Page 72 of Penalty Shots

I look up at my mom. "What are you doing tonight?"

She shrugs. "I have some papers to grade. But nothing much. Why?" She looks at me curiously.

"Do you and Papi want to watch a hockey game?"

She laughs. "Hockey?"

"It's a thing, apparently."

She considers it but says, "Sure, mija. If you want to watch the tiniest object get slapped around on ice by boys with missing teeth… we'll go with you."

I grab my backpack. "They don't all have missing teeth. And some of them are quite literate."

"Is that right?" She says slyly. "Any of them in particular?"

I purse my lips as we walk out the door together. "Ma."

"What’s this sudden interest in hockey?" She smiles.

I shake my head as we make our way down the hall.

I haven't just wanted to be around my mom since… God, I can't even remember. But I look at her. Calm. Peaceful. Pregnant.

And for the first time in a very long time, I feel hopeful—hopeful that we might actually have a future where we can be not only mother and daughter but actually friends.

The empty halls are a nice change from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day in a campus full of students who are always talking and filling the space with their drama and loud conversations.

Peace. That feels really good.

And despite the awkwardness with Jenny and how she left abruptly without even hearing us out—I do feel hope for Keelan and me, even if I don't want to admit it out loud.

Mom stops suddenly and reaches for my arm. The smile I didn't realize I was wearing slowly slips when I look back and see that she's looking down between her legs.

"What's wrong, Ma?"

"No…" she breathes out and shakes her head. "No, no, no, no, no, