So I know we all love the co-dependency of it all but I do think one summer, after Ottawa get knocked out of the playoffs early and with an extended summer stretching ahead of them, Shane mentions offhandedly to Ilya
“Oh, by the way, Hayden asked if we wanted to play golf with him next week?”
And Ilya, without even looking up from his phone just says “No he didn’t.”
Shane, confused, brow creased with his signature Shanefrown is like “...what do you mean, he literally texted me this morning.”
“Hmmm, okay and what did this text message say?”
Humouring him, Shane pulls up the text thread and reads aloud “‘Sorry about game 6, refs were clearly favouring Columbus. How about a round of golf next week to kick start the summer?’ Believe me now?”
Ilya shrugs, “I do not hear my name mentioned.”
“Jeez, fine. If you don’t want to hang out with Hayden you can just say so.”
And Ilya, knowing how much the friction between him and Hayden bothers him now finally puts his phone away, reaches for Shane, “No, no moya lyubov. That is not what I am saying at all. Hayden is asking you to play golf with him, not me. He is your friend and he wants to spend time with you.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t come, the invite obviously extends to you too.”
“Will Jackie be going to play golf next week?”
“No,” and at Ilya’s raised eyebrow, Shane says “Well, it’s kind of a boys’ trip.”
“When was the last time you hung out with Hayden without me?”
And Shane hesitates, Ilya’s point sinking in.
“Probably when I still played for the Metros. I guess.”
“Exactly. I think maybe Hayden misses spending time with his friend.”
“I don’t want you to feel like you can’t hang out with us.”
“I don’t. Look, when Marly came to town last summer we had barbecue together, yes? You, me and him.”
“And then me and Marly went to a bar and you stayed home, remember? Did you feel left out?”
“No, I had some peace and quiet with you both gone.”
“Exactly. And me and Marly, we had good catch up, just the two of us, because we have been friends for many years, lots of history that you were not there for. Lots of...ah, what’s the word...talking about the past...”
“Yes, reminiscing. Is what people do when they have been friends for a long time. I think maybe Hayden is missing doing that with you.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind? We can play golf another time together if you want?”
Ilya fixes him with a dead stare.
“Shane. Golf is literally the most boring sport on Earth.”
“I thought you liked boring?”
“No. Not this. Is like someone looked and Hockey and went hmmm yes, good, but what if we took away all of the fun and make people walk 1,000 miles to play it.”
“This wasn’t about fixing my friendship with Hayden was it, you just didn’t wanna play golf with us.”
“Hmmm, what is English saying? Two birds and one stone?”
Anyway then Ilya makes a joke about only needing 1 hole instead of 18 to have fun and that takes up the rest of their afternoon the end