Unwritten Words
Chapter 1
On a rainy day in late October Kara Robinson entered the Ristuccia Memorial Arena in Boston. She didn’t particularly want to be here. Staying at home in her bathtub with a glass of hot cocoa sounded more pleasant than this, but it was her job after all. Well, more or less.
With her twenty-five years she’d already published six books. At the age of nineteen she’d sent her script to a few agents and found someone who wanted to work with her. One of her teachers had told her that her imagination was too big for one person. Apparently that paid off now, because she earned more than enough money to support herself.
Then why was she at the practice rink of the Boston Bruins, Boston’s hockey team and 2011 Stanley Cup champions? Because of her agent. He’d said that she should make sports a topic in her next book. Women loved, as he put it, sports hunks and it would be good for the sales figures.
“Why hockey? Why not soccer?” That had been her father’s first question. He’d moved to America at the age of twenty and was originally from Germany. Soccer would always be his favorite sport and Kara had inherited at least a little bit of that love. She knew a lot about soccer and watched international games, always supporting Germany. It helped that she’d grown up bilingual and was fluent in English and German. In addition she knew a little bit of Spanish, Italian and French because of her books.
She’d asked herself the same question. Why ice-hockey? Not that she didn’t like the sport, but she didn’t know a lot about it. She’d seen a few games on TV and had been to one with her last boyfriend, but he’d ruined that trip.
Her agent had a simple answer for her: “The Bruins are a great team. They won the Stanley Cup last year, they made the Playoffs this year and they are looking good in their first games this season already. You live in Boston, Kara, so I thought hockey might be more interesting for you than baseball or basketball.” He had a point there. He knew that Kara had seen at least a little bit of hockey, baseball and basketball not so much. “And their trainer, Claude Julien, Is a good friend of the family, so it was no problem to talk him into this. He knows that you’re not a reporter and that you don’t want to exploit them in any way. He’s actually looking forward to meeting you and having you around.”
That explained a few things. Still, Kara would have loved to be home in this weather more than being here and having to explain her intentions to a bunch of hockey players. Because that was what she needed to do now. Nobody, except for the trainer, knew why she was there and that she would be travelling with them.
Taking a deep breath and smoothing down her shoulder-length, light brown hair, she kept on walking towards the person she knew was Claude Julien. She’d dressed in dark jeans, a gray sweatshirt, her leather jacket and red high heels that clicked on the ground and made Coach Claude turn around to face her. His face immediately lit up as he reached for her hand.
“You must be Miss Robinson, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He firmly shook her hand and led her along the way to the ice.
“Please, call me Kara.” She liked the man. She knew that he could be rough and tough, but right now he seemed really down to earth and genuinely happy to see her.
“Only if you call me Claude.”
“Deal.” Kara couldn’t suppress a smile, but that vanished as they came closer to the ice. She shouldn’t worry one bit but she did. She was used to talking in front of huge crowds of people so what was different about this situation? There were only men. Big, intimidating men and this was a new situation for her. The next time she would meet them would be easier, but today was exciting, not in a good way. “Claude, they don’t know why I’m here, right?”
“No, they don’t. I only told them that someone would be coming over here after practice and that they needed to stay. I wasn’t sure what to tell them.”
“Okay. It’s good to know where I have to start.” Kara heaved a sigh and concentrated on walking. This was not going to be pleasant, but she had to get it over with. Maybe they wouldn’t be as hard on her as she thought? One could still hope.
“Don’t worry, they’re good guys.” They reached the rink and Kara simply stared for a moment. There were more than twenty men out on the ice still shooting pucks at the net. All of them looked so concentrated, focused but at the same time she heard laughter from a couple of them.
Together with Claude she stepped to the edge of the rink, so that the guys on the ice could notice them. The coach didn’t have to say a word. After a few seconds all of them were gathered in front of Kara which made her slightly uneasy. A look of puzzlement on most guys’ faces made it even harder for her to speak, but she knew she had to do it.
After Claude Julien quieted them down and most of them had taken their helmets off, he introduced Kara to the group and encouraged her to talk.
“Hey.” This wasn’t so bad for a start now, was it? “As Claude already said, I’m Kara and I am a writer. I’ve published a few books and my agents want me to focus on hockey for the next book, so they set me up with you guys.” Okay, keep going, Kara. You can do this. She was talking to herself in her head, encouraging herself because this was not as easy for her as it should be. “I need to learn about hockey in general, the terminology, the way you guys act around each other, with the fans, the atmosphere in the arena and all that. I am not a reporter and I will not put anyone of you in my book. You don’t have to worry about that.” She scanned the faces that still looked a little confused. “I will travel with you and I would really appreciate it if you behaved normal then. Just act like I’m not around or whatever. I guess that’s it for now. Do you have any questions for me?”
“Yeah. You got a boyfriend?” Someone from further back asked. Kara didn’t see who it was, but she didn’t have to ask, because Coach Claude stepped in.
“Tyler, do I need to lecture you about respect again?”
“No, Sir. I’m sorry.”
Tyler Seguin. Oh, Kara had heard and read about him.
“Okay. I’ll be at the game tomorrow with a friend. You’re leaving for Toronto in two days, so I’ll be on that flight as well. If you want to know anything about me, the book or whatever, just ask me then, okay?” Kara looked a little lost. She was used to people asking questions, not a bunch of sweaty hockey players who weren’t able to open their mouths. Well, except for that Seguin guy.
