Chapter 29—Making up is easy to do
February 24th, 2000
Guy's POV
Tonight was the District Quarterfinals against St. Louis Park. It's win and we go on or lose and we go home. Bella was back tonight but on the fourth line with Connie. We beat them 4-3. Thanks to a last-minute goal by Bella. It seemed like the time away from the ice and rink didn't affect her too much. Which was great because we were going to need her if we were going to go all the way. I hate to say it, but Gunnar has been in a slump since he and Adam broke up. I know that he was testing Orion's patience as well as Bombay's.
My mother was at the game. She had the night off from Big Jim's Gentlemen's Club. Yes, my mother is a stripper. She would have Wednesday's and Thursday's off from the club, so she would come to my hockey games on those nights, if we had a game. She actually surprised me and Gunnar by coming to seniors night on the fifth. I figured that I would give my flowers to Ms. MacKay, I mean Mrs. Bombay or something. Don't get me wrong I love my mother. I just wish that either her boss would give her break and bring her up to the management table or she would quit.
She had been an employee at that club since I was a small fry. In fact, I remember getting watched by a few of the other ladies while my mother jiggled her ass on stage for tips. I knew one thing for sure, that if I got into the NHL I would make her quit. My mother was young when she had me. She wasn't quite 16 years old. My father died in a trucking accident before I was four working up in the Iron Mines of Northern Minnesota. He played hockey in the minors up in Canada before I was born, after that he knew that he had to accept his fate and go to work for the mine.
After he died my mother, and I moved down to Minneapolis where she was originally from and into my grandparents' house. My mother struggled to find work and care for me, going from convenience store clerk to retail to telemarketing to waitressing back to telemarketing to secretarial work and finally the strip club, where she had been working since I was five.
Anyway, I had refused to help Connie with her bag when we left St. Paul Academy after the game. In fact, Adam, Charlie, and I all refused to help our former lovers.
"Excuse me, Coach Orion?" Mom said as she had gotten on the bus just as we were about to depart from St. Paul Academy and head back to Eden Hall.
"Yes?" Coach Orion said.
"I'm Jewel Germaine, Guy's mom. I was wondering if it was possible for me to take Guy back to Eden Hall tonight, there is something that I wish to speak to him about," Mom said.
"Oh no," Charlie and I said together.
"Of course.' Coach Orion said and then he turned to me. 'Guy, your mother wants to take you home, so."
"I know I am going.' I said to Coach and then I turned to Charlie, 'Hey Charlie."
"Yeah we got it," Charlie said.
"Thanks," I said. I knew that our gear had been buried under everyone else's gear. We three were usually the first in the shower, out of the shower, changed, packed, and had our stuff on the bus while the others were still showering. In fact, I am pretty sure that Charlie didn't shower at all, and Adam is Speedy Gonzales, with everything. The Lord only knew why.
When we got out to my mother's very often breaking down 1980 Pontiac Leman's she said, "Guy get in."
I got into the passenger seat of the car, and she got into the driver's seat of the car, we followed the bus heading back to Eden Hall.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked.
"Your behavior towards Connie," Mom said.
"What about my behavior towards Connie?" I asked.
"GUY WYATT GERMAINE. You know that you are always to be a Gentleman to a lady. Particularly your mother and your girlfriend," Mom said.
"Connie and I aren't together anymore mom, she broke up with me," I said.
"It doesn't matter Guy, you are always to treat a lady with respect," Mom said.
"Yeah, well. She ain't no lady," I mumbled.
"What was that Guy?" Mom asked.
"I said that she ain't no lady. She was mad at me because I would not support her dreams of becoming a teacher and working in the state of Minnesota. I have dreams too, dreams of going to the NHL and become a Stanley Cup Champion. She thinks that I was going to ruin her chances at becoming a teacher. By asking her to become a baby producing NHL wife," I said.
"And are you?" Mom asked.
"No of course not, she could teach wherever I was at with the NHL. I am sure it would not take much to get that position in any state that I was in," I said.
