On Saturday morning, Charlie was surprised when his Mom showed up at
he dorm. It was around eleven thirty when she pulled her car into the
parking lot in front of the dorm. He was outside having a snowball fight
with Linda, Adam, Scooter and Julie. In fact, one of the snowballs that
Charlie thew, which was meant for Julie who ducked it, hit his mom.
"Hi Mom," Charlie said coming out from behind a tree as his mom brushed the snow off her jacket..
"Who threw that?" Casey asked the kids. No one said anything but the others all looked at Charlie.
"Sorry," Charlie said sheepishly. "I was aiming at Julie."
Casey just shook her head with a small smile on her face.
"I need to talk to you Charlie," Casey said her face growing serious.
"Okay," Charlie told her. "I'll catch up with you guys later," Charlie said to his friends and then walked over to his mother and the two of them walked away from the dorm building. "What's up Mom?" Charlie asked when they had gotten out of hearing distance of the kids outside the dorm.
"Al and I are getting a divorce. The papers were signed yesterday afternoon. I was going to tell you yesterday but I didn't have a chance before the game and then it didn't seem appropriate after you guys won the game last night."
"I'm sorry Mom," Charlie said. He hadn't much cared for Al at all but he knew his Mom had. He just wanted his Mom to be happy.
"I'll be okay," Casey said. "I still got you and you know you will always be the most important man in my life."
"Still, I wish this would've worked out for you," Charlie told her.
"Maybe next time," Casey said. "Got time to have lunch with your mother?"
"Sure," Charlie said. I don't need to be at the ice arena until one thirty. Adams High had won the other semi final game the night before. The final game between the Adams High Panthers and the Eden Hall Ducks would take place at three o'clock at Adams High. They were meeting at one thirty to head over to Adams High. The State Finals for the Varsity was also taken place that night - the final game for that title would be played at Eden Hall at eight o'clock against the Sutton Academy Rams.
Charlie and his mom walked back to her car and then headed for a nearby restuaraunt.
The bus trip over to Adams High was a noisy one. All of the Ducks were excited and nervous and that led to a lot of bantering and joking around. Besides the Ducks there were other people on the bus too. Dean Buckley was riding over with the team to watch the game. Russ's parents and brother had made the trip to Eden Hall from L.A. to see the final game and were on the bus. Dwayne's parents had made the trip up from Austin, Texas to see the game. Jesse and his brother Terry were on the bus as well. Charlie's mom had decided to drive to Adams High herself but had promised her son that she would be there for the game.
Among all the commotion on the bus though Charlie noticed that Adam was being quiet. He was sitting alone, in a seat near the back of the bus staring out the window. Charlie got out of his seat and moved back to seat down in the seat next to Adam.
"What's wrong, Adam?" Charlie asked.
"Who said anything is wrong?" Adam countered still staring out the window.
"Come on. Relax. This is suppose to be fun. Win or lose we've come along way this season."
"Yeah I guess."
"It isn't the game is it?" Charlie asked. He was trying to get Adam to talk about what ever was bothering him before the game so that he wouldn't still be dwelling on it during the game. Adam finally turned away from the window and glanced at Charlie and then the other people on the bus. "Don't worry they're all busy with their own conversations they're not paying any attention to us."
"My Dad showed up at the school today, at the ice arena right before we were getting ready to leave. He and the Coach really got into it."
"What about?"
"My mom figured that since I'll be staying with Coach Bombay for the foreseeable future that it would be better from a legal standpoint if Bombay became my legal guardian. My dad disagrees, he's against me even staying with the Coach, yet I'm standing right there while he's yelling at Coach Bombay and he completely ignores me. Coach Bombay even tied to get him to go inside to discuss things but my Dad wouldn't listen to him. I think he's blaming everything on Coach Bombay."
"You know your dad is making me glad I grew up without a dad," Charlie said. He hardly ever talked about his dad who had walked out on him and his mom. "How did Bombay take it."
"He told my dad exactly what he thought about him and then threatened to call the police if he didn't leave the school grounds. I feel awful about getting Coach Bombay involved in all of this."
