The Quiet Game – Chapter Six – Eight – Duochanfan

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41 Minutes

Chapter Six

Shane wanted to go to the front desk and ask for the accommodations for the deaf. Yet again, Theriualt managed to stop him and sent him on his way. The offer of a single room, once more given to him since he was the Captain. 

“I’ll bunk with Hayden,” he said, glancing at his friend.

Theriault sneered but threw him the keycard. Shane barely managed to grab it before he followed Hayden to the lifts. The two were in the lift alone, having been the first ones to get their keycards and sent on their way. Both of them knew it was to stop Shane from saying anyhting about being deaf. Like always. He’d once tried to tell the team, not long after he had joined Montreal, but had quickly been dismissed as faking it.

“He’s doing it again,” Hayden said as they went up to the ninth floor.

“I know, he’s been stopping me for a while, I really don’t feel safe in the fucking hotels. Haven’t for a long time,” Shane said, feeling off.

Hayden looked at him and nodded. “Yeah, I know,” he stated. He knew Shane hadn’t felt safe, and it was the main reason why they always shared a room, even when he had become Captain and could have had his own room. “We could always try to call the hotel to tell them about you?” he suggested for next time.

Shane shook his head, “I tried that a couple of times. Theriualt has them believing that a prank was being pulled on them to even suggest that someone who is deaf could be in the NHL is absurd,” he rolled his eyes. 

“That’s fucked up, man,” Hayden frowned as they reached their floor.

“I know,” Shane said as they got off the lift, “I really do. It’s like he’s making it impossible for people to believe me, should I say anything about it.”

Hayden nodded as they made their way to their room. Hayden unlocked the door, and they went to their usual beds. Shane took the one away from the window, and Hayden the one by it. Every hotel since they had been Rookies had been the same. Shane was always in the bed away from the window, and Hayden was in the bed next to it.

Hayden pulled out his phone after they had finished settling into the room. “Ah,” he nodded, “The team wants to meet up to have a late dinner together, want to go?” he asked.

Shane pulled a face but nodded, “Sure, may as well, as long as it’s a place I can actually eat in,” he muttered, “Knowing them, they’re going to find a place that doesn’t.”

“If they do, we leave and head somewhere else,” Hayden told him.

Shane nodded, “Tell them that,” he asked, “or I will,” he said, reaching for his phone.

“I’ll do it,” he shrugged, not minding at all. He’d done it several times in the past when the team decided that they didn’t want Shane around, and they purposefully decided to go somewhere they knew wouldn’t have anything that Shane could have.

Shane looked at the messages as one from Hayden popped up. He saw the messages coming in, promising that they had found a place that was acceptable. Hayden asked for the name and was given it. Shane looked it up and nodded; it was a place he would choose himself. It had a good mix, enough of one for them all to enjoy.

“They want to meet in half an hour,” Hayden said as he sat down on his bed, shoes off.

Shane wrinkled his nose a little, “I think I want to shower first.”

“Go ahead, I’ll do that tonight,” he said, knowing that Shane hated the smell of the plane on him.

Shane nodded, grabbing what he needed and some fresh clothes before heading into the bathroom to shower.

XxXxX

The next day, they had an early practice, before the game against the New York Admirals. They wouldn’t be leaving until tomorrow afternoon since they didn’t have a game for two days, so they could rest up. Shane would be staying behind and heading to a different hotel where Ilya would be waiting, since the man was facing the Brooklyn Scouts tomorrow. They would be able to spend a night together at the very least, before Shane had to head back to Montreal. Shane would head out after morning checkout, Hayden taking his gear back to Montreal for him.

‘That was a hard game. The Admirals almost made it.’ Hayden signed as he sat on his bed, looking over at Shane.

Shane nodded, putting the case with his hearing aids right next to his phone. ‘They played well.’ He stated. ‘Hunter’s game has changed. He’s gotten more determined than last time.’

‘He has.’ Hayden agreed, ‘Honestly, he was on fire. On home ice, I’ve noticed he has done really well over the last three weeks. Before that, not so much.’

‘He falls apart when playing away from home. He’s lost 4 out of the 6 away games.’ Shane added, yawning.

‘Let’s get some sleep, it’s getting really late.’ Hayden told him, shaking his head and smiling. He set the alarm for himself. Knowing that Shane would have done the same. He watched his friend put his alarm buzzer under his pillow and tighten the wrist strap of the one around his wrist. Both were set to vibrate to wake him up in the morning.

“Night,” Shane slurred slightly as he looked over at Hayden. 

Hayden smiled back at him, holding up a hand and clenching it into a fist, his thumb slipping between his middle and ring fingers, to form the ASL letter N. He did it twice, his way of saying Night to Shane.

Shane grinned and settled in bed to sleep, Hayden doing the same in his own bed.

XxXxX

Shane woke with a jolt, coughing as Hayden shook him awake. He blinked as he locked eyes with Hayden. The man looked fearful as he made a sign with his hands. Raising them up as his fingers wiggled.

FIRE.

Shane reached around, trying to grab his hearing aid case as the room was starting to get thick with smoke. The case scattered across the bedside table and onto the floor. Shane felt a tug and looked at Hayden. Shaking his head at Shane. Shane barely had a second to grab his phone and shove his feet into his shoes before Hayden was pulling him from the room. The hallway was smoky, and there was no one else around.

