Here is Chapter 9. Hope you enjoy it.
Icesk8er
The Ducks continued to play their fifth game of ice hockey before finally stopping. Everyone was extremely tired to were they couldn't really get off the ice.
"I think next time we'll only play three games." Said Charlie.
Everyone mumbled his or her approval. Bye the time they got out of the locker room it was 10pm. Tiffany was the first to come out of the locker room, but didn't leave. Before Tiffany could make it to the glass trophy case, her cell phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Iffany? Is that you?" asked a little girls voice.
"Mimi? What's wrong? You know you need to be in bed."
"I know but mommy isn't home She hadn't come home since noon."
"Where is Jack?"
"He's at the window watching for her."
"Just relax ok. Get Jack for me."
"'Ack, 'Iffany wants to talk to you." Mimi said in the background.
"Hi Tiffany."
"Hey. Did mom tell you what time she would be back?"
"No not exactly."
"What do you mean?"
What Tiffany didn't know was that she was pacing back and forth and the Ducks were watching her worryingly.
"She said that she'll be home when ever she blanks wants to."
"Ok. Let me call Uncle David and see what he can do. Go to your room and don't answer the door or answer the phone unless you see my name come up."
"Ok."
Jack hung up the phone and did as he was told.
Tiffany started to go through her address book on the phone still not knowing that the Ducks were there until Fulton said something.
"Tiffany what's going on with Mimi and Jack?"
"Oh sorry I didn't know you guys were here. Mom left them alone at home since noon and hasn't come home yet. Now I have to call David to see what he can do. Damn it how come I can't find his number? Sorry guys but I need to run."
The Ducks watched as she ran out to her car and speed off. Fulton and the others went home still worried about Tiffany and the new family problems.
The next day David called Tiffany at 3:45 in the morning telling her that their mother came home drunker then drunk. From that time on Tiffany stayed up looking up at the ceiling contemplating on what to do. She told David over the phone to keep the children until she was sober and stable. When she finally noticed that she couldn't fall asleep, she got up and grabbed her skates and keys.
At the ice rink, Tiffany went to her locker and got out her jersey, hockey stick and a puck. As soon as she got on the ice she did thirty laps and 15 sprints. Unknown to her someone was watching her. Even if they made noise she couldn't hear because of her mp3 player being loud. Mentally she was trying to blare out her problem, but they seemed to be louder. The person came up before she finished her sprints. He grabbed her from behind and pulled out her earpieces.
"Hey what are you doing here this early? We don't have practice until 7:30."
"Adam I'm just frustrated. Everything isn't working as it's supposed to. Mom's now starting to drink because of her third divorce and because of me."
"What would you have done to make her drink?"
"Not marrying that man, and leaving her with the children. Now I know that she won't be able to take care of them and I can't trust her ex who also is a drinker and does drugs."
"It's ok Tiff. You know that David will also think of something to help out right?"
"Yeah and I know that he is also probably thinking of staying in Florida now."
"Don't worry ok?" Adam said as he took her in a hug. "To cheer you up how about we play a one on one game until practice."
"Ok."
(7am)
Tiffany and Adam were just finishing up their one on one game that was tied, before the Ducks came in tired and grouchy.
"Boy I guess this is going to be a long practice huh?" asked Tiffany.
"Yep. Plus I don't even see coach."
"I'm right here." They both spun around to see their coach with a small smile on his face.
"You two were so into your one on one game that I stood here the inter time watching."
"Oh!" they both said at once.
"Pretty good match. I can see that Fulton didn't lye about you being quick and tricky."
Adam and Tiffany left to get their other gear on for practice.
(In the girl's locker room)
"Hey Jules, Connie."
"Hi Tiff." They said at once. "Having a nice game out there?"
"Yeah. He's hard to get by you know?"
"Yep we now."
"Sorry to break this tiny conversion up but we need to get out there before the guys." Said Julie.
The girls rushed through everything and did beat some of the guys out.
"Alright team forty laps and start to scrimmage with your regular teams. I'll be in my office watching."
By the end of practice the coach was impressed about their speedy attacks and shots. The Ducks headed into their locker rooms and left. Tiffany didn't leave for her apartment but to the gym. Adam saw her and ran up to her car before she left.
"Hey what are you doing later on?"
"Well right now I'm going to the gym to work out. You can come and join me if you want."
"Sure."
Adam got into her car and they headed to the gym about thirty minutes from the stadium.
(That night)
Tiffany woke up to her phone ringing yet again, but this time it wasn't Jack or Mimi.
"Hello?" she asked tiredly.
"Hey sorry if I'm calling too early TJ (David calls her TJ sometimes because of her name Tiffany Jean. Just thought you needed to know that.)but your mom got in a car crash." Tiffany was awake this time and blotted out of bed.
"Is she alright?"
"No. She's in ICU and isn't improving."
"How'd she get in the wreck?"
"Late night drinking. She was coming home and was going too fast before she even noticed the turn. She went down into the small hill and was ejected from the car. The doctors say it's a miracle that she made at the scene, but now it's not."
"What about Jack and Mimi? Are they ok?"
"Yes. They're here with me."
"Do they know?"
"No. I want you to tell them."
"NO, no I'm not telling them. David your there and you should."
"Tiffany I think it wise that you don't play you're up coming game and come down to get custody of Jack and Mimi. If you don't then they'll go with your mom's drugged up ex husband."
There was a long pause between them as Tiffany was thinking about everything.
"Tiffany? Tiffany are you there?"
"Yes and I'm going to give you my answer. Don't talk me out of it since it's the only way possible. I'm going to quiet the pros and move down there to take care of them. I'll work as a normal person and I don't want you to tell anyone of my this."
"Tiffany you've been working towards this for your whole life that I've known and I refuse to left you do this."
"David do you want them with that garbage or do you want them with me. You know that mom won't make it and I don't want them to see her."
"Ok. But I think that you shouldn't do this."
"Pick me up 11pm tonight. That's when my plane lands. I'll talk to you later tonight."
Tiffany hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief.
'I know they won't like it with me leaving, but there's no way I'm letting those kids down.'
I hope you enjoy. Please read and review.
