Ice in My Veins by Kelli Sullivan Read Free Book Online Page B

hard out there.”
    I shook my head from side to side. “No Dad, I … made the team,” I stammered.
    Then suddenly the tears started to flow. It finally hit me. I couldn’t stop them. They flooded my eyes and face like a tidal wave. All my hard work had paid off. I was now on my way to accomplishing my dream.
    “Ben wants to meet with us tomorrow and discuss my living arrangements,” I whispered, still not able to catch my breath.
    “I guess I will have to get mom to send me up some of my things.” I added.
    “You made the team! Congratulations honey. I am so proud of you.” He gave me a big bear hug.
    “Thanks Dad,” I said.
    “Now you can rub it into your brothers.” He said laughing. I laughed too.
    “Christine, you know that we won’t be able to afford to come up to visit you, or to watch your games on television from Dryden. I will want you to keep me updated though. Today let’s go out and buy you one of those little lap computers,” he smiled warmly. “This way you can talk and write to us every day.”
    I smiled and wiped the tears from my face. I gave my father a big hug. Finally he was proud of me, and I was getting the chance to do what I always wanted to do.
    “It’s alright Dad.” I whispered, my voice still shaky. “Apparently, the rookies don’t get very much ice time during the season.” We both laughed.
    “I wonder what my billet family is going to be like? I am excited to meet them.” I was curious. I hoped they would like me.
    “Let’s go shopping Chrissy. We can get you some clothes and that computer. I don’t know how long it will take to ship your things up here.” He said, concerned about the fact that I would be so far away but very happy for me still.
    “Awe Dad, you hate shopping.” I reminded him. “I don’t mind going clothes shopping myself. How about we go and get the computer, then I will go to the mall and shop alone?”
    “Sure thing honey. We have to call your mother first. I promised that we would tell her as soon as we knew anything.”
    I was starting to feel a bit less panicked. My breathing evened out. The shock of making the team was settling in. I picked up the phone and called my mother.
    My mother was ecstatic for me, but she didn’t hide the fact she was upset that I would be so far away from her and the family. I reminded her that we did play a few games in Michigan. That seemed to comfort her slightly. She promised that the entire family would be there to watch and cheer me on.
    We found a computer shop not far from the hotel. Dad bought me a lap top and an IPOD. I knew this was hard for him. My family didn’t have a lot of money. We really couldn’t afford this.
    I was even more shocked and thrilled, when he gave me $400.00 to go clothes shopping with. I told him that I didn’t need that much. He assured me it was alright and I deserved it. Maybe it was his way of making up for the years of avoiding having anything to do with my hockey. I wasn’t sure. Regardless, I was happy about the change in him.
    I took the public bus to the mall. It was humungous. We just didn’t have malls like this in our small town of 800 people. I was in awe. I didn’t wear designer clothes. I would just wear whatever my mom found for me at the local K-mart or Dunberry’s Sports. I didn’t know where to begin.
    I had never heard of many of these stores before. I knew that the guys had to wear suits before and after each game. I figured that I needed something similar. I found a really fancy store and walked up to the sales girl and explained my situation to her.
    She looked about twenty-five, and she was very pretty. She seemed to take pity on me. She offered to pick out some outfits for me. She found me a few blouses, some nice fitted dress pants and two blazers. All were on sale.
    She showed me how to mix and match them to make more outfits for myself. Then she insisted I buy this tight fitting black cocktail dress. It was $49.00. I told her I didn’t know