Shane knew it was because Hayden had to wake him up. This would have gone better if he had the accommodations that were made for the deaf. Hayden kept hold of his hand as they made their way out.

“Hayden, go,” Shane said as he started to cough. He couldn’t hear anything, but he could see the flashing lights just barely making it through the dense smoke that was filling the emergency stairwell.

Hayden coughed as he grabbed at Shane. He knew Shane couldn’t hear him. Instead, he just tugged at Shane to get him moving. Shane stumbled, falling down a few stairs. Hayden rushed after him, helping him back to his feet. Shane winced as his chest hurt even more, and so did his arm and ankle. They passed floor five and came across some firefighters that was coming up to find anyone who had been left behind.

Shane and Hayden were helped the rest of the way down. Shane found it difficult as his ankle protested even more at each step. Hayden refused to leave Shane’s side, even as both of them needed medical attention.

“Mr Hollander,” the paramedic said as he began to flash a light in his eyes. The man shook his head, “He’s not responding.”

“He’s deaf,” Hayden said between coughs as he took off the oxygen mask so he could speak.

“Sir, please keep it on,” the other paramedic told him.

“I-” Hayden began to cough, “He is deaf,” he repeated.

“How…” the man said as he looked at Shane.

“Just-” he said, trying to catch his breath.

“Sir,” the woman said, shaking her head and taking the mask and putting it back on Hayden, “Keep it on. You’re suffering from smoky inhalation,” she told him, “We’re going to be transporting you both to the hospital.”

Shane looked around, half unconscious as his vision swam. He blinked, trying to move, feeling pain radiating from where he had fallen on the stairs, trying to get out.

“He’s not responding,” the man said as he shook Shane gently, trying to get him to look at him.

Shane’s eyes began to flutter, half panicked, half out of it as he tried to fight against the mask. Trying to find Hayden, someone familar with everything that was going on around him. Shane could feel hands on his, unfamiliar hands, as the world around him began to get darker until he lost consciousness.

Hayden watched as Shane passed out. “Shane,” he got up and started to move closer, only stopping when the paramedic who was treating him pushed him back onto the gurney he was sitting on. He went to remove the mask.

“Keep it on, your friend is being treated, and we’ll make sure the medical staff is informed of his disability. Is there anyone who will be able to translate for him until we get someone in?” she asked him.

Hayden shook his head, “Me,” he told her.

“Just you, no one else on the team knows to use ASL?” she asked, frowning.

Hayden again shook his head, “Don’t know, only coaching and management know.”

She nodded, looking at her colleague, who made a few notes as he and another then loaded Shane into the waiting ambulance. Hayden was taken to another one as Theriualt, and some of the others were watching.

XxXxX

Shane woke slowly; the smell of sterility hit him first, with an undertone of smoke. He wrinkled his nose as he opened his eyes and looked around. He couldn’t hear a thing, and he knew he was in a hospital, but no one else was around him. He was in a private room. He waited, wondering what he should do to try to get someone to get there. Shane was floating a little and knew he was on something; he could feel the distant pain that came with being on some form of pain medication.

The door opened, and a nurse walked in. “Oh, you’re awake,” she said, smiling as she went over and began to ask questions.

“Deaf,” he stated to her.

“Oh, yes, right,” she nodded a few times as she checked his vitals, still talking while Shane couldn’t hear her, or even lip-read at that moment in time. She walked back out, and a few minutes later, a doctor walked in with a young man walking beside her.

‘Hi, Shane, I’m Luke.’ The young man said, ‘I am an interpreter for ASL.’

‘Hi. What’s going on?’ Shane asked, frowning as he tried to wake himself up enough that he would be able to understand everything. He wrinkled his nose, feeling the mask over his face; he hadn’t registered it until then.

Luke interpreted for the doctor as he ran down Shane’s condition. ‘Smoke inhalation, going to keep in for the next day, mild concussion. Deep brusing on his arm and bruised ribs. Twisted Ankle.’

Shane frowned, not really processing. ‘I don’t-‘ He started, only to cut off.

‘We’ve already called your parents, they are on the way. Someone else on the list of allowed visitors is in the waiting room. Would you like us to send them up?’ Luke asked him.

Shane nodded. Hayden, hopefully, was coming up to see if he would be able to make decisions in a pinch since his parents weren’t there. He had a list of people who were allowed to see him if he was injured. A list he had updated only twice in the last couple of years. The door opened again, and a man walked in. Shane glanced over, eyes lighting up as he reached out.

“Shane,” Ilya breathed as he rushed over to the bed. His phone had been alight with messages and news reports about the fire at the hotel where the Montreal Voyageurs were staying, and that two members of the team had been taken to the hospital for treatment. It had taken another half hour to find out that it was Shane and Hayden. Hayden would be released later that day, but Shane was staying in a little longer.

‘Ilya.'” Shane smiled, using one hand to finger spell Ilya’s name.

Ilya nodded. ‘No hearing aids.’

‘No, at the hotel, probably ruined now. Need to message parents to bring my spares. Older but working. Will need to get new ones again.’ Shane pouted, feeling really tired as he looked at his partner.

‘Sleep, Shane. I will message them for you. Where is your phone?’ he asked, glancing around.

‘Don’t know.’ Shane answered, forcing his eyes to remain open.