"What if you were up in Canada? Then what?" Mom asked.
"I don't know," I said.
"Guy you are my son and I love you very much. You and Connie will be going together to Mankato. Who said that you were going to get into the NHL?" Mom asked.
"The scouts that came to the game on Senior night?" I asked.
"I see. Is that why Adam and Charlie came over that night?" Mom asked.
"Well yeah, I mean the girls where having a girls night at Connie's and we didn't want to go back to the dorms. I didn't feel like partying with Portman, Fulton, Gunnar, and Luis," I said.
"I don't see how they are getting into this club," Mom said.
"Well Portman is 19, Gunnar and Luis are 18 and Fulton I don't know, I suppose a fake ID," I said.
"Still, that doesn't mean un gentleman like behavior, do you still love Connie?" Mom asked.
"Of course I do, I loved her from the moment I laid eyes on her in Kindergarten. She was the reason I got interested in hockey in the first place. Now that I am so close mom, we could use that money from the signing bonus," I said.
"To do what with?" Mom asked.
"To get you out of working for Jim. Get you out of that drug infestation apartment, get you a new car. There are lots that we can do with fifteen thousand dollars," I said.
"Guy this was your fathers car, I am not giving this car up," Mom said.
"Mom this car breaks down on you every 5 minutes. There are so many things that are wrong with it. It's amazing it still runs," I said.
"Guy what makes you think that you are going to earn 15 thousand dollars off the bat?" Mom asked.
"Mom the minimum NHL contract is $150,000. Ten percent is the signing bonus; therefore, it is 15,000 signing bonus," I said.
"And what if you don't get selected? Then what do you do? Guy you can't just jump from High school to the NHL. I think you need to get at least a year of college under your belt and then maybe try for the NHL next year," Mom said.
"But Mom, if I don't take a shot now, I might never get a shot," I said.
"Guy. Both your father and I wanted you to go to college. Do you think that he liked working for the mine?" Mom asked.
"No, I guess not," I said.
"I think that you would be better off going to college next year. That means going with Connie and if you two are going to see each other on campus that means….." Mom said.
"I know, I know I need to be a gentleman," I said.
"And?" Mom said.
"And apologize to Connie for being a jerk," I said.
"That's my boy. Oh, and what a perfect opportunity for you to swallow your pride and talk to Connie," Mom said.
I looked up and noticed that we were pulling into the parking lot of the arena. "You set this up," I said.
"Who me? I would never," Mom said as we were coming to a stop behind the bus.
I rolled my eyes as I exited the car. I could not believe it. I stood there with the rest of the team as the driver was unloading our bags for us to grab. I and Connie made a grab for her bag at the same time.
"I have it, Guy," Connie said.
"I know but let me, I want to talk to you," I said.
"About what?" Connie asked, folding her arms.
"Not here and not now," I said.
"Fine, whatever Guy," Connie said.
We waited a couple of more minutes for my bag to be unloaded and I grabbed that, and we walked into the arena together. I took my bag over to my locker since it was closer to the door then Connie's was. Then I took Connie's over to her locker, Julie, and Bella both gave me a funny look.
"What? I am trying to be a gentleman," I said.
"Gentleman my ass. Bet he is looking for a way into Connie's pants," Julie said.
Bella giggled.
"Whatever," I said and then I walked away.
By the next afternoon, I was already on the bus waiting for us to leave Eden Hall for our game against Blake. Which was fine with me since I was missing Study Hall and the Musical rehearsal. In fact, I was going over my lines when I heard, "Is this seat taken?"
I looked up and saw Connie, "No please," I said as I removed my bag.
"Thanks. Did you get anything that Dr. Anderson was talking about today?" Connie asked.
"Nope, Thank God we have all weekend to study for this test," I said with a smile to my face.
"I know and it's going to take all weekend for me to absorb everything," Connie said.
"I thought that you and Julie were pretty tight about that?" I asked.
