Crossing the Line

“So how did you meet Logan?” Dougie asked trying to probe conversation as he and Jackie walked to her favorite coffee shop. Jackie just laughed and shook her head. “You know, most guys would comment on the unseasonably warm weather this fall or ask about my day at work. But you, you Dougie Hamilton go right for the good stuff,” Jackie said still laughing. Dougie blushed slightly and shrugged his shoulders. “When you make conversation you’re supposed to ask people about things they like, I have yet to find out what you like more than Logan,” Dougie defended still blushing. Jackie nodded her head and had to hand it to him that he hadn’t seen her like anything except for Logan. “Well I love hockey. I grew up in the middle of nowhere upstate New York and hockey was a common lifestyle,” Jackie told him. “Upstate New York? How the hell did you end up this far from home?” Dougie asked more curious now than before. Jackie shrugged, “Logan’s from here and we wanted to play together in college so when we got scouted by the same school out here we went for it.” Not seeing around the parked Jackie went to walk across the street only to have Dougie grab her arm and pull her back. Before she could say anything a car whizzed by, a car that would have easily killed her. “I owe you,” she told Dougie with a smile. “Height has its advantages,” he smirked down at her. Jackie rolled her eyes and went to walk again, looking more carefully this time. “So Mr. Hamilton, why all the questions?” Jackie asked glancing up at him. “I’ve never been allowed to meet one of Logan’s friends before so you must be something special. Plus I have a funny feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of each other,” Dougie told her referring to the fact that Adam and Logan were currently hanging out with various patients, hence why they were going out for coffee. “I’ll give you that. So what about you? Anything I should know about Dougie Hamilton?” Jackie asked curiosity getting the better of her. “I have a brother and I’m from Canada. That’s really about it,” Dougie said shrugging. They walked in silence for a few moments before Jackie spotted the Thinking Cup and grinned in excitement.
“Want to play a game?” she asked peering up to see Dougie’s reaction. When Dougie responded that he would Jackie stopped walking. “Let’s play twenty questions but every time you don’t want to answer a question you have to buy the other person something from the case,” she said getting the idea from a book she and Logan had loved in high school. “You better answer a lot because I can’t break my diet too much,” Dougie said smirking, knowing she would pass more. “You’re on,” Jackie narrowed her eyes and walked into the shop. After ordering their drinks the two sat down at a table and stared each other down until Dougie spoke first. “Do you have any siblings?” he asked. Jackie nodded her head taking a sip of her tea and holding up three fingers. “Who’s the favorite?” Jackie asked and laughed when Dougie answered it was Freddie without hesitation. “Back to my original question, how did you meet Logan?” Dougie asked, it had peaked his curiosity when she avoided the question earlier. Jackie paused for a moment to consider him before speaking. “I don’t remember how old we were old enough to know what was happening but young enough to not be in middle school. Whatever the age, Logan and Cam moved in down the street from me. My brother and her brother were fast friends since they played hockey together. Not wanting Logan to be left out we used to invite her to play street hockey with us. Plus it evened out the teams since neither of my sisters played. Anyway after a few years their foster family had to move and couldn’t bring them so my mom fought to have them live with us and she won. So, I that’s how I met Logan. Street hockey and then we shared a house for years,” Jackie said with the ghost of a smile on her face. “Logan and Cam were in foster care?” Dougie asked surprised, he had never heard that before. Jackie’s expression darkened. “I assumed you know since Adam and Tuukka know, she doesn’t like to talk about it. Cam is more okay with it than she is. Don’t bring it up. Ever,” Jackie warned her tone suggesting a fierce protectiveness. “I don’t plan on it. But I do believe it’s your turn to ask,” Dougie said turning the conversation back to safe ground.