‘I will find. Sleep.’ He told Shane, smiling softly as he began to drift off to sleep. Ilya watched him, running a hand over his cheek, over the band that held the oxygen mask on Shane’s face. He pressed a light kiss on his forehead. He left the room, going to the nurses’ station. “Hello,” he said, “I’m with Shane Hollander in room 508. Do you know where his phone is?” he asked the nurse sitting there.

“Any personal effects he had on him will be in the small bedside cupboard,” she told him, “Everything should be there.”

“Thank you,” Ilya nodded as he headed back to Shane’s room. Opening the cupboard, he saw a plastic bag with Shane’s things in, clothes and phone. He pulled out the phone, happy that there was still some charge on it. Ilya pulled out his charger and plugged it in, letting it charge up.

Ilya looked at Shane and smirked as he put in the passcode, 1410. It wasn’t hard to guess, since his own was the same. He scrolled through and came to Shane’s mom’s contact. He typed out a message, making sure it sounded as close to Shane as possible.

Shane

Mom, I am okay. Need my spare hearing aids. 

Mom

Are you okay? Really? I talked with the doctor and it sounds bad.

Shane

I am okay, I will be okay. Just tired.

Mom

Okay, you’re Dad, and I will be on the next flight. We’ll pick up your spares and head straight there. I’ve booked a hotel for us to stay at. Love you.

Shane

Love you, Mom, and tell Dad I love him too.

Mom

I will, sweetheart.

Ilya smiled as he saw the messages. He knew Shane would smile when reading them. He loved his parents, even if they stumbled badly when it came to Shane being deaf and how the rest of the family saw him. He looked at Shane and settled into a chair. He talked with the doctor when they came in and out, along with the nurse. Making sure they knew to bring an interpreter each time, as when Shane would wake, he would want to know properly what was going on.

“He was already told what was going on and about his condition,” the nurse said, pursing her lips at what Ilya was telling her.

“Yes, and he is tired,” Ilya told her, “He only woke one time, and I talked with the doctor. Shane didn’t understand most of it, since he was too tired and the pain medication is messing with his mind. So be prepared to explain it all over again and in more detail.”

She shook her head, “We don’t have time to cater to every celebrity that comes in-” she began to tell him off for wasting her time.

“Shane might be a hockey player, but he deserves basic decency that anyone hearing would have. By having someone who can explain everything to him in the details he will want. His parents will be here in a few hours. They will want the same courtesy,” Ilya told her, making sure to keep calm, as he knew when he was excited or angry, his English messed up on him enough that sometimes people had trouble understanding what he meant.

“I will speak with the doctor about it, but we don’t have time to do that for everyone.”

“Your patient is deaf,” Ilya reminded her, glancing at the note that was set at the bottom of the bed, which said as much.

“No, he isn’t,” she stated, shaking her head, “He’s not deaf at all, that’s Shane Hollander, and while I’m an Admirals fan, I know enough about Hockey to know if another of the players was deaf, Mr Rozanov,” she dismissed before heading out of the room.

Ilya’s eyes narrowed as he waited for someone else to come in. He would see about making a complaint. Or at least telling Hayden what was going on so that he could pass the complaint on to Shane’s parents.

Hayden walked in, coughing lightly as he nodded at Ilya, “Don’t you have a game in six hours?” he asked him.

“Da,” Ilya nodded, “Coach knows that there was a problem I needed to sort out.” He then told Hayden what had happened and how the nurse who had been in and out hadn’t believed when she was told that Shane was deaf.

Hayden sighed, “We get that when we try to say something.”

“Pass on to Mrs Hollander, she will do something about it,” Ilya told him.

Hayden nodded. Shane woke up for a little bit longer, enough so that Ilya could talk with him for a while before he had to head back to Brooklyn. Hadyen did as Ilya had suggested and told Yuna about the dismissal of Shane’s disability by the nurse that Ilya had pointed out to him before he had left.

 

Chapter Seven

Shane looked at his phone, huffing lightly as he was at home with his parents over the Christmas period. It had been almost four days since the fire, and two since he was released from the hospital. Ilya had been able to meet him at the hospital for an hour while his mom and dad had gotten everything ready for his release. It had been a close call in getting Ilya out.

“Shane,” Yuna walked over. Looking irritated as he didn’t answer her. She waved a hand around in front of him.

‘What Mom?’ He asked.

‘Hearing aids.’ She told him, giving him a look. ‘Family will be here soon.’ She reminded him.

Shane stared back, ‘Not wearing them. It’s painful with the concussion.’

‘You know no one else knows ASL.’ She reminded him. ‘There isn’t much I can do unless you want to resort to pen and paper.’

‘Like it’s any different from any other time I’ve been around them. None of the family can be bothered to learn to speak to me on my level at all. Only you and Dad have bothered. I’m not bothered if they can or can’t. Not like they really care about me.’ He told her, grabbing his phone where he had placed it and getting up. ‘I’ll be in my room for now. My head is hurting too much to be down here.’

“What am I going to do with him, David?” Yuna said as she turned to her husband.

“He’s right, Yuna, none of the family has ever cared to learn, and it’s been almost twenty years, they could have learned enough by now to talk to him. They are the ones who chose not to. I’m not going to force him to do something he hates, to please a family that doesn’t care about him,” he told her, kissing her cheek. 

“David,” she began.

