I’ve been skating backwards while holding his hands to get him used to the sensation of gliding over the ice. Once I was sure he had some balance, I let his hands go.
The fact that he’s staying upright makes me feel ridiculously proud. My first time on skates, I wound up on my ass within seconds.
“Look at you, buddy!” I praise him. “You’re a natural.”
“Get him a stick already,” Mason adds as he glides past us. He casts a playful smirk over his shoulder. “He’s already outskating Burns.”
Vince spins and slants his skates, sending a spray of ice up at Mason for the chirp.
“Careful,” I warn, “if we don’t respect the rink, Coach will probably bench us.”
Owen gasps. “But you have to play!” He glares at Vince and Mason. “Don’t get Daddy Gabe in trouble.”
Mason skates forward, offering his hand for a high-five. “You’ll make a great captain, little dude.”
Owen wobbles a little more as he tentatively shuffles his skates forward to meet Mason’s outstretched hand, but he makes it without falling. “I’ll be a penguin too,” he declares. “Penguins are my favorite.”
“You’re already on your way,” I tell him, then glance over to where Justin is leaning over the railing at the players’ bench, taking photos with his phone. “He’s doing so well!” I call out, and Justin grins back.
“He has great teachers!”
My stomach flutters and flips with elation and pride. I knew that Justin trusted me with our kink and with his own vulnerability but trusting me with his son’s safety is still a little mind-blowing. Even though I still haven’t been brave enough to tell him that I’ve fallen for him, this is the kind of thing that tells me he might feel the same way.
"We should totally run kids skating lessons in the off-season," Mason says. "Or start up our own pee-wee hockey team. The baby penguins!"
I snort. "I think they're called chicks or something."
"We can work on the name," Mason shrugs. "It could count as extra practice for us, and fundraising for the team."
The more I think about it, the more I think it's not actually a bad idea. There would be insurance and stuff to sort out, though, and I think we'd all need Fingerprint Clearance Cards to work with kids, but it would be fun to train up tiny hockey prodigies. Kids like Owen.
“Look, Daddies!” Owen himself interrupts my thoughts, and I turn to watch him mimicking the way Mason skates, confidently pushing off and shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
The movements are jerky, and he’s stomping his blades more than he’s gliding, but he is moving under his own power, and I am filled with pride all over again.
“That’s it, kiddo! You’re doing such a good job!” I encourage him.
Earlier, we ran through the rules about falling safely until he could recite them by rote, so I’m not too worried about him stacking it, especially not at such a slow speed. In fact, I kind of want him to experience his first fall, so he knows it’s not a terrifying thing. And, sure enough, when he does hit a chunk of uneven ice and loses his balance, he topples onto his butt and, after a moment of stunned silence, giggles.
“My butt is cold!”
He’s wearing thick pants and gloves, and his little cheeks are bright pink from the cold and the exertion of his movements. His joy is contagious, and I can’t help but think that he’s the best step-kid I could have asked for.
Which means I really do need to tell Justin how much I love him.
Mason helps him back to his feet, reminding him to keep his fingers away from the blades of his skates, and then they’re off again, slowly moving together across the ice. By the end of our short lesson, Owen’s fluidity is already improving, and he’s become a pro at getting himself back to his feet after falling again and again.
“We’re gonna have to teach Daddy how to skate, too,” he tells me as we leave the ice, and Justin shakes his head, already reaching to help Owen out of his skates.
“I think skating can be a you and Daddy Gabe thing.”
Andwow.
Wow.
I’m going to have to come up with a pretty epic way to tell Justin I love him, because this? Owen and I having our own thing together? That seems pretty huge.
***
