Page 57 of Love You Too

I wave as we squeeze between two tables for eight to reach my mother’s outstretched arms. Trix’s grip on my hand borders on painful. My mother has already ordered her typical iced tea mixed with lemonade, but she hasn’t touched it, which means she’ll be sending it back.

Mom pushes her chair back and stands, absently stroking the top of her hair, which is shoulder length and wavy. The color matches her lipstick, her only bit of makeup, which makes her look more innocent than she is. There’s always an agenda, usually getting me to visit more often, even though she knows my schedule is nuts during hockey season.

“Hello, hello,” my mother says, reaching for me. I go in for a hug, and my mother pats me on the back and kisses the air next to my cheek. She never used to do that, but she’s been watching reruns ofDynasty,and now, it’s her standard greeting.

“And Beatrix, it’s been a long time. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing well. It’s so nice to see you, Mrs. Renaldi.”

“Please, it’s Ellen.” My mother smiles at Trix like she hung the sun and the moon. Maybe this will all be fine. My mom takes her seat, and I pull out a chair from Trix. “So, tell me everything. The team needs its chemistry, I can see that, but what else? Fill me in!”

I don’t want to bury the lead item for our visit, so I just blurt it out. “Trix and I are having a baby together.”

The din of restaurant chatter and silverware against dishes continues, and I’m grateful for the noise because our table has gone silent. Trix looks from me to my mother, who sits with a blank expression like she can’t have heard me correctly. Sheblinks slowly as a smile spreads across her face. Then she turns to Trix and looks from her face to her belly. “Is this true?”

Trix nods. “Yes. I’m just starting my second trimester.”

My mother makes jazz hands and stands up, coming around the table to hug me from behind. She does the same to Trix before fanning herself and sitting back down. “This was not what I was expecting. But I’m thrilled! Dominick, why did you keep this from me?”

“We wanted to tell you in person.” It’s not the entire truth. In part, I was avoiding telling my mom because I knew she’d have opinions. I just had no idea what they’d be.

“Well, glory be. I’m just tickled about your little bundle of joy.” My mom stirs her iced tea for longer than she needs to mix in some sugar.

Trix and I exchange glances, each of us letting out a sigh of relief. I guess that’s the magic a grandchild can bring. Based on my schedule, my commitment to hockey, and my refusal to date anyone seriously, my mother didn’t have high hopes for grandkids any time soon.

I look at Trix as if that’s evidence she has nothing to worry about, but the fear still creases her brow.

We take our places at the table, and I look from my mother to Trix and try to imagine what’s going through their heads. Curiosity? Competition? Détente?

My mother takes a tiny sip of her drink and pushes it to the edge of the table. “Too sweet,” she says, looking around for our waiter, even though she’s the one who just added a packet of sugar. She’ll now go through the ritual of having the waiter spill some of her drink out and add more iced tea until it reaches the right balance of flavor.

I think I did a good job of convincing Trix that lunch would be okay, but my insides are knotted like a pretzel. Trix isn’t wrong about my mother disliking her, but it was always more about my career than about her. My mom saw early on thathockey was my gold ticket to a good life, and she steamrolled anything or anyone that could get in the way. There were so many parties I missed during high school when I had training the next day. Proms I missed because she wouldn’t let me go. College graduation I skipped for a signing event in Canada.

Looking back, the sacrifices were worth it because they got me to where I am today. No one can argue with the trajectory of my career, and it’s hard to regret missing a high school party all these years later.

I only have one regret—losing Trix. I can’t blame my mother entirely, though she encouraged me to break things off. “You need to eliminate distractions, or you won’t make it in the pros,” she said back then. Trix was my biggest distraction, albeit a welcome one. But I had to let her go—not just for my future, but for hers. It was the right thing to do.

Our waiter brings my mother an entirely new drink, and she seems content. “This is good. Do you kids know what you want?”

“We haven’t looked yet.” I hand Trix a menu and scoot my chair closer to hers so we can look at it together. We each choose a salad, and my mom orders a pastrami sandwich with mustard and a side of potstickers.

There’s a lot of small talk about the team and its prospects, and I try to downplay the stress I’m under as captain. “It’ll take work, but we have what we need to win games. We’ll get there.”

“I hope so. The last game went well, but those earlier ones…” my mom says, looking to Trix for confirmation.

“Eyes on the future,” she says as the server brings our food. My mom asks for a to-go box before she even takes a bite.

Pushing her drink away, Mom leans toward Trix, her tone conspiratorial. “Well. I’d just like to propose a toast to you two and my future grandchild.” She looks around the table as if three champagne flutes will have appeared from nowhere and settles for raising her iced tea glass. Trix and I each pick up our water glasses.

My stomach lurches because I’m not sure what she’s planning to say, and with my mother, it could be almost anything.

“It’s sweet that you two found your way back to each other again. Honestly, with the way this one used to talk, I never thought I’d be a grandma. So thank you, dear, for roping him in.”

“That’s hardly how it went. I feel like I’m the lucky one here,” I say, putting my arm around Trix and hoping my mom will chill the hell out.

“Of course you do, sweetie. You always see the best in every situation.” She turns to Trix before either of us can unpack her statement. “Do you have any cravings? I always wanted ice cream.”

Trix smiles. “Me too. I think the baby’s going to come out asking for a chocolate sundae.”

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