“No, he’s right. Let him decide how to interact with family. If they can’t be bothered to learn how to speak to him, even just a little, then why should we force him to be around people who think just because he’s deaf, he’s stupid and can’t do anything,” he reminded her softly. “Now, we have them arriving soon, let Shane do what he wants, and we’ll just flash the lights in his room when it’s time for dinner.”

Yuna sighed and nodded. “Okay,” she agreed, not sounding too happy. 

David smiled, and the two went back to cooking for the family gathering. 

Shane lay down on his bed, closing his eyes. His head was actually hurting. His concussion was mild, but the headaches he was getting with it were anything but. He’d messaged Ilya a few times, trying to avoid reading his screen too much. He’s also avoided using his hearing aids. They were the old pair, and they weren’t the best and cleanest of sounds. And since Christmas was in three days, and Shane wouldn’t be heading back to Montreal until the new year, thanks to time off to recover. Shane wouldn’t be getting a new pair sorted until after the new year. He just hoped he could hold off on having to use his old pair with his parents and their families, both coming by during the holidays.

His phone vibrated in his hand, and he waited a bit before he glanced at it.

Lily

Should see about coming to Boston for the holidays. We did say I would come to you.

Jane

I know, but since I was hurt, mom and dad cancelled going to Vermont, and the family is coming here instead. Though only my aunt and uncle live in Vermont. The rest live in Ottawa. Aunt Claire and Uncle Andrew are the ones who treated me like a baby and like I couldn’t do anything. Aunt Claire is the worst.

Lily

If you need to escape, I can send an emergency message, or maybe Hayden can come and rescue you?

Jane

Doubt my parents are going to let me out of their sight. The fire really freaked them out; they’re going after management at the moment. They want blood. My mom, especially, since Hayden had to wait to wake me up instead of both of us already being up and out of the room. When I woke, he should have been down at least two floors without me dragging myself out of bed. 

Lily

Curious. How do they accommodate the deaf in hotels?

Jane

They set up special rooms where someone comes to the door; instead of knocking, there is a bell that will flash a light in the room. For fire alarms, there is a bright flash that can be set up in specialized rooms. Not only that, some hotels have a wristband that will vibrate to wake someone to say it’s a fire alarm.

Lily

I see. Is good system?

Jane

No system is perfect, but it works well enough. If I had that during the fire, I would have woken before Hayden had started trying to wake me. We might have got out without so much smoke inhilation we both needed to be at the hospital and I doubt I would ahve been injured at all.

Lily

I am glad you are doing better.

Jane

So am I. I’m going to sleep for a bit, my head is not happy with me, and family are coming over. I want to be sleeping before they get here.

Lily

Sleep well.

Jane

Talk later.

Shane put his phone aside, making sure it was locked. Most of their gear had been distroyed, it would take a few more days before everything had been replaced and worn in enough that players would feel a little more normal. The League had been kind enough to pospone a few of the game until the new year, giving Montreal a bit to recover from the almost tradedy that could have occured in the hotel. Shane curled up and closed his eyes. Letting himself fall asleep. He had to admit, that he was tired.

XxXxX

“Where is my grandson?” Angela asked as she kissed her son on the cheek as he welcomed her into his home.

“He’s sleeping,” David told her, “he’s had a hard few days,” he added, letting her and the rest of those who had traveled with her inside. Most of the family still lived in Ottawa. Only Yuna’s sister no longer lived in Canada; she had gone back to Japan as a young woman and had married a nice young man whose family owned an onsen.

“Hmm, shouldn’t you wake him? He’s not a child anymore,” his brother, Andrew, said as he and his wife took off their coats. Their three kids were all grown up and married, with children of their own. They would be coming in about half an hour, traffic willing.

“I know he’s not, Andy, but he’s not feeling great,” David said, shaking his head. “Not only that, but you know he doesn’t get along with anyone since none of you cared to learn how to talk to him.”

“Are you bringing that up again?” Claire said, rolling her eyes at the man.

David looked at her, “If you keep treating Shane like he’s an idiot, then yes.”

“Go and wake him,” Angela demanded as she made her way into the living room.

“No, we’re not waking him, I’m letting him rest as much as possible,” Yuna countered, looking at her mother-in-law.

“Yuna,” she said, smiling at her warmly, “It’s really not a good idea to let him be lazy.”

“Mom,” she began, “He’s not lazy, he’s worked so hard the last few years. He was in a fire four days ago. Almost died. He was in a fire in a hotel, and he has smoke inhalation that was treated at the hospital, but it’s left him raspy and coughing a lot. His ankle is still a little swollen, and he should be using crutches for the first week. Then going to physio to regain strength. Th-“

“We don’t need a list of what Shane is going through. He just needs to get up and at least say hello to his family,” Claire told her as she walked over.

“No,” David said once more. The doorbell rang again. He sighed and opened the door. His other brother and sister-in-law stood there. Along with his two sisters and their spouses. “Welcome, hope your trip was okay?” he asked them as he let them inside, once again thankful that they had a larger home now than they had when Shane had been a child.

“It was good,” Nigel smiled as he hugged his brother. “The kids and grandkids are on the way,” he added, “I don’t know how you’re going to fit us all in here.”

“We had the extension done,” David told him, “Living room is twice as big as last year,” he added.

“Oh, that’s good, I thought the grandkids were going to go feral if they had to be in a small room for that long again.”

“Garden is ready for them,” David said, “I know it’s cold, and there’s snow, but I know they’d enjoy a snowball fight. Our gen versus their gen?” he asked, grinning.

“I plan to get Petey with one right on the head,” James grinned back at his younger brother, “That kid has lethal aim, he got me twice in the privates last year,” he said, talking about his ten-year-old grandson, the oldest of them, and the oldest of his middle son.

David knew the place was going to be full; this was something they did every year, a family gathering for his side and then for Yuna’s, for those still in Canada. Since Shane joined the NHL and began his Rookie year, he had been able to get out of it. The family hadn’t seen him properly since he was eighteen. Shane was now twenty-five. Shane hadn’t really been accepted by the family properly since before he had lost his hearing, and David hated it, but there wasn’t much he could do to change his family. David had a feeling that his family was going to meet a different Shane from the one they last saw. Shane had been a quiet teenager, even as he was drafted, but after that, it was light. Shane finally started to come out of his shell, and no longer accepts accommodating people who don’t accommodate him.

XxXxX

Shane woke slowly, stretching and wincing as various parts of his body protested the movement. He knew he had to at least show his face to the rest of the family. His dad’s side of the family was the most unaccepting of his deafness. His mother’s side was the same, but his Baaba, his mother’s mother, at least tried occasionally. She knew a few ASL words, not many, but enough that it let Shane know she tried to learn. His cousin in Japan had learned a few as well. It was enough to know that while a lot of those around him didn’t accept, some did care to at least try.

Shane moved around, not sure of the level of noise he was making and not really caring as he went to the bathroom to freshen up before descending the stairs.

‘Hi, Mom.’ He sighed as she looked up.

‘Shane.’ She smiled, and as she signed his name, he knew that she was sticking up for him, currently, instead of trying to get him to conform to using his hearing aids when he really didn’t want to use them.

“Where are his hearing aids?” Claire asked, frowning, “He’s being rude.”

Shane stared at her. He knew what she was saying since she was looking right at him as she talked. “I can read lips well enough most of the time. Unless I’m not feeling great. And it’s not being rude. It’s everyone here.”

“And just how are we being rude?” Angela asked her grandson.

Shane looked at her, “Repeat.”

Angela rolled her eyes, but did so, “How are we being rude?”

Shane sighed, “You really want to know?” he glanced around, seeing a lot of them nod. He could see his cousins getting closer to the conversation. The children were mostly in the backyard, from what he could see. The youngest of them curled on their parents’ laps, not aware of what was about to happen.

“Of course,” James told his nephew.

Shane nodded, “Alright. I’ve been deaf since I was Annie’s age, I was seven, and suddenly the world went quiet. Instead of my family helping me adjust, you all ignored it and pretended I was too stupid to do anything. Not a single one of you has taken the time to learn ASL so you can actually talk to me. I’ve had to wear hearing aids, which don’t always pick up what you’re saying, because I’m profoundly deaf. I’ve lost nearly all of my hearing. The stadium at full volume is a light buzz without hearing aids, and even with them, it’s still not that loud to me. I use one to help me hear the buzzer and whistles, and that’s all it can manage. But you, each of you, could have taken the time to learn a bit in the eighteen years that I’ve been deaf. Which to me tells me all about you. Each of you. That I’m not worth your love, care, or attention. So why should I be down here with family that doesn’t want me around enough to learn how to talk with me properly when I can’t always wear my aids?” he asked them. He could feel the vibrations in his throat get more intense as he spoke, knowing his voice was getting louder. He did his best to modulate and hoped he was successful in not shouting at his family.

‘Oh, Shane.’ Yuna sighed to her son.

‘I’m going back to my room, either read or sleep.’ He signed back to her as he went into the kitchen to grab a few snack items and a drink.

‘Okay.’ She nodded at him. She was silent until Shane had gone back up the stairs. The family had gone silent as Shane had finished.

“Is that what he thinks?” Angela asked, “That we don’t love or care about him?”

David leaned against the wall near his wife and nodded. “Yes. It’s why you don’t see him that often. None of you has seen him in seven years. That’s because he finds what he can to be away from here when you visit. He doesn’t want to be around you, and why should he? Yuna and I made many mistakes when he was first diagnosed as deaf. We did, we isolated him from a community that would have understood and helped him.”

“We wanted to be back to normal, that Shane could hear again, that it would magically fix itself. He got hearing aids for your comfort, not his. They hurt him so much when he was a kid. They barely picked anything up as they weren’t as strong as they are now. Even then, if we talk quietly enough, he won’t be able to hear it with them,” Yuna added, glancing at the stairs where Shane had gone.

“But from the moment we knew, we made sure he wouldn’t lose any of his language skills. He knows ASL, damn good at it, by the time he was nine. But not a single person outside of myself and Yuna bothered to learn. Not one of you cared to learn to talk to him. Instead, I find an upset son after staying with you, Claire, because you had decided that, since he couldn’t hear you, he was a baby and needed help with everything. You and the kids back then didn’t care to learn. None of you did, and still don’t. You’ve had eighteen years to learn. So why wouldn’t he think that none of you care, Mom?” he asked his mother as he looked at her. “I love all of you, and Shane no longer cares about any of you. None of you mean anything to him, because for eighteen years, all of you have decided that he’s not worth the effort to learn how to talk to him.”

Angela looked at her son, “He… David…” she trailed off.

