Page 32 of The Love Comeback
By the time I reach the two of them, Colton is mid-story about how Aaron is going to be trying out for the travel hockey team this spring. His words are tumbling out in an excited rush. I catch the tail end as I approach.
“—and they get these super cool jerseys with their names on the back and everything!” Colton says, dropping his bag to gesture with both hands.
“That does sound pretty awesome,” Kade agrees, his eyes briefly meeting mine over Colton’s head.
“Kade, do you think—” Colton’s voice suddenly drops. “Do you think I’d be ready to maybe try out, too? I mean, I know I’m not as good as Aaron yet, but maybe if we practice extra hard?”
The hope in his voice is so raw that it makes my throat tight.
Kade crouches down to Colton’s eye level. “You’ve got natural talent, buddy. I’ve seen it from day one. You’ve got good instincts, and you work hard. I can definitely get you ready for hockey tryouts, assuming Ella’s okay with it.”
Colton’s entire face lights up, as if someone just flipped on a switch inside him. He looks back at me, seeking confirmation, approval, permission—all of it wrapped up in one hopeful glance.
“Can I?” he asks.
And that’s when I realize—this isn’t just about hockey for him. It’s aboutbelongingandconnection. It’s about finding his place.
“I think we can give it a shot,” I say, swallowing the internal panic so as not to dim the light in his eyes.
“But it’ll take some serious work,” Kade adds, standing up. “Tryouts are what, six weeks away?”
Colton nods.
“Then we better get to work.” Kade ruffles Colton’s hair. “Put your skates on. We’ll start with some new drills today.”
As Colton darts off to the bench to lace up, Kade turns to me, his expression shifting to something more serious.
“I hope that was okay,” he says quietly.
I nod, appreciating his consideration. “He really wants this.”
But I honestly haveno ideawhat I just agreed to, and that causes a wave of dread to wash over me.
Kade studies my face, and I have the distinct feeling he’s reading between the lines.
But before he can say anything else, Colton calls out, “I’m ready, let’s go!”
With a nod, Kade heads toward the ice, where Colton is waiting by the gate, already laced up and bouncing on the rubber mats. I make my way to the bleachers, settling into what’s become my usual spot, close enough to watch but far enough to give them space.
Kade leads Colton through a series of warm-up drills, his voice carrying across the rink. There’s something mesmerizing about watching him teach—the way he demonstrates each move, the patience with which he corrects Colton’s form, the genuine enthusiasm he shows for every improvement, no matter how small.
“That’s it!” he calls out as Colton successfully navigates around a series of cones. “Now try it again, but keep your head up this time. You want to be able to see the play developing around you.”
Colton responds in earnest, doing exactly as instructed.
“Nice job!” Kade gives him a thumbs-up. “You’re getting it. Now let’s work on those crossovers. They’re crucial for tryouts.”
For the next twenty minutes, I watch as Kade breaks down the complex footwork of a hockey crossover, showing Colton how to push with one foot while crossing the other over, generating power while turning. It’s clear from Kade’s patient repetition and Colton’s determined attempts that this is challenging, but neither of them shows any sign of giving up.
When Colton finally executes a clean crossover, Kade’s face lights up with genuine pride. He gives Colton an encouraging pat on the shoulder, and my nephew beams as if he’s just won Olympic gold.
“Did you see that, Ella?” he calls out to me, executing another wobbly but successful crossover.
“I did!” I call back, giving him a thumbs-up. “Looking good out there!”
His smile grows even wider, and he turns back to Kade for his next instruction, eager to soak up every bit of knowledge.
As they continue with the lesson, I shift to a quieter corner of the bleachers and pull out my phone. I need to know exactly what we’re looking at financially if Colton makes this team. I open my browser and search for information about the spring travel team.
