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Jackie Pike has a secret. It’s not anything particularly scandalous at the end of the day (well that’s what she tells herself) and it’s actually more of an almost secret, if you really think about it. It’s something she hasn’t even thought about in years, because it truly is nothing. A nothing secret! A nothing secret that could destroy her marriage. Well, probably not destroy, but certainly cause issues in. She has never had reason to bring up or even think of this secret, but now that the memory has resurfaced, it won’t leave her mind.
It all started in university. Jackie didn’t actually finish university because she accidentally fell in love with an MLH player and got married young. She doesn’t necessarily regret this, but the feminist in her doesn’t love it. But she does love her husband and her kids and she honestly has an incredible life, so no complaints. But before she dropped out to be a WAG, Jackie did a couple years of university. And during that time she had her fair share of fun, some of which was with… hockey players. She refused to think she was ever a puck bunny, but her dad worked for the league and her brothers played and she had grown up in that world, so she maybe had a certain proclivity towards hockey culture and players. Which again, worked out very strongly in her favor because that’s how she met the love of her life.
But, prior to meeting Hayden, she had known some other players. None of them even made it to the MLH and anyone in their circles had been disclosed to Hayden very early on into their whirlwind relationship. Except for one. But the thing is, this one was an almost one. She never actually slept with him or even kissed him. So there has never been any reason to bring him up. Except for the fact that Hayden and Shane hate him. Yes, yes… Jackie had once almost gone home with Ilya Rozanov.
Once again reiterating that the “almost” is a critical part of this story. There had merely been some flirting, dancing, and phone number exchanging. Nothing else. He was saved in her phone as “Russian Hockey Player” and Jackie never thought about him (aside from the next morning when she had, in a hungover stupor, realized that said Russian hockey player was the Ilya Rozanov. Number one overall draft pick, Boston Bears superstar Ilya Rozanov).
Rozanov doesn’t seem to remember. In fact, Jackie is 100% positive that Rozanov doesn’t remember because he’s an asshole and would absolutely chirp Hayden about her if he did. So it’s just something that Jackie doesn’t care about or think about. Ever. In fact, getting married so young makes Jackie forget sometimes that she even had a life before Hayden. That is, until it becomes incredibly, unavoidably relevant.
In recent weeks, Hayden has become obsessed with Shane’s Boston Lily. Jackie can’t blame him, not really. Shane has been texting this girl for years but things have really ramped up since Shane had broken up with Rose Landry. Jackie suspects Shane was never actually over Lily and that’s why he and Rose didn’t last. Although, their still being friends leads her to think that maybe it was never actually that serious between them and the media over sensationalized the few public appearances they did have. Shocker…
It isn’t easy dating in the public eye. Jackie feels lucky that her husband is merely Montreal Hockey Famous. She shares their life together in a very curated, influencer way, but certainly isn’t getting papped going to the grocery store. Shane has a very different life. He’s one of only a few MLH players who is famous famous. His contract, brand deals, and record-breaking stats make up for it in part, but Jackie has always felt bad for how much pressure Shane faces. It definitely seems to hold him back in certain areas, Boston Lily being the prime example.
Jackie and Hayden, who love Shane deeply, spend probably too much time dissecting Shane’s love life. But they’re boring and married with kids, they need some sort of entertainment. It’s not like Shane has given them much to work with over the years, but that makes the speculation even more fun. Knowing Shane has a secret hookup, who Hayden is convinced has recently become a secret girlfriend, really spices up Jackie and Hayden’s monotonous conversations about schedules, daycare, and diapers.
The thing is, wanting privacy isn’t particularly shocking coming from Shane, but the secrecy is. It makes the whole Boston Lily speculation take a turn. Why is she a secret? They’ve had several theories over the years. Maybe Lily is just very private, maybe she’s a celebrity, maybe she’s married (though Jackie really hopes it’s not this one), maybe she’s in witness protection (this had been Hayden’s theory for a while). Jackie’s current leading theory is that Lily works for the Bears. It would make sense—why her schedule always seems to line up with the team. Hayden, on the other hand, is set on one that used to feel crazy, but has felt less crazy recently: Maybe Lily is a man.