“What?” David said, “I’ve been letting it slide for eighteen years, and I shouldn’t have. I should have told you all that you were being shitty towards my son each time I saw him frustrated, that you didn’t learn anything. That you didn’t even use a pen and a piece of paper to talk to him. I should have said something when I held him as he asked me if any of you loved him when he was ten. I should have said something when he was fifteen and started hiding in his room when we had a family gathering around him. I should have said something at eighteen when he came up with a poor excuse to not come home and see any of you.”

“He has no connection to any of you, even after years of trying. Not one of you reached back out to meet him halfway. I don’t know why I agreed to have everyone meet here. We should have held this somewhere else so Shane could have a peaceful day by himself,” Yuna said as he headed into the kitchen, needing a little time away from the family.

“David,” James began, “I-“

“There is nothing you can say, any of you, to make up for how Shane feels. And the apologise, shouoldn’t be to me. They should be for Shane, but then again, do you even care enough to make them in a way he will understand? I doubt it,” he told them, “Now, I’m dropping this, and don’t keep telling me I should bring Shane down here. He’ll come down when it’s dinner time, but that’s about it. I’m not forcing him to be around any of you. I stopped doing that almost a decade ago.”

 

Chapter Eight

Shane entered his room after getting a few things. He put the crutch aside that he had used to move around, taking some of the weight off his ankle. He put the tray he had used down on the desk in his room and looked around the room. There wans’t that much for him to do in there, but he really didn’t want to be downstairs with the family. He sighed and sat at his desk. Looking in some of the drawers and finding nothing that would keep his interest for too long. He tapped the desk, enjoying the vibrations in his fingers as his mind wandered.

He wondered how the family had taken his little rant; part of him wanted them to feel all the frustration and pain he had felt over the years of being let down by them all the time. He doubted they would feel anything. They hadn’t before, so why would now be any different? He sighed and leaned back in his chair. Spotting his phone. He got up, limped over to his bed, and fell onto it, grabbing his phone and pulling up Ilya’s messages.

Jane

I wish I were with you.

Shane lay back, letting the phone rest on his sternum. He turned onto his side as he began to cough. “Fucking cough,” he said aloud before snorting at himself for doing so. Shane drifted a bit, feeling his phone vibrate against him. He quickly looked.

Lily

Marly is here, or I would vid call. I miss you too and wish you were here with me.

Jane

When you are free, maybe we can do it then. I hate being around family.

Lily

Yes, call later. I think Marly is threatening to take my phone if I don’t stop messaging you.

Jane

Tell Marly he’s an ass and I want some em and your time.

Lily

He’s still an asshole. Says later.

Jane

I’ll smash him into the boards next time we meet.

Lily

Not if I do it first.

Shane laughed as he carried on messaging a little more before he put it aside, his head hurting again, enough to drive him away from using his phone. He let himself drift, wondering when he would have to be around his family again. He wished he could eat in his room, but he hated the thought of doing it. His dad had set up the large tables in the annex room for everyone. Shane thought about asking to eat in the kitchen at the breakfast bar in there instead of with everyone else.

After a while, the light in his room flashed. Someone had pressed the little bell just outside of it that set it off.

“Come in,” he called out.

David entered the room. ‘Shane, dinner is ready. If you want, you can eat up here, or in the kitchen. I’m not going to force you to be around them.’

Shane smiled at his dad. He wanted to take it, to take the out, but he didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of having them drive him away. Even though he would prefer to be driven away and not be around people who don’t care. ‘I’ll be fine to eat with everyone. They won’t be talking to me, so it doesn’t really matter.’

David sighed and sat down on the bed. ‘Shane, you don’t have to force it. I know you’d rather be anywhere else at the moment. Take the out, but if you want to join, then join.’

‘I’ll be okay to join, Dad. But thanks.’ Shane smiled at him as he got up. Keeping his phone with him as he followed his dad out of his room and downstairs. He went to the annex room and saw his mom sitting to one side of the head of the table. Where his dad would sit. The space across from her was empty. He sat down, giving everyone a nod in greeting but not saying a word.

David looked and sighed softly, as he smield and sat down. Within minutes, it was a frenzy of plates being passed around the table. Only David and Yuna were talking with Shane, asking him what he wanted and handing it over as they got it.

“Is he going to ignore us all dinner?” Claire asked, as she looked from Shane to David.

“Have you tried talking to him in a way he can understand? He doesn’t have his hearing aids in today. They’re causing the headaches to worsen,” David told her, looking over at her. He knew Shane could lip-read, but he and David both knew that it wasn’t a perfect method. It was mostly guesswork and watching facial expressions, as it was with watching the lips and how they formed words.

“Drop it, Claire,” Andrew told his wife. He glanced at Shane, who was eating and occasionally signing at his mother, who signed back to him. A crutch was leaning against the nearby wall where David had put it as soon as Shane had sat down.

“Come on-“

“Aunt Claire,” Rupert began. He was James’s eldest. “You’ve been told to leave it be, so leave it be. Shane doesn’t have to answer to you or anyone at this table. Because Uncle David is right, we’ve all shown that we didn’t care about him over the years. All of us.”

David looked at them, “Rupert’s right, Claire, let it go. Shane doesn’t have to answer to any of you. HE doesn’t ahve to talk to you, acknowledge you, or anything if he doesn’t wish to. Just like you’ve done to him since he was seven.”

