Chapter 153: Modo X

Chapter 153: Modo X—That Spark!

 

            “Good,” Joe had said. “I’m glad you’re happy, I don’t think I could carry on through a game if I knew you were distressed.”

            Modano didn’t leave the parking lot immediately after that. He just felt a sort of fragile feeling bliss as soon as he was in the car. He couldn’t trust himself to drive, not just yet. His chest was collapsing and he pressed his forehead into the cool leather of the steering wheel.

            Joe had reached out to him just then. Joe had touched him, had told him that his happiness meant everything to him! Was that not a blatant admission on Joe’s part? Was that not the mother of all hints! And he had just stood there, laughed nervously like some.. some stupid ape! How could he have lost so much nerve during such an important moment?

            “I don’t deserve him,” he muttered to himself. “It’s hopeless.”

            ....if I knew you were distressed. Then that would mean that his happiness meant so much to Joe. That meant something... that meant everything!

            “But what did I do?” Modano whispered to himself. “Nothing!”

            It was an odd feeling, Mike wasn’t sure if he was exhilarated or depressed. Joe had handed him a world of happiness but yet he hadn’t had the courage to act on it! To ACT!

            Modano sighed and started the car. It was somewhat frustrating. He was hungry but on Thanksgiving there were no restaurants open. He remembered Joe saying something about an Italian place that stayed open but he couldn’t remember which one it was or even where it was. Mike shook his head as he was driving and then he saw a beautiful banner pasting a restaurant. OPEN FOR THANKSGIVING! And it was a steakhouse, perfect!

            Modano was already seated with a menu when he noticed Keaner, Tangers, and Hinote at a table. They seemed happy, smiling, and bonded. Alex had invited him. He really was a charming boy, friendly smile and bright eyes. Mike felt lonely looking at them and he half considered joining them. Of course they wouldn’t mind him, would they?

            But Mike didn’t join them. He didn’t know why. He ate his meal quietly. He drank his beer. He watched them as they laughed about something then quickly paid their bill and left. Maybe next time.

            Mike was quick to fall asleep once he got home. Muller was already snoring on his bed.

            When Mike woke up he smelled coffee brewing and the smell nauseated him somewhat. Kirk always had a cup of coffee before a game. It wasn’t advisable but it seemed to energize the veteran.

            “You up finally?” Kirk said without looking up at him.

            Modano nodded, stretched and yawned. “Hey, Kirk.”

            “Yup,” Kirk said.

            Modano scratched his head. “When are you gonna bring up the family? Have you found anything for them?”

            Kirk looked up at him with his black eyes. “Soon, I’m working on it. Shit the kids have school, I’m not just gonna rip ‘em outta of it. Maybe during the Christmas break.”

            “A month!” Modano exclaimed. “Can you wait that long?”

            Kirk shrugged and poured himself his coffee. “It’s just a month.”

            Modano was nervous in the locker room that evening. Joe hadn’t so much as looked his way so far. Did it mean the Joe was feeling bad about revealing that spark of his feeling to Mike earlier in the parking lot? Poor Joe. He had a family; of course he was nervous and tied down. Things would have to go slowly.

            “Oooo...” he heard an exhausted moan.

            Modano looked over and saw Danny Hinote slouching on the bench, his hands over his tummy. “What’s wrong?” Modano asked.

            Hinote’s eyes widened. “Pies! Too much PIE!”

            Modano smiled. “Really? Pumpkin?”

            “On top of everything else,” Danny moaned. “Shit I shoulda stopped at the first one.”

            Modano laughed.

            “Shit, we shoulda stopped before we even went into the door!” Keaner snapped.

            “What?” Modano said, sitting up.

            Alex Tanguay grinned. “We pigged out on Michele’s pies.”

            “Oh,” Modano said. “Woah that’s not too smart.”

            “I’ll say,” Coach Hartley said from across the room. “Don’t think you’re getting easy ice time!”

            Modano raised his eyebrows and looked at Keaner. “She makes good pies?”

            Keane grinned. “Hoo yeah. It’s totally worth the punishment.”

