Chalice of Dreams
Chapter 1
I walked out of my private bathroom, and back into my bedroom, sitting down on my bed to pull a clean shirt over my head.
It was 11 AM on a sunny Sunday morning in Toronto. It was September 29th, and the crisp autumn air flowed through the window above the head of my bed.
I got up, and opened my door, heading downstairs.
My name is Jake Belanger. I play center for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. I am 18 years old, and live with a billet family. Jim, Kate, and their daughter Sophie Hickenson had welcomed me into their home for the year, and I was very appreciative.
"Good morning everyone." I said, walking into the busy kitchen. "Sorry I slept in."
"It's fine Jake! Jet lag I bet!" Said Mrs. Hickenson. "How are you this morning?"
"Much better." I smiled. "I was tired after my flight yesterday.
I had flown in on the 28th from Edmonton, where I had played for the Oil Kings, and I had fallen asleep almost as soon as I got into my room.
I glanced around at the chaos unfolding in front of my eyes. Mrs. Hickenson was cooking breakfast, while Mr. Hickenson ran his briefcase to the door.
"Where's Sophie?" I asked Mrs. Hickenson.
"Right here." Sophie said shyly from the door way. She was in black soccer shorts, and a T shirt. She had her blonde hair up in a ponytail, and her feet were bare.
Sophie was passionate about soccer, and played on a U10 team in Toronto.
"How's your morning going?" I asked, walking into the room that she was in.
"OK." She said shyly.
"Where are your socks?" I asked her. "You can't play in your game today without the right socks!"
She shrugged.
"I can't find them."
"Want some help?" I asked, flexing my biceps. "I can find them."
She smiled, and led my to her room, where we proceeded to look for the socks.
"Found one!" She called from beside her bed.
"Just put it on your bed for now, until we find the other one!" I called to her, searching her laundry hamper. "Here it is!"
I held up the other black sock.
"You must have accidentally put it in the hamper." I smiled, and sat down on her bed.
She reached for the sock, but I held it away.
"You know what we do in the NHL, when you are a famous athlete?" I asked her.
She shook her head, and I continued.
"Before each game, we get a back massage, or we get our shoulders worked on, or something like that." I said.
She looked puzzled, and I grabbed her ankles, pulling her feet onto my lap. I gave her a quick foot rub, before heading back downstairs.
"Hey, I'm gonna take off for the arena at about noon." I told Mrs. Hickenson.
She nodded, and I grabbed the apple in her outstretched hand.
"Thanks!" I called, heading for the front door. "I'm just going to the Bauer store. I'll be right back."
She nodded, and I stepped outside, pressing the button to unlock the drivers door to my Lamborghini.
It was 11 AM on a sunny Sunday morning in Toronto. It was September 29th, and the crisp autumn air flowed through the window above the head of my bed.
I got up, and opened my door, heading downstairs.
My name is Jake Belanger. I play center for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. I am 18 years old, and live with a billet family. Jim, Kate, and their daughter Sophie Hickenson had welcomed me into their home for the year, and I was very appreciative.
"Good morning everyone." I said, walking into the busy kitchen. "Sorry I slept in."
"It's fine Jake! Jet lag I bet!" Said Mrs. Hickenson. "How are you this morning?"
"Much better." I smiled. "I was tired after my flight yesterday.
I had flown in on the 28th from Edmonton, where I had played for the Oil Kings, and I had fallen asleep almost as soon as I got into my room.
I glanced around at the chaos unfolding in front of my eyes. Mrs. Hickenson was cooking breakfast, while Mr. Hickenson ran his briefcase to the door.
"Where's Sophie?" I asked Mrs. Hickenson.
"Right here." Sophie said shyly from the door way. She was in black soccer shorts, and a T shirt. She had her blonde hair up in a ponytail, and her feet were bare.
Sophie was passionate about soccer, and played on a U10 team in Toronto.
"How's your morning going?" I asked, walking into the room that she was in.
"OK." She said shyly.
"Where are your socks?" I asked her. "You can't play in your game today without the right socks!"
She shrugged.
"I can't find them."
"Want some help?" I asked, flexing my biceps. "I can find them."
She smiled, and led my to her room, where we proceeded to look for the socks.
"Found one!" She called from beside her bed.
"Just put it on your bed for now, until we find the other one!" I called to her, searching her laundry hamper. "Here it is!"
I held up the other black sock.
"You must have accidentally put it in the hamper." I smiled, and sat down on her bed.
She reached for the sock, but I held it away.
"You know what we do in the NHL, when you are a famous athlete?" I asked her.
She shook her head, and I continued.
"Before each game, we get a back massage, or we get our shoulders worked on, or something like that." I said.
She looked puzzled, and I grabbed her ankles, pulling her feet onto my lap. I gave her a quick foot rub, before heading back downstairs.
"Hey, I'm gonna take off for the arena at about noon." I told Mrs. Hickenson.
She nodded, and I grabbed the apple in her outstretched hand.
"Thanks!" I called, heading for the front door. "I'm just going to the Bauer store. I'll be right back."
She nodded, and I stepped outside, pressing the button to unlock the drivers door to my Lamborghini.
