Page 23 of The Parent Playbook
It does something to me.
We pause our nocturnal DIY marathon for a much-needed coffee break under the stars. Angel pours us each a steaming cup from a battered old thermos that looks like it’s seen its share of nights out under the stars. We find a couple of hay bales to sit on, the countryside mostly quiet except for the occasional neigh and bleat.
The chill makes the steam from our coffee seem like whispers in the dark. I take a sip, letting the warmth settle in as I glance around at the quiet expanse of the ranch.
“So, this thing with the Ice Breakers,” I start, “it sounds like it’s going to be a big deal for Happy Horizons.”
Angel nods, her face illuminated by the flicker of the lantern between us. “Yeah, it’s huge. Getting a bunch of hockey players to rally around us could really put us on the map, bring in the funds we need to expand.” She takes a sip, looking out over the fields. “Dream big, right?”
“Absolutely,” I say as an owl hoots. “Hockey’s been good tome, taken me places I never thought I’d go. It’s nice to see how it can do even more.”
She turns to look at me. “You didn’t say why you left. Was it an injury?”
“Not exactly. Leaving the game … that was tough.” The words catch slightly in my throat. “I don’t talk about it much, but my wife, Corrie, she got sick. Really sick. Suddenly the cheering crowds and flashing lights didn’t make sense anymore.”
Angel’s hand reaches out, resting gently on my shoulder. “Scotty, I’m so sorry.”
Shaking my head, I manage a half-smile. “It’s been a while. After she passed, it was just me and Lily. Had to figure out a whole new game plan.”
Her eyes remain set on mine. “Life can be so unfair,” she says as if she knows it herself.
“Oh?”
She takes a deep breath before continuing. “I grew up pretty poor myself. Sometimes food was hard to come by. This ranch,” she gestures around us, “is more than land and animals to me—it’s a promise of stability I fought to give Andy, something solid he can always count on. I always wanted it to do something like that for other kids, too.”
“Leaky roof aside, this place is amazing.”
“Yeah, now with the Ice Breakers, we might be able to secure a future that was once wishful thinking.” She gives a small, hopeful smile, then looks back at me. “Dreams coming true, who knew?” She sighs, her shoulders relaxing, and then looks at me with a half-smile. “What about you, Scotty? Ever think of getting back on the ice?”
The question stirs a host of emotions, and for a moment, the ice under bright lights seems worlds away. “I love the game,” I confess, “but stepping back out there after all I’ve lived through these years? I don’t know if I could. Plus, I’m not the player I was.”
“Maybe it’s not about being the player you were,” Angel suggests gently, her gaze piercing yet kind. “Maybe it’s about being the person you’ve become. I see the dad you are with Lily.” She bites her lip. “I’m talking out of turn, sorry. It’s not for me to say.”
“No, no, you might be right.” Something little shifts in me at the thought, but I chalk it up to the childhood dreams I had of being an NHL star. “But coaching is the place for me now. I never thought that—” My nose twitches. I know that smell, like the warning whiff of overheated metal. “Do you smell that?”
Angel looks puzzled for a moment, then sniffs the air. Her expression changes from confusion to concern. “Yeah, I do. What is that?”
“Burning,” I say, standing up abruptly. The faint but unmistakable scent of electrical burning is one I know all too well from the rink—never a good sign. “Where’s your electrical panel? We need to check this out,now.”
Angel jumps to her feet, the color draining from her face as she leads me quickly to the stable. As we approach, the smell grows stronger, and I can almost feel the heat on my face.
“I fixed some wiring here a while back.” Her voice is tense with worry but I have to focus on the problem of wiring first. “I thought I insulated it properly.”
I reach the panel and flick it open, the acrid smell of scorched wires hitting me like a slap. “Angel, hit the main power, now!” I shout, more sharply than I intend. My heart’s pounding—from the fear of fire, sure, but also from the sudden, intense need to protect. To fix this before it gets worse.
She runs off to cut the power as I yell after her. “Bring me the electrical tape, wire cutters, and the flashlight from the barn!”
When she returns, her hands shake as she hands me the tools. “I could have killed someone. I don’t get it. How could I have been so careless?”
I look up from my work, meeting her eyes. “Hey, look at me. It could have happened to anyone—you weren’t careless. Wecaught it in time, and we’re fixing it. That’s what matters.” I work quickly to stabilize the wires, wrapping them securely, my hands steady even as my mind races.
Once I’m sure the immediate danger is over, I wipe my brow. “We need to check the electrical projects you’ve worked on,” I tell her, trying to keep my voice even. “It’s late, but we should make sure there’s nothing else that’s urgent.”
Angel nods, her face set in a determined line. “You’re right. Let’s do it. I can’t believe I let this happen.”
“Hey,” I put my arm around her without thinking. “No more beating yourself up. We caught it, and everything’s going to be okay now.” I remove my arm because I feel I have to. I nudge her with my elbow to hide the fact that I’d rather be holding her. “You don’t see me waving any chanclas at you.”
Angel stops and looks at me sideways. “Waving anywhat?”
