The Life of a Hockey Sister

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Later that afternoon we're taking a break at the hotel. All of a sudden, my phone vibrates, it's Jon.

my room now!  Is all it says. I get confused, then I remember how I asked him to keep me updated on Grant. Mom and Dad are both asleep, Drew he's watching TV.

"Um hey I'm gonna go walk around." I tell him. He flicks off the TV,

"I'll come too," Drew says

"No, you won't," I tell him. He looks a little hurt,

"Since when have you been so guarded?" he asks. I feel a little bad, but I ignore it and leave. I immediately head downstairs and realize I don't know what room they’re in. I text Jon,

room #?  It takes him a little while to text back,

108 I glance at a sign and figure out what way to go and pretty soon I'm there. I knock on the door. Alex comes and answers,

"Hey Ang, come on in."

"Thanks," I find Jon laying on a bed and Grant nowhere in sight.

"Hey Angel," Jon greets me turning off the TV.

"Where's Grant?"

"Puking violently in the bathroom."

"Crap," I mutter.

"You knew he had a concussion, didn't you?" Jon asks.

"He made me promise to keep it a secret, doesn't matter, right now I need to talk to him."

"In the bathroom," Jon says turning the TV back on. I go to the bathroom and open the door finding Alex by Grant's side. I go leaning by his other side,

"So still think we shouldn't tell Mom and Dad?" I ask.

"Yeah," he says.

"Wait yeah we should or yeah we shouldn't?" I ask confused.

"Shouldn't," Grant confirms.

"Grant are you serious?" Alex asks, "You've been puking for a good 20 minutes." Grant pukes again,

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing left to throw up now." he says getting up. Grant stumbles,

"Grant come on you gotta tell an adult about this." I push. "It's obviously not as minor as you thought." 

"I'm with Angie on this." Alex says.

"Of course, you are," Grant says walking slowly only to stumble again. I grab him and help him to his bed.

"No sibling should ever have to suffer under a promise like this." I tell him.

"Whatever," he says not caring.

"You're only not telling them because you won't be allowed to play, but how can you skate if you can't walk?" I ask him.

"Angie, I don't know! Back off!" This is one of those times when our closeness wears off and the intensity builds. I sigh knowing that it's going to be impossible to convince him as hard headed as he is.

"Have you at least taken some medicine?" I ask.

"I'm not weak like you, I don't carry medicine everywhere." I roll my eyes,

"Not my issue, Alex come with me." I tell him.

"Gladly," he says.

"Why not me?" Jon asks.

"Because you’re finally propping up your ankle and I'm not messing with that." I joke. He rolls his eyes, so we just leave.

"I want to slap him so hard!" I tell Alex. We get on the elevator,

"Who Grant or Jon?" Alex asks.

"Grant, he's got to tell somebody." I say.

"Why don't you just tell your parents?" Alex suggests.

"Because he's hard headed and he will make my life a nightmare if I do." We get to my room, "Hold on a sec," I say going in. I find Drew still watching TV so I just sneak in and grab our medicine bag. I quietly go back out to Alex, "Time to play doctor," I say sarcastically.

"Good, I can catch a break!" Alex says.

"Oh yeah, how is it having two injured roommates?" I ask.

"Awful, I have to wait on them hand and foot! Grant's been complaining about his head since Coach and Matt have been out of earshot!"

"He's complains to everybody but Matt, he's being stupid!" I complain.  We go back into their room and I find pain stuff for Grant. I pull out 3 pills and grab a bottle of water.

"Here," I say handing Grant the medicine.

"Angie, I don't need it."

"Grant you won't let her tell anybody, so you should at least take the meds." Alex says backing me up.

"Alex whose side are you on?" Grant asks.

"Let me think," he says putting his hand on his chin acting like he's thinking hard about it, "Angie's," he finally says.

"Me too," Jon chimes in.

"That's only because you’re her boyfriend." Grant says.