“No, I won’t,” she snapped, “You had a go at us for nothing-“

“It wasn’t nothing,” Yuna hissed at her, “You and everyone else have ignored the needs of my son for eighteen years. And the moment you realized that he doesn’t think of you as an aunt or even as family, you’re offended. I don’t care if he never thinks or even calls you Aunt ever again, because you’ve not acted as his family in just as long. The only time we ever left him with someone for a week, the only time, and you blew it. Instead of welcoming him, you babied him, and then you decided that it would be fine to keep him inside all the time, told him he was too delicate to go out and play. He was twelve, and you forced him to remain inside. Told his cousins not to play with him. We came back and found an upset child, who never wanted to go near any of his family again. Asking why the hell none of you cared about him, loved him.”

Shane looked at his mother, seeing what she was saying, or catching a lot of it. “Mom,” he called out.

‘Shane.’ She switched to sign with him as she looked at him. 

‘Everything okay?’ He asked. ‘I caught some of what you said.’

‘Your Aunt Claire is acting entitled again.’ Yuna smiled at him.

Shane snorted, ‘Nothing unusual, I remember her being like that when I was a kid.’

Yuna laughed lightly as David did the same thing.

“What?” Claire deamdned, “What are you all saying?”

“If you learned, you would know,” Yuna said.

“I’m entitled to know what you were saying to him,” she insisted as Andrew put a hand on her arm to calm her down.

David looked at her, “Oh, and isn’t he entitled to the same consideration?” he asked her, hiding a smirk, “You demand to know what was said, but if Shane had asked, as he had done in the past, you ignored him, didn’t write it down, nothing. Enjoy feeling for one moment what Shane has felt for eighteen years.”

“Ho-” she began to protest the insult flung toward her.

“Enough, Claire, and David’s right. You’ve made Shane feel the same for years; we all have. Stop playing victim when you’re not,” Andrew snapped at his wife.

Cliare huffed and stood up. “I’ll not put up with this.”

“Claire, sit down, you insufferable woman,” Angela told her daughter-in-law. “Be quiet and behave, you’re showing yourself to be a stupid and selfish woman, with manners no better than your granddaughter.” Their only granddaughter was two years old and liked to throw things from her plate at the dinner table.

Claire sat down hard, going quiet at being admonished by her mother in law. The table went quiet and all that could be heared was ther clinking on utensils on plates. the ocasaionly question to pass something over, but that was it for most of the meal.

Shane stood when the meal was done. ‘Thanks mom, dad.’ He smiled at the two of them, about to head to his room again.

Angela stood, “Can you tell him I’m sorry,” she said, looking at Yuna and David.

“Find some apaper and write it. Don’t use someone else to convey your messages Mom. He needs to hear things from you, see that you care. But i don’t know if it’s too late for anything else to happen,” David warned her, making sure the rest of the family knew that Shane may not be receptove to someone trying to conect with him now that he was a full adult and hadn’t wanted or needed them in his life for a long time.

Angela nodded. Shane left the room once more, ignoring family like had had done for years.

XxXxX

Shane spent the rest of the night in his room, only going down to get another drink. At the end of it, a letter was given to him. He set it aside, not sure who it was from, and not sure if he even cared to read it. To him, it would be too little too late to reach out to him. They had so long to do so. Two days later, he had to be around for his mother’s side of the family. At least this time, he was able to talk with his Baaba a little; she had improved in her ASL skills over the last few years. Able to really hold a conversation with her grandson. Even as her hands were unable to fully form every word properly, arthritis had taken the 80-year-old woman’s ability to hold things properly a few years before. Shane’s heart swelled knowing she cared enough to still try, even with the pain he knew she was feeling in them.

Just after the New Year celebrations, Shane was finally able to escape his parents and head back to Montreal. His check-up had gone well, and the rehab on his ankle was going well enough that he was able to skate and practice at least. Another week before he would be allowed to play games again. Shane also had new hearing aids, a little stronger than the ones he’d had before.

“Hey, welcome back,” Hayden called out, waving his arm as he got the man’s attention.

“Hey,” Shane smiled back, walking over, “I’ve fucking missed home.”

“Not good at your aprents then?” Hayden asked as they began to walk into the practice rink.

“Nope,” he said, shaking his head, “family over. The only one I really care about in the extended family is baaba, my moms mother. She’s the only one that has taken the time to learn sign language,” he told him, “Not only that, but her hands are bad and she still did it to talk to me.”

“Yeah, hate family that doesn’t make an effort to meet you partway,” Hayden nodded as they headed to the locker room.

“Yeah, they’ve never even made the effort. I think one of my dad’s side wrote a letter and handed it to my parents for me. I’ve not read it, don’t even know who it’s from,” Shane shrugged, “I’ve not read it, don’t know if I will.”

“Read it or don’t. Up to you, man,” Hayden told him.

“So you finally return,” Theriualt snapped as he glared at Shane.

“I’m on light skate until next week,” Shane answered him, “I’ll be assessed by the team’s medical team then to see if I return to the ice fully.”

“Get changed and get out on the ice, I want to see what ground we need to make up for your lack of discipline.”

“It was more of a case of accommodations that I needed weren’t in place to keep me safe. That’s a failure on your part,” Shane hissed back as he moved past his coach and began to get ready, Hayden following him without a word. The door of the locker room slammed shut as Theriualt left.