“So where are we sleeping tonight?” Logan asked her eyes begging Jackie to say what she wanted to hear. Jackie nodded her head but didn’t respond, she was preoccupied with thoughts of her coffee date. “I’d offer a penny for your thoughts but I feel as though they’re worth more than that,” Logan said looking at her best friend’s pensive face. Jackie sighed, “A couple things but only two we need to be concerned with right now. Have you made plans to go out with Alex since your date and can we get a dog.” Logan laughed and shook her head. “Well for your information he surprised me with dinner the other night when I worked the overnight but we haven’t talked about going out again. We have talked though,” Logan said addressing the first of Jackie’s concerns. “As for a dog, I suppose that might work since between the two of us we’re never away from home for more than six hours which I think a dog could handle. We’d have to rescue one though so we should probably start looking. And gathering resources,” Logan trailed off thinking about the process while Jackie squealed in excitement. “We’ll have to name him after a player,” she declared packing a bag to take to the condo. Logan leaned against Jackie’s doorframe already ready to go and nodded in agreement. “A player who fits his personality. But not a Bruins player, past of present,” Logan said shuddering to think all the teasing she would endure if Andrew Ferrence, Shawn Thorton, or Johnny Boychuck found out her dog was named after one of them. “It will have to be a team we know well enough through some means in order to be able to judge the player’s personality in comparison to the dog’s,” Jackie said. The two left their apartment and headed for the condo that would be their permanent residence within two weeks. “Can we finish the wall tonight?” Logan asked still thinking about what to name a dog. Jackie rolled her eyes, “We have a whole place to finish decorating and you’re worried about a wall. Not your room but a wall.” Logan just stuck her tongue out and pulled a list out of her pocket. “I have most of them I’m just missing a few of our brothers’ good ones and some Eleanor ones. Oh and I have a Flora Nightingale,” Logan said frowning at the words in front of her. “It should be a boy,” Jackie announced abruptly on the Green Line. Confused and still thinking about her list Logan gave Jackie a look. “The dog. Imagine if we named it after a player who ever found out that he had a girl dog named after him,” Jackie said. Logan gave her a hard look. “What in the name of fuck does the gender of the dog have to do with anything?” she demanded her eyes narrowing. Jackie brushed off her defensiveness, she was used to it.
“So have you seen Tuukka lately?” Jackie asked peering at Logan to see her reaction. Jackie and most of the wives/girlfriends had a pool for how long it would take Logan and Tuukka to get together. “Not once this week. He’s been training all week. Which he should he just signed a very expensive seven year contract that ate up most of the cap but still,” Logan said with a sigh and a dejected look. “Call him tomorrow,” Jackie suggested. “I’m supposed to call him tonight or he’s supposed to call me. Either way we’ll talk later,” Logan visibly perked at her words. Getting off the Green Line the two made their way to the condo laughing and joking.
“Let’s do this,” Jackie said walking into the living room with a case of Mike’s Hard Lemonade, their preferred ‘let’s get trashed’ drink. Laughing Logan popped the cap off of one and took a sip before picking up a piece of chalk. “You should put music on,” she said starting to copy over the words from her paper. “Whose music though?” Jackie called from the stereo. Logan shrugged, her cursive looping together neatly. When Shipping Up to Boston blared from the speakers Logan jumped causing a huge chalk line through her words. “Fuck you bitch,” she yelled to Jackie who was setting up her room. “If you want to fuck me so bad get in here,” was the response along with a cackle. Logan laughed and ignored her going back to her task.
Logan groaned and tried to roll over but found herself landing on the ground. The giggles that woke her up turned into full-blown laughter. Lifting her head up Logan found herself glaring at her brother, Tuukka, Adam, Dougie, Greg and Milan. “Hush, Jackie’s still sleeping and my head hurts,” Logan whispered her fingers rubbing her temple. “Well I should think so, there are two empty cases of Mike’s in here. You two left bottle everywhere,” Cam smirked and Tuukka extended a hand to help Logan up. “Why are you all here anyway?” she asked still trying to keep her voice quiet as Jackie stirred on the couch. “Well I called you last night and you never answered so I figured you and Jackie were doing something. Then this morning I went to your apartment to surprise you with a breakfast date but your apartment was empty and the beds unslept in so I called around to see if you were with your brother, Adam, Brittany, or Katie and you weren’t. We got worried and decided to check here before going on a man hunt and here we found you two hung over and asleep on the couch,” Tuukka explained. Logan smiled and kissed his cheek as Jackie spoke for the first time. “Well then fuckers if you were so worried about our well being get the coffee pot going,” she said pulling herself into a seated position. “She had more last night,” Logan whispered for only Tuukka to hear. “I like what you two have done with the place. This is definitely my favorite,” Greg said pointing to Logan’s quote wall. The wall had been painted with blackboard paint and then Logan had added quote important to both her and Jackie. “Hey Pat and I made it!” Cam exclaimed seeing their quote in two different places. “No matter what you have to clear it with me first,” Milan read looking at Cam questioningly. “Big brother protection, we have to okay all the guys,” Cam explained tossing Logan a wink that made her blush.