"We are but still," Connie said.
"Yeah," I said.
"So, what are you reading?" Connie asked.
I showed her the manuscript for Grease. Connie looked at me with her mouth agape before she said, "You still don't know your lines?"
"I do, it's a lot of lines miss 3-line thing," I said.
Connie scoffed before she said, "I have 9 lines thank you very much, plus I am an angel for Beauty School Dropout."
"Okay, I apologize, I am sorry," I said.
"Thanks, so what did you want to talk about?" Connie asked.
"Hmm," I said.
"You said last night that you wanted to talk about something but not here and now, so we are alone-ish. What's up?" Connie asked.
"Oh yeah, I wanted to apologize to you for what I said, we got into that fight. I didn't want to make you feel inferior to my dreams and goals. And to be honest, I am willing to wait for you Connie, no matter how long it takes for you to do what you want to do," I said.
"You mean it Guy?" Connie asked.
"Yeah I do, I was an idiot and not the man that my mother raised," I said.
"Well, you got that right," Connie said.
"I know, I'm sorry," I said.
"Apology accepted so what do we do?" Connie said.
"Well mom wanted me to go to college for at least a year. So, I figured that if I got an offer for an NHL team…." I started to say.
"Provided that you get drafted," Connie said.
"Yeah, that I would want to wait until the next year before I got a contract," I said.
"Oh Guy," Connie said.
"Besides I want to be able to compete at that level and yeah Eden Hall has been great, but I don't know that I am ready for that kind of step," I said.
"What will Charlie and Adam think?" Connie asked.
"Adam and I talked about this last night. He is too young and there is no way that Commissioner Bettman is going to let him play, no matter if he is Phillip Banks's son," I said.
"So, all that is left is Charlie?" Connie asked.
"Yeah and it helped that Coach Bombay talked to Adam, about his behavior towards Gunnar," I said.
"When did that happen?" Connie asked.
"Last night at dinner, see?" I said pointing to Adam and Gunnar who were talking on the bus. Adam smiled and then sat down next to Gunnar.
"Hmm well I'll be," Connie said.
"Yeah," I said.
"You know I did miss you, Guy. and well you don't know this, but I stole glances at you during lunch and Women's studies," Connie said.
"I missed you too, Connie. So do you forgive me?" I asked.
"What does this mean to you," Connie said and then she grabbed me by my tie and kissed me.
"Ah Mr. and Mrs. Connie Moreau," Averman quipped.
"Shut up Averman," Connie and I both said together, taking a break from our make out session.
Adam's POV
Dad had talked to me last night, he said that my behavior towards Gunnar was juvenile and adolescent. I needed to apologize to Gunnar for what I said.
"So, is this seat taken?" I asked.
"Yeah, by your scrawny butt, sit down," Gunnar said.
I smiled before I said, "Thanks."
"Yeah," Gunnar said.
"So, uh how's the musical coming?" I asked.
"Fine," Gunnar said.
"And your project for Women's Studies?" I asked.
"Good," Gunnar said.
"And your family?" I asked.
"What do you want?" Gunnar asked.
"Shut up Averman," Connie and Guy said.
"Look I wanted to apologize for what I said and did about the scouts coming to the game," I said.
"Yeah, so?" Gunnar asked.
"So, I didn't mean to get my head in the clouds about that. I am not going to be eligible for the draft this year anyway, because I was born 6 days after the deadline. Dad even said there was no way I was going to get a grievance. Even if Phillip vouched for me and that I was his son," I said.
"So that means?" Gunnar asked.
"That means that I am going to go to Minnesota next fall, develop my skills and then enter the draft in 2001," I said.
"That would make me happy," Gunnar said.
"I know that would make Bella happy, too," I said.
"What about Guy and Charlie and your three amigos shit you guys are doing?" Gunnar asked.
"Guy and Connie are making up right now," I said.
"Really?" Gunnar said as he stood up to see Guy and Connie stucking face with each other.
