Goodbyes

[BanksAT]

Saturday, 3 July 2010
Notre Dame Athletic Dorm
Before Breakfast

After three weeks of rooming with the late-rising Carl Marckini, Oliver had adapted to his roommate. He went ahead and slipped out of the room with his shower kit and clothes when he left for his morning run, stashing them in the showers. Then he could run, return, shower, shave, and dress before dragging Carl out of bed.

It had been a long, gloomy run. One of those days where one's legs feel heavy and it all requires more effort for less return than it ought. He knew it was the timing. School ended on the 9th of June. The Marckini's moved away the next day. Carl was allowed to stay with the Toussaints since they had camp starting that weekend, so Oliver could pretend that he wasn't losing another friend. But, today his dad was picking him up and that was that.

After shaving, Oliver dropped his wet running clothes in a plastic bag -- no time for them to dry before leaving -- and headed back to the room. As expected, Carl was still racked out, dead to the world.

"Wake up, Marckini! Breakfast time," Oliver announced as he tucked the rolled up plastic bag into a side pouch of his duffle.

Carl could not believe the ungodly hours that Oliver kept. Every morning his roommate and friend ate sunshine and crapped it out for the world to deal with. And it would piss Carl off royally were Oliver not as close to a brother as Carl was ever likely to have. He threw one of his two pillows at Oliver and groaned, "Piss off, Toussaint. No kids today and no ice time. Let a man sleep a few minutes longer."

Oliver smiled at the familiar routine. "Okay, man. No problem. I'm going to head down to the cafeteria and grab some breakfast." He smiled again. "Make sure I get some bacon today. You know how the run out early. Come on down whenever you're up."

He paused. "Maybe they'll still have some."

_Damn it. He's playing the bacon card._ With a groan Carl rolled up into a sitting position and tried futilely to tame his wild hair. "No, you better wait. You know I can get ready in just a few minutes when there's bacon involved."

He got up out of bed and hurried out of the room to the showers and got ready in (perhaps for Carl) record time.

"Alright, I'm ready. Let's get bacon."

"Last day of college cafeteria food, man. It may not be great, but they give you all you want!" Oliver held up a hand for a high-five. "I'm going to miss all the ice time, too."

Carl would not leave hanging and gave him a five. "Me, too." He admitted. "Although apparently my dad landed some swanky job and my mom is close to getting hired on for a good one, too, so I suppose I can get all the ice time I want. If they even have ice in Arizona." He finished half jokingly.

Carl sighed. He wasn't looking forward to moving to Arizona where Chris had told him it was already, 'Hellishly hot. And not in a cute boy way.'

"Well, you can look at it this way, man: no more shoveling snow. Ever. Can you even imagine? I've spent my whole life in Michigan or New York and I can't imagine it." He paused, thinking. "Wait, will the great new job allow NHL Center Ice or are you doomed to watching 'Yotes hockey now." He shuddered dramatically.

"No, I think NHL Center Ice is in my future. Thank God. I don't know if I'd be able to go on without the Wings in my life." He closed the door to their room and started to lead the way to the cafeteria. "Although I suppose I could get used to watching the Coyotes, too. They suck but it's still hockey." He felt the need to defend the Coyotes - a little. Because Carl's dad apparently now worked on Don Maloney's car and they had gotten to talking hockey and Carl was going to get a rare opportunity because of it to try out in their amateur tryouts in about a month even though he was still in high school. But he couldn't tell Oliver that. Because although the news he received last night was exciting it was also kind of embarrassing. Carl always thought if he made it to the big time it would be with the Wings.

Shortly, the pair were loading their plates with breakfast food. Oliver grabbed a monster bowl of oatmeal, a frightening tower of melon slices, and a stack of bacon that may once have been a whole pig before adding milk and juice to the laden tray and heading to a table.

"Man," he started as he spread the napkin on his lap. "It's gonna suck at Neptune Prep this winter without you. I may have been one of them once ... Okay, we looked down on preppers like them a bit ... but I hope I was never as stuck up and snide as those guys."

Carl didn't really say anything. In an odd way he was going to miss those he actually made connections with in Neptune and it was kind of depressing knowing today was the last connection that would be severed and he likely would never have the opportunity to hang out with Oliver ever again. Instead he started shoveling his own breakfast with its own healthy amount of bacon into his face. After an almost uncomfortable amount of silence he swallowed and shook his head. "You never were and never will be like those assholes. I'm just sorry I'm abandoning you to deal with them on your own."

Oliver swallowed and took a deep breath. "Thanks, Carl. Uhm, speaking of abandoning, what's the plan for Jessie? She's going to be pretty upset."

Carl stopped mid-bite, took a deep breath of his own, put down his fork and pushed his tray away. "You make it sound like I wanted this and am doing it on purpose."

Oliver held up a hand and grimaced. "Wow, did that segue sound better in my head." He shook his head. "No, that's not what I mean at all. I mean, she's going to be alone and hurting and seeing all your familiar places. How did you leave it with her? It's there anyway I can help?"

“Yeah, you can butt out, Toussaint. Jess and I are my business and hers and ours alone.” He frowned and indicated without any further words that this subject was closed. Carl didn’t pull his tray back - he’d lost his appetite. Oliver had a way of kicking someone when they were down.

"Just asking if I can help, man," Oliver said, hands up defensively. He ate quietly for a moment before pointing at Carl's plate. "You really leaving that bacon?"

He resumed eating. "Hey, one of the ND players mentioned that there's a USNTDP camp around Thanksgiving. Maybe we can get our coaches to recommend us and catch up there." He grinned subtly. "I need a goalie who can clean up my mistakes."

Carl pushed his uneaten pile of bacon and the rest of his food towards Oliver indicating he could have whatever of it he wanted. “Yeah, that would be cool.” He smiled a little. “And I need someone who can help score goals to clean up MY mistakes. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll play for the same team and can help each other out all the time.”

Oliver grabbed a sizable handful of bacon. "Look, I know you and Jess are going to do the long-distance thing until you can get her moved there. I just want to know what I can do to help. I mean, we have nothing in common except you, but I can try to be a friend if you want. Or, I can stay the hell away from your girl." He grinned, "Whatever you want," he said, stuffing a stack of bacon in his mouth.

Considering a few moments before answering, Carl said, “Yeah if you can look after her for me I’d appreciate it. But keep your hands off her or I‘ll forget that I think of you as the brother I never had and will pummel you into the ground.” And then smiled at his friend.

Oliver smiled and swallowed his bacon before holding out a hand. "Deal, Carl. Although, I've seen enough goalie fights not to be that intimidated." He smiled wryly.