Hayden turned to Shane as they began to change, “Wow.”

“I’m sick of him, Hayd, I really am. I’m so close to waving right now and saying fuck it,” Shane said, “The fire just made it clear to me that the Voyageurs only think about their image and not the safety of their players. Just a simple word and an accommodation could have been made, and chances are, you and I would have been out with the rest of the team instead of having firefighters rescue us.”

“You’ve got the end of the season, it’s your seventh, UFA is right around the corner. I’ve got the same coming up as well. We’re both going to be shot. I’ve got mine looking for places that would want me,” Hayden said quietly, knowing that sometimes a voice could carry in the locker room.

‘ASL.’ Shane sighed. ‘More private to talk like this, not like anyone else knows to use it around here.’

‘Yeah, good idea. And yeah, thinking about where I’m going. I know where you’d like to head, and I’ll be trying to head in the same direction. I know a few teams are looking out for a good winger, as some are retiring soon.’ Hayden told him.

‘Faarah is reaching out to Boston. They’re making room at the cap for me, but it’s going to take until the summer for it to be freed up. They’re losing a winger on the second line to retirement. Ilya can play great on right wing. And I’m good with Right, left, and center. So it’s going to be a game of it trying to find out where Ilya and I can really fit together. We’ve never played with each other, only against.’ Shane told him, looking sad at that.

‘Well, maybe the lineup for all-stars will have you playing with each other for once. They’ve had you verse each other too much over the years, people are tired of it and want a shake-up. That could be the way they do it. We know who’s going already, but the lineup hasn’t been let out yet.’ Hayden said, giving Shane a little bit of hope.

Shane nodded as the two finished getting changed and headed out to the rink. The rest of the team was already there and running drills. Hayden had been back before Christmas, while Shane had taken a little longer with his ankle and bruised ribs.

Theriualt glared at him and began to order them to their drills. Shane went out, gliding easily across the ice. He’d been able to get a little time on the ice before he’d left Ottawa, under his mother’s supervision, just in case she said. Though seeing the camera pointed at him several times, he knew it was more of a case she wanted to document him again. She was always taking videos and pictures of him when she could.

Shane fell into the drills as he usually did, with grace and precision. The two main traits he was known for. Hayden worked alongside him with JJ as they drilled their passing techniques. Four hours on the ice and Shane was tired, but no more than he usually was. 

“You doing okay?” JJ asked as they headed to the locker room.

Shane nodded, “Yeah, I’m doing great.”

“That was so scary. Why did it take you and Hayden so long to get out? You should have been right with us,” JJ asked curiously. He’d worried one of them had been hurt, but to find that Shane had been hurt on the stairs coming down didn’t explain to him why they had taken so long.

Shane looked at him, “Meet me at mine later on. I’ll ask Hayden to come along as well,” he told him, “I’ll explain more there. Not here.”

JJ nodded, and the two went into the locker room, showered, and changed.

XxXxX

Shane opened the door of his apartment and took off his shoes. JJ and Hayden are doing the same. “Drinks?” he asked as he headed straight to the kitchen.

“Yeah, Coke,” Hayden asked, as JJ said the same.

Shane got them a can each while grabbing a ginger ale for himself.

“So, why?” JJ asked as soon as they were seated in the living room.

Shane put down his can and reached for his hair. Pushing it behind his ears and letting JJ see the hearing aids he wore.

“What… Why do you…” JJ asked, his accent coming in thicker as he looked at his friend.

“I was ill when I was seven, and it left me deaf. I’ve lost about ninety-five percent of my hearing. When I’m at the stadium, the noise level is like a little buzz. My hearing aids at least let me hear you guys when you speak. I just can’t wear them all the time,” Shane answered as he began to explain everything. And he meant everything except for Ilya.

“That is… merde,” he cursed as he shook his head, “Why didn’t you tell me before?” he asked, feeling a little hurt, but wanting to know why before he jumped to anything.

“Because I got so used to not saying anything. JJ, I’ve been a hockey player since before I went deaf. When I went back after being so ill and no longer able to hear, they thought I wouldn’t be able to do anything, and that’s the same thing every single coach has been like since then. that I won’t be able to play. So at first, I kept it hidden for that. Theriault knows, and he does what he can to make shit difficult,” Shane finished shaking his head as he leaned back.

“It’s shitty, Capitiane,” JJ said, drinking half his can before setting it aside for a few moments, “What are you planning? I can see that tension is getting higher between you and the coach.”

“Yeah, it’s fucking ridiculous,” Shane snipped a little, sneering as he added, “But it might be time to move. I’m seven seasons down at the end of this one. UFA here I come.”

“I won’t be free for another year,” JJ said, not looking happy.

“A year isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things. Start putting feelers out for next year. Shane and I have done that. We’re both leaving Montreal, we’re both UFA’s on July 1st,” Hayden said as they discussed a little more of what the plan was. Thought neither mentioned a team yet.

					

													

										

				

				
				The Quiet Game – Chapter Three – Duochanfan
				
				
							

									

										

				

				
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				The Quiet Game – Chapter Nine to Eleven – Duochanfan
				
				
							

									

										

				

				
				The Quiet Game – Chapter Four & Five – Duochanfan
				
				
							

									

										

				

				
				The Quiet Game – Chapter Two – Duochanfan
				
				
							

									

										

				

				
				The Quiet Game – Chapter One – Duochanfan