Chapter 339: Modo XV—Friendly Distractions
Waking up New Year’s Day without a hangover or even so much as a headache in your own bed with full memory of what you had done the night previous, well, Modano knew that was pretty sad. He even woke up early, at around sunrise, with energy, made himself breakfast and had time to ponder this thought. Did he really have no life? Had he really fallen this low that no post debauchery suffering afflicted him this morning?
In fact,
now that Modano thought about it, he’d awoke on the couch, with a mouth that
tasted like rancid beer and unbrushed teeth, the
television on an infomercial, still on the Fox Channel. He thought of Phil
Keating and realized that he’d fallen asleep watching the damn
The waterwash pale yellow eggs sat cheerily and fluffy on his plate, the bacon, the sausage and his juice smiled at him. Modano grimaced. If he had a dog then at least he knew the food wouldn’t completely go to waste, but as it stood… he sighed and covered the plate with a napkin and put it on the counter.
He spent too long in the shower, the steaming hot water slamming his skin all over, turning him pink, then red. All he could think of, as he leaned against the marbled tile of the wall, his hands trembling, his heart throbbing, was Joe. The last man he should be thinking of, because of the cold truth. The married family man, the captain, the man who just simply, couldn’t return his unabashed love, tormented Mike’s mind.
Mike had been certain that although not completely over Joe, he had been able to control his feelings about him to a certain degree. The moment that damn battle started with the figure skaters, however, Mike knew that he still felt strongly for him. When he saw Joe being attacked by that damn prick Mike had run in with a breast boiling over with hate and anger, and love. He wanted to defend Joe’s honor.
And then that ridiculous incident with the hotel keys. Joe had looked at him, and said so bluntly that he knew he was a good man. It rang in Modano’s brain. Joe thinks I’m a good man and what’s more, he always thought so! He cares and thinks about me. There is something there. There has to be!
Even if Joe
did feel the same way about him, Mike knew that realistically, they could never
be together. He had hoped that coming to this team and city would have been so
good for him. It seemed like so much fun, like so much opportunity awaited him.
Now all he could do was hope that he could find a way to distract himself from
Joe’s presence. The last thing he wanted to be responsible for was being a
locker room distraction. Especially with the way that rookie the Avs traded to
Modano shut off the water and spit and gasped. He ran his fingers through his wet hair to slick it back. He toweled himself off and then glanced at the steamy fog laden mirror. He watched his tanned body approach it, the foggy color of it. He made a fist and wiped the steam off the glass with the side of it.
You have to get it together, Mikey. He thought looking into his own brown eyes, soft eyes, Brett used to say, soft like a calf or a lamb, something innocent. You have to be tough and show this team at least that you’re worth what they gave up for you. At least if Joe respects you, looks at you with friendliness and affection at least that would be something.
Or it could be nothing; it could be as bad as looking at luscious dessert on a plate, and not being able to taste it. Mike groaned and pressed his palms over his forehead, rolling his eyes. Christ you need a shrink!
The phone rang and Mike groaned irritably. He answered it naked, dripping all over the carpet, not caring because there would be no one to complain about it. “Yeah?”
“Hey Mikey, it’s me Alex!”
Ah yes the sound of sunshine.
“Hey there, Alex,” Mike said. “What’s up?”
“Oh nothing much, I was just kind of lonely, it being Saturday morning and everyone is all hung over and stuff from New Year’s and I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to have breakfast with me, and I’m sorry if I’m bugging you or anything it’s just that it’s such a beautiful morning it’s really warm you know and…”
“Oh it’s no problem,” Mike said brightly. “Hey so you wanna get a bite to eat or something then? Is there a place you have in mind? I mean, I might not be very hungry,” It wouldn’t do to tell Alex that he was hangover free and starving because that would just tell the kid he had no life. Best to play a little hard to get. “But I could go for some pancakes or something.” Oh now there was a good idea, pancakes!
“Great!” Alex replied, “Hey I’ll pick you up is that okay?”
“Sure.”
“Okay see you in a few, bye.”
“Well ain’t that some shit?” Mike said with a half grin, hanging the phone up and putting his hand to his chest. In the last forty five seconds, all of the sadness on his chest had just magically, inexplicably floated away on the words of that well meaning pup. Damn if Alex wasn’t the best thing to happen to him since he came here.
“So are you still feeling kind of down?” Mike asked Alex as he poured a healthy gob of thick, golden brown syrup on his stack of pancakes. “I mean since that last time when you were telling me about that problem of yours, you know, the one with ‘Nini’ and ‘Manny’?” Mike had to admit that he had more than friendly interest in Alex’s welfare invested in that question. He didn’t particularly like or trust Michele Roy and any information he could gather on her might be useful sooner or later.
Alex grimaced with his cute doughy baby face. “Oo I think it’s kinda worked out.” He nodded. “I had a good talk with Danny and he seems really sorry so it’s okay.” Tanguay then took a big drink of milk and Modano decided not to mention to Alex that he had slipped and actually said “Danny” instead of the weak alias he had been using.
