ImogenThe two days passed in a blur, honestly with sorting out packing, running between the restaurant, my apartment and getting the guest room ready and shopping for Luna to stay, I have been rushed off my feet.Cody left yesterday afternoon with a heavy heart, he told me he hated to leave me like this having to manage everything, but I told him it will be fine and tried to reassure him the best I can. Thankfully, his assistant has stepped in. She is organizing for someone to go to Lunas, having picked up the key from her in hospital to bring over her clothes, some books, not that she needs many, I have plenty and general personal items, you know chargers, cosmetics, underwear that sort of stuff.“You need a break, Immi.” Lukov tells me looking all refreshed from his day off.“I know, but there isn’t time. Honestly, I feel totally wiped out and I still haven’t had my period.”“Shit, that’s a while. Considered doing another test yet or how about you actually get one done at the surger
Cody“How are things, Bro?” Atlas asks me as we lace up our skates, another city another game, I never thought I’d feel tired of it all. I mean, I have lived and breathed ice hockey since I was a kid. But you know, now I just feel the sheer weight and enormity of life and I think it’s fucking with my head and then some.“Luna is moving into the Lake House until Immi comes to Austin.” I finish tying the laces, Atlas shoots me a look, there’s a slight glimmer of annoyance. Yeah, he knows all of Luna’s antics, hell he’s had to live them pretty much as I have since he is my best friend and Immi’s older brother.“Is that wise, what the hell?”“She bled a lot, and they need her on as much rest as possible. The only solution I could think of so someone could keep an eye on her, was for her to move to the Lake House and ask Immi to keep an eye on her.” Some of the guys jostle around us, they’re waiting for my pre-game speech, tonight we play Montana, not going to be an easy game that’s for su
ImogenLuna looks so frail sitting in the wheelchair, I can only understand her exasperation as the nurse smiles at me. It’s a different one today, much older with that kind of grey hair that the younger girls my age are all dying their hair to look like. She wears a coral lipstick and natural eyes; I am guessing in her hey day she was a stunner. Her name badge says Anne. She greets me.“You’re the young lady coming to look after our patient?”“Yes, that’s me. Imogen.”“Lovely to meet you, Imogen. You need to make sure this little one gets plenty of rest and I mean feet up kind of rest. The chair I understand Mr Brannigan bless his soul has purchased, so if you like you can always go out on nice walks together but using the chair. We don’t want anything to happen with the baby.”“Absolutely, I’ll make sure Luna rests plenty and of course, I’ll ensure she doesn’t overexert.”“Good and do you have a chair seat in the shower for you? It’s best we keep her as rested as we can.” Okay we do
Cody“For fuck’s sake.” I mutter as I try to jam my kit into my bag. It’s the same bag I use all the time for travel, and the very same bag that I’ve used for the last few years so why the hell isn’t it going right this morning?Right, you know why? Because I still haven’t heard from Immi. It’s been a long fucking four weeks and I’ve not had a response to any of my messages and she keeps avoiding my calls. I’m going crazy here and my heart is hanging on a thread.The loss and loneliness are beyond anything I’ve ever felt before. Literally, I feel torn up and damaged. I have even cried. Yeah, that’s right. Cody Brannigan the golden boy of NHL has been ugly crying. No one has seen it, naturally. I tend to do it at night when I’m laying in a lonely hotel room or when I’m back home alone in my bed.If you ever told me someone could die of a broken heart a few months ago, I’d have laughed in your face. Trust me, I think this is what is happening to me. I can’t hardly eat; my game is off, a
Imogen It doesn’t totally suck being back with my folks, it’s just you know, not what I had anticipated. Still, it is only another week, and I can move into the unit above my restaurant.Dad has been a life saver. There wasn’t too much we needed to do, the owners had made sure it was all cleaned and with the fresh paint, all I really needed to do was put my touch on it and it’s already looking like a proper girl’s den. It’ll be my den.I also met with the bank manager here in town and he has put me on a programme where I can get a grant for certain things, we’re going to install a solar system to eventually bring costs down for electric and dad said it would be better for me to go off grid for gas because it was cheaper than having the standard monthly rates.I’m currently in my childhood bedroom laying on the bed and staring up at the ceiling where my fairy lights are still hanging. And you know what, my heart still hurts after a whole month of being away from Cody. God, I miss him
CodyI couldn’t resist driving past where her folks live, I have to see her even if she doesn’t want to see me. My heart has never hurt before, never like this in any case. Sure, when I was a kid and our pet dog passed away, I was beside myself. He and I were buddies, like best buddies and my folks had brought Luka home when he was just twelve weeks old, and I was around the age of two.Luka and I had formed a bond from an early age and that dog was my entire life. Everywhere I went he came with me except to the rink. He slept with me at night on my bed and boy could that dog snore. Dad used to say we were inseparable and for the most part we were. It wrenched my heart out when I lost him, and it took me a long time to get over the loss of him.Some days, it still gets to me. You can’t love an animal like Luka the way I did and not have shit days over his loss even seven years on. So, when I say my heart is shattered over Immi, trust me it seriously is.I’ve parked up opposite her hou
ImogenI am having heart palpitations, just seeing Cody has messed with my head and my body. The draw to him is inexplicable, I told you already before he is like a drug and I am so hooked on him, yet I can’t relent. I need everything with this baby business and Luna to be sorted out. I can’t put myself through all the shit that he has coming his way right now and I know Luna from all the games she has attended, the way she hangs around all the hockey guys not to mention her post outs, that she is gunning for Cody and to be hooked up with him.But seeing him sitting in his car, his tousled dirty-blonde hair, not knowing whether he should smile or not, it has wrenched my heart and now I’m sitting in my car driving to the restaurant welling up. Why can’t I just go to him and tell him it will be alright? I want it to be alright but for some reason I have this stubborn streak inside me that won’t allow it.I have to focus on my business, I have to make it happen this time. After flopping
CodyI’m just about to board the flight and coach is scowling at me, yeah, he’s been doing a lot of that lately. I promise I’m going to try to clean my ice act up, this is not a game I want to throw away because I’m hurting and angry inside. There’s too much hanging in the balance. If we don’t make it through this game as winners, then we’re out of the cup final and that is definitely not something I want hanging over my head.“Sorry coach. Had something to do.” I tell him.“You are walking a thin line, Brannigan.” He tells me as I pass him and go take my seat at the back. Atlas, Calli and Nolan are already in their seats and the rest of the team. As usual it’s pretty raucous, everyone gets hyper excited before a game. We’ll land in Winnipeg around an hour and twenty minutes after take-off, for once it’s not a long flight.Thankfully, coach hasn’t imposed a training session tonight. Sometimes, he wants us to dump our stuff at the hotel then get straight to the rink. It can be exhausti