“And a little less speed.”
“This is like Disneyland,” Kenny whispered.
“Without the happiness,” I told him, and we both laughed.
“Shut up, you guys,” Wendy said, swerving as she shot us a look in the rear-view mirror.
“Eyes on the road,” Mum said quietly.
“I
know
,” Wendy growled.
“When are you getting your license?” Kenny asked.
Wendy’s glare was back. “I already have it,” she snapped.
“Holy smokes,” Kenny whispered.
“That doesn’t mean she’ll keep it,” I whispered back and we both snickered.
“I heard that, Nugget,” Wendy growled.
“Everybody mind your own business and let’s just get there in one piece,” Dad said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Wendy snapped. “I’m a perfectly good driver when I’m not being harassed.”
“Just watch the road, honey,” Mum told her, closing her eyes as Wendy swerved hard to miss a squirrel.
“If I die, you can have my rookie Viktor Slatov card,” Kenny whispered.
“I’ll probably die with you and I hate that guy,” I whispered back.
“I hope your parents paid their insurance.”
“My dad sells it, Kenny.”
“Then he’s a smart guy,” he said, as his body slammed against me on another hard turn.
Of course he was.
My dad was about to lead the Cougars to the championship.
No doubt about it.
Chapter Eight
When Kenny and I got to the locker room, it had to be the gloomiest place on the planet. No one was talking and joking like they usually did. Instead, my whole team was dressed for the game, but acting like they were on their way to a funeral.
“What’s the deal?” I asked, dropping my bag on the floor.
“My dad went and saw Coach at the hospital last night,” Colin sighed.
“He’s having surgery,” Jeff groaned.
“I know,” I told them, then wished I hadn’t when they all turned to stare at me at once. “What?”
“You
knew
?” Patrick asked.
“Yeah, my mum told me the other day.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Colin demanded.
“I didn’t have a chance.”
“Whatever,” Colin said, shaking his head, “So, now the next few games are a bust.”
“No they aren’t,” I told them. “My dad’s still going to coach.”
“No offense, Nugget,” Chris said. “But that’s not exactly good news.”
“More like the opposite,” Jeff said.
“We’re doomed,” Colin said.
“Huh?” McCafferty grunted as he woke up for a second or two, then conked out again.
“No, we’re not,” I told them. “Dad has a plan and —”
“Dad has a plan?” Colin mocked. “I’m sure jumping up and down will stop the Penguins, Nugget.”
“And Comox,” Jeff added.
“And Shoreline,” Kenny chimed in.
I turned to glare at him. He was supposed to be on my side. Dad’s side.
Wait a second
.
We were splitting into sides?
“You sound like a bunch of scared little girls,” Eddie said, from the corner.
The guys turned toward him.
“But we aren’t ready,” Colin said.
“Aren’t ready?” Bosko laughed. “We’ve all been playing hockey for our whole lives. Nothing’s changed.”
“But now that Coach is —” Chris started, but Bosko cut him off.
“Nothing’s changed,” Bosko said, this time a lot louder. Then he left the locker room. The chatter died down and I put on my gear. When I pulled on my lucky socks, I thought about how important it was to win.
The team had to see that Dad was the guy for the job, even if he didn’t do things exactly like Coach O’Neal.
When I slipped into my shoulder pads, I knew it was time to play harder than ever before.
I pulled on my jersey and took a deep breath.
Then I grabbed my helmet and joined my team, ready to lead them to victory.
* * *
Nanaimo looked pretty threatening in their blue and black uniforms, but I could never figure out why they were the Penguins. I mean, why would anybody name a sport’s team after something that
waddled
?
And would a penguin stand a chance against a cougar in
“This is like Disneyland,” Kenny whispered.
“Without the happiness,” I told him, and we both laughed.
“Shut up, you guys,” Wendy said, swerving as she shot us a look in the rear-view mirror.
“Eyes on the road,” Mum said quietly.
“I
know
,” Wendy growled.
“When are you getting your license?” Kenny asked.
Wendy’s glare was back. “I already have it,” she snapped.
“Holy smokes,” Kenny whispered.
“That doesn’t mean she’ll keep it,” I whispered back and we both snickered.
“I heard that, Nugget,” Wendy growled.
“Everybody mind your own business and let’s just get there in one piece,” Dad said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Wendy snapped. “I’m a perfectly good driver when I’m not being harassed.”
“Just watch the road, honey,” Mum told her, closing her eyes as Wendy swerved hard to miss a squirrel.
“If I die, you can have my rookie Viktor Slatov card,” Kenny whispered.
“I’ll probably die with you and I hate that guy,” I whispered back.
“I hope your parents paid their insurance.”
“My dad sells it, Kenny.”
“Then he’s a smart guy,” he said, as his body slammed against me on another hard turn.
Of course he was.
My dad was about to lead the Cougars to the championship.
No doubt about it.
Chapter Eight
When Kenny and I got to the locker room, it had to be the gloomiest place on the planet. No one was talking and joking like they usually did. Instead, my whole team was dressed for the game, but acting like they were on their way to a funeral.
“What’s the deal?” I asked, dropping my bag on the floor.
“My dad went and saw Coach at the hospital last night,” Colin sighed.
“He’s having surgery,” Jeff groaned.
“I know,” I told them, then wished I hadn’t when they all turned to stare at me at once. “What?”
“You
knew
?” Patrick asked.
“Yeah, my mum told me the other day.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Colin demanded.
“I didn’t have a chance.”
“Whatever,” Colin said, shaking his head, “So, now the next few games are a bust.”
“No they aren’t,” I told them. “My dad’s still going to coach.”
“No offense, Nugget,” Chris said. “But that’s not exactly good news.”
“More like the opposite,” Jeff said.
“We’re doomed,” Colin said.
“Huh?” McCafferty grunted as he woke up for a second or two, then conked out again.
“No, we’re not,” I told them. “Dad has a plan and —”
“Dad has a plan?” Colin mocked. “I’m sure jumping up and down will stop the Penguins, Nugget.”
“And Comox,” Jeff added.
“And Shoreline,” Kenny chimed in.
I turned to glare at him. He was supposed to be on my side. Dad’s side.
Wait a second
.
We were splitting into sides?
“You sound like a bunch of scared little girls,” Eddie said, from the corner.
The guys turned toward him.
“But we aren’t ready,” Colin said.
“Aren’t ready?” Bosko laughed. “We’ve all been playing hockey for our whole lives. Nothing’s changed.”
“But now that Coach is —” Chris started, but Bosko cut him off.
“Nothing’s changed,” Bosko said, this time a lot louder. Then he left the locker room. The chatter died down and I put on my gear. When I pulled on my lucky socks, I thought about how important it was to win.
The team had to see that Dad was the guy for the job, even if he didn’t do things exactly like Coach O’Neal.
When I slipped into my shoulder pads, I knew it was time to play harder than ever before.
I pulled on my jersey and took a deep breath.
Then I grabbed my helmet and joined my team, ready to lead them to victory.
* * *
Nanaimo looked pretty threatening in their blue and black uniforms, but I could never figure out why they were the Penguins. I mean, why would anybody name a sport’s team after something that
waddled
?
And would a penguin stand a chance against a cougar in
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