Fire & Ice - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

The final week of school came with a force of a hurricane. It was hard enough to get through all of my finals this week, then I had to worry about moving out and making sure all of my hockey arrangements were in order. But finally, the end of the week came and all of my bags were packed and ready for my flight home.
As we made it though the week, I spent some time at the hockey house and spent a lot of extra time with Toni. After graduating, Toni is moving back home to Connecticut take a job at a marketing firm. She also already has a few coaching jobs lined up as well. On her last day on campus we got lunch together and she got a phone call. At first she wasn't going to answer it but second guessed herself and took the call, thinking it was her new job. Turns out we were both wrong. It was actually a phone call from the coach of the USA women's national hockey team calling to inform her that there is an open try out for select post graduate women they wanted her to attend. We both sat there in shock for a few minutes before Toni burst into tears.
When Toni collected herself she also received all of the information through an email and we went over it together. The national team is calling and I couldn't have been prouder and more excited for my friend. Our lunch lasted a little bit longer and then we said goodbye. Even though we are close in geography, I know it will be a while before I see Toni in person again. So the last hug we had together we clung onto each other a little bit longer to savor the moment. The tears only came after I started walking back to my dorm.
Saying goodbye to my girls Becca and Stacey wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. Becca is returning to Maine while Stacey has a long drive ahead of her back to St. Cloud Minnesota. Becca and I already have our flight's book to be back in Wisconsin the second week of August so we can get the house up and running and get back into form. And along with that flight, I even convinced the two of them to come down to Boston for the fourth of July. I wanted to throw a big house warming party once we get home but thought to push it till the 4th to make is special.
But I think the hardest goodbye I made this week was with Cassie. After we leave school the first time I'll see her again in person is in the middle of June when I fly out to see her for ten days. Then she will be coming to Boston for the 4th of July party and will be staying for a two weeks.
Our last day came and it was hard for the both of us. These past 8 month spent living with each other has honestly been the best and most stable time of my life. Saying goodbye, even just for now, didn't come without a bucket of tears and a lot of kisses and promises to facetime while we are apart.
I left campus first to make my flight with Travis. We both booked the same flight home and I was happy to have my buddy with me. But having to load my bags into the back of a waiting uber and saying goodbye to my girl on the sidewalk, felt like I was ripping my heart out and leaving it here with her. I only pulled away from our hug because Travis pulled into the waiting uber so we didn't miss the flight.
When we arrived home, Malcolm and Alyssa were waiting for us in baggage claim. Even though mom wanted to come pick me up, she had an appointment with Doctor Gamble and I insisted she not cancel it. Since I came home for spring break, mom has had regular appointments with Doctor Gamble and I think that things are looking up. After taking three weeks off after the initial shock of PJ dying and dealing with all the repressed trauma from her years married to him, mom is back at work and her appointments with Doctor Gamble are now every two weeks instead of twice a week.
Alyssa and I talked about it on our way back home. I wanted her unbiased opinion and Alyssa didn't hold back. From what she told me, Mom has been having less nightmares and seems more upbeat then Alyssa has seen her in a long time. The nights that she does have them, they haven't been as severe. After staying awake for a little while to work through the panic, she has been able to go back to sleep. It put me a bit more at ease by the time we got home.
The move was finalized and everything that I packed up with Cassie in March was stacked in my room to go through along with my hockey gear that was already shipped home ahead of me from the team. Mom got home about an hour after we did and I barely had time to turn around before she almost tackled me into a hug. I held on to her tightly, happy to finally be home.
The first week at home was mostly spent moving everything into my new room. It turns out that I had more stuff then I thought I did because I almost couldn't fit it all in here. But once everything found a home, I felt a bit more at peace not having to live out of suitcases and boxes any more.
The end of May came and went and before I knew it, it was already June. The warmth of the summer sun was making itself known here in the New England area and Travis and I started to spend our summer days down at the beach. The weather was too nice not to get some time down by beach. We also started to plan the 4th of July party. A lot of our old neighbors were coming down to the new house along with some of our old travel hockey team friends. Elliot and the rest of the band is coming into town and they agreed to play that night so our parents can see them live for once. This party is going to be epic.
