I parked the car and Canyon and Troy immediately unbuckled and started to hop out.
Today was the first team practice, and I’d been right- Jen had already wrapped me into carpool duty. I didn’t mind though- I liked watching Canyon’s practices… I just wasn’t so sure if I’d like them anymore considering who would be on the ice with him. But I needed to push those feelings aside. Canyon was more important. I wanted to be a present and caring parent for him, different than how my own grandparents had been with me.
“We’re gonna run in, okay Mom?!” Canyon called to me.
“Go ahead, honey. Buddy system!” I called to him.
I wasn’t too crazy about him going anywhere alone, but I didn’t want to embarrass him either.
I gave them a head start into the rink and kept a sharp eye on them as they entered.
Other kids his age were swarming in and out of the rink.
“It’s funny,” the low gravelly voice coming from behind me made me jump, “hearing you called Mom.”
I turned to face Grey and tried to calm my breathing.
“It suits you,” He said firmly from behind his sunglasses. I couldn’t read his expression, but his mouth was in a grim straight line.
He nodded his head to me, pulled his baseball hat lower and jogged lazily into the rink, leaving me in the parking lot wishing I could’ve opened my mouth to say something.
After I entered the rink, I quickly chose a seat in the bleachers, covered myself with my designated blanket, and sipped my hot chocolate as I watched the practice.
I couldn’t get over my son sharing the ice with the three boys I’d grown up with.
If my high school self could peak in on this scene, she’d assume Canyon was Greyson’s son.
I found myself watching Greyson just as much as I was watching Canyon.
I was catching glimpses of the old him that I’d known growing up. Not the stoic and closed off new Greyson, but the one that had more fun than anyone out on the ice. Maybe he hadn’t changed at all, maybe it was my presence that caused him to act icy.