"None of this is your fault Adam. And don't worry about Coach Bombay. He feels responsible for all of us on the team. Did you know he gave up his job at the law firm he worked for us."
"No I didn't."
"Yeah he did," Charlie said deciding not to go into the details as it involved Adam's dad and the situation that resulted in Adam becoming a member of the Ducks. Charlie decided now wasn't the best time to bring that incident up. "Adam, I couldn't imagine having to go through what you've had to go through lately but I do know how hard it was for me growing up without a father. I'm lucky though in that at least I don't know my father. I don't know what it would've been like to have him around. I know it isn't the same but you don't have to go through this alone. Don't try to and don't start blaming yourself. None of this is your fault and you can't let it make you miserable."
"Thanks," Adam said. He started to say something else but at that time a paper airplane found its way back to them. Averman and Guy had decided to see who could make a better paper airplane and they were doing their test flights.
"Sorry," Averman called back to them from his seat in the middle of the bus as Guy's paper airplane flew over Charlie's head.
"I win," Guy said. "Mine went further."
Charlie picked Averman's plane up off the floor where it had fallen and threw it in Guy's direction. The plane fell short and ended up in the aisle.
"You need to learn how to make a paper airplane, Averman," Charlie told him and the other Ducks laughed.
"Yeah, a wadded up piece of paper would fly further than that airplane," Fulton commented.
"Very funny," Averman said.
Charlie was glad to see that Adam's mood seem to have improved by the time they reached Adam's high. As they got off the bus in front of the ice arena for Adams High he was laughing along with the others.
The Ducks made their way to the locker room to get ready for the game and then headed to the ice for warm-ups. The whole team was quiet during warm-ups. They had played Adams High twice before during the regular season and both times had been crushing defeats - a seven to one loss and an eight to zero loss. They all knew this was going to be a difficult game.
The game started out well for the Ducks. Adam started as center for the Ducks with Charlie and Guy on the front line with him. Adam won the face off and passed the puck off to Charlie who headed into the Panthers defense zone. Charlie got knocked down by the Panthers number thirteen but Adam managed to get to the puck before any of the panthers. He circled behind the Panthers net and then passed the puck off to Guy. The pass was intercepted by the Panthers number twenty-three. As number twenty-three approached the blue line he was checked by Fulton who took the puck and passed it off to Charlie. Charlie got the puck and headed back toward the Panther's goal with. As he approached the goal he took a shot and the puck sailed by the Panther's goalie and into the net for the first goal of the game.
From there on the first period went down hill for the Ducks. On the second face off Adam again got the puck and passed it off to Guy. However, Guy was immediately knocked down by the Panther's right wing and lost the puck. The Panthers headed into the Ducks defense zone with the Puck. Julie was able to stop two shots by the Panthers offense but the third shot slipped by her.
After that first goal the Panthers quickly scored two more goals. After the third goal by the Panthers the Ducks were able to get a hold of the puck on the face off again. Both Averman and Guy took shots at the goal but they were deflected by the Panthers goalie. Then Adam got an open shot at the goal. Adam took his shot but was then knocked down by two of the Adams High players. The puck was stopped by the goalie.
When Adam didn't immediately get up off the ice the referee blew his whistle to stop the game. Guy and Averman were quickly at Adam's side.
"Banks are you alright?" Guy asked concerned.
"Yeah," Adam told him finally starting to get to his feet. He accepted the help that Guy and Averman offered.
"You okay son?" asked the referee who had blown the whistle. When Adam nodded his head the referee started to get the game organized again.
Adam made his way over to the team bench and was replaced on the ice by Charlie. As Adam sat down on the bench Coach Bombay knelt down in front of him.
"Are you okay?" Bombay asked Adam as the game resumed.
"Yeah, I'm fine Coach," Adam told him. "That hit just shook me up a little bit."
"Alright," Bombay said turning back to the game.
Bombay kept Adam out of the game for the rest of the first period. At the end of the first period the score was Panthers five and Ducks two. The second period didn't go much better for the Ducks. The Panthers quickly scored two more goals making the score seven to two. With five minutes left to the second period Coach Bombay put Adam back out in the game. Shortly after rejoining the game Adam got away on a break away and scored a goal bringing the score seven to three.
