Game Winner (The Penalty Kill Trilogy #3) (6 page)

So I tell her that I’m out until I lose the headaches and sleeping problems and then I’ll be able to ease back into the game. The more I talk, the deeper she frowns. She was clueless about most of what I’m telling her because I didn’t say anything before. But then I make her get dressed before the guys get back. A few days away from here could do me good, I think.

“
I’ll follow you, okay?” I ask as we stand outside between our cars.

“
Okay.”

“
I love you.” I lean down and give her a kiss.

“
I love you too.”

Presley

I wake up and carefully get out of bed. I’m going to class, but I want Levi to rest. I felt him toss and turn all night. Each time I would rub his back or his temples, it seemed to help with the headaches.

After class, I bring a pizza home for Levi. I know that he needs to leave in a couple of days to be reevaluated, but I’m going to get him better. He feels a little better that the coaches from the AHL called him and are looking for a speedy return. However, he stills feels like he blew his only chance in the NHL. I know that’s not true, but he isn’t listening to that.

“Levi, I’m home,” I call out coming into the apartment. “I brought pizza.”

“
Hell yeah,” I turn to see Trevor rubbing his hands together, grabbing the box from my hand.

“
Trevor, what the hell are you doing here?” I’m taken aback that he’s here.

“
We are playing Xbox,” Levi says, sitting the controller down and following us to the kitchen table.

“
Making sure we keep up his eye-hand coordination.” Trevor grabs a slice as I hand them both a bottle of water.

“
When did an Xbox get here?” I don’t own any gaming consoles, and I know Levi’s isn’t here.

“
I brought mine over,” Trevor informs me. “We’re going to go work out here in a little bit.”

I look over at Levi. “Are you supposed to be doing that?”

He shrugs. “I’m going too.”

I shake my head at him. He’s so damn stubborn. He’s going to rush this and be in worse condition than before. Trevor asks me about class, and I go in detail about how hard this semester is going to be for me. However, I’m glad that it’s halfway over. I just need to keep up with extra work that I’m doing, so I don’t fall behind.

Between Levi and Trevor, they devour the pizzas. I’m lucky I get a piece. When we all are done, I gather the plates and begin to clean up.

“
Alright, Levi, I’ll meet you at the gym. Love ya, Twin,” Trevor yells as he leaves.

I lean against the counter and Levi comes closer to me. We stare at each other for a moment.

“I can see the steam rolling off of you, Smarty. What’s wrong?”

I cross my arms and give him the meanest glare that I can muster. “I think you’re pushing yourself. The doctors told you to rest. But instead of that, you’re playing video games and going to work out.”

“Smarty, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“
Yes it is,” I throw my hands in the air. “Your well being is all I care about. Not hockey.”

“
ENOUGH!” Levi yells so loud that I actually jump. “I don’t want to hear anymore. I’m sick and tired of everyone telling me that hockey isn’t a big deal. It’s my
life
. It’s my career.”

Levi has never yelled at me like that. Not to the point to scare me. Levi’s face is tight, and his eyes are fueled with anger. My heart is racing as he stares me down. I don’t know what to say or do.

Finally, he walks away from me and slams the front door. I release the breath that I didn’t realize I was holding. Tears flood my eyes, and I don’t know what I did. I grab my phone off the kitchen table and call Marley.

“
What’s up, Pres?”

“
I need my friend,” I hurry the words out.

“
I’m on my way.” God, I love her. She is always there for me.

In no time, Marley’s walking through my door. I don’t know what came over me, but I rush to her, hugging her tightly. I quickly start crying.

“Holy shit, Presley.” She hugs me back just as hard. “You’re shaking. What happened? Where’s Levi?”

I’m sobbing so hard, I can’t say anything. She smooths my hair and calms me down enough to talk.

“Something’s wrong with Levi,” I tell her as we sit on the couch.

“
Okay, before I jump to conclusions, explain to me what you mean.” Marley holds my hand.

I begin to tell her everything that has happened since the night that Levi got hurt. I told her about his mood swings and the rough sex. Even though I enjoyed it, it did scare me a little. I know that Levi would never hurt me, but today in the kitchen, I actually doubted myself.

