"The rehearsal dinner invitations are being sent out today, yes?" I asked.
"I took them to the post office this morning," Coty confirmed," And we should be closing on the house next week, if all goes according to plan."
"Finally!" Ty joked walking into the main room of the apartment," I can have my own space. Not that I don't like spending time with you two or anything, but privacy doesn't exist here."
"Shouldn't you be getting ready for practice?" Coty questioned.
"Okay, I'm going," Ty groaned, throwing his hands up in defeat.
I leaned back into Coty. This was the first time that we both had a weekend home. Lightning didn't have a game, our bye weekend was much appreciated by the boys. Coty however, was playing the Pens tonight, for the first time since being traded.
"My mom is so excited about the wedding," Coty laughed," It's all she's talked about for two weeks now. Even my dad is happy about it."
"That's great Coty," I smiled," How is your dad these days?"
He shrugged," He's good. I forgot to tell you, he came to my game in New York. We talked for a while, probably the first non bs conversation we'd had in a while. It was nice."
"That's good, I'm happy for you," I replied," I know it's been a long road for the two of you. Especially these last couple of years."
"You know, he actually told me I was doing good by marrying you," He laughed," He didn't even criticize the proposal, he even approved of Tyler. He wants to take the three of us out to dinner next time he's in town."
I nodded, and then started thinking about everything he'd been through with his dad in the last years. They went from not talking again after Coty graduated, to slowly building a relationship. They didn't talk often even now, but they were working towards something.
The same couldn't be said for my father. I hadn't said a single word to him in over six years. Charlie had seen him a few times, but not very often. Brandon was the one who talked with him the most, Jared came in at a close second. My youngest brothers just wanted to try and have a relationship, I understood that. Charlie just wanted his son to have the chance to know his grandfather, I understood that too. Part of me, a very small part, wanted to see him again, invite him to the wedding, have him there when I married the love of my life.
"You guys ready?" Ty asked walking out with his sports duffle bag.
"Actually, I forgot I have an errand I have to run," I said standing up," Coty, the um practice plan is on my desk, but Con and Kyler should know what to do."
"Callahan, babe you've never missed a practice," Coty laughed,"What's going on?"
"There's just something I need to do, and I don't think it can wait," I told them grabbing my keys," Oh and Tyler, if I hear that you got into a fight today, all because I wasn't there to stop you, I will kill you."
"Yes ma'am," He laughed," I'll see you at the game then?"
Almost an hour later, I parked my car outside of a townhouse in Cary. Although I'd never officially been here, I'd driven by a couple of times in the last months.
I gathered up my courage and got out of the car. My hands were shaking as I knocked on the front door. I was silent praying no one would answer.
But somehow, I wasn't disappointed when the door swung wide open, and I was met with a man I'd only seen a handful of times in the last ten years.
"Callahan, wh-" He stopped and shook his head, before opening the door for me," Please come in."
I awkwardly took a step inside the house," Hi...dad."
Five minutes later, we were both sitting in his living room, sipping on sweet tea of all things. Neither one of us said a word, we simply just looked at one another, trying to figure out what to do.
"I guess I should congratulate you on the rink, and your team. It's all Jared and Brandon ever want to talk about," He admitted.
"I couldn't have done it without the Mason's," I replied," And my old teammates, they've been helping coach and run the rink."
"He wouldn't been proud of you. Joshua would've been proud," He said slowly.
"He would've been a kickass coach," I smiled at the thought.
I tried to decide if I wanted to breech the subject that brought me here. Sitting here now, in front of him, I wasn't sure if I could do it.
"I see you got engaged," He pointed to my ring," To that Bruner boy too."
"That's why I'm here, actually," I told him," The wedding is in a month."
"That soon?" He questioned, but then the surprise faded," You don't want me there, do you?"
"Every girl dreams of having her dad walk her down the isle on her wedding day," I mumbled," Not me. I just dreamed you'd show up before then, and when you did I realized I didn't need you to start with."
"Callahan I-"
"You're my father, I know that. But you aren't a part of my life, you haven't been for years. I'm grateful for you, I am. But I don't need you," I stated," Mom did an amazing job raising Jared and I. We did just fine without you. I get that Jared and Bran want to have a relationship with you, that's fine."
"Callahan, I'm sorry-"
"I'm sure you are. I just thought you should know about the wedding," I said standing up.
"You should know Callahan, before you decide to cut me out for the rest of your life, that I tried," He spoke up," I tried to be a good father to you, and your brothers, but I always went about it all wrong."
"Yeah, you did," I replied," But even despite all of that, I am the person I am today, because of you. I remember how confusing it was to have you home one day, and the next mom was trying to explain why you left. I had to learn how to stand alone after that. I was eight, and I somehow had to step up and be there for my baby brother. I had to grow up for too soon, but I'm thankful for that now."
