Page 77 of Saving Forever with the Hockey Captain

Still carrying my slipper.

Toby groans. "I'll get it."

"Leave him." I shake my head. "It's probably his now."

Liam reaches into the cargo trailer with a flourish.

"Oh! I almost forgot."

Coach closes his eyes. "That sentence never ends well."

"It absolutely does."

Liam proudly produces...a bright pink plastic lawn flamingo.

Then another.

Then...

a third.

I stare.

Nobody speaks.

Finally, I ask the only reasonable question.

"...why?"

Liam looks genuinely offended. "Every rehabilitation cabin needs proper décor."

Coach pinches the bridge of his nose. "I specifically told you not to buy anything."

"I didn't." Liam grins. "I rented them."

Even Caleb's expression changes. Just a little. Not quite a smile, but dangerously close.

Colby bursts out laughing. Toby nearly drops the recovered slipper.

Coach simply looks toward the ceiling. "I've coached hockey for thirty-two years."

He sighs. "And somehow..."

He points at Liam. "...this is how I’ll go out."

Liam salutes with one of the flamingos.

"You'll tell this story forever."

Coach looks at Jamie. "I'm afraid he's right."

I lean against the doorframe. watching the five men who have somehow become brothers.

It hits me all at once. Nobody came because they felt sorry for me. Nobody came because I was Captain.

They came...because somewhere along the way we became family.

For the first time since leaving the hospital, the cabin didn't feel quiet anymore.