It wasn't so bad, really. A relationship with someone who was on the road half of the time, and in practice or games most of the rest of the time. Things were amazing when he was in town and they had a few spare moments. It would even be doable if he played somewhere else. She could move, or she could stay.
She felt sad that Sophia and her husband hadn't been able to make it for a game. Mandy knew tickets were secure for them, but with their large family it was hard to get away. "Is everyone in the city going to the game Mom?" Colton asked.
Mandy laughed. "Not quite. There are a million people in the city nearly, and the Saddledome doesn't fit that many."
"Is Kip playing tonight?"
"Yeah." Unfortunately, for most of the games of the season he had just been the back up goalie. As the season wore on he played few games. It bothered Mandy more than it seemed to bother Kip. She wasn't about to ask him about it. "I doubt he'll play much of the playoffs though."
"Why?"
"Because the other goalie," crap how did she put this delicately, without making it seem like Kip wasn't as good. He was definitely struggling this year. "The other goalie is younger. They like to play younger guys more." There that should be okay.
"Kip doesn't win when he plays sometimes." That one came out as a mumble. He didn't want to put down his hero.
"Sometimes, but he keeps trying right?"
"Yeah. It's not always his fault that he doesn't win. Sometimes the guys on his team, they, they just don't stop the guy with the puck."
Mandy smiled, wishing she could lean back and pat Colton's leg. She looked at him in the rear view mirror, where he was playing his video game while he talked. He was wearing his jersey, the first one Kip had bought him. There were several others around now. "And sometimes the guys don't score at all right?"
"Yeah." He sounded more cheered at the thought. "Do you think he'll win tonight?"
"I hope so. Do you think he will?"
"Well, they're playing Edmonton. So, they have a good chance. I think they usually beat them."
"Good point. Hey another thing is, it's not just Kip who loses, it's the whole team. It's hard being the goalie because sometimes they get blamed for letting in goals. It is a team effort."