"No, it's because I'm tired of hearing you complain about your head every 2 seconds." Jon says tiredly. I wait a little bit longer, but he still won't take it. I'm sick of the nice approach,

"Grant if you don't take this medicine now I'm going to shove these pills down your throat!" I scream. Alex and Jon look surprised. Alex comes and puts his hand on my shoulder,

"Ang, chill out!"

"He's-"

"No, just go and sit next to Jon." Alex says. I listen and go sit down. Grant smiles smugly. I honestly don't understand him. Why does he always have to act impossible?

"I've never seen you this angry." Jon says.

"Yeah," I mutter glaring at Grant. "There's no way to reason with you is there?" I ask Grant.

"Nope," he says. I get up and put the medicine on the nightstand.

"Well I gotta run," I say heading to the door. Alex follow,

"Nice job playing doctor." he says sarcastically. I laugh uneasily,

"Um yeah,"

"I'll make sure he doesn't too anything to ridiculously stupid." Alex assures me.

"Thanks," I say leaving. I quickly head upstairs back to our room. I go in and find everyone awake.

"Hey Sweetie, where were you?" Mom asks.

"Oh, I was um hanging out with Grant." I say looking for an excuse.

"How's he doing?" Mom asks.

"He's acting like his normal self." It's partly true he's being his hard-headed self.

"That's good,"

"Okay guys!" Dad says, "We have a surprise for you. Trust me it was torture to hide this from you." He pulls out 4 tickets, "We're going to go watch the Toronto and New York game!" My jaw drops,

"Are you serious?!" I scream,

"Yeah, I mean unless you don't want to go."

"Are you serious?! We would be stupid not to!" Drew says. I just want to scream, this is my first professional hockey game! Plus, it's in Canada! I go and give my parents a hug,

"Thank you soo much!"

"You’re welcome," Mom says with a smile.

"So, I know it's only like 4:30 but the game starts at 7:00 and I would like to see warm ups. So how about we go get something to eat?" Dad asks. I grab my coat off the bed,

"Let's do this!" I say excited.

We go out and go even more downtown than where were staying. We go down to what I would describe as the city square of Toronto. We find a nice sit-down restaurant and get seated. After the waiter comes around and takes our orders my phone vibrates, it's Jon.

he took the meds...he also said u can tell ur parents. I text back,

has he seen Matt?

yeah, he's fixing him up now. Jon answers quickly. I put my phone down and look at my parents,

"Hey, have you ever had anyone make you cover for them to keep a secret?" I ask my parents.

"Um not really, what's going on?" Dads asks.

"Well when I said that I was hanging out with Grant this afternoon I kinda left out the part that he was puking violently and he um well thinks he has a minor concussion." Concern floods my Mom's face, "He talked to Matt though and he's taking care of him!" I add quickly.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Dad asks.

"He made me promise not to!" I say defensively. I know one thing I can use that Dad will get, "If I didn't listen to Grant and made him mad it would be a nightmare working together on a team for hockey."

"As far as I'm concerned you shouldn't be playing hockey!" Mom snaps.

"Why shouldn't I?" I ask confused.

"It's way too dangerous for you!" she says. I laugh,

"You have got to be joking! I've totally proven that I can hold my own out there."

"Angie you’re so little and some of those guys are so big. Look what happened to Grant and he's much bigger than you." Mom says.

"Yeah because he wasn't playing smart!" I counter, "You had no issue with this until Grant got hurt." 

"Because I don't want you to get hurt." she says.

"Even if I do get hurt the pain is temporary but the experience of me playing is forever!" I remind her.

"I'm not discussing this you’re not playing!" Mom says annoyed.

"Then Grant shouldn't be allowed to play!" After it comes out I realized I kinda just stabbed him in the back.

"He's more experienced than you." Mom explains.

"Dad help me out!" I beg.

"Look let's talk about this later and enjoy tonight." Dad says with finality. Just then our food comes out and I shut up and eat my burger.