“How about a shower and a breakfast or rather lunch date?” Tuukka asked looking down at Logan. “I’m so in for that,” she agreed looking up at him and taking off for her room ignoring her headache. The guys were all milling around the condo looking at how the girls had decorated it but Jackie was giving Tuukka a hard look. “We all know,” she said quietly her eyes daring him to challenge her words, so he did. “Know what?” Tuukka asked sitting down on the couch letting Jackie put her feet in his lap. “That you think she hung the moon,” Jackie said simply as she closed her eyes against the bright light in the room. Tuukka rolled his eyes and tried to think of a way to respond. The two sat in silence both thinking about the same thing when Logan interrupted. “Jacqs, will you braid my hair?” Logan asked kneeling down her damp already starting to curl. “After your lunch date we’re looking into a rescue effort. No questions asked,” Jackie said as her expert fingers twisted Logan’s unruly hair into a French braid. She went to nod her head but Jackie tugged her hair harder. “Do I look alright?” Logan asked quietly thinking that Tuukka couldn’t hear her from his seat on the other end of the couch. “You look lovely as always. Now have fun. I’ll take care of these goons,” Jackie laughed motioning to the five behind the couch trying to find their quotes.
“It really does look amazing,” Tuukka said referring to the apartment as they walked towards Newbury. Logan beamed and told him about how they planned to finish the kitchen off in black and gold. “I’ve bled black and gold and now Jackie does too so we’re doing it,” she said getting more excited than he thought she would. “Cupcakes in the gardens?” he asked as the two neared Sweet one of their favorite bakeries. Logan laughed, “Could I ever say no?” Taking his hand she walked faster bee lining for the shop. “I’m buying,” Logan declared. “It’s the least I can do since you organized a search party for me.” Before Tuukka could protest she was already ordering their regular coffees and cupcakes. “Are you excited for the season?” Logan asked as they walked on Newbury her cappuccino in one hand and cupcake in the other. Tuukka shrugged, “There’s a lot of pressure and a lot of guys gone but that’s the nature of the business. I think it will be a good season.” Logan nodded her head thinking about the guys they had lost. “And the back up? Do you think it will be Malcolm Subban?” Logan asked the hope evident in her voice. Tuukka laughed at how badly she wanted him to make the big leagues. “You know, if you keep asking about him I’m going to start thinking that he’s your favorite goalie,” Tuukka teased. Logan shook her head. “Malcolm’s great but Lundqvist will always be number one in my heart,” Logan sassed right back laughing at the look on his face.
“So how are things with Alex?” Tuukka asked when they finally made it to the gardens. Logan sighed and plopped down onto a bench near the pond. “I don’t think he likes me,” she admitted not looking at him. “Awe Logs give yourself credit, everyone likes you,” he said wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. “He hasn’t asked me on another date though and it’s been weeks,” Logan said resting her head on his shoulder. “I bet by the time you and Jackie move in you’ll go on another date with him. That is, if you like him,” Tuukka clarified looking down at his friend. She nodded her head. “At least I think I do. He’s so sweet and he’s funny. He’s tall which is always a bonus and he loves hockey almost as much as I do,” Logan said trying to sort out her feelings. “In that case you need a second date. You should ask him, that way you can show you want to go out with him and leave the ball in his court,” Tuukka suggested. Logan looked at him with her eye brows raised in surprise at his relationship advice. “Brittany coached me for year,” he answered the unspoken question making both of them laugh. Laughing with her best friend make Logan feel better and she pulled out her phone to text Alex about a date. “Now eat your cupcakes, Brittany also taught me that it’s okay to eat your feelings sometimes,” Tuukka commanded making Logan laugh again.

Notes