From somewhere in the arena, someone whistle-hoots, then calls, “Nina, you’re amazing!”
I think it’s Cara. A metal door slams shortly after, leaving just the three of us.
Nina is amazing. Even if out of practice, even scared, she moves on the ice like it’s her natural element. I can see the skater she used to be in every smooth line of her body, every elegant movement. But there’s power there too and I wonder what would happen if she held a hockey stick in her hands.
She circles back to us, wearing a tiny smile as if she’s afraid to let it grow across her lips.
“You mentioned an injury, but didn’t tell me you were a figure skater,” I say.
“Because I’m not, er, wasn’t.”
I frown, not following. “But—?” I gesture to the carved ice beneath our feet.
“I played hockey and got a full scholarship to Ohio State,”she corrects, but there’s color in her cheeks and light in her eyes that wasn’t there on dry land. Pride, maybe. Or remembered joy.
“Seriously?”
“I’m no NHL player, but I can hold my own.” She winks.
“I don’t doubt that,” I reply with a beaming smile because this woman is full of surprises. “We’ll have to play sometime.”
“I’d love that.”
For the next hour, we work with Kai. Nina takes one side, I take the other, and slowly but surely, the kid finds his balance. Eventually, the training wheels are off and he’s skating on his own.
“Look at me!” he calls out, making it halfway across the rink before the toes of his skates collide and he goes down in a heap. But he’s laughing as he falls, and he wobbles right back up, ready to try again.
Nina skates up beside me. “He’s a natural. Good balance, no fear. Give him a few weeks and he’ll be coming for your position on the Knights.”
I chuckle. “We’ll see. I don’t want him to think he has to follow in my footsteps.”
Nina’s lips crimp slightly as if she senses the unspoken truth that my father’s pressure on me left invisible scars.
“It wouldn’t have to be competitive. Not yet, anyway. Just fun. Just skating.”
“Skating with his family.” The wordfamilyslips out before I can stop it, but that’s exactly what this feels like as distant memories surface of my mom, dad, Desi, and me before everything fell apart.
Nina’s hand finds mine. She says, “Our family.”
We watch Kai make another circuit of the rink, this time staying upright for the entire journey. When he reaches us, he’s beaming with a sense of accomplishment.
“Did you see that? Did you see me skating around that whole part?” he asks breathlessly.
I give him a fist bump. “We saw. You did great.”
“Can we come back tomorrow?” He bounces a little and nearly loses his footing.
Nina arches an eyebrow. “Depends on whether you can behave yourself at school and only use the flour if we’re baking something.”
“I promise,” Kai says seriously.
I ruffle his hair. “Let’s go around once more, all together.”
“Family style!” he shouts, charging the rink.
One time turns into at least three. When we get to the warm room, I help Kai out of his skates, showing him how it’s done. Alexi in the pro shop is sharpening some blades and Kai wanders over, watching with interest.
I catch Nina looking around the arena with something like nostalgia, even though this place is relatively new. I link my pointer finger through hers and squeeze.
