The Penalty Box

Chapter 16

" I don't know how it's possible after a check like that, and him kicking your head," Parker said shaking his head," But you don't have a concussion, consider yourself lucky."

I laughed, my wrist was sprained pretty bad, maybe even a hairline fracture. But it's not horrible..

" Can I still play, that's all I want to know," I questioned," I'm not going to question the big man in the sky."

" No, you're sitting out the rest of this round," Parker replied.

I frowned and sat back down. Picking up the splintered remains of my stick. It was broken into three pieces. The blade, and right in the middle of the shaft. Sucks too because that was my favorite stick," Do you think it can be saved?" I questioned looking at Mason.

" It's long gone kid," he laughed.

I tried not to mourn my stick too much. Even though it was my favorite. Yeah okay, I have a favorite stick. I had a favorite stick. Poor thing, it never stood a chance. That kid that kicked me was thrown out, and got a two game misconduct. One for railing, and kicking me, the other for a fight.

" What do you remember exactly?" Mason asked.

I thought about it for a minute," Ah, I remember getting hit, and then kicked in the head. After that it's a bit fuzzy, but I did see you and Cootes beat the crap out of him," I replied.

Then I remembered that Cooter wasn't in the room. After that fight, I figured he'd need Parker's help. I mean it wouldn't be the first time. There'd been a ton of games where he'd split his lip open, and other things. If there was one thing Coty Burner was good at, it was protecting his team. Though that all stems back to when his dad left. Suddenly he had to take care of his mom and little sister. I only know this because we used to talk about it. His dad bailed, and so did mine. 

" Where's Cooter?" I questioned.

" He ah, ran off after the game. Nobody's been able to find him," Mason said scratching the back of his neck. 

I groaned, knowing exactly where he'd be, Cooter and I we think the same way.  I got up and started for the door, I didn't bother telling them. They knew that I was going to find him. I started the long walk to the old rink. He, like myself, loved the 1980 team, how couldn't you? If you play hockey, you love that team. They stand for everything any hockey player wants to be, they defied the odds. Not one single men's ice hockey team has been able to do that. Well there was the US team in 2010, but we were taken down by the Canadians.

I have nothing against the Canadians, I swear. I just don't like being second best to them. But hey, Canadian pond hockey is the best. The team went up there last season, maybe the one before that. Anyway, we played pond hockey almost every day of the week. Still got schooled by the local hockey team though.

I walked in the rink, greeted by the smell of fresh cut ice. Cooter stood center ice, staring into oblivion.

" Our future starts and ends here," I said walking up to him," If we make an impression this week, we get colleges looking, maybe Juniors, NA if we're lucky. If not, we're screwed."

" Nice Callahan, just what I want to think about," Cotter said stifling back a laugh.

The two of us just stood there for a while, not saying anything. Just kinda taking it all in, since we couldn't during the game.

" My dad called me for the first time in four years today," He mumbled," Said he'd love the chance to catch back up."

" Well that's good isn't it?" I questioned not really knowing how to respond.

Though I knew he wasn't happy about it. I wouldn't be either if my dad showed back up now.

" Not when he left my mom for a twenty something blonde bimbo," He said trying not to raise his voice.

I thought back to when my dad left. Back then I didn't understand why he left. My mom used to tell Jared and I that he was just on a vacation, that he took some time off. He took some time off alright, he filed for divorce two months later. Of course I thought it was my fault. But he granted my mom full custody. He didn't want us, or anything else, he just wanted out. I wasn't mad that he left me, I was just mad that he let Jared grow up without a dad.

" If my dad came back the first thing I'd do is ask him why," I said," He just left, didn't want custody, or to even see us. He just wanted out."

" I wish my dad would have done that," Cooter sighed," He went to court and tried trashing my mom, just so he could take the last thing that she loved away from her," I could see the look on his face. It was the look of a boy who'd been so hurt by the very man who was his role model," He didn't expect me to come back and testify against him."

" Nothing like hockey to take your anger out on people huh," I laughed.

" Yeah, no kidding," He replied with a smile," Just beat the crap outta someone and sit in the box."

" Life should be like that, it'd be so much easier."

" So much easier," He laughed," But you and me are in this together. I just need to teach you how to take a hit."

I looked up at him, I could see that he'd split open his eyebrow, like right at the end of it," Hey Coty?"

" Wow, you just used my first name," He marveled but stopped when he saw my face," What? Did I do something wrong?"

" No," I replied," I just wanted to thank you for everything."

He smiled and put his arm around my shoulder," Like I said, we're in this together Cally."

" Right, together."

That word linking Cooter and I somehow seemed strange. Like in this whole tournament thing together?Or in this together together?