Page 93 of Puck You Both

Then I see my practice jersey.

It's hanging front out, which is wrong. The equipment guys hang them sideways. But that’s not all that’s different, because above the Wolves logo, on the left side, a letter has been stitched.

A.

My breath gets stuck in my throat for one long second.

We don’t need a new A. We already have three, and most of the time, they don’t even seem to remember it’s them. Which can only mean one thing.

I swallow and my eyes dart to Washington, who’s currently super-focused on strapping on his pads. They were already strapped when I entered.

I allow myself two more seconds of feeling my feelings before I fix my face, because in the trophy-case glass across the room I can see twenty reflections, and every single one of them is pointed at me.

They're waiting. They want a Moment.

They’re not getting it.

I take the jersey off the hook, pull it on, and reach for my skates.

The room comes back online.

"He's just putting it on!" Becker's voice cracks on the last word. He uses Kane’s shoulder to get himself upright, then clears an entire bench getting to me. "He's just— Did everybody see that? He's lacing up!"

"What did you expect?" Kane asks, rubbing his shoulder.

"A reaction! One reaction!"

I am reacting. Internally, where reactions belong.

Becker plants himself in front of my stall, so I work around him. He moves to stay in my eyeline. I keep lacing. "Do you even know what that means?"

"Alternate captain."

"It means dad is dying and you're the oldest!"

"Retiring," Washington says from his stall, without looking up, and Becker shoots daggers in his direction, still butthurt. We’re all still butthurt.

“You know it’s illegal, right?” I ask.

“It’s not if it’s on your helmet. We checked.”

Groover folds his arms and turns to Ace. "We're staying out of it. It's his moment."

"Dignified," Ace agrees. "We're being dignified."

I give that vow a minute. Tops.

Becker goes back to his own stall, digs under a pile of gear, and comes out with—

Are there fucking cue cards?

Yep.

Great.

That means he's known since at least last night, which means the entire team has known since at least last night, which means this entire morning was rehearsed and no one made a peep.

They're getting better at this, which is worrisome.