"Well, it was an act," I said.
"An act? What do you mean?" Gunnar asked.
"Well, I mean the three of us were pretty pissed off about how the break ups between all of us went. We wanted to prove that we knew more than you. But obviously we were all selfish, stupid jerks. Only wanting money and other people," I said.
"Do you still want somebody else?" Gunnar asked.
"No Gunnar. I want you to want me. I need you. You have been my rock. Ever since we took the break I haven't been able to sleep, you're the first person I think about in the morning and the last person I think about at night. You have no idea how many times I stared at you during English and Calculus. Not to mention Weightlifting and Study hall. And getting dressed for practices and games, forget it. I so wanted to take you into the equipment room and have my way with you," I said.
"Really?" Gunnar asked.
"Yeah," I said.
"I have been thinking about you too. So, are you and Dwayne going to switch rooms back?" Gunnar asked.
"I don't know," I said.
"Did you apologize to Bella yet?" Gunnar asked.
"No, not yet," I said.
"Why not?" Gunnar asked.
"I haven't had the opportunity," I said.
"No time like the present," Gunnar said, gesturing to Bella as she just got on the bus.
"Hey Bella," I said.
"Ads," Bella said as she walked past me.
"Why didn't you apologize?" Gunnar asked.
"One at a time," I said.
"Please tell me that you are going to apologize to her, before graduation," Gunnar said.
"I will, I promise," I said.
"Okay," Gunnar said.
"But I really wanted to say that I am sorry, for being so mean to you. And not willing to help you out with whatever you and Connie were up to," I said.
"Apology accepted. And I am sorry for keeping from you what I kept from you and if you wanted to come over to our… I mean my room after the game, I would not mind," Gunnar said.
"What about Dwayne?" I asked.
"He has a date tonight, after the game. Some equestrian chick," Gunnar said.
"Well go Dwayne," I said as I smiled.
"Yeah," Gunnar said.
"It's a date. I missed you Gunnar," I said.
"I missed you too," Gunnar said.
We had won against Blake, thanks to Bella's last-minute goal again. Now we were going to face St. Paul Academy for the slot into the State Tournament. After the game, I told Gunnar that I was going to sit with Bella on the way home.
"Hey Ace," I said.
"Hey Ad's," Bella said.
"Nice goal tonight by the way," I said.
"Thanks," Bella said.
"Yeah and I wanted to apologize to you for how I acted. I didn't mean to get my head up in the clouds. But dad I mean Coach Bombay, brought me back down last night and said that the NHL was pretty tough about its age requirement and there was no way I was going to get a grievance, even if I was Phillip Banks son. So, I am sorry," I said.
"Did you make up with Gunnar?" Bella asked.
"Yeah I did," I said.
"And….?" Bella asked.
"And I have decided that I am going to go to the U this next year, get a little bigger and stronger and enter the draft next year," I said.
"Good, apology accepted Adam. I hate it when we fight," Bella said.
"I know me too," I said.
When we got back to Eden Hall, we all heard "Alright Ducks, we have a 3pm game tomorrow at 3M Arena at Mariucci on the U's campus tomorrow. Get plenty of rest, 6 am run through practice. The bus leaves Eden Hall at 1:10, so we need to load the bus at 12:50 tomorrow. Conway, I need to see you in my office," Coach Orion.
"Yes Coach," Charlie said.
"Alright, get plenty of sleep see you tomorrow Ducks," Coach Orion said. And then the doors to the bus opened and we all piled out of the bus to grab our stuff and go and hang it up in the locker room so it could dry. When Gunnar and I were finished we walked hand in hand back to the dorm and he showed me into our I mean my old room and then he locked the door.
"What I am about to show you is private and I don't know what will happen, but you have to trust me Adam," Gunnar said.
"I do, I trust you," I said.
"Ok," Gunnar said.
Then Gunnar pulled out a file folder that had his name at the top. I started to look through the paperwork before I said, "What does this mean Gunnar?"