Jackie doesn’t necessarily disagree, in fact would explain a lot—why Shane has never really dated around, why he is so secretive, why he rejects every offer of being set up with one of Jackie’s friends, why he broke up with Rose Landry but they’re still close friends… It just adds up. The one thing that doesn’t is why Shane won’t tell Hayden. It’s different to be private as a celebrity than it is to not disclose something like that to your best friend.
But, seeing as this has been a theory of theirs for a couple years now, Hayden has gone out of his way to be an Ally™. He uses pride tape on pride night, he’s volunteered with a local LGBT youth league, he even has multiple children's books lying around his house that feature gay characters that he has very pointedly read aloud in Shane’s presence.
As the Voyageur’s AC, Hayden helps enforce Shane’s locker room rules. No slurs, no “phobias”, no “isms”. The AHL team Hayden had played for before being called up to the MLH didn’t even remotely have rules like these. But, times are changing and Shane is, of course, the type of captain who holds his team to a high standard in both play and conduct.
Part of Hayden’s job is to tell anyone who takes the locker room talk too far to fuck off, but he likes to go above and beyond. When Comeau called him a cocksucker for beating his ass during practice, Hayden shrugged and said, "Why would I be offended by being called gay, Gil, that’s not even an insult,” as he skated off the ice. Granted both Comeau and Hollzy had looked at him like he had two heads, but he swears he saw a slight spark in Shane’s eye that made it all worth it.
They’ve also made an effort to host Jackie’s lesbian sister and her wife when Shane is over, emphasizing how much the kids love their aunts. Shane has always been polite and cordial with them but hasn’t seemed to click with them in, like, a queer camaraderie way.
But even with some of his attempts being stronger than others, Shane has not budged. “Maybe there’s nothing for him to budge on, babe, this is complete speculation,” Jackie reminds Hayden when he gets particularly down about his best friend hiding something from him. She doesn’t necessarily believe her own words, but it’s not her call to make, and she’s certainly not going to be pushy with Shane or encourage Hayden to do so. That’s why she has recently been leaning into her Bear’s employee theory.
At the end of the day, all she knows is that Shane and his mystery person seem to be spending a lot more time together recently. According to Hayden, phone calls, disappearances, and blushes have all increased exponentially in the past few weeks. Which means that when she sees Shane laying on the ice unresponsive, one of the first things Jackie thinks about is Boston Lily.
Games against Boston are always fun. The ridiculous rivalry between Shane and Rozanov makes the teams play hard against each other, creating an electric environment in the barn. Jackie doesn’t go to Hayden’s games all that often anymore, but she left the kids with her parents tonight to join a few of the other WAGs at this game, knowing it was going to be good. It does prove to be a good thing that she’s there, because even when your best friend gets rushed to the hospital, the show must go on. So Hayden can’t exactly ride in the ambulance with Shane and talk to the doctors while the Hollanders rush to the hospital from Ottawa.
Jackie, however, can, and is grateful that her quick thinking and family access badge allow her to catch up to the paramedics before they drive away. Shane is in and out of consciousness, and Jackie can’t help but quietly cry as she holds his hand. There’s already a bruise blooming under his eyes, the force of the impact evident. Fuck, he is going to be okay. He has to be okay.
Shane has muttered something that sounds like “Lily” a few times now, and Jackie is cursing him for being so private. She has no idea how to contact Lily, but feels obligated to get news to her somehow. She pulls out her phone.
This makes Jackie stifle a sob. God, she loves this dumb, particular, idiot boy so much. He has to be okay.
It turns out he is okay. Broken collarbone, concussion, out for the season (which won’t be okay for the Metros), but generally okay. After a while, Shane is in an operating room getting screws put into his collarbone, leaving Jackie with nothing to do but make stilted conversation with the Voyageur’s medical proxy, worry, and check to see if Hayden has texted her back. She’s already been texting Yuna that she’s with Shane and subsequently spent 20 minutes on the phone with the Hollanders, promising to keep them updated if there’s any news before they arrive.