“Thank you Kara, I’ll take you to your car.” Claude looked at the guys one more time before turning around and walking Kara out.
With her twenty-five years she’d already published six books. At the age of nineteen she’d sent her script to a few agents and found someone who wanted to work with her. One of her teachers had told her that her imagination was too big for one person. Apparently that paid off now, because she earned more than enough money to support herself.
Then why was she at the practice rink of the Boston Bruins, Boston’s hockey team and 2011 Stanley Cup champions? Because of her agent. He’d said that she should make sports a topic in her next book. Women loved, as he put it, sports hunks and it would be good for the sales figures.
“Why hockey? Why not soccer?” That had been her father’s first question. He’d moved to America at the age of twenty and was originally from Germany. Soccer would always be his favorite sport and Kara had inherited at least a little bit of that love. She knew a lot about soccer and watched international games, always supporting Germany. It helped that she’d grown up bilingual and was fluent in English and German. In addition she knew a little bit of Spanish, Italian and French because of her books.
She’d asked herself the same question. Why ice-hockey? Not that she didn’t like the sport, but she didn’t know a lot about it. She’d seen a few games on TV and had been to one with her last boyfriend, but he’d ruined that trip.
Her agent had a simple answer for her: “The Bruins are a great team. They won the Stanley Cup last year, they made the Playoffs this year and they are looking good in their first games this season already. You live in Boston, Kara, so I thought hockey might be more interesting for you than baseball or basketball.” He had a point there. He knew that Kara had seen at least a little bit of hockey, baseball and basketball not so much. “And their trainer, Claude Julien, Is a good friend of the family, so it was no problem to talk him into this. He knows that you’re not a reporter and that you don’t want to exploit them in any way. He’s actually looking forward to meeting you and having you around.”
That explained a few things. Still, Kara would have loved to be home in this weather more than being here and having to explain her intentions to a bunch of hockey players. Because that was what she needed to do now. Nobody, except for the trainer, knew why she was there and that she would be travelling with them.
Taking a deep breath and smoothing down her shoulder-length, light brown hair, she kept on walking towards the person she knew was Claude Julien. She’d dressed in dark jeans, a gray sweatshirt, her leather jacket and red high heels that clicked on the ground and made Coach Claude turn around to face her. His face immediately lit up as he reached for her hand.
“You must be Miss Robinson, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He firmly shook her hand and led her along the way to the ice.
“Please, call me Kara.” She liked the man. She knew that he could be rough and tough, but right now he seemed really down to earth and genuinely happy to see her.
“Only if you call me Claude.”
“Deal.” Kara couldn’t suppress a smile, but that vanished as they came closer to the ice. She shouldn’t worry one bit but she did. She was used to talking in front of huge crowds of people so what was different about this situation? There were only men. Big, intimidating men and this was a new situation for her. The next time she would meet them would be easier, but today was exciting, not in a good way. “Claude, they don’t know why I’m here, right?”
“No, they don’t. I only told them that someone would be coming over here after practice and that they needed to stay. I wasn’t sure what to tell them.”
“Okay. It’s good to know where I have to start.” Kara heaved a sigh and concentrated on walking. This was not going to be pleasant, but she had to get it over with. Maybe they wouldn’t be as hard on her as she thought? One could still hope.
“Don’t worry, they’re good guys.” They reached the rink and Kara simply stared for a moment. There were more than twenty men out on the ice still shooting pucks at the net. All of them looked so concentrated, focused but at the same time she heard laughter from a couple of them.
Together with Claude she stepped to the edge of the rink, so that the guys on the ice could notice them. The coach didn’t have to say a word. After a few seconds all of them were gathered in front of Kara which made her slightly uneasy. A look of puzzlement on most guys’ faces made it even harder for her to speak, but she knew she had to do it.
After Claude Julien quieted them down and most of them had taken their helmets off, he introduced Kara to the group and encouraged her to talk.
“Hey.” This wasn’t so bad for a start now, was it? “As Claude already said, I’m Kara and I am a writer. I’ve published a few books and my agents want me to focus on hockey for the next book, so they set me up with you guys.” Okay, keep going, Kara. You can do this. She was talking to herself in her head, encouraging herself because this was not as easy for her as it should be. “I need to learn about hockey in general, the terminology, the way you guys act around each other, with the fans, the atmosphere in the arena and all that. I am not a reporter and I will not put anyone of you in my book. You don’t have to worry about that.” She scanned the faces that still looked a little confused. “I will travel with you and I would really appreciate it if you behaved normal then. Just act like I’m not around or whatever. I guess that’s it for now. Do you have any questions for me?”
“Yeah. You got a boyfriend?” Someone from further back asked. Kara didn’t see who it was, but she didn’t have to ask, because Coach Claude stepped in.
“Tyler, do I need to lecture you about respect again?”
“No, Sir. I’m sorry.”
Tyler Seguin. Oh, Kara had heard and read about him.
“Okay. I’ll be at the game tomorrow with a friend. You’re leaving for Toronto in two days, so I’ll be on that flight as well. If you want to know anything about me, the book or whatever, just ask me then, okay?” Kara looked a little lost. She was used to people asking questions, not a bunch of sweaty hockey players who weren’t able to open their mouths. Well, except for that Seguin guy.
“Thank you Kara, I’ll take you to your car.” Claude looked at the guys one more time before turning around and walking Kara out.
I know I'm kind of late but I really enjoyed this story!
12/31/13