“I think you guys have a future figure skater on your hands,” Bryton remarked.
“She can be whatever she wants to be.” Wyatt said it almost breathlessly, his arm wrapping around Josie as they watched their daughter.
For the next thirty minutes, Emmie stayed with Wrenley while Wyatt hovered like a mother hen. The rest of us made laps around the rink. At one point, I held Jayden as I skated backward, his laughter echoing across the ice. Trevor and I raced from one end to the other, cutting each other off while Bryton playfully hit the boards. Off to the side, Kai clung to Tasha’s back as she drifted along, deep in conversation with my mom. Just as I predicted, there was no holding Tasha back from being on the ice.
This was exactly what we all needed before everyonewent home tomorrow. Having all of us together like this didn’t happen enough these days, so it meant a lot that we were making time for it.
As the time for us to be off the ice neared, I noticed my mom standing off to the side, hesitantly watching us all. Steven pulled her into a hug and whispered something that seemed to relax her for a moment, but then she went back to looking like something was wrong.
“Hey.” I stopped beside Landon. “Is mom acting weird?”
“What do you mean?” He glanced in her direction with a raised eyebrow.
“I don’t know, something just seems off today.” With my mom getting older and me not being there to help, I always worried, even if she and Steven lived together now, and Wyatt and Landon were close to check in if needed.
I opened my mouth to ask if things between her and Steven were okay when my mom’s voice interrupted me.
“Hey, guys?” Her voice carried across the ice, halting conversation. “Can I talk to you all for a second?”
That did nothing to ease the concern growing in my stomach.
“What’d we do now?” Wyatt asked, swinging Jayden up into his arms.
“If something happened, it was totally Mateo,” Trevor instantly defended.
“Excuse me.” I shoved him, but in true Trevor Hall fashion he didn’t move an inch. There was a reason he was called The Beast on the ice.
The ten of us skated toward my mom where she stood near the boards, Steven at her side. When Emmie came up, I laced my fingers through hers and gave a small squeeze. Throughout the last hour, if we weren’t by each other, I’d skate by and palm her hip, or she’d skate by and tap my ass with a grin.
I’d always been the single one at any family function, so it was nice having her here with me. Made me feel less like a third wheel.
“Is everything okay?” Josie asked, glancing at Evelyn and Steven with a frown.
“Oh, yes. Everything is fine. Great, actually.” It wasn’t often I saw my mom nervous and rambling. I think the last time I saw it was when she told us she was seeing Steven years ago.
I shifted on my skates, my brothers doing the same as we waited for my mom to continue. I didn’t know why, but I found myself bracing for bad news. Emmie’s hand tightened around mine, and the silence seemed to stretch.
My mom glanced up at Steven, who wrapped an arm around her waist before taking a deep breath.
The words left her mouth in a rush. “Steven and I are engaged.”
My mom looked at all of us, eyes darting around like she was bracing herself for some sort of blow up at the news. An inaudible sigh left my mouth, and the tension in my shoulders eased.
“CONGRATULATIONS!” Josie cried, moving forward to pull my mom into a hug.
“That’s amazing!” Mila cheered alongside Tasha as they went over to the couple.
Trevor and Bryton went next, holding Wrenley and Kai. They had no clue what was going on but were clearly excited. I let out a chuckle at the awkward half hug they gave Steven.
Next to me, Emmie shifted, unsure of what she should be doing.
She leaned in and whispered in my ear before slipping her hand out of mine. “I’ll let you guys have a moment.” Iwaited back with my brothers as she congratulated my mom and Steven.
Landon and Wyatt were quiet beside me, probably processing the news like I was. My mom was getting married.Married.Surprisingly, it wasn’t that shocking. I was more surprised they took this long, seeing as they’d been together for six years.
A small part of me felt like I should be upset, like I owed it to someone to be. But I wasn’t. Not even a little. I’d never known my father and never wanted to either. All I cared about was my mom being happy and living the life she chose for herself, especially after spending so long putting us first.
I didn’t think my brothers were upset at the news, but even if they were, it wasn't my place to tell them how to feel. It was something they needed to work through on their own.
