Jake's embrace felt like a thermal shield against the freezing air of the TD Place Arena. With his skates still on, the Canadian held Aibek a few inches off the ground, swaying him gently while the crowd continued to rain down flowers, handmade cards, and bouquets of roses wrapped in cellophane. The ovation did not diminish in intensity; it was a constant sound, a sonic wave that made the acrylic of the barriers and the chests of the coaches stationed in the technical zone vibrate.
"I'm not letting you go all afternoon, my heaven," Jake told him against his ear, his voice strained with emotion and the residual adrenaline of the final flight. "What you just did out there is going to be engraved in the history of this stadium for the next twenty years. You were incredible."