            Modano nodded and began to roll some tape onto his stick. He was feeling a lot better to hear the joking going on around him. No one was staring at him with suspicious eyes. No one was backing away from him or ostracizing him. Joe was right. He needed to accept their kindness while it was being offered. He needed to be one of the team.

            “Yeah,” Danny Hinote said with his eyes closed. “I don’t know how Dru is so perky.”

            “Huh?” Chris Drury said.

            “Don’t play dumb!” Tangers said in a needling voice. “We saw you Dru! We know you had some too!”

            “Eh... I don’t...” Drury said slowly.

            “Yuppers,” Keaner said briskly. “We saw you driving away from the house! BUSTED!”

            Drury blanched. Was eating too much pie on game day really that much of a big deal? Modano felt that he was overreacting.

            “Who’s busted?” Patrick Roy said in an airy voice as he came into the locker room. The goalie looked like he was in a better mood than he had been in that morning.

            “Dru is,” Keaner said. “He was at your wife’s pies, Patty.”

            “Eh?” Patrick said. “What else is new?”

            “Really,” Muller whispered into Modano’s ear. “He’s not kidding.”       

            Something amazing happened during the game. Modano was startled to see Joe’s pale hand, free of its glove press down on his thigh. Oh HEAVENS! Modano looked at Joe, unable to say anything other than to blink.

            “Great pass!” Joe said. “I shoulda done more with it. Sorry I wasted it there.”

            “N-N-No,” Modano stuttered finally. “It’s not...”

            There it was again! That spark in Joe’s eye and in his smile. It was the proof of the affection Joe was hiding for him, in fact, denying! Joe held his smile a moment longer before he looked away and slid his hand back into the glove.

            Modano swallowed hard and dredged up his courage. “Hey.. um did you really mean what you said earlier?”

            Joe looked back at him. “What?”

            Modano gulped. “About.. you know... about calling...”

            “Sure!” Joe said. “We’re all here for ya Modo, you don’t need to be lonely.”

            Modano grinned feeling light and fluffy. He could live off this for now. He could be patient. Joe was obviously hiding behind his words, making sure to add the rest of the team into it, just so he could tell himself that he wasn’t making too much of an overture to him. It was sweet really! Joe was being shy!

            Perhaps it was a good thing that the Roy’s and the team had interfered with his earlier attempts to connect with Joe. Maybe, now that he thought about it, he had been coming on too strong. This situation with Joe had to be handled delicately. It had to be handled with certain finesse. Suave... he knew he could be suave!

            Modano decided to play that way for the rest of the game. He made sure his passes glided to Joe that they weren’t too hard or off the mark. He accepted passes and he was smooth about making shots and skating to his point.

            It paid off when he took a pass from Joe and fired it into the net. The red light, the screams from the crowd none of that mattered to Modano. How could he enjoy or even think of any of that when all he cared about was that friendly spark in Joe’s eyes.

            “Great shot!” Joe said. “Now let’s pad that before Patty bursts a vessel aye?”

            Modano glanced up at the clock and noted that there was still half a game to go. He doubted that they could shoot for a third straight shut out with the same goalie so he saw the truth in Joe’s words. There were expectations to be laid out and fulfilled!

            Modano was flying and he could feel it. A player knows when the fire is within him and beneath his skates. This was his night!

            The red light shone bright for him again at the start of the third period.

            “That’s it!” Joe said loudly. “Keep it coming Modo!”

            This is what Joe wanted! This is what Joe needed! This was what Modano knew he could provide for him! And gaw-dammit this is what he would provide this night!

Half way through the third period a Peter Forsberg shot bounced off the St. Louis Blues’ goalie and plopped at Modano’s feet. A gift he didn’t pass up, Modano fired it into the net for his third goal.

            The screams, the cries, the blaring music, and above all the HUG! The actual squeezes of a warm hug from Joe to celebrate his hat trick. “You’re wonderful!” Joe said.

            When the game was over and they were lining up for the traditional congrats to Patrick and the taps to his pads, Patrick leaned over to Mike and whispered. “You know I love you!”

            “What!” Modano gasped looking at the goalie.

            The grin was huge behind Patrick’s mask. “Three goals! I love you!”

            Modano smiled and he looked at Joe. No, he thought as he feasted his eyes on Joe’s gorgeous face. I love you!