Hayden eventually shows up with the Metros coach, Shane’s phone and socks in hand, followed shortly by a few other guys from the team and Shane’s parents. By the time Shane is post-op and assigned a room, he has amassed quite a group of visitors. Jackie knows Shane is covered, and while she’d love to stay, she’s tired, overwhelmed, uncomfortably pregnant, and has a family to get home to. The emotional toll of being in the hospital is definitely getting to her and all she wants is to be at home hugging her babies—but, she has one thing to do first.
Jackie doesn’t have Shane’s phone passcode and, of course, he has it completely locked down. Smart for anyone regularly in a locker room, especially smart for someone with a secret girlfriend. But in this specific situation, maybe not so smart, because Shane has the setting where if his phone is locked, all you can see is the actual number rather than the contact name. Perfect. There are quite a few unread texts flowing in, most likely friends, family, and team members sending their well wishes. Jackie can’t read any of the messages, but makes the assumption that the number who has texted Shane 21 times is Boston Lily.
She quickly googles the area code and sure enough, 857 belongs to Boston. Okay, here goes. She types the number into her new messages bar and that’s when everything changes. She looks at Shane’s phone again, double checking the number. Triple checking the number. She deletes it, retypes it, checks the number for a 4th time. But no amount of checking changes the contact popping up: “Russian Hockey Player”.
Jesus fucking christ, Shane, what the hell have you gotten yourself into?, she thinks as she makes her plan of attack. Part of her wants to call the number and see what happens, but if she’s right, there’s no way Rozanov will answer. Rozanov… Ilya, Lily. It makes sense. It all kind of clicks into place once she lets it. She would have never come to this conclusion herself, but with the truth hovering in front of her, it seems so obvious now.
Hayden is going to freak out. That’s a problem for another day. Right now she has to get a critical update to Shane’s boyfriend(?) who is probably freaking out right now. God, he had been on the ice with him. Jackie tries not to let her stupid pregnancy hormones take over, but she can’t help but tear up at how hopeless this whole situation must feel for them. Nope, not what she needs to be thinking about right now. Just text the number. Tell Boston Lily that Shane is okay. Keep it simple.
Well, here goes nothing.
If Jackie is right, Lily really knows how hockey is…
Okay, the news has been officially shared. Jackie has done her job. She grabs her bag, kisses Hayden goodnight, exchanges Shane’s phone for Hayden’s keys, and drives their car home. Hayden will probably spend the night, but if he does choose to come home, he can hitch a ride with a teammate. Jackie curses her unborn daughter (who she already loves to pieces) for draining all of her energy. Jackie loves her kids, but she can’t wait to not be pregnant anymore, at least for a couple years. She isn’t opposed to one more, but she certainly won’t be doing that anytime soon.
By the time Jackie gets home, the kids are fast asleep. This is partially a relief because she can go straight to bed after a quick chat with her parents about the evening. But she does want to hug something. Maybe they should get a dog. She snorts. Okay maybe the last thing she needs is another tiny creature to take care of.
“Looks like it’s just you and me, Amber,” she mumbles to her rounded belly, as she crawls into her empty bed. She puts her hand to where her daughter is now kicking her. Perfect timing as always. Amber has a habit of waking up when Jackie is trying to sleep, a habit that she prays is not foreshadowing to her sleep schedule once she’s born. Jackie is pregnant enough that no position is really comfortable, but she makes herself as comfortable as possible before pulling her phone back out.
She has unread texts from Hayden updating her on his plans for the night, a few in the WAG group chat, and then one from “Russian Hockey Player”.
She hesitates before her next text. She knows it’s risky and that she probably won’t get the answer she wants, but she has to try. She doesn’t want to spook Rozanov, but shouldn’t he know he has an ally in his corner?
Jackie rolls her eyes. If anything this further confirms that this is Rozanov, because chirping her husband in a time of distress seems right up his alley. She takes a deep breath as she sends her most risky text yet.