“In Italian?”
“Yeah?” I tilt my head. “You know Italian?”
“Spanish and French, too. Moved around a lot as a kid. Does your mom?”
“No.” I muster a reminiscent laugh. “But one summer we were on a family trip to Lake Como, and I packed an entire backpack of books. Mom unpacked them, only to find I snuck them into a different suitcase and my sister’s bag.” The memorypulls at me. It was a trip to celebrate our first adoption anniversary and Dad winning the Stanley Cup. Before I started playing hockey. “Most of my memories from that trip are reading by the lake, reading on a boat, reading in bed. Pretty much reading.”
“Chapter books?” Dr. Manning doesn’t appear to mind my tangent.
“Only one. They were educational children’s books—I was eight. That’s why mom calls me a sponge in Italian.”
“I see.”
“Sorry, you didn’t need to hear all that.”
“That’s okay. I enjoy getting to see another side of you, Sutton.” She leans forward on her desk.
“Do you have time to review the edits on my paper? I still have a few more components to work through with Cooper, but I’d love your feedback right now.”
“Hand it here.” Dr. Manning puts her glasses on, pushing them up her nose when they fall. Eyes shift left to right as she makes her way through my messy first-ish draft.
The original, completed except for a fewinsert data points here, found a new home in the trash can.
It was a rash decision, I’ll admit that. Following Cooper’s practice I watched, I did two things: called my physical therapist to determine what I needed to do to get cleared to skate (again) and reconfigure my case study.
Operation help Cooper fall back in love with hockey.
It’s why I took him to play MOOSE. Help remind him why he’s playing, of the fun we used to have skating on the ice together. We’ve also tried other forms of movement, and discovering other hobbies for him to channel time and energy into.
I slip my phone out of my bag while I wait for her to finish. It shouldn’t take her long. My research paper has a minimumtwenty-page requirement, but it’s only ten so far. Butterflies flutter around my stomach at the notifications on my screen.
Zach
Do you have plans tomorrow night?
Cooper
Coffee after you’re done?
It’s eenie, meenie, miney, moe to pick who to text first. I opt for Zach, something telling me that’s who Ishouldbe choosing.
I’m going to my sister’s art show.
I swipe out of our messages and go to Cooper’s.
I don’t drink coffee. A friend would know that.
Cooper
Technically speaking…a dirty chai latte is coffee. It has espresso in it.
I’ve already had caffeine today.
Cooper
Didn’t realize there was a law about how much caffeine you can have.
Have some more so you can tolerate hanging out with me.