The Ducks started to make a come back in the third period. Right off the start Guy scored a goal. The Fulton was able to get the puck into the net bringing the score to seven to five still in favor of the Panthers. After some failed attempts by the Panthers to score Russ was able to get his knucklepuck shot off to bring the Ducks within one point of the Panthers.
On the next face off the Panther's center knocked Charlie to the ice on the face off and the Panthers headed towards the Duck's goal. After two failed attempts at trying to score, number thirteen for the Panthers finally got the puck past Julie making the score eight to six. The Ducks were able to score next again getting within one goal of the Panthers. With about four minutes left in the third period the Panthers once again had the puck down in the Ducks defense zone. They tried several times to score but the Ducks were playing great defense and the Panthers were unable to score. Then Portman checked the Panther with the puck and Adam was able to get a hold of it and headed toward the opposite end of the ice with it. The only Panther that was even close to Adam was number thirteen. Adam had just passed the blue line on the Panther's side of the center line when number thirteen caught up to him and tripped him. As Adam went down the buzzer rang signaling the end of the third period.
The referee called a penalty on number thirteen and gave a penalty shot to the Ducks. Portman, Guy, Averman, Goldberg and Adam gathered on the ice near the Ducks's bench. After making sure Adam was okay Bombay picked Adam to take the shot.
"Come on Banks."
"You can do it Preppie."
Adam heard his teammates cheering for him as he headed to center ice for the penalty shot. It was like the night before when the outcome of the game rested on this one shot. Adam started down ice with the puck and took his shot. However, the Panthers goalie was able to deflect the puck with his stick and Adams High won the game league championship with the score of eight to seven.
As the Panthers came out on the ice to celebrate and congratulate their goalie Adam headed slowly back to his team bench.
"Sorry guys," Adam said as he joined his teammates. He could see the disappointment in their faces.
"It's okay Adam," Charlie said.
"Nice try Preppie," Russ said.
"You guys all played a great game today," Gordon told them all. "I'm proud of all of you. You played hard and didn't let down. You only loss by one point. That is much better than either of the other games you guys played against these guys this season. You should be proud of how far you've all come this season and there is always next year. Now lets go congratulate them on their win."
"Hi Mom," Charlie said coming out from behind a tree as his mom brushed the snow off her jacket..
"Who threw that?" Casey asked the kids. No one said anything but the others all looked at Charlie.
"Sorry," Charlie said sheepishly. "I was aiming at Julie."
Casey just shook her head with a small smile on her face.
"I need to talk to you Charlie," Casey said her face growing serious.
"Okay," Charlie told her. "I'll catch up with you guys later," Charlie said to his friends and then walked over to his mother and the two of them walked away from the dorm building. "What's up Mom?" Charlie asked when they had gotten out of hearing distance of the kids outside the dorm.
"Al and I are getting a divorce. The papers were signed yesterday afternoon. I was going to tell you yesterday but I didn't have a chance before the game and then it didn't seem appropriate after you guys won the game last night."
"I'm sorry Mom," Charlie said. He hadn't much cared for Al at all but he knew his Mom had. He just wanted his Mom to be happy.
"I'll be okay," Casey said. "I still got you and you know you will always be the most important man in my life."
"Still, I wish this would've worked out for you," Charlie told her.
"Maybe next time," Casey said. "Got time to have lunch with your mother?"
"Sure," Charlie said. I don't need to be at the ice arena until one thirty. Adams High had won the other semi final game the night before. The final game between the Adams High Panthers and the Eden Hall Ducks would take place at three o'clock at Adams High. They were meeting at one thirty to head over to Adams High. The State Finals for the Varsity was also taken place that night - the final game for that title would be played at Eden Hall at eight o'clock against the Sutton Academy Rams.
Charlie and his mom walked back to her car and then headed for a nearby restuaraunt.
