Nope....still don't own them.
Please read and review....they keep me going.
Author's Note: I wanted to get these two chapters in before the system went down for upgrades. Don't be alarmed by the title....this is not the last chapter.
Chapter 24: The End
Once the guys calmed down....only slightly....I told them our options. Johnson and a few others wanted to stay to watch the bronze medal game and some wanted to meet up with their families. Rizzo, Mac, Buzzy, Jack and I all chose to get some food. We knew that it was going to be a long night of celebrating after the ceremony and there wasn't going to be much eating.
We decided on the local diner and while we were eating the same waitress form the other day can over to our table.
"Hi again. Look I am sorry to bother you. I know you guys must be by the way.... but would you guys mind signing this menu for my son. OC already did and Paul was so excited. He will be on cloud nine if he could get more of your signatures."
The guys all nodded and took turns signing the menu.
We stayed at the diner for a while....it took longer than usual for us to eat. People kept coming over to offer their congratulations. Don't get me wrong....no one was complaining....it was really nice....but it also almost made us late.
"Guys we got to go....my dad will kill me if we are late."
We payed the bill and headed back to the arena and so now here I am....I can't believe what I am watching. How did we get here? If someone had told me two weeks ago that I would be standing here listening to this song, I would have told them they were crazy. In fact, if they had told me 2 days ago I wouldn't have believed them. None of us would. Sure we had all dreamed about this, but it was never talked about. There was no way this could happen. I have to laugh because it did. The United States Hockey team won the Olympics. We won. A bunch of college kids, who seven months ago could barely all get along, beat what is probably the best hockey ever.
I take back what I said before one person did think this could happen, one man believed. He brought us all together; he made the team a family. He saw this when no one else did. I can see him standing there all smiles. It has been a long time since I have seen him smile like that. I don't remember the last time I have been so happy either. The entire crowd is singing the national anthem and I am watching the two men I love most in this world receive the one thing they have always wanted.
As a coach my dad will get his medal later, but it's not about the medal. Dad has wanted this since he got cut all those years ago. I have never told him this but sometimes I have seen him look at a picture that is hidden in his desk. I don't know what the picture is of (I have never looked at it) but I get the feeling that he won't be doing that anymore.
My boyfriend, on the other hand, has his medal around his neck. I have seen him smile a thousand times in the last few months, but never like this. He looked up at me right after he was given the gold. I thought I was going to float away. In the midst of the greatest achievement of his life he looked at me and mouthed "I love you". I think my mom may have noticed and a few weeks ago that would have worried me, but with the Olympics over now we can start dating more openly. Plus my mom was never really the problem; we were more worried about my Dad. We weren't sure how he would feel about his daughter dating one of his players. Let alone a player from Boston! Well, now he will just have to deal. We are in love. That still sounds weird. I'm in love with a hockey player from Boston. I, Tara Brooks, am in love with Jack O'Callahan and he loves me too.
The anthem just ended. Rizzo looks confused. He alone is standing on the medal podium. He looks so small, I never noticed that before. I think it is because as a team they appear bigger. Does that make sense? Rizzo must feel the same way because now he is waving the others onto the podium with him. Miraculously they all fit.
People are running onto the ice now. I understand how they feel I want to hug my dad and all the guys. I spent 7 months basically being their mom. I did their laundry, I made sure they ate properly; I even watched how much they drank (that made me less than popular). But, mostly I want to run into Jack's arms and share this moment with him.
I am on the ice now. A bunch of the guys are hugging me. There is not too much talking, just a lot of yelling. I think we are all beyond words right now. I finally find Jack; I think he may have been looking for me too. When we catch up with each other he grabs me into his arms and we kiss....
"And that's when you came dad. So that is the story from beginning to end. I am sorry we didn't tell you sooner....it is just that...."
All of a sudden my dad gets up from his chair and starts to pace....oh no this can't be good.
"Dad? What do you think?"