Page 47 of Tempest

“Because you knew I didn’t want to start my life as a mother under my parents’ roof,” she argues. “You did that for me.” Caroline was always strong-headed and independent. She’d been eagerly anticipating getting out of New York and starting a life away from her family. She wanted her own identity. I thought I could give her that by taking her with me. When, really, it only replaced her title as daughter to wife.

Except with me, she got to make decisions for herself, she didn’t have to put on any kind of dog and pony show for “appearance’s sake”.

Our parents wanted to be supportive however they could. My mom had instantly offered to be the primary caretaker so Caroline could work. But I knew we couldn’t rely on her with her health issues and Caroline’s mom loved her career. Caroline wouldn’t have had much of a team had she stayed home.

So, we worked out a deal with our parents. They’d help support us financially until I could start making money and pay them back. We didn’t need all that much, not with what my scholarship covered and the savings both Caroline and I had. My expenses were mostly covered, and Caroline was good about figuring out how to minimize expenses with cloth diapers and homemade baby food and whatnot.

We didn’t live lavishly those first four years, but we also weren’t a total financial drain on our parents. I was able to pay them all back quickly once I was drafted.

“I did that as much for me as I did it for you,” I remind her. There was so much I was going to miss out on because of travel for hockey, I didn’t want to add to it by not having my kid live with me.

“She must hate us,” Caroline says quietly.

“No, I don’t think she does. But she carried what we did by herself,” I say. “Whereas we had each other for emotional support, and eventually Tori to focus our attention. Ode was alone.”

“You were all in a hard situation. No matter what you did, someone was going to suffer for it,” Brock says.

“Yeah, that’s true,” I agree. “I feel like a thief, though. Like I stole a crucial aspect of her life that she’s never been able to regrow or find again. And maybe I did. Maybe she wanted children early in life or had dreams of young love that lasted until you die of old age together. But because I broke her heart, she never took the chance on anyone again.”

I remember she once told me she didn’t want to have children. Her mother had complications with pregnancies before she was able to have Odette and those complications came back afterward. Odette remembered her mom having a miscarriage when she was about six years old and never wanted to go through anything like that.

But she might have changed her mind.

“There’s no guarantees in life or love,” Brock says somberly.

“There is hope, though. And I think I stole that from her, too.”

15

Odette

“Odette! You’re here,” Tori says excitedly when I make it to my seat at the arena. Isla was the one to extend the invitation, but I suspect it was at Gavin’s behest. He’s been less visible in my life the past two weeks since the birthday party. They’ve been on the road, so I’m sure that’s the main reason. But I think he’s taking what I told him that night to heart.

It was a nice surprise to get Isla’s text. Holding Gavin’s advances at bay like I did, I thought I might miss the opportunity to keep these new friends.

As much as I love the decadent life I had in New York, I equally love the peacefulness of the Pacific Northwest. If I’m going to stay, an established circle of friends helps.

“I was happy for the invite,” I tell her, taking a seat next to her. “I’ve never been to any professional…what do we call it? Game, match?”

“Game,” she says with that joyous smile she wears so well. Gavin and Caroline really raised an exceptional daughter. I note it often when I watch her with her classmates. She’s eager to help others, incredibly encouraging, and celebrates all their ideas and ambitions with them. In all these weeks, I’ve yet to see her even mildly frustrated. Tori is like a field of daisies walking into the workroom every day. “Never? Not football or anything?”

“No, never. I can’t count the number of runways and red carpets. But games? Not a single one. I didn’t even know what to wear,” I whisper the last part to her, conspiratorially.

Tori scans my outfit with a wide smile. I opted for high-waisted sailor pants, a frilly cropped blouse with a small pussy bow, and a pair of vintage t-strap heels. It’s about as dressed down as I get in public.

“You might get a little cold, but you’ll look fantastic doing it. Which is arguably more important.”

“You’re my kind of girl, kid,” I tell her, and she beams. She may hero worship me, a fact that isn’t lost on me, but I’m careful about showing any kind of favoritism. I like Tori, though. I know her better because of her father. Liking her doesn’t mean she won’t get honest critique from me. “You might have to fill me in on what’s happening. I don’t know much about hockey.”

“I can help, too. I’m real smart about hockey,” a young girl approaching with Isla says. “I’m Sadie.”

“Nice to meet you, Sadie,” I say as she takes the seat in front of me.

“Hey, Odette,” Isla greets. “Glad you made it.” She takes a seat next to Sadie, and I guess this is the daughter she told me about at the birthday party.

“Whose wag are you?” Sadie asks, and I look to Isla for explanation.

“Wives and girlfriends,” she explains the moniker.

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