“Definitely.” Wren nods eagerly.
I introduce Wren to everyone and while Nick disappears to get the girls some skates, I teach her how to hold the stick and shoot the puck.
Hannah sits on the sideline with Ruby, watching us. I toss her a wink as her sister sends pucks toward the net in quick succession. What she lacks in skill she makes up for in willpower. Shep and D-Low rebound for her and Penn stays in the goal, no longer blocking shots but providing feedback on how she should position herself and where to aim.
After the girls get skates and gear, I help Wren get her bearings. She’s a quick learner, so is Hannah.
“We used to go once a year around the holidays,” Wren tells me as I skate slowly between the sisters.
“I can tell. You’re both pretty good.”
“It helps that we’re short,” Hannah adds.
“How exactly does that help?” My lips are in a permanent smile. Having them here in this place that means so much to me is wild. I’ve never really shared this with anyone except my teammates. This must be what it’s like to have real family show up for you.
“You know…lower center of gravity helps with balance and stability.”
I consider her theory. “I’m not sure it works that way.”
“No, it absolutely does. That’s why I’m so good at gymnastics too.”
“Except not all short people are athletic so I don’t think your logic works out,” Wren says, waving her arms in a circle to catch her balance.
I take her arm to steady her, and she murmurs her thanks.
“I’m not sayingallshort people are automatically good at skating, but we have an advantage.”
“I don’t know, baby doll. I think you might be making shit up,” I say, still grinning.
The outrage on her face is adorable. “I swear I heard it somewhere. It’s true.”
“D-Low?” I yell across the ice to him without breaking my gaze from Hannah. “I need you to fact-check something for me.”
He skates up from behind us. “What’s up?”
“Hannah here says that being short gives her an athletic advantage in skating. True or False?”
He stops and leans on his stick. “Depends on the context.”
“Yes or no,” I push him to take a side.
“Short people have a better power to weight ratio combined with lower center of gravity that would make sharp turns and quick transitions easier on the ice, but if we’re talking purely speed, then tall people have the advantage.”
The three of us stare at him. I should have been prepared for him to give a complicated response that didn’t really answer the question at all.
“That all you needed?” he asks.
“You’re no help.”
“Ask a nonspecific question, get a nonspecific answer.” He grins, then looks to Wren. “Want to play Sharks and Minnows?”
“Like the game of tag?”
“Yeah, except it’s more fun on skates and we make Penn be the shark in all his gear.”
“Awesome.” Wren skates off after him, leaving me alone with Hannah.
“My bed was lonely this morning,” I say as we circle around the others. Penn is standing at center ice while everyone else lines up behind the goal line.