"Dean Buckley took a bribe to enroll me in Eden Hall from the Iceland Government," Gunnar said.
"Is that what the 30 thousand was for?" I asked.
"Hmm mmm, 30 grand to make me captain," Gunnar said.
"What would Dean Buckley do that?" I asked.
"I have no clue," Gunnar said.
"It looks like it goes right up the chain of command, which includes your father," I said.
"Yep," Gunnar said.
"Why would he do such a thing?" I asked.
"I have no idea. Maybe to see that I get on the national team in Iceland, I suppose," Gunnar said.
"But I thought that he wanted you to attend the University of Iceland?" I said.
"He does, I don't know Adam," Gunnar said.
"Wow this is crazy," I said.
"I know," Gunnar said.
"What about the people that initiated the bribe can't Dad get them?" I asked.
"No, Diplomatic Immunity. They can't be prosecuted in an American courtroom. Just like if I were to knock off a store or kill someone, I would get the same immunity until my father was no longer working for the government. But I would have to go back to Iceland right away and it is not recommended that I come back to this country. Unless of course Iceland waives the immunity.
"Oh, so what happens next?" I asked.
"I don't know. Coach is working on that," Gunnar said.
"Oh," I said.
The next thing I knew I was getting kissed, and we were heading over to his bed for make up for lost time.
Charlies POV
I was sitting across from Connie and Guy and their make out session, making faces at Guy because he folded like a piece of paper. I could not believe it, I thought we would be the three Amigos forever. I knew that Gunnar and Adam made up too, because they were holding hands on the way to Bloomington Ice Arena. But Adam was sitting with Ace talking to her on the way home. I didn't care, I was in the right. Mom and Fred need my help, especially with Fred going to be out of work in just over 2 months' time. It was going to be the best for me.
When we pulled up in front of the arena, Coach Orion said; "Alright Ducks, we have a 3pm game tomorrow at 3M Arena at Mariucci on the U's campus tomorrow. Get plenty of rest, 6 am run through practice. The bus leaves Eden Hall at 1:10, so we need to load the bus at 12:50 tomorrow. Conway, I need to see you in my office."
"Yes Coach," I said.
"Alright, get plenty of sleep see you tomorrow Ducks," Coach Orion said. And then the doors to the bus opened and I followed my teammates out of the bus to grab my stuff, so it could be hung up to dry. As soon as my stuff was hung up I made my way to Orion's office.
I knocked on the door, "Yeah come in, Conway," Coach Orion said.
I walked in the door and sat down in the chair before I said, "So what's up?"
"You, Conway," Coach Orion said.
"Yeah, so," I said.
"Look I know that your mother and stepfather are having a hard time right now. Especially with your stepfather losing his job. But you have a responsibility to your teammates to be part of a team not to be a maverick on your own," Coach Orion said.
"I don't know what the fuck you are talking about," I said as I started to get up.
"Yeah I think that you do. Like treating the girls with less than the equal respect that they deserve," Coach Orion said. I sat back down.
"So, they broke up with the three of us, Bella, Connie, and Gunnar. Julie decided to join the girls, same with Portman and Fulton. God only knows why," I said.
"Because Portman, Fulton and Julie have a heart that is sympathetic,' Coach Orion said. 'Besides Julie has a lot more to lose if she chooses you over the girls."
"Friendships and roommates," I said quietly.
"Look I don't care if you and Bella do or do not get back together. All I am asking you is to treat her like a teammate. Which means if she scores you congratulate her, got it Conway?" Coach Orion said.
"Yeah," I said.
"Oh, and one other thing, this three Amigos shit has to end, because it is tearing the team apart. You already have such little time left. Is that something that you want your teammates to remember 10 years down the line, your selfishness?" Coach Orion asked.
"No, I guess not," I said.
"Look Charlie your time will come, but right now you need to hunker down and be a good teammate and if you continue to work hard you will be rewarded," Coach Orion said.