“Are you kidding me, Pres? I don’t think Levi could ever hurt you. I truly believe that in my heart. But I think that there is something else wrong. I mean, he got hurt in his first game in the NHL. Everyone was watching.”

“
It’s just a game, Mar. At the end of the day, it’s a game,” I remind her.

“
To you and me, it’s a game. To Levi, and even Trevor, it’s their life. They might love us, but hockey is their real true love. I know that you know this already.”

I nod. I do. “But his career isn’t over. He just thinks that it is.”

“Pres, in his eyes, he embarrassed himself in front of the Penguins, the fans, and the NHL. His pride is hurt. Men have this thing about their ego’s running their lives.”

I put my head in my hands.

“I’m not saying that Levi should have done what he did, but you need to give him some space too,” she continues.

I don’t look up at her. I hold my position, thinking about her words. She pulls me up and takes me in the bathroom. She grabs a washcloth from the hall closet and runs it under water. Marley squeezes out the excess water and begins to wipe my face.

“Why do you always do this for me?” I ask her.

“
Because I’m your best friend and sometimes, a little attention isn’t a bad thing.”

When she’s done, we go into the kitchen. She goes to the fridge, grabbing me a bottle of water. We hear the keys jingle in the door. We both stand and go to the living room. I watch as Levi and Trevor come into the apartment. Levi looks sad.

“Marley, didn’t know you were here?” Trevor comes over to her and gives her a quick kiss.

“
Trev, will you do me a favor?” He nods. “Stand by Presley.” Marley walks around him and goes straight for Levi. He knows she is about to lay into him. Instead, she pushes him with all her might. He actually stumbles into the wall.

“
Whoa, what the hell am I missing?” Trevor looks at me and back to Marley.

“
Let me explain something to you, Mr. Carr. That is my best friend.” She ignores Trevor and points at me. “If you can’t get your head out of your ass and go back to the Levi we love and care about, then you will have to answer to me. Plus, you scare her again, I will release Trevor and your dad on you. Do I make myself clear?” Her voice is low and a serious tone.

“
What the fuck is going on?” Trevor’s chest is heaving. I touch his arm and he looks at me.

“
It’s fine.” I’m trying to calm Trevor down. When I glance at Levi, he looks like he is about to cry.

Levi puts his hands up, like he’s surrendering. “I was upset. I didn’t mean to scare her. I swear on my life, I would never hurt her.” Levi’s voice is nothing but sadness.

“Good.” Marley steps away from him. “Trevor, we need to go because they need to talk.” Trevor looks between all three of us. He’s confused and pissed.

“
I’m fine, Trev. I promise.” I kiss his cheek, and he nods.

Marley takes his hand and leads him to the door. Levi and I stand in the living room, not saying anything. We just look at each other. I can see the hurt plastered all over his face.

“Smarty, I’m sorry. I would never hurt you.” He makes no move towards me. He stays against the wall. It’s then I see the first tear fall from his eyes. Levi is crying. I rush over to him and wrap my arms around him.

“
Just talk to me, Levi. Let me be there for you. I can’t help you heal if I don’t know what’s going on,” I say. My neck is wet from his tears, and he holds me tightly in place. We stand there for the longest time until Levi and I finally stop crying.

I lead him over to the couch. “Talk to me please,” I plead with him.

Levi rubs his face and pushes his hands through his hair. “What if they don’t want me back?”

“
Levi, you’re not the first hockey player to have a concussion.” I rub my hand up and down his back, trying to keep him calm.

“
I was on the ice with the greatest players in the world, and I crashed into the boards.”

“
What? Do you think that those great players haven’t crashed into the boards before?”

He doesn’t say anything. He looks ahead.

“Levi, I asked you not to be a jerk when you came here. You scared me today. I want you to get well. I want you back on the ice, but you have to think of your well-being first and hockey second.”

“
I’m sorry, Smarty. I want back on that ice. I want that feeling I got when I was in that locker room. That night, I sat there and couldn’t believe where I was there. I thought about Dad and you in the audience, watching me. I wanted my mom there. I just wanted to be the best on the ice.” He gets up, kneels down, and faces me. “I’ve been saying this a lot, but forgive me, again.”

