No one answers the phone. On the fourth ring, I roll off my bed and search for it. I pitch several hockey magazines off my desk before I find it.
“Hello?”
“Hey!” Ian says. “The puck is signed. You should see his signature, Max. It’s crazy. Oh, and I got something for you too.”
“You did?” I sit on the edge of my bed listening to him.
“Yeah, Sidney had stuff on his table for free,” says Ian. “I grabbed you a poster.”
“Thanks, Ian.”
“No problem. Hey, a bunch of us are going to practice on the pond. Do you want to come?”
“Um, I’ll see if I can. Call you back, okay?”
I head downstairs. Mom is washing dishes, and Duncan is eating a sandwich.
“Um, I’m sorry about the lightbulbs,” I mumble.
She turns to face me and sighs. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. I’m just so…”
“It’s okay. Um, I was wondering if I could go skate on the pond with Ian.”
“I want to come too,” Duncan says with his mouth full.
“No way, Duncan!” I say. “You’ll be bored in two seconds.”
“You know, honey, that would be a big help. I do need to sleep, or I won’t be able to function.” Mom wipes her hands on the dishtowel.
“Are you serious? I can’t keep him busy while I’m skating!”
“I’m sure the puck leaves the pond every now and then. It certainly did when you and Daddy played. Duncan could collect them. I’ll make some hot chocolate for him. What do you think?”
I don’t know why she bothers asking. It’s not like I have a choice. “Fine!” I shove the chair into the table and glare at Duncan.
Ian and the others are on the pond when we finally arrive. It took forever to get out the door. I couldn’t find one of my hockey gloves. Duncan sat in the kitchen with his hat, mitts and winter coat on for a good twenty minutes while I searched the house.
“Took you long enough!” Ian yells.
He skates over and stops within inches of the edge of the pond.
“He skates fast,” Duncan says. Then he walks off to investigate something in the snow.
“Why is he here?” Ian whispers.
“Don’t ask!” I say.
“What’s he going to do?” Ian asks.
“Get the pucks for us.” I roll my eyes. “Mom’s idea.”
Duncan comes back and sits down on the bench.
“So…I hear you’re going to be the puck getter?” Ian says, leaning on his hockey stick.
“Yes, I am!” Duncan says in one of his deep voices. “Max, I’m going to be the puck getter.”
“I know.” I finish tying up my skates, pull the thermos out and hand it to him. “Here’s your hot chocolate. Careful— it’s hot.”
“I like hot chocolate,” Duncan says and then blows on it.
I glide onto the pond. I feel like I’m floating as my skates cut through the ice. I throw my boots on top of the boot pile that we use as a net and join the rest of the guys.
I skate around the pond a few times to warm up. The cold air stings my cheeks. I can’t help but smile. It feels good to be skating. It’s like Dad is right with me.
Duncan seems fine sitting on the bench drinking his hot chocolate. Maybe Mom was right.
“Can we play?” asks a familiar voice.
I whirl around. Oh, man! Twice in one day. Cody stands at the edge of the pond with four of his friends. I don’t recognize any of them.
Ian looks at me. I shrug my shoulders. If I say no, I’ll never hear the end of it. If I say yes, maybe he’ll forget about the lineup today. I nod.
“Yeah, all right,” Ian says. “We can split up—five on five.” The puck flies off the ice and lands on the path.
“Duncan! Can you get that?” I yell over to him.
“Yes, I can.” He walks quickly, spilling his hot chocolate along the way. “I found it! I found it!”
“Who’s that?” one of Cody’s friends asks.
“My brother.” I don’t look at the guy.
“Look at him go,” Cody says. He and his friends laugh. “What a dork.”
“Put your hot chocolate down and throw the puck,” I yell, pretending Cody’s laughter isn’t punching me in the stomach.
Duncan throws the puck, but it doesn’t reach the pond. He retrieves it and throws it again. This time it lands near the edge.
“I’m a good puck getter!” Duncan says proudly.
I skate over and scoop it up.
“Can we get this game going?” Cody bellows.
Duncan paces by the side of the pond waiting for the next puck.
“Over here, Max!” Ian yells.
I pass Ian the puck and then skate toward the net.
“Hey, watch it!” Cody says, after I cut in front of him.
“You watch it!” I snap.
“Ian! Over here!” I yell. He passes me the puck, and I fly up the ice and slam it into the net. The boots fly all over the place.
“Nice one!” Ian yells. He skates over, and we smack our sticks together.
Ian and I take charge of the puck for the entire game, playing like we’re on the Olympic team. We skate circles around Cody and his friends, which really ticks them off. During the second period, we’re five goals ahead when Ian scores a goal and lands in the net with the puck, taking the goalie down with him. This is Ian’s trademark move.
“Hey! What are you doing?” yells Cody.
I turn to see what Cody is complaining about.
“He’s got my boots!” Cody yells.
Duncan has a pair of boots in his arms. The other team’s net is gone. All the boots are in one big straight line across the pond.