The bus trip over to Adams High was a noisy one. All of the Ducks were excited and nervous and that led to a lot of bantering and joking around. Besides the Ducks there were other people on the bus too. Dean Buckley was riding over with the team to watch the game. Russ's parents and brother had made the trip to Eden Hall from L.A. to see the final game and were on the bus. Dwayne's parents had made the trip up from Austin, Texas to see the game. Jesse and his brother Terry were on the bus as well. Charlie's mom had decided to drive to Adams High herself but had promised her son that she would be there for the game.
Among all the commotion on the bus though Charlie noticed that Adam was being quiet. He was sitting alone, in a seat near the back of the bus staring out the window. Charlie got out of his seat and moved back to seat down in the seat next to Adam.
"What's wrong, Adam?" Charlie asked.
"Who said anything is wrong?" Adam countered still staring out the window.
"Come on. Relax. This is suppose to be fun. Win or lose we've come along way this season."
"Yeah I guess."
"It isn't the game is it?" Charlie asked. He was trying to get Adam to talk about what ever was bothering him before the game so that he wouldn't still be dwelling on it during the game. Adam finally turned away from the window and glanced at Charlie and then the other people on the bus. "Don't worry they're all busy with their own conversations they're not paying any attention to us."
"My Dad showed up at the school today, at the ice arena right before we were getting ready to leave. He and the Coach really got into it."
"What about?"
"My mom figured that since I'll be staying with Coach Bombay for the foreseeable future that it would be better from a legal standpoint if Bombay became my legal guardian. My dad disagrees, he's against me even staying with the Coach, yet I'm standing right there while he's yelling at Coach Bombay and he completely ignores me. Coach Bombay even tied to get him to go inside to discuss things but my Dad wouldn't listen to him. I think he's blaming everything on Coach Bombay."
"You know your dad is making me glad I grew up without a dad," Charlie said. He hardly ever talked about his dad who had walked out on him and his mom. "How did Bombay take it."
"He told my dad exactly what he thought about him and then threatened to call the police if he didn't leave the school grounds. I feel awful about getting Coach Bombay involved in all of this."
"None of this is your fault Adam. And don't worry about Coach Bombay. He feels responsible for all of us on the team. Did you know he gave up his job at the law firm he worked for us."
"No I didn't."
"Yeah he did," Charlie said deciding not to go into the details as it involved Adam's dad and the situation that resulted in Adam becoming a member of the Ducks. Charlie decided now wasn't the best time to bring that incident up. "Adam, I couldn't imagine having to go through what you've had to go through lately but I do know how hard it was for me growing up without a father. I'm lucky though in that at least I don't know my father. I don't know what it would've been like to have him around. I know it isn't the same but you don't have to go through this alone. Don't try to and don't start blaming yourself. None of this is your fault and you can't let it make you miserable."
"Thanks," Adam said. He started to say something else but at that time a paper airplane found its way back to them. Averman and Guy had decided to see who could make a better paper airplane and they were doing their test flights.
"Sorry," Averman called back to them from his seat in the middle of the bus as Guy's paper airplane flew over Charlie's head.
"I win," Guy said. "Mine went further."
Charlie picked Averman's plane up off the floor where it had fallen and threw it in Guy's direction. The plane fell short and ended up in the aisle.
"You need to learn how to make a paper airplane, Averman," Charlie told him and the other Ducks laughed.
"Yeah, a wadded up piece of paper would fly further than that airplane," Fulton commented.
"Very funny," Averman said.
Charlie was glad to see that Adam's mood seem to have improved by the time they reached Adam's high. As they got off the bus in front of the ice arena for Adams High he was laughing along with the others.
The Ducks made their way to the locker room to get ready for the game and then headed to the ice for warm-ups. The whole team was quiet during warm-ups. They had played Adams High twice before during the regular season and both times had been crushing defeats - a seven to one loss and an eight to zero loss. They all knew this was going to be a difficult game.
The game started out well for the Ducks. Adam started as center for the Ducks with Charlie and Guy on the front line with him. Adam won the face off and passed the puck off to Charlie who headed into the Panthers defense zone. Charlie got knocked down by the Panthers number thirteen but Adam managed to get to the puck before any of the panthers. He circled behind the Panthers net and then passed the puck off to Guy. The pass was intercepted by the Panthers number twenty-three. As number twenty-three approached the blue line he was checked by Fulton who took the puck and passed it off to Charlie. Charlie got the puck and headed back toward the Panther's goal with. As he approached the goal he took a shot and the puck sailed by the Panther's goalie and into the net for the first goal of the game.