I run my hands through his hair. “Levi, I’m here for the long haul. With or without hockey, I’m going to be by your side. Please remember that we are a team, but you have to let me in, Levi. You can’t shut me out all the time.”

“I give you my solemn vow, Presley. I love you and I want you to help me through this.” He kisses me. As he kisses me, I feel his warmth and love pulsing through me.

Levi

With my forehead resting against hers, I close my eyes and whisper, “I’m so sorry I scared you, Presley. I don’t know what happened.” I feel so terrible about it. Presley was upset, but we were just talking, and then I exploded on her. The rage rose quickly and took over before I even realized it. I’m ready to get some rest because my head is killing me, but I wanted to tell her that first.

“It’s okay. I know you didn’t mean it.” Her voice is soft, so I open my eyes to look at her. “I know that hockey is your number one in life, and I’ll do whatever it takes to help you get back out there, all right?”

“
Thank you.” I kiss her gently, about to ask her if she’s ready for bed, but she speaks first.

“
Levi,” she starts tentatively. “You were already upset when you came back from the gym. Why?”

Without really meaning to, I sigh. “Let’s go to bed, Smarty.” I stand, but Presley grabs my hand and stands as well, frowning.

“This is what I’m talking about. You aren’t talking to me. Didn’t we-”

“
I’m not-” My voice rises with a sudden sweep of anger, and I immediately stop to take a deep breath. Calmly, I continue, “I’m not avoiding this, Presley. I’m tired and I’ve got a headache. Please come to bed with me, and I’ll tell you in the morning. Promise.”

She stares at me for a moment before nodding. Silently, we change and get ready for bed. Smarty is last to get into bed. Before she even has the chance, I tug her to me. I want to feel her against me tonight and find comfort from her touch. Maybe tonight I will get some decent sleep.

“I love you,” Presley whispers with a kiss over my heart.

“
I love you too. So much.” I hold her tightly with my words.

It doesn’t take long for us to fall asleep, but it also doesn’t take long before I wake right back up. I’m laying on my back, staring at the ceiling, and Presley is cuddled up to me with her head on my chest. After two hours have passed, I’m still awake and feeling antsy like I need to move or pace. Slowly, I get out of bed without waking Smarty. The urge to pace back and forth is almost too hard to resist.

Instead, I take a seat on the couch with my elbows on my knees and rest my head in my hands. With all my concentration, I inhale long, slow, deep breaths hoping that will relax me. Every muscle in my body feels like it’s rung tight with so much pressure that it might burst from the force. I just need to relax, so I can go back to bed and get some sleep.

Time passes, but I don’t know how much. I’m still sitting in the exact same position, still taking deep breaths, and still feeling so tense.

“Levi?” My head turns at the sound of Presley’s voice. She’s standing at the threshold to her room. “What are you doing? Is everything okay?” She asks as she walks towards me.

I lean back and Smarty sits sideways in my lap, placing her arm around my shoulders. “Yeah, everything’s fine. Just can’t sleep, so I was trying to relax.”

“You looked like you were doing a terrible job.” She smiles slightly.

I chuckle. “I was. What are you doing up?” I run my hand up and down her back. She usually sleeps soundly all through the night.

She shrugs. “You weren’t in bed. Are you just not tired?”

“
No, I am somewhat. I’m feeling antsy,” I answer honestly.

“
Want me to rub your back?”

When I nod, she gets up and leads me back to the bedroom. Presley rubs and kneads the muscles in my back, and it starts to soothe me. Quietly, I voice one of my fears.

“How long do you think this will last? The trouble sleeping, the anger, the headaches. What if it never goes away?”

Presley is full of determination as she says, “It will. You just have to follow the doctor’s orders.”

Right. I have to rest and keep my stress levels low. Soon, with Presley’s magic hands, I’m able to fall asleep.

~ ~ ~

What better way to rest and not get stressed than to lay on the couch and watch cartoons all day? Presley had an early class this morning, so she was already gone when I woke up. I actually slept in. So today, I’m stretched out on Presley’s couch, my feet hanging off at the other end with one arm behind my head.

