill of health. His bruises were starting to disappear, and the soreness was slowly fading. The doctor credited his speedy recovery to the simple fact that he was young and in very good health. He had also told Adam that he didn't see any reason why he shouldn't jump right back into playing hockey. That had not been what Adam wanted to hear. He felt bad for thinking so, but Adam saw the accident as being an extremely lucky thing to have happened. He felt terrible that it had to happen (he had felt a little better when told that the other man was recovering, and would be okay), but the accident was giving him a chance to think about his life, about hockey, and his future with fewer distractions. But now that he was healthy enough to play again, he just wasn't sure he wanted to. But he wasn't sure he didn't want to play. What he was sure of was that he needed more time.
Adam looked up at Coach Orion, and though he didn't want to lie, he said, "He said that I seem to be on the right track, but he wouldn't be surprised if new pains and aches rise to the surface in the next few days. Something about after you get over the initial shock, your muscles sometimes take time to realize they've been hurt. Or something like that."
Orion looked skeptically at Adam, but didn't try to argue. "Well, I just hope you get back up to peak form soon. How's your arm?" he asked Amy, who had been listening to the whole conversation.
"It's healing," she told him. "It wasn't too bad of a break, so I should be able to get the plaster cast off in two weeks or so."
"Glad to hear it." Orion took one last parting glance at Adam and said, "Hope to see you at practice on Monday, Adam." Then he turned around and headed for the Duck locker room.
As soon as she was sure Orion couldn't hear her, Amy gave Adam a good slap on the arm with her good hand and asked, "What exactly was that all about?"
Adam slunk into a seat and for a moment hid his face in his hands. When he looked up, Amy had sat herself down beside him and was looking slightly more friendly and encouraging. "I don't know," Adam said. "I just…I didn't want him to know that Dr. Parach said that I could start playing again. This has been a good break for me, and I've gotten to do a lot of thinking. But I need more time."
"You won't be able to fool him for long," Amy warned. "Especially not with that weak story."
"I know. But I've got to buy myself a little more time." Adam looked at Amy seriously. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"
Amy looked for a moment as if she were considering it, then smiled. "Of course not. It wouldn't be my place. However…" Adam groaned because he knew what was coming, "I think you should talk to Charlie," Amy finished in a sing-songy voice.
"I know, I know," Adam said. "Are you ever going to let up on that?" he asked.
"I'll think about it," Amy said.
The rink was pretty much empty by now and Ducks were slowly starting to emerge from the locker room. Most said their goodnights and headed along their way, but Julie and Charlie stopped to talk to Adam and Amy. Charlie was busy describing some of the on-ice action that Adam had missed being in the stands so Julie pulled Amy aside and said, "Scott's coming into town tomorrow to see me and we want you and Adam to come to dinner with us."
Amy really wanted to go, but wasn't sure if Adam would be up to it. She was about say she'd have to ask him when Julie continued. "Please say yes. I know something's been bothering Adam, and he may have talked to you about it, but for some reason, he won't talk to me, or Charlie. I thought he might talk to Scott. Please, just convince him."
Amy was a little surprised at Julie's cunning. Now that she thought about it, Adam might actually talk to Scott. Not only was he not a duck, but he was someone who was still playing hockey in college and was really enjoying it. Surely, he'd be able to tell Adam something useful.
"Okay," Amy agreed. "I'll talk him into it."
Julie gave Amy's hand a supportive squeeze and said, "Great. I'll call you tonight just to make sure things are still on and tell you where we're going." They rejoined the boys just in time to catch the end of Charlie's animated description of his triumphant trash talking episode of the day.
"Come on, Charlie," Julie said eventually, tugging on his sleeve. "Linda's probably waiting on us at the diner." She gave Adam a hug and said, "I hope you feel better soon." Then she half pulled Charlie out of the rapidly emptying ice rink.
"What were you and Julie talking about?" Adam asked her once they were alone again.
"Oh, nothing much. Girl stuff," Amy passed it off. "Oh, and she said Scott's coming around tomorrow and she wants us to have dinner with them tomorrow night."
Adam looked at her skeptically. "I don't know, Amy."
"Please, Adam. You never know, it might do you good," Amy tried to convince him. "You could talk to Scooter, he might give you some great insight." Adam didn't look like he was going to buy it. "Besides," Amy said finally, "you have to go. I already told Julie we'd be there."
Adam started to say something, but thought better of it. He didn't want to yell at Amy, but he was a little ticked that she would go behind his back like that. He was ticked, but he understood. He knew she was only trying to help. He sighed deeply and said, "Fine. I'll go. But don't expect me to be pleasant company before the main course."
Amy smiled triumphantly and draped her arms around Adam's neck. "I can live with that." Adam's arms snaked around Amy's waist and he pulled her closer. "You'll be fine," Amy told him. "You can't help being charming." She was going to say something else, but Adam stopped her with a kiss. She soon forgot completely what was on her mind and lost herself in her boyfriend's arms.