From there on the first period went down hill for the Ducks. On the second face off Adam again got the puck and passed it off to Guy. However, Guy was immediately knocked down by the Panther's right wing and lost the puck. The Panthers headed into the Ducks defense zone with the Puck. Julie was able to stop two shots by the Panthers offense but the third shot slipped by her.
After that first goal the Panthers quickly scored two more goals. After the third goal by the Panthers the Ducks were able to get a hold of the puck on the face off again. Both Averman and Guy took shots at the goal but they were deflected by the Panthers goalie. Then Adam got an open shot at the goal. Adam took his shot but was then knocked down by two of the Adams High players. The puck was stopped by the goalie.
When Adam didn't immediately get up off the ice the referee blew his whistle to stop the game. Guy and Averman were quickly at Adam's side.
"Banks are you alright?" Guy asked concerned.
"Yeah," Adam told him finally starting to get to his feet. He accepted the help that Guy and Averman offered.
"You okay son?" asked the referee who had blown the whistle. When Adam nodded his head the referee started to get the game organized again.
Adam made his way over to the team bench and was replaced on the ice by Charlie. As Adam sat down on the bench Coach Bombay knelt down in front of him.
"Are you okay?" Bombay asked Adam as the game resumed.
"Yeah, I'm fine Coach," Adam told him. "That hit just shook me up a little bit."
"Alright," Bombay said turning back to the game.
Bombay kept Adam out of the game for the rest of the first period. At the end of the first period the score was Panthers five and Ducks two. The second period didn't go much better for the Ducks. The Panthers quickly scored two more goals making the score seven to two. With five minutes left to the second period Coach Bombay put Adam back out in the game. Shortly after rejoining the game Adam got away on a break away and scored a goal bringing the score seven to three.
The Ducks started to make a come back in the third period. Right off the start Guy scored a goal. The Fulton was able to get the puck into the net bringing the score to seven to five still in favor of the Panthers. After some failed attempts by the Panthers to score Russ was able to get his knucklepuck shot off to bring the Ducks within one point of the Panthers.
On the next face off the Panther's center knocked Charlie to the ice on the face off and the Panthers headed towards the Duck's goal. After two failed attempts at trying to score, number thirteen for the Panthers finally got the puck past Julie making the score eight to six. The Ducks were able to score next again getting within one goal of the Panthers. With about four minutes left in the third period the Panthers once again had the puck down in the Ducks defense zone. They tried several times to score but the Ducks were playing great defense and the Panthers were unable to score. Then Portman checked the Panther with the puck and Adam was able to get a hold of it and headed toward the opposite end of the ice with it. The only Panther that was even close to Adam was number thirteen. Adam had just passed the blue line on the Panther's side of the center line when number thirteen caught up to him and tripped him. As Adam went down the buzzer rang signaling the end of the third period.
The referee called a penalty on number thirteen and gave a penalty shot to the Ducks. Portman, Guy, Averman, Goldberg and Adam gathered on the ice near the Ducks's bench. After making sure Adam was okay Bombay picked Adam to take the shot.
"Come on Banks."
"You can do it Preppie."
Adam heard his teammates cheering for him as he headed to center ice for the penalty shot. It was like the night before when the outcome of the game rested on this one shot. Adam started down ice with the puck and took his shot. However, the Panthers goalie was able to deflect the puck with his stick and Adams High won the game league championship with the score of eight to seven.
As the Panthers came out on the ice to celebrate and congratulate their goalie Adam headed slowly back to his team bench.
"Sorry guys," Adam said as he joined his teammates. He could see the disappointment in their faces.
"It's okay Adam," Charlie said.
"Nice try Preppie," Russ said.
"You guys all played a great game today," Gordon told them all. "I'm proud of all of you. You played hard and didn't let down. You only loss by one point. That is much better than either of the other games you guys played against these guys this season. You should be proud of how far you've all come this season and there is always next year. Now lets go congratulate them on their win."