One day instead of going down onto the sand, Travis and I dusted off our old roller blades and went down to the boardwalk. It wasn't a humid day and the sun wasn't super strong so we thought that it would be a nice day to get in a leg work out by skating up and down the boardwalk. Of course Travis skating in just swim trunks were making girls neck snap toward us as we raced down the boardwalk. Me on the other hand was wearing a cut off tank and swim trunks as well.
Finally we decided to take a break and bought some water bottles and took a seat on one of the benches to relax our legs for a while.
"Hey, there is something I wanted to talk to you about." Travis said and put started to unlace his skates.
"What's up Travi?" I asked and turned towards him.
"I think I'm going to quit hockey, and school in general." Travis said and I spit out the water I had in my mouth.
"What?" I ask wanting him to finish his train of thought.
"Dad Without a Child got a few phone calls from managers and it turns out people want to sign us. Our Instagram video's from our shows have really taken off and there is a lot of buzz around the band. We haven't made a final decision yet, we were going to take a few weeks to think it over before coming to a final vote, but I think I'm going to do it." Travis said playing with the water bottle in his hand.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" I asked trying to make some sense of this bomb Travis just dropped on me.
"You've known me since we were in elementary school Mac. When have I ever not been playing music? I've been trying to either find a band or create one without any petty drama getting in the way and I found it and we work, so well together. College will always be there for me if the band ends up failing and hockey, well you saw how last season went. Barely any playing time on a team that isn't focused together." Travis said and sighed.
"You put a lot of thought into this, haven't you?" I asked.
"Yea, our month is almost up. I've been the main hold out. The rest of the band is already in, they are just waiting on me. I still haven't told mom and dad yet. I think I'm going to do it in a few days though because we need to start signing contracts and the manager we are going to sign with wants us in a studio to start recording the songs we have right now because there are a few tours in the fall he wants to try and get us on." Travis said.
"It's like warp speed for you then once you sign." I said.
"Pretty much." Travis said.
"If this is what you want to do then you know I 100% support you dude, always have, always will." I said and gave Travis a smile.
"Thanks Mac." Travis answered and leaned into me as we sat on the bench for a little while longer.
We took the long way back to his waiting car and I was so relieved to see the dark blue Ford in the parking lot. I kicked off my skates as Travis started up the truck and we were off. He drove us to get some lunch at one of our favorite delis before he drove me home. I showered off the sweat and when I was done I curled up on the couch with Frank before facetiming with Cassie. I told her about what Travis said and her eyes bugged out. But overall she was really excited for him.
Cassie and I talked for a while longer before hanging up when mom and Alyssa came home about an hour later. The pair were both dressed in street clothes with a backpack slung around an arm. Mom went right off to their room to shower while Alyssa went into the kitchen and came back with a beer in her hand.
"Rough day?" I asked at their quiet entry.
"Yea, one of our trauma surgeons was in a car accident and they brought him into our hospital to treat him. He was circling the drain when we got to him. We worked on him for about an hour before your mom pulled me off of him and forced me to call the time of death." Alyssa said and took a large gulp of the beer. I didn't say anything but just took the beer from Alyssa and wrapped her in a bear hug.
We stayed like that until mom was finished with her shower a little while later. The mood was somber through the rest of the night. I picked us up some burgers for dinner from the diner Alyssa loves and we just relaxed on the couch. The next couple of days mom and Alyssa were both off and we spent them together as a family.
The weather was so nice out a few days later that I forced mom and Alyssa to come down to the beach with me. I wanted to get them out of the house and out of their heads for a while. The beach was a good idea as we spent the day laying in the sun and going in and out of the ocean to cool off from the heat. In the late afternoon we called it a day and returned home. Mom was planning on making chicken enchilada's for dinner and it was going to take her a while to prepare everything. Apparently, her cooking skills have improved since her and Alyssa started living together and I was excited to see it in person.
So after we were all showered and cleaned off from the beach we went into the kitchen and mom started to get everything she needed for dinner. Alyssa helped a little bit with chopping up the chicken while I just watched the pair from the barstool drinking a beer.