"What about mom and Fred?" I asked.
"Let them worry about themselves. They don't need you to take care of them. So, the scouts caught you on a good night. But I guarantee you that you would be on the outside looking in if you didn't have as good of a night," Coach Orion said.
"I guess so. Do you think that I would be good enough to go into the NHL?" I asked.
"Do you?" Coach Orion asked.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked.
"Do you think that you are good enough to go into the NHL?" Coach Orion asked.
"I guess so," I said.
"Do you?" Coach Orion asked.
"Well yeah, I think so. At least I hope so," I said.
Coach Orion scoffed before he said, "I don't think so. At least not yet, but you have the potential to be. You have to get your head out of your ass. You are just like I was at your age. You know what straightened me out?" Coach Orion asked.
"No, what?" I asked.
"The two years I spent at the U. That's what," Coach Orion said.
"What are you saying?" I asked.
"I am saying that you are not ready to go from High School to the NHL. Even if you did get drafted this year. You are looking to spend at least 2 years maybe 3 in the minors, getting stronger and better. At least with you spending a year or two at Wisconsin you have the chance to get stronger and better and your time in the minors will be a year maybe two at best. Do you understand, Charlie?" Coach Orion said.
"Yeah, I guess so. I need to apologize to Bella, Connie, Julie, and Gunnar. Then I need to call the scouts and tell them thanks but no thanks. I am going to go to Wisconsin next year. Then I don't know what else to do," I said.
"I do, you and Luis need to switch rooms back. Same with Adam and Dwayne," Coach Orion said.
"Okay and then what?" I asked.
"Then you and me on the Ice 5 am on Sunday. If you are going to go to the NHL, we need to get you better," Coach Orion said.
"But Coach it's Sunday," I said.
"Do you not want to go to the NHL?" Coach Orion asked.
"Yeah, I want to go," I said.
"Then some sacrifices need to be made and that includes your love life," Coach Orion said.
"But what if Bella and I get back together?" I asked.
"Then you will have to let her know up front. Then we will work it out so that you can have a few days here and there to be able to take her out on dates. Got it?" Coach Orion asked.
"Yeah, I guess," I said.
"Alright get out of here," Coach Orion said.
"Thanks Coach," I said as I got up to leave. By the time I got back to where our lockers are everyone was gone. I knew that I had to go to the girls dorm to apologize to them.
When Julie answered the door she said, "What the hell do you want?"
"Is Bella here, I need to talk to her," I said.
"We are busy, we are getting ready to go out to eat, since we all missed dinner," Julie said.
Then my stomach rumbled, I had missed dinner too.
"Well let me take you to Mickeys on me," I said.
"You mean; on your mom and no we are going to go somewhere else," Julie said.
"Julie who is that at the door?' Bella asked as she came out of the closet that the girls shared. 'Oh, it's you."
"Bella can we talk please in private?" I asked.
"Whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of Julie," Bella said as she crossed her arms.
I sighed before I said, "Fine. I want to apologize to you. Actually, I want to apologize to the both of you. I'm sorry for being a jerk."
"You forgot stubborn, pig headed, ass," Julie said as she crossed her arms.
"Okay I am sorry for being a stubborn pig-headed ass jerk. Who only thought of himself and money and not of his beautiful finance and one of my dearest friends. And I am sorry, Julie for treating you like I could walk all over you. I made a mistake and got my head into the clouds. I have decided not to enter the draft. Coach Orion doesn't think that I am ready to make that big of a leap and after talking to him about it. I know that I am not. So do you forgive me Angel?" I asked.
"You promise that you are never going to let money get the way of us again?" Bella asked.
"I cross my heart and hope to die when the puck hits me in the eye," I said.
"You guys are weird," Julie said.
"Hey, we have been doing that since Peewee's," Bella said.
"Whatever," Julie said.
"So?" I asked.
"Does this answer your question?" Bella said and then she kissed me. It was long, beautiful, and glorious. It always is when we make up.
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