“That’s good,” Modano said. He ate some pancake, and drank his coffee. He didn’t feel altogether disappointed that there was nothing more to that tidbit as much as he was a little bit let down with an anti climatic ending to a story.
“And what about you?” Alex asked. “How have you been, Modo? Phil left a message with me; he said you didn’t call him. Is everything okay?”
Mike tightened his jaw and he looked away. “Yeah, I mean, well things are a bit tough but hell I just as soon think its cause of the move here. I’m still not completely used to the way things are and shit.”
Alex raised his eyebrows. “Are you sure?”
Modano shook his head. “You’re right, Alex.” He looked him straight in the eye. “Things are pretty shitty but you know it’s my fault. I need to be responsible for my own welfare; you shouldn’t have to worry about me.”
“You’re one of us now,” Alex said with a cute little pucker to his mouth as he chewed. “Of course I’m gonna worry.”
Ah yes, the kid knew how to say the perfect thing in any situation, Mike really, really liked him.
Mike squinted at the bright light cutting through his line of vision. He peered through the crack he held the front door at. The last person he wanted to deal with at this point was Keaner. That carroty haired pit bull didn’t figure in as the most comforting figures to be around right now.
“What do you want?” Mike mumbled. He didn’t like moving his tongue as he spoke. It only reminded him that he hadn’t brushed his teeth in two days and his mouth tasted like a swill bucket.
Keane, his china blue eyes blank as usual, sniffed and then hacked a loogie onto the porch. Mike grimaced. Keane coughed and then pushed the front door open with his shoulder and the force of a veteran grinder.
“Hey!” Mike barked as he fell back. He pulled his robe tightly around his body, feeling intruded upon and annoyed. “Keaner what the hell?”
“You’re driving us crazy, Mikey, you know that?”
Modano rolled his eyes and closed the door. “Come on, Keaner, I’ll get you a beer. Are you hungry too?”
“No,” Keane replied. “I just want to talk to you.”
“Did the team send you?”
“No, actually, Jere did.”
Mike frowned. “Jere?”
“Yup,” Keane answered. He shoved his hands in his pockets and strode into the kitchen. Modano followed him and watched as Keaner helped himself to a beer and cracked it open. “Jere and I talk about you all the time, he thought maybe I should talk to you, try to get in that brain of yours.”
Mike frowned. Jere and Keaner? Now there’s an odd pairing. “There’s nothing wrong with me.” He gulped. Damn you Keaner, you and your creepy gaze, what do you think you know about me? What will you drag through the gutter and try to make me feel ashamed for.
Keane sighed. “Have a seat Mikey. Have a beer.”
Mike sat down and crossed his arms. “Out with it Keaner. What do you want?”
Keane
rolled his eyes and put the beer down. “Look,” he said. “Don’t treat me like an
enemy because I am the farthest from that, aye? Jere
and I worry about
“Keaner…” Mike began in an irritated voice.
“Jere and I know about you and Brett.”
Mike felt his mouth drop open and he gazed at Keane in shock. He knew that everything would be different now, knowing a man like Keaner, he could expect being beholden to him, blackmailed, horrors…. But Jere? He would never have thought that about Jere, a sweet faced man like him.
“Relax we’re not going to tell anyone, but shit, how the rest of the team doesn’t seem to know anything about it is beyond me. You two were so obvious!”
“We were?” Mike gasped.
Keaner rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t matter. Thing is, Jere and I can see you’re heartbroken and its really fucking up your on ice play, and it’s really breaking Jere’s heart cause he likes you a helluva lot. Now if you ain’t happy, Jere ain’t happy and if Jere ain’t happy than the team ain’t happy and if the team ain’t happy we suck on the ice and if we suck on the ice, Goddammit then I’m not happy and when I’m not happy GODDAMMIT I’m sure as hell gonna make sure no one is happy, so I would really appreciate it if your work with me on this and let me help you because frankly this whole thing is giving me a headache.” He took a deep breath and then a long drink.
Mike swallowed. “So what are you saying Keanes?”
Keane closed one eye. “Look, I know how hard it is for you right now, and I know I can help aye?”
Modano rolled his eyes. “What do you know about love? What could you know about love?” The ugly little man tainted the word love!
“A helluva lot more than you think, Mikey and I do know that the worst type is the kind where they’ve lost that special feeling and you haven’t. The one thing you need at a time like that is a friend, and seeing as your situation is so delicate, you’re probably dying without a soul to cry on so come here kid and cry on my shoulder.” Keane blinked.
Modano felt somewhat warm in his tummy, “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying get over here, sit in my fucking lap if you have to and cry on my shoulder! Did Brett take all of your brain cells too?” Keane roared as only a red head could.
Mike felt a grin twitch at his lips but he refused to laugh.