Holiday Hockey Tale: The Icebreaker's Impasse

Chapter 3: An Offer She Can't Refuse?

Luci

“Miss Forrester, we need to check you over also.” Annie, the nurse who finished looking at Cole, smiles at me.

“I’m fine. Just going to be sore.” I wave my hand at her.

“Well, that wrist doesn’t look like it. But that isn’t from saving Mr. Cole there.” She raises an eyebrow, and I glance at my wrist. I’d already forgotten about Maxton. That felt like days ago. You could see the faint purpling blooming under the skin already.

I don't deny it. "No, but it isn't what you think it is either. Honestly, I'm fine. The EMTs looked over me before we left. I'll have scrapes and bruises, but that's it."

They bandaged the worst one on my arm after they cleaned it. It was going to be a pain with my clothes for a few days. Which reminds me, I've lost my hoodie for good, I think.

I see Cole snuggled into it fully after his examination. He looks pretty good in purple. I won't ask for it back. Especially with the orange popsicle he's dripping all over it. One less thing to try to wash today.

Oh wait, did I leave the dryer on when I left? Not that it matters a whole seven hours later, but since I heard no sirens, I guess my apartment complex didn't turn into a raging inferno. I'm sure the headlines would be so forgiving. 'Scatterbrained student sets fire to half of campus apartment life by leaving her dryer running while not at home.'

"Luci?" Cole is staring at me.

"Hey. Sorry, I spaced out a minute. Did you need me?" I usually do better with kids. For some reason, I don't go on twisty brain paths when I am with them, maybe because they talk a lot and are playing ninety to nothing, giving me no time to wander off.

"No. You made a face like you hurt."

"I probably did. I remembered something I might have messed up, and I got worried." I smile at him.

"Cole." A firm voice calls out, and I turn to see a woman with dirty blonde hair cut to chin length walking toward the bed. She wears a dark pink tea-length wrap dress and nude heels. Her makeup is understated, but her jewelry is not. She's dripping in diamonds. Not huge ones, but several pieces. I count a tennis bracelet, two other bracelets with some type of diamond and precious stone, three rings, earrings and a diamond necklace to match her bracelet.

"Grandmother." Cole says quickly, and goes back to eating his popsicle like she'll take it away.

"You aren't the nurse I see." She looks down her nose at me.

"No, but I can call Annie." I press the call button on the bed but don't stand up. I'm tired and honestly sore already.

Annie walks over a friendly smile on her face as she greets our visitor. "Hi, you must be Grandma."

"I'm Imogen Walters, and that is my grandson, Cole. Is he injured? An Officer Perkins gave me the accident details but nothing about his injuries.”

“A few scratches and maybe some shoulder bruising. Miss Forrester used her body to cushion his fall." Annie sounds proud, and I watch that woman's cold blue eyes turn toward me.

I have a feeling they are never warm considering the way she looked over the precious little boy in front of me. Not a hug for him after the traumatic event he went through too. My heart hurts for him. I remember wishing for hugs not much older than him. Wondering what it would be like to be soothed with love rather than quick words to toughen up.

I reach over and squeeze Cole's arm with a smile. I'll be sure to hug him before I leave if she lets me at least. Someone must give him affection because he seems very sweet.

Vaguely, I hear an irritated voice filter through. I became accustomed to tuning out yelling and aggravated voices as a kid the way I grew up. Reminds me I need to call Janet and check in. I miss her.

I turn back toward Mrs. Walters realizing that's her voice I'm tuning out.

“Miss Forrester! Are you even listening to me?” I snap back to her. Her shocked outrage is obvious.

“I’m sorry. It’s been a long day, and I think the shock of it all is finally creeping in on me.”

It is. But I don’t like to explain my wandering mind to strangers unless necessary.

“I asked if I could compensate you in any way besides your hospital bill.” She folds her arms and taps her foot.

“Oh no! That’s more than enough.” I watch the relief in her eyes.

“Very well.”

And like that, I am dismissed.

I turn to Cole. “I am happy I got to meet you Mr. Cole. You were a big brave boy today.”

“I’ll miss you, Luci.” He stares at me sadly.

“Miss you too. Bye, Cole.” I give him a hug and leave reluctantly. I never had a grandmother but Imogen Walters seemed like she didn’t even come close to deserving that title. With a little finger wave, I start walking out of the triage area.

I walk outside wondering if I can call an Uber back to campus. It's not the shortest walk from here. As I pull up the app on my phone, I hear a whistle.

"Hey, Luci." I turn and see Warner, the EMT. "You need a ride back to campus? Our station is right next to it."

I give him a grateful smile. "That would be awesome."

He nods. "Come on. You can tell us about the prim and proper dragon grandmother that was meeting with the abandoning nanny."