I took a deep breath and glanced at my phone. I'd been here a lot longer than I thought. Tyler was texting to see where I was, and if I planned on getting to the PNC anytime soon. I smiled a little as I replied letting him know I'd be there with plenty of time to spare before the game started.
"Your fiance? He has a big game tonight," I could tell he was trying, maybe he'd changed for once.
"No actually," I replied," It's our foster son, he was asking where I was."
"You're foster son?"
"His name is Ty, he's sixteen," I replied," He's one of my players as well."
My phone went off again, this time it was actually Coty, with his pregame check in. I sent him my normal reply, promising that I'd be right where I always was, and that he better keep his head off the ice for me.
"I should go," I said putting my phone back in my pocket.
I didn't wait for him to say anything before I started walking towards the door. He slowly started to follow behind me, not saying a word. I almost felt bad for everything now. He was, after all, my father. But when had he ever really been that to me? But still...
"I'm glad you're happy Callahan," He said honestly as I reached the door," I'm sorry that I wasn't better for all of you. I'd do things differently now, if I could."
I stepped out of the door and onto the porch," I wouldn't. Because if you changed anything, I'd likely not have Conrad and Brandon."
He looked down and nodded. We both knew this was over, and would most likely be our goodbye. I shifted on my feet before opening my mouth," Goodbye Dad."
"Goodbye Callahan," He said quietly," I never told you before, but I was proud of you, all those years. I still am."
I nodded, feeling a rather large lump in my throat. I turned slowly and started walking back to my car. I didn't stop until I heard the sound of his front door close, then and only then did I allow myself to look back.
But that would be the only time that I'd look back.
I pulled into the parking lot at PNC, and grabbed my jersey from the passenger seat. A ton of people were already pre-gaming out here. I even saw a couple of kids playing shinny out towards the back of the lot. We all used to do that as kids, and now one of us was actually playing here.
I smiled to myself as I tugged on my jersey. I'd bought it before the very first game of the season, it'd actually been one of the very first Carolina jerseys with Coty's name and number to be purchased. I proudly sported the number 28 with Coty's last name sprawled across my shoulders. Pretty soon, it'd be my last name too.
I pulled my badge out of my bag and showed it to the guard at the front door, he merely smiled as he opened the doors for me and allowed me in through the back door. I waved to a couple of the staff as I made my way through the corridors of the rink.
I was getting ready to climb the stairs to the main level of the rink when my phone started ringing again.
"Hey babe," I said answering it after seeing it was Coty," What's up?"
"Are you here yet?" He questioned.
"Actually, I'm just down from the locker room," I replied," I was getting ready to head up and find Ty."
"Wait for like two seconds?"
I rolled my eyes and turned around, knowing he was now coming to find me. He'd try and do this before every game if I let him. But normally I was already out sitting by the ice with Ty. It didn't take long for him to round the corner. His face lit up, but I could see that he was nervous about tonight.
"Have I ever told you how good you look in my jersey?" He questioned.
"Not doing this today Coty," I laughed," But maybe later."
He smiled and wrapped his arms around me," So are you going to tell me where you disappeared to today?"
"Maybe after," I replied," How are you feeling about the game?"
He let out an almost shaky breath," Little on edge honestly. But I'll be alright."
"Yeah, you sure?" I questioned.
"It's just weird you know? Playing against them when I've played with them for so long," He shrugged," I'll be good though, just need to through the first few minutes of chirping. Is Ty already here?"
"Yeah, he's waiting on me," I confirmed," Just play your game Coty, don't worry about the Pens."
He raised his eyebrows," I think this is the first time that you're going to a Pens game, and you aren't actually pulling for them. You aren't hiding your old Crosby shirt under my jersey are you?"
"Absolutely not," I laughed leaning in," I'm all yours now."
"I like the sound of that," He replied pulling me closer.
"Hey Bruner! Quit the love fest and let's go dude!" One of his teammates yelled from right outside the locker room.
Coty rolled his eyes, and leaned down to kiss me before letting me go. I watched as he walked away from me, and made a vulgarer gesture to whoever had interrupted us. My money was on Hanifin, maybe Skinner.
A little over an hour later, Ty and I were placing bets on who'd start the first fight, and when it'd happen. I didn't care who ended up fighting, but if Coty did get in a fight, I just wanted him to win. I'd told him just that for a few years now.
No matter how many NHL games I'd gone to in my lifetime, nothing beat the feeling I got when the lights went down and the siren blared. But now, the most important bit was hearing them announce Coty's name as part of the starting lineup, and seeing him take the ice. Now that, I knew I'd never get over.