Page 64 of Meant for Mayhem

For the last few days we’d been practicing this, and every time, my pulse settled.

Coach studied me for another second before nodding once. “Good.”

“That’s it?”

He shrugged. “That’s it. Just play me some good hockey tonight.”

I broke everything down into the next step, which helped me more than I cared to admit.

Morning skate.

Go home.

Eat lunch.

Take a nap with Leena.

Play good hockey.

Somehow, reducing an overwhelming day into five manageable pieces made all the difference.

I couldn’t count how many times Kevin had reminded me that feeling anxious didn’t mean I was failing. I couldn’t make all my triggers disappear, no matter how much I wanted to. But if I could recognize anxiety for what it was… that was a win.

It didn’t hurt that every day I came home to Shannon playing with Leena, who was making as much progress as I was. And I was learning too—how to slow down, how to encourage speech without forcing it, how to see the tiny progress steps she made.

Like every day, my worries eased the closer I got to home. When the elevator doors opened, it disappeared entirely. A delighted shriek echoed down the hallway as Leena spotted me. She took off at a run, blond curls bouncing with every determined step.

“There’s my favorite girl.” I scooped her into my arms and tossed her into the air, earning another fit of giggles before peppering kisses across her cheeks. “How was your day, hmm?”

She answered me in a string of gibberish, but it was sounding a lot like she was trying to say something.

“That’s right,” Shannon called from the kitchen as if she’d understood the whole thing. “You finger-painted a masterpiece and read six books. She’s had a busy morning.”

Leena’s face lit up, launching into another animated explanation. But somewhere over the last couple of weeks, I’d stopped hearing babble. Instead, Shannon had taught me to hear conversation even if I didn’t understand it.

“No kidding?” I asked, matching Shannon’s tone. “Then what happened?”

Leena answered with another emphatic string of nonsense, waving both hands like she couldn’t believe I even had to ask.

“Wow,” I said. “You’re so talented.”

Her delighted squeal filled the apartment, and I couldn’t help but grin.

My eyes found Shannon’s where she stood at the kitchen island, a dish towel slung over one shoulder, watching us with the softest smile.

“How’d it go?” she asked.

“Good.” I couldn’t stop smiling, not when everything felt this good. “I’m ready.”

She grinned back. “I knew you would be.”

Her quiet confidence in me did more than any pep talk could have. Even that smile… my chest swelled with pride. It was ridiculous how much I liked earning that expression, and she gave it out freely lately. When I chatted with Leena, when I told her about some breakthrough with Kevin, when we sat in silence every night, reading together.

When she looked at me, I didn’t see worry. I saw someone who believed I could do this. That I could be a good dad and a good teammate if I had a team at home too.

I kissed Leena on the cheek one more time before she wiggled out of my arms and made a beeline for her high chair, attempting to climb into it herself.

“Whoa, there.” I caught her around the waist before she could topple the whole thing over. “Let’s leave the mountain climbing until after your nap.”