I laugh at his descriptions. They drop me off right where the accident occurred, which is fine. My car is only one block over.

I glance at the tree where a tow truck is working to pull the car away from it. I shudder internally, glad a little boy is not pinned between the two. Or anyone else. Warner said the driver had some broken bones but should recover. Hopefully, their phone broke, too.

I turn my head back right as I am about to bump into a tall human. I stop an inch short thankfully when I see the Four Kings.

Naturally, it would have been Easton I hit again. I step back hoping he didn't see me. No such luck today though. I start to move around as they fan out blocking my path. Nothing but a wall of blonde haired giants.

Easton and Jackson are twins. But so are Becker and Kingston. They are close to the same age at least that's the rumor around campus. There are whispers all the time about them from their dating lives to what their true family connections are. They've told others they are brothers, but that's not biologically possible. Proabably adopted but it's not really my business. I know better than anyone that family is not always any sort of traditional.

Becker and Kingston resemble Easton and Jackson enough that you know they have to be related. Their hair is more golden blonde than ash and they have sky blue eyes unlike Easton's silvery blue and Jackson's ice blue. Kingston's hair brushes his shoulders and he usually pulls it back in the popular man bun style. Becker's is more like Easton's, slightly shaggy and always windblown.

I gaze up at them as I take two steps back intending to skirt around the hockey team wall.

"Luci, you were sent an ice wrap. Did you lose it?" Becker's voice asks calmly. He's the most friendly one of the four and I use that term loosely. More like he won't bite...

Glancing down at my wrist, I think of Cole playing with it in the ambulance. He needed a distraction and I handed it over to him. He'd been so cute saying "no that's for boo boos" until I insisted my boo boo was all better.

Before I can answer, Easton's growling voice comes out.

"Of course, she lost it. She's not even bright enough to be wearing a jacket outside knowing she's going to shiver." He says mockingly, but there's a tinge of anger in there. I roll my eyes and begin moving to get around them.

He calls out louder. "Can't do any better than eye rolling? You do turn up in the most inopportune places, don't you?"

I scowl as I keep walking. He has no idea the inopportune places I've suffered in. I hear Warner's voice from the ambulance. He's about to pull away from the curb.

"Hey Luci, are you ok? He bothering you?"

And sometimes my scatterbrain fires off things faster than I can blink or think better of.

"He'd have to matter to bother me. I'm fine. Thanks, Warner." I wave to him. Keep walking Luci, that was probably not the smartest idea though it was satisfying.

I hear a hiss behind me and what sounds like a chuckle smothered by a cough.

"Damn East, you might need some ice for that burn." That's Kingston's quiet voice.

I turn the corner and let my eyes travel their way. Easton stands staring at me with his fists clenched.

"Careful you don't get caught in the same trap as your rabbit Luci." He says coldly and I repress the shiver. But then I spot the football team walking toward the Reed brothers. That's enough of an impetus to get into my car quickly and leave.

When I wake the next morning, I groan. It feels like a truck ran over me. I'll grab some ibuprofen and a hot shower to hopefully fix this.

I'm walking to my first class of the day, when my phone rings with an unknown number. I answer, wondering what this telemarketer is trying to sell me.

I'm surprised when I hear that austere voice again.

"Miss Forrester, this is Imogen Walters."

"Hello, Mrs. Walters. Is Cole alright?"

"Yes, he's fine. I have something to discuss with you after yesterday's unpleasant incident."

Uh oh, this can't be good...

“I’m contacting you about a job, Miss Forrester. With the holidays approaching, I have a very packed social calendar. Cole needs a nanny Monday through Friday after preschool and occasionally on Saturday mornings. There would also be some Saturday evenings when we have plans. During the week you would transport him from preschool to our home and watch him until 6. He’s done with school at 2:30. The preschool isn't far from campus. With Madison's actions yesterday, I can no longer employ her. Does what I've outlined interest you?”

I quickly think over my schedule. My latest class gets out at 1:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

“Yes.” I answer simply. I got the impression she likes to talk plenty but not listen equally.

“You could handle the hours set forth?”

“Yes.” I should still be able to help Syd with her nephew, Barrett if she needs it.

“Very well. I will draw up a contract. The pay is $1000 a week.” She lets that hang there and I wait wondering if I imagined that. “You may have to change hours at a moment’s notice, so I believe in compensating you for your time. Tentative time frame is until a few weeks after New Year's, though it could be extended."

I do some quick math. With that, I would not have to work again until after I graduate.

"That all sounds very fair." I answer, knowing I'd be stupid to refuse this job.

"Very well. I can spare time to meet with you today at my home. I will text you the address. Be there at 3:30. I do not care for tardiness, Miss Forrester." She hangs up and I wonder if she cares for manners towards others. Still, even with her as my employer, this sounded too good to be true. Hopefully, it isn't.