Tara

Intro Tara couldn’t stop grinning from the moment we stepped out onto Causeway Street, her red hair catching the wind as she looked up at the glowing TD Garden sign like it was holy ground. I’d never seen her this giddy—not even when we first met. A lifelong Celtics fanatic, and the daughter of one who had been a fan since names like Russell and Havilcek weren’t former players. she’d watched every game religiously from a distance, shouting at the TV in bars and pacing the living room like she was coaching from the sidelines. But this—her first live game in Boston—was different. Her brown eyes lit up as the crowds swelled around us, green jerseys everywhere, and she gripped my hand a little tighter like she was trying to make sure this was real. Inside, the energy hit like a wall—chants, music, the unmistakable pulse of playoff anticipation. We found our seats just in time to see the team take the court, and she let out a breathless laugh, like a kid seeing her heroes come to life.