"Okay, everything is all prepped now just to put it all together. No refried beans on this side though because I know you don't like them honey and no olive's because you're allergic. Any requests from you Mac?" Mom asked and looked up from the pan.
"Just another beer." I said after I finished off my beer.
"Not until dinner." Mom said and started to roll up the first enchilada.
"I have one." Alyssa said and I looked up from my phone and looked at her. There was something in the tone of her voice that made me question what she was about to do. I saw Alyssa reach into her pocket and I knew she was about to propose. Quickly I opened up the camera on my phone and started to record.
"What's that?" Mom asked in the middle of putting chicken into another tortilla.
"Marry me?" Alyssa proposed. Mom dropped the spoon she was using onto the floor and looked up at Alyssa with wide eyes.
"What?" Mom asked with tears in her eyes.
"I Alyssa Barrell am asking you Felicia Bertinelli to marry me. This past week has showed me that we could die tomorrow and before I do go, I wanted to at least get the chance to ask the women I've been in love with for almost ten years now to marry me." Alyssa said with tears filling her eyes as she pulled the ring out of her pocket.
"I've had this ring since February, just waiting for the right time to ask because I wasn't even sure you would want to get married again. It was something we never talked about and even if you don't want to get married again that's fine because at least I had the nerve to ask." Alyssa said and I could help the tears falling from my own eyes.
"Yes, yes I'll marry you." Mom said a few moments later and I watched as Alyssa closed the gap separating them to pull mom into a tight hug. When they pulled away they sealed it with a kiss.
I let the video continue as they kissed and finally they broke apart and Alyssa slid the ring onto moms finger. That's when I stopped the video and almost vaulted over the island to get to them. I pulled them both into a hug and I got to see the ring again on mom's finger and I couldn't be happier.
It took mom a few minutes to get herself together and get back to making dinner. I couldn't help myself but grabbed a drink for all of us from the fridge and cracked them open. Alyssa and I glupped down the beer and chatted away for a few minutes about the ring before mom spoke again.
"Wait, McKenna you knew about this?" Mom asked looking back and forth between the two of us.
"Yea, Alyssa and I talked about it back in March. She didn't know when or where she was going to ask or even if she was going to ask. Only that she wanted my permission to ask for your hand and I gave it to her." I said keeping the more private parts of that conversation between Alyssa and I.
"You guys" Mom said as a new wave of tears started to fall from her eyes.
"I know how you wanted to cook tonight babe, but what about we go out to celebrate instead." Alyssa asked as she wrapped her arms around mom.
"Fine but I need to get cleaned up." Mom said and wiped away her tears.
It took us about a half hour to get out the door. We went to one of our favorite bar restaurants and started off by buying a bottle of champagne to celebrate. While we were there I asked mom if I could tell Travis and Cassie about their engagement and they said yes and I was relieved. I wanted to tell Travis so I could get out of the house tonight to let them have some alone time.
I decided to just ask Travis if I could stay over tonight and I'll tell him when I get there. As for Cassie, I just sent her the video. A few minutes after I hit send, I got a facetime call from her and I answered. She started yelling at me in excitement and I couldn't help but laugh. Then I flipped my phone around so Cassie could talk to my mom for a minute. There was a little bit of yelling congratulations before mom gave me back the phone and we switched from facetime to a regular phone call.
Cassie got all of the details from me about the proposal as we finished dinner and I paid the bill. After the bill was paid for I said goodnight to Cassie so we got leave the restaurant. When we got home I took mom's car keys and told them I'll be staying at Travis' house for the night so they could be alone and I swear mom almost thanked me before I left.
I don't even know how it was possible but Travis was more excited for my mom then Cassie was. After I got to his house I made him watch the video and he started screaming in excitement. We were so loud that we woke up Dawn and she came running into Travis' room wanting to know what was going on so I told her as well. Dawn shed some happy tears and gave me a tight hug. She went to go call my mom but I told her to hold off tonight, that there was a reason why I was staying over here tonight and not at home. Dawn just laughed me off and told her she will be calling her tomorrow instead. Finally, my mom is getting her happily ever after.