These cartoons sure are different than when I was younger, but one thing that hasn’t changed is Spongebob. I hate to say it, but this is probably the most relaxed I’ve been since my injury and I haven’t had a headache at all today. If this keeps up, I’ll be back in no time. It’s my first good day, giving me hopes that it’ll last.

My phone rings in the afternoon and it’s my father.

“
Hey, Pops,” I answer.

“
Levi, how are you feeling?”

“
Really good, actually.” It feels awesome to say that.

“
That’s great, son. I was calling to see if you would like to come up and have supper with me tonight?” He asks.

“
Sure. I’m actually staying with Presley for a few days, so I’m already nearby.”

Pops chuckles. “Thanks for letting me know. Bring Presley too. I’d love to see her as well. Be here between six and seven.”

“Okay. We’ll be there.”

After I’ve hung up with him and lay back down on the couch, Presley walks through the door. She drops her things in the kitchen before coming into the living room. Smarty straddles my lap, running her hands up and down my chest.

“Well, hello to you too,” I grin.

“
I can’t help it. You look so hot laying here and my day sucked.” She leans down, kissing me hard. I grab her hips, about to pull her shirt up when she pulls away from me. “How do you feel today?”

“
Good. I’ve been right here all day and I’ve been watching cartoons.”

As if noticing for the first time that the TV is on, Presley laughs when she sees the pink starfish falling down. “I’m happy you’ve had a good day. You know, you still haven’t told me why you were upset yesterday.” She leans down to lay her chest against mine, with her hands diving into my hair and her forehead on mine.

“I wasn’t ready,” is all I say. When Trevor and I started yesterday, I got dizzy quickly, and I knew right then to not push it. So I sat around while he worked out. “Pops called,” I add.

“
Oh yeah?” She smiles.

“
He wants us to go eat dinner at his house. Are you coming with me?”

“
Of course. I miss Victor. Homework can wait until later.”

I grip her hips tightly. “Your day sucked?” She nods. “Want God Levi to make it better?”

Presley laughs, rolls her eyes, and slaps my shoulder. “You’re such a romantic, Levi. I’m happy to see that you really are feeling better though. Obviously.” Her hands lightly trail over my chest. “Am I going to get God Levi or Angry God Levi? I mean, it was hot and really good, but...” She trails softly.

I have no words, only sorrow that I’ve scared her. “How about just Levi?” Leaning forward, I kiss her gently and soon, I’m taking her clothes off.

~ ~ ~

Dinner with my father went great as usual. I spent the next two days doing absolutely nothing while Presley was in class. Once she was home, I still didn’t do anything. Today marks the fourth day without any headaches, being dizzy, or any other post concussion symptom. I’m hoping this means I can start playing soon. I’m not used to not playing, practicing, or doing something that relates to hockey. I’ve done nothing lately, and I miss it.

Part of me feels bad that Presley was right. Hockey is my number one. She should be in that spot because I love her. But hockey has it and the fact that she knows it, knew it before I really did, bothers me a little. What can I say though? It
is
my life. It’s not just a game, a sport, or something I do for fun. I breathe hockey because I need it.

That’s why I’m hoping for a good report from my evaluations today. When it’s all said and done, I have another week off. They don’t want to rush putting me back in, so if I can have another week symptom free, I’ll start back on the ice.

“We’re taking this slow, Levi.”

That’s what they told me exactly. Basically, I’m not having symptoms, which is good, but I’m not doing much of anything either. The true test will be when I start working out and start practicing again. The question now is what am I going to do for the next week? Staying with Presley will probably be the best as far as resting and staying stress free. I give her a call.

“Am I the only person in the world who doesn’t want to take another week off to relax?” I ask when she answers.

She laughs. “Probably. Is that what they want you to do?”

“Yeah. Hopefully by doing this, when I start working out and practicing again, my  symptoms won’t come back. This means you have me for another week. Excited?”

“
Eh. I guess,” she giggles.

“
I love your enthusiasm,” I deadpan and she laughs again. “I’m on my way back once I stop by the house to grab a few things.”

“
Okay. I probably won’t be there when you get back. Mom called and she wants to meet for dinner, but I’ll see you after?”

“
Sounds like a plan. Have fun.”