Chapter 11

Alright, if you remember… the story started out in April of 2007. When tragedy struck, it was June of 2007. There’s a bit of a time difference now. Read on ladies…

January 1, 2008

Juliet stared out at the scenery from the window of her kitchen. The waves were coming in from the Pacific and the sun was out even though it was early morning and the middle of winter. There was no way she’d be out in the water like her crazy neighbor… but the sun did look nice. Gramps was in the living room looking for the channel that the game was going to be on.

Max’s team, the Penguins, was playing the Buffalo Sabres today in what the NHL was calling the Winter Classic. An outdoor game, on a rink that was put up in a football stadium. Max wouldn’t be playing, he was injured. But she wanted to watch it anyway. It was as close as she could be to him, and she didn’t want to forget, even for a moment, what he looked like.

She heard a thumping out on her porch and initially she reached for the gun in the drawer by the sink. When she looked out the window though, her eyes softened and she smiled as her neighbor stomped his feet a few more times to try and get most of the sand off his sandals. In the few months since she’d moved her, she’d become fast friends with the quirky next-door neighbor and his European accent.

Mac had promised her that this was as safe as she could ever be, without feeling like her personal space was being invaded by agents. The house was constantly under surveillance, but she and her grandfather went about as if it were just the two of them.

Sure, she didn’t get to go out, but really… someone in her condition didn’t want or need to go out and drink and dance. Not exactly the smartest move she could make. But the one thing she’d asked Mac, was if she could make friends with her neighbors. He’d agreed that it wouldn’t be a bad thing, it would give her someone other than him, or Gramps, to talk to.

Tap, tap, tap.

Shutting the drawer firmly, Juliet walked over to unlock the screen door. The slightly dorky, extremely sweet neighbor stepped over the threshold and handed her a bag.

“Did you bring something for the game?”

“I bring us fresh fruit. It is still early, and so I thought that, under the circumstances, it was a good option. Your grandfather is joining us, yes?”

“I am son, and I have the perfect idea of what would go perfect with that fruit. How about I make us some pancakes?”

Juliet smiled as her grandfather, Arthur, walked into the kitchen. The thought of pancakes made her stomach roll. Max had been planning on making her pancakes that morning. Had it really been six months since that day? Sometimes it seemed like a lifetime.

“Juliet… doll… you okay?”

She nodded at her beloved family member and excused herself. She heard the two of them laughing as she walked into the living room and on the TV, there was some man talking to Max. He was so handsome. His face was scruffy, and he had on these chunky-framed glasses on. Her heart ached with her need to go to him.

Find them Mac. Find them and kill them. I miss him so much, sometimes I feel like I’ll burst.

“I did not know you were such a hockey fan. I mean, you’ve never said anything about it until now. Do you follow the sport closely?”

“No… I just… I knew a guy who played, and this game seemed like it was something special.”

“So… you’ve never seen a game before?”

Juliet shook her head.

“We could change that. Anaheim has a team. They’re pretty popular around here. What if I got you and Arthur tickets to their next home game?”

She thought about it. Wondered if it was something she could do.

Fuck it, I need something other than this damn beach house.

She decided to call Mac after the game and tell him that she’d be going, and that he either needed to get agents there, or come himself. Smiling, she nodded to her neighbor.

“We’d love to go. Would you be sitting with us too? I’ve heard you and your friends talk about hockey before. You could probably explain things to me better than if I was watching on my own.”

“That would be difficult. I kind of… work at the arena.”

“You do? Well that sounds like fun!”

“It’s amazing. Juliet… you don’t know who I am do you?”

“Should I?”

To her amusement, he blushed and stretched out his arms, cracking his knuckles in a nervous manner.

“Not to make myself seem extremely awesome, but… I play… for the Ducks.”

Juliet stared at him. He didn’t look like a hockey player. Well… he didn’t look like Max. Or Geno. He could’ve pulled off Flower’s stature… a light bulb went off and she laughed out loud. He seemed to jump at the sudden noise.

“That’s why you and Bobby are always talking about hockey. I thought that you were just an obsessed fan or something. This definitely makes more sense! Why didn’t you… How come you never told me Jonas?”

“I didn’t want you to like me because of what I do. When you moved in beside me, I wanted to get to know you because you seemed like you needed a friend. It took me three weeks to get you to look at me! I wanted to tell you, but it was refreshing to meet someone who didn’t want to talk to me because I played professional hockey. Don’t be mad, okay?”

“You’ve been a great friend to me since I moved here. I wondered what you did that had you leaving now and then, but not always the same span of days. And I’m not mad, not at all. But thank you for finally coming clean.”

Jonas smiled back at her and she could tell he wanted to say something but then Gramps hollered from the kitchen that the food was ready and they went in and grabbed food before settling in to watch the game. He explained different calls to her, what the overtime consisted of, and when it came down to a shoot out, he explained that as well.

“So if Crosby scores here, the Penguins will win?”

“Yes. And he’s young, but he’s a very talented player.”

Juliet’s eyes were glued to the television screen. She watched this Sidney person skate down toward the goalie and as he shot the puck he threw his hands in the air, screaming for joy. The announcers were beside themselves as they both shouted that the Pens had won the game and she blinked back tears.

Congratulations Max. I love you.

Turning her head, she caught Jonas looking at her thoughtfully. She quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Can I ask you a question?”

She nodded, sitting back and sinking into the couch.

“This guy that you once knew, the one who played hockey… what happened between the two of you?”

“I broke his heart.”

“Why?”

“Circumstances beyond my control forced me to leave him.”

“How long ago was this?”

“Six months.”

“Do you love him?”

“With every fiber of my being.”

“Will you ever be able to talk to him again?”

“I’d like to think so. But right now it’s out of my hands. Hopefully someday… someday I’ll be able to explain why I left the way I did.”

“You seem like a good person Juliet, so I hope you get that chance.”

“You do?”

“I do. Because one day, she’s going to want to know about her father.”

He leaned over and placed a hand on her stomach, and Juliet felt the little one inside her kick against his palm. The tears threatened to spill again and she wiped at her eyes while she told her friend as much as she dared about her past. Who she fell in love with, and how she hoped to right every wrong between them. When she was done, he pulled her into his arms and for the first time she really cried about losing Max. After the tears slowed, she looked up at her friend.

“Thank you for today.”

“You have been a good friend Juliet. I hope that our talk, and my promise of hockey tickets, has lightened your burden. And when, not if, you get to talk to this man… if he doesn’t forgive you, you come find me. I’ll get the boys together and we’ll set him straight.”

Juliet giggled at the thought of some of his teammates going after Max.

“You’re a good man Jonas Hiller.”

He smiled and kissed her hand.

“It will all work out, in the end. You of all people deserve the chance to be happy. I will see you tomorrow.”

That night, as she lay in bed thinking about everything that Jonas had said, she prayed that he was right. That it would work out. She didn’t want to have to do all of this on her own, and she wanted, more than anything, for Max to know that he was going to be a father. The baby flipped over, kicking as he or she moved.

“Don’t you worry. Uncle Mac will get rid of the bad guys. And once it’s safe, you and I are going on a little plane ride.”

But a month and a half later, in a small and private hospital room, Juliet held a tiny bundle in her arms. The little angel was sleeping peacefully and Mac was talking to the armed guards at the doors in case anyone tried anything. Gramps was down at the cafeteria getting coffee, and that left the man in the rumpled suit in the corner.

He had driven over after the team got back from Boston. He stirred slightly and she whispered to him.

“Jonas… come look.”

Waking up and shaking his head, she smiled at him as he stepped over and stared down at the baby girl.

“She’s beautiful. Did you decide on a name?”

“Yes. Genevieve. Genevieve Marie Talbot.”

“I’ll help you protect her. I promise.”

“I know. And I’m sorry that I’ve sworn you to this secrecy… but until it’s safe…”

“No one else will know her last name.”

“I want you to be her godfather. And if something happens to me… you know how to reach Max.”

“Nothing will happen to you. Mac wouldn’t let it.”

“Promise me Jonas… If not for me, then for her. You and Mac are the only two who know about Max. Please.”

“I will gladly take on the responsibilities of godfather, but you don’t freak out like this. You’re going to be fine.”

She hoped he was right. And she kept her fingers crossed that this nightmare would end soon.