Triumph {The Manhattan Trilogy #3}

Boston (NT)

"Sometimes I give myself the creeps! Sometimes my mind—"

"Oh my God," I complain silently as I answer the call, hoping it didn't wake my sleeping husband. "Hello, this is North Tower Staten, and you are?"

"I am Nick Meyers, the president of the New York Hockey League, and I am calling to congratulate you on being selected to participate in the 2019 NYHL All-Star Week," the man on the other end of the call explains. "The event will be held at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. You are one of three Albany Capitals on the Southern Division team. Congratulations!"

"Ooh!" I squeal, trying to keep quiet so that my husband can sleep. "Who are the others?"

"One of the other two Capitals is your sister, South Tower Staten," Nick responds. "She has actually been named Southern Division team captain by fans. The All-Star Week is the only event in which a goaltender can be captain. Your other teammate who made the cut is Mohammed al-Hashim. He was also selected by fans in the Last Man In ballot."

"That's incredible!" I smile. "My sister and Mohammed are two of my best friends on the Caps. I can't wait to go to Boston with them!"

"The fans can't wait either," Nick assures me. "Your team's roster looks fantastic. The flight will be at noon on Friday, which is in two days. Saturday is a free day for everyone to explore the city of Boston, Sunday is a day of practice. Then Monday is the Skills Competition, Tuesday is a game between the Upper and Northern Division, and Wednesday is your game against the Lower Division. Whoever wins that game goes on to the Final on Friday. Finally, you fly back at noon next Saturday."

"Everything sounds good to me," I rise from the bed, deciding to fetch myself a drink of water. "Is that all I need to know?"

"Well, there is one more thing," Nick adds. "Plane and game tickets for the players' spouses and partners will be paid for by the league. This means that you and your sister can bring your husbands, Mohammed will be able to bring his girlfriend...you know."

"That's fantastic!" I squeal as I open the fridge. "My husband is a diehard Bruins fan, and he's from Boston. He'll love the combination of going back home and seeing me play in the home arena of his favorite NHL team."

"I hope you and your husband have fun in Boston, and I wish you the best of luck in the All-Star events," Nick says. We quickly bid farewell to each other before I hang up and go to bed.

When I wake up in the morning, I have a missed call from my sister.

"Dammit," I curse as my husband rolls over to look at me. "She must have woken up earlier than us. Let me call her back. Hello?"

I expect her to start the call with the exciting news that she made the All-Star team, but she tells me something devastating instead.

"Ryan's father isn't letting her go to Boston with Mohammed," my twin explains. "She's so upset. Some of the players and their partners tried to convince Mr. Jensen to let his daughter go on the trip, but he won't budge."

"That sucks!" I declare angrily. "He is so bigoted, it's unbelievable. She doesn't even live with her father! I say a bunch of us should pitch in and buy her a ticket. Then, we can pick her up at her apartment and get her on the flight to Boston!"

"Yes!" South Tower exclaims. "I'll text the idea to the group chat right now. Ryan's father can't stop his grown daughter from going on a trip with the man she loves!"

"Exactly!" I agree enthusiastically. "Mohammed is her boyfriend, and her dad can't hide from that truth forever."

The entire team and their partners are in agreement with my plan. Our coach forwards the request for an extra ticket to Nick Meyers, the president of the NYHL and the man paying for family tickets. He agrees to pay for Ryan's plane and competition tickets. He even adds the benefit of VIP access to the locker room and the media room, a gift that all players' partners receive.

I am selected to be the person to deliver the good news to Ryan. By eleven o'clock in the morning, I am dressed and out the door, headed to Ryan's apartment building. In less than ten minutes, I'm knocking on the door of one of my favorite teammate's girlfriend.

Ryan answers the door looking like a complete disaster. Mascara stains her face, a big visible announcement that she's been crying. Her long red hair is messy and uncombed. She looks frail and worn out, and her hazel eyes have bags under them.

"Hey, Staten," Ryan attempts a smile. "North Tower, right?"

I nod and point at what I'm wearing. "Bruins shirt. My sister's married to a Habs fan. She'd never wear this."

Ryan laughs lightly. "Right. That's how I could tell. What brings you here?"

"Well, I have a surprise to give to you before the trip," I grin at her.

Her smile fades. "I don't know if I'm in the mood for that, North Tower."

"Listen, I think I know what has you down," I confess. "If I'm correct, my surprise will eliminate all of your feelings about that."

"Well, tell me what your surprise is," Ryan orders.

"It's really special, I promise," I smile down at her 5-foot-9 frame. "Ryan, a lot of people that work for the NYHL teamed up with the Albany Capitals to do something fantastic and kind for you. Here it is: we got you tickets to all of the All-Star events. You're going, whether your father allows it or not."

Ryan squeals and hugs me tight. "Thank you, North Tower! This means so much to me. Does Mohammed know that you've done this?"

"Of course he does," I pat her back as she thanks me a few more times. "He'll be the one picking up in...let's see, today's Wednesday...two days. He's ecstatic that we succeeded with our plan."

"I am too," she pulls away from me and squeezes my hand one last time before I leave her apartment.

Two days later, I'm sitting on a plane bound for Boston. I'm beside my husband and across from my sister and her own husband.

I look to my right just as Ryan and Mohammed finish a kiss. Ryan returns my look and smiles at me as she does.

"Get a room," I joke.

"Trust me, we will," Ryan winks and laughs.

"OH MY GOD!" Mitch Targonski shouts from behind me, and everyone on our flight laughs.

This is going to be a great trip.