Chapter 5 #2
I nodded. “You too. We should probably get home, Connor.”
“We were just heading out too,” Nina said easily, falling into step beside me as the boys ran ahead. “Looks like we’re heading in the same direction.”
I offered a polite nod, focusing on the boys bounding through the snow. They looked so at ease together–like they’d been friends for years, not one day.
I kept waiting for the questions from Nina to come, but they didn’t. Just a quiet kind of companionship that, strangely, didn’t feel like too much.
A few minutes later, Liam twisted around mid-stride. “Aunt Nina, can we go over to Connor’s house?”
“Yeah!” Connor added, spinning to face me as he walked backwards. “Please?”
My feet slowed. My heart tugged at the hope in Connor’s voice, but my brain spiraled with the reality of our house–furniture, yes, though none of it truly ours.
No toys scattered on the floor, no familiar blankets or books lining the shelves.
Just someone else’s couch, someone else’s table, and a handful of things crammed into drawers we hadn’t fully claimed yet.
“That sounds fun,” I said, trying to keep my tone upbeat, “today might be a bit too soon. We still have stuff to do around the house to get settled in.”
Both boys wilted slightly, and guilt curled in my stomach.
“How about tomorrow?” I added quickly.
“That’s a great idea,” Nina chimed in. “Why don’t you guys come to our place after school tomorrow?”
Connor brightened immediately. “Okay!”
“I can show you my LEGO collection!” Liam said.
I blinked, filing away that small detail. Our place. Not my place or my sister’s. Just… ours. I didn’t ask, even though curiosity prickled at me. Partly because I didn’t want to pry. Mostly because I didn’t want her asking anything in return.
By the time we reached Cedar Street, the boys were already a few steps ahead, launching snowballs at signposts and arguing over who had better aim.
“So, where are you guys living?” Nina asked casually as we walked side by side, pulling her toque down.
“Just a couple more blocks up the road here,” I said, nodding toward where we were heading. “The one with the pond in the backyard.”
“Oh! That used to belong to the Wallace’s. A girl I went to high school with used to throw the wildest Halloween parties there. I’m talking fog machines, strobe-lights–the whole deal.”
I raised a brow. “You grew up here?”
“I did,” she said. “Thought I’d never come back, but… life had other plans. Liam needed me, so here we are. Not exactly where I pictured myself at this age. Then again, none of us ever really end up where we thought we would.”
There was something honest in her voice–no bitterness, just truth. I nodded, grateful she wasn’t asking for my story in return.
“Well, it sounds like a pretty fun place to grow up.” I replied as we walked ahead.
Nina’s smile didn’t falter, though her shoulders tensed every so slightly. “It had its moments,” she said with a short laugh, light enough to pass, yet not quite reaching her eyes.
“You working at the bakery now?” she asked, changing the subject.
I blinked, surprised. “How did you–?”
Then it hit me. Small town. Everyone knows everything before you’ve even unpacked your toothbrush.
Nina smirked at my realization. “Welcome to Brookhaven, where your new job, grocery list, and shoe size are public knowledge by noon.”
I huffed a laugh. That explained a lot.
Just as we reached the corner, the boys stopped dead in their tracks.
“Mom!” Connor turned his head toward me so fast, I thought he might get whiplash. “Liam just told me they have a hockey team here! Can I play? Please?”
I opened my mouth, already bracing to let him down gently, but Liam had already turned to Nina.
“He should join, right? He could totally play with us!”
Nina smiled. “Of course he should. The kids are great. Coach Shane’s… let’s just say he’s an acquired taste.” She rolled her eyes.
Connor was practically vibrating. “Please, Mom? I miss it so much. I miss the team and the rink and–I just want to play again.” His voice wavered just slightly, a crack that revealed how much he was holding back.
I sighed, my stomach twisting with guilt. “The season has already started, bud. I’m not sure it’s possible to join now.”
“They always have room,” Nina said with a shrug. “And even if they didn’t, Shane wouldn’t turn a kid away. He’s a pain, but he’s not a monster.”
Connor looked hopeful, but I wasn’t finished. “It’s not just that, Connor.” I said gently. “We didn’t bring your gear, remember?” And I can’t afford to buy all new stuff right now.
“I forgot,” he mumbled, his face falling. “Yeah. Never mind.”
I swallowed hard, the guilt thick now. Nina jumped in before the silence could settle.
“Patti at the rink has a whole stash of used gear in the back. She’s basically the queen of hoarding but in the most helpful way possible. If we swing by before practice one day, she’ll get him suited up.”
Connor blinked at her. “For real?”
“Absolutely,” Nina said confidently.
I hesitated, torn between worry and the joy on his face. “Are you sure?” I asked Nina quietly.
She placed a gloved hand on my arm, her voice gentle. “This is what we do here. We take care of our people.”
I let out a slow breath and nodded. “Okay. We’ll go next week.”
The boys exploded into cheers, dog piling into the snow, their energy uncontainable.
I glanced over at Nina, who was watching them with a fond smile. “So what’s the deal with Coach Shane?”
Nina let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh, where do I start? Shane and I go way back. He’s been getting on my nerves since we were teenagers, and he’s only gotten better at it with age. Smug, irritating, Hockey-God complex–take your pick.”
I smirked. “So just a mild dislike then?”
“The mildest.” She deadpanned. “I swear the man lives to push my buttons. The other coach, though, Ryan…” she trailed off. “He is definitely not bad on the eyes. Shane on the other hand… he’s the most infuriating human being on the planet. And the worst part is, he knows it.”
I laughed and she cracked a reluctant smile. “He is a great coach and the kids adore him. I just… I try really hard not to throw things at his head in public.”
“Noted,” I said, grinning as we watched the boys finish their snowman.
Nina checked the time and called out, “Alright, kid. Time to head home.”
Liam groaned but didn’t argue, brushing snow off his coat as he trudged back toward us.
Connor turned to me. “We’re going over to their house tomorrow, right?”
“Yes,” I said with a smile.
Nina gave a small wave. “Thanks for walking with us.”
With a final wave, they disappeared around the corner. I stood for a moment, watching the space they’d just occupied, then looked down at Connor beside me–his cheeks flushed, snow in his air, eyes bright with the kind of joy I hadn’t seen in so long.