Chapter 16 #2
“No!” my mother cuts me off. “We have to start somewhere. Your father’s pride is just a little hurt that you don’t want to take interest in his company.
After so many years of watching you succeed on the ice, we thought you could bring that passion to the corporate table now that life will quiet down for you. ”
“I will succeed, on the business side of hockey. You both love maple syrup and dancing bears, while I love hockey; let’s just agree to disagree.
I’m sure we will eventually find something that we can all enjoy together,” I say before I grab a stick of celery from the tray, because it’s desperate times if you grab the freaking celery.
“What a wonderful way to look at it. So tell us, what will you do with the Spinners?” Give this woman an award for trying hard.
I crunch on the celery. “I’m moving trainings out to Lake Spark for better focus. I’m going to get a house there too.”
She claps her hands together. “Get out of the city, that’s a great idea.”
My father makes a low grumbly sound. “A house there is always a good investment.” Damn, he just gave me a compliment.
“We should go visit, Walter,” my mom suggests.
“Suppose it’s a good spot for a weekend away from the suburbs. Haven’t been that way in years.” Huh, he’s more agreeable.
“Ford, remember him? He lives out there, along with a few other athletes,” I add.
“Always liked Ford, he’s a family man. You know, there used to be a maple syrup festival out there. Wonder whatever happened to it.” He seems to be lost in thought, although calm.
My mom smiles widely at me, as it seems we are finding neutral ground, and seeing them does make the situation slightly easier to handle.
Of course, I feel guilt that I’m not following my old man, but looking at these two, I know with certainty that they do love me.
We just need to navigate our road a little better, and I sure as hell shouldn’t shut them out.
A cheese plate is offered in front of me, and as I’m about to tuck in, my phone goes off on the table.
“No phones at the table,” my mother chides.
I see an incoming video call from Violet, which is odd, because I know she’s babysitting.
“Give me a minute, I kind of need to take this,” I say before sliding off my chair and hitting the green button with my thumb. “Hey, Vi, what’s going on?”
I vaguely hear my mom say, "Ooh, a woman,” in the background before I manage to leave the room and find a quiet spot in the main hallway at the bottom of the wraparound stairs.
“I’m totally fu—” She looks at Wyatt who she’s bouncing in her arms. “Ducked. Totally ducked.” Violet sets the toddler on the ground, and her face is a mask of pure panic, and she looks exhausted.
“What’s going on?”
She attempts to breathe normally. “I told him he could have two friends over. Two guy friends and they could chill by the pool. Two.” Violet grabs her hair in frustration before her eyes catch something off screen.
“Oh no, Wyatt don’t eat Puck’s food.” She sets the phone down on what seems to be the kitchen counter and is propped up against something so I get full view.
“Puck? What? Violet, you’re scaring me.”
The screen shows me that she rushed to Wyatt who is eating dog food from the bowl while a Labrador runs across the screen. She takes Wyatt into her arms and returns to the phone.
“I went upstairs to do bath time and get the cute kid ready for bed, only an hour later I came downstairs to find that the bad kid had multiplied two to God knows what number, and it’s freaking Project X outside, with every teenager in a ten-mile radius.”
“Shit. Connor is throwing a party?”
She nods her head repeatedly. “This is so bad. I swear I saw Spencer’s daughter out there, which means he will go through the roof.
I don’t have it in me to call Ford. This is their last chance to be alone before they’re a family of five, and hell, I know they volunteered for that, but Brielle doesn’t deserve her weekend of relaxation to be ruined.
I mean, I was sixteen once, I just need to think like them and be one step ahead. I can beat them at their little game.”
I give her an awkward look. “What would sixteen-year-old you have been up to?”
Violet takes a moment to think as her lips curl into her mouth. “Bad. This is very bad.” She glances off-screen again. “Puck, what do have in your mouth? What the duck is that can?” Violet looks back at the screen with her eyes blazed with more loss of what to do.
Her night is a disaster, far more than the mini storm happening in my parents’ dining room.
A shaky breath escapes her mouth. “Maybe I just hose them all down?” Her voice squeaks.
In my mind, I walk through what I just talked about with my parents. I know they were subtly calling me out on my selfish move, but I’m ready to prove them wrong. Not just with hockey but also with the people that I care about.
I refuse to let Violet go through this alone.
“I’m at my parents’ house, which means I can get to you in forty-five minutes. Hang on, I’m on my way.”