Page 92 of Goalie Lessons

Thistime,I’mnotalone while I walk to Ms. Clearing’s office.

Callie and Athena walk to my left, Astrid trailing only slightly behind us. Astrid and I are dressed for a meeting with a lawyer, but Callie is in jeans and a T-shirt. Athena is wearing the polka dot dress she’s refused to take off for weeks. I’ve had to wash it every night.

Outside, there are just a few smatterings of snow on the ground, but they’re melting quickly. It’s a warm day in April, and Denver is thawing out around us. Back home in Milwaukee, we got to the airport just before one last cold front, one last winter storm.

Maybe we’ll come back to warmer weather, flowers blooming.

“She’s really going to be here?” Callie asks, glancing up at me, a rare show of vulnerability on her face.

“Yes,” I say, confidently. “She will.”

We’re not trading the girls over today—that will come much later, after more of these meetings. But this is the first time the girls will see their aunt again after she was arrested.

I’ve been on a few calls with Kayla and the lawyer, a social worker who has assured me that they’ll be doing frequent check-ins on Josh’s sister.

The door to the office opens, and all three of us snap to attention. Ms. Clearing stands there smiling, then ushers us into the office.

When we walk inside, Kayla Welch and her grandmother are waiting for us.

Kayla looks just like her brother, and it knocks the air out of me for a second. She has the same copper-red hair as Josh and the girls, but hers is cut short, framing her face in a stylish bob. She’s thin but healthy-looking, dressed in jeans and a floral blouse that seems carefully chosen.

For a moment, we all freeze, and then Athena lets out a squeal that echoes through the room, bouncing off the bookshelves and window.

“Aunt Kayla!” Athena launches herself at Kayla, who stands from her chair just in time to intercept her, dropping to her knees to wrap Athena in a hug.

“Hey, baby girl,” she whispers, voice breaking. “Look how big you’ve gotten.”

I think about the few weeks I spent away, how much different the girls had seemed to me then. What it must be like for Kayla after this long not seeing them.

Callie approaches more cautiously, but when Kayla looks up at her, something passes between them. Some unspoken thing, maybe an apology. Callie’s face crumples, and she falls into her aunt’s arms.

Astrid and I stand awkwardly to the side. I try to swallow past the lump in my throat. This isn’t about me, but I’m desperately trying to keep from falling apart—because it’s pretty clear that the girls belong with Kayla. With their family.

Ms. Clearing, already behind her desk clears her throat and says in a professional tone, “Should we get started?”

This office feels too small for all the emotions. Kayla sits with a girl on either side of her, both of them sitting close like she might disappear if they’re not actively touching her.

Astrid takes my hand, and I try to keep my face neutral as Ms. Clearing goes through the formalities.

“Ms. Welch,” she begins, tipping her head at Kayla, “I thought it would be nice for us to start with an update for everyone on your current situation.”

Kayla takes a deep breath. “I’m six months sober,” she says, her voice steadier than mine would be. “I completed a ninety-day residential program followed by intensive outpatient therapy. I’ve been working with my sponsor daily, and I’m back at my job as a dental hygienist. I was even able to keep my apartment with two bedrooms—one for me, one for the girls.”

She glances first at Athena, then at Callie. “I know I messed up. And I’m sorry about how scary everything was.” Turning to face me, she meets my eyes. “When Josh died, I was drowning. He was the one who held our family together. The smart one, the steady one. And once he was gone…” She blows out a breath between her lips, shaking her head, “I just thought I wasn’t going to be able to do it.”

Reaching out, she takes a hand from each girl in hers. “It’s no excuse for what happened, but I want all of you to know that I’m better now. I’m here now."

Callie leans her head against Kayla’s shoulder, and I feel a twist in my chest. Astrid runs her thumb over the top of my hand, and I flip mine over so I can lace my fingers between hers.

Ms. Clearing turns and speaks directly to me. “Mr. O’Connor, as we’ve discussed, Ms. Welch is petitioning for custody to be returned to her. As the girls’ aunt and closest living relative, the court tends to favor her position, especially given her successful rehabilitation.”

“I understand, and I think it’s what’s best for everyone.”

Kayla lets out a little noise, and the lawyer gives me a small smile. “That’s great to hear. Your care for the girls these past months has been exemplary. We want to ensure any transition is as smooth as possible.”

The meeting moves to logistics after that. Kayla outlines her plans—the school near her apartment in Denver, the therapist the girls will continue seeing, the support system she’s built. I listen and offer information where I can.

“But Grayson is going to come and visit us,” Callie says, suddenly, at the mid-point of the meeting, turning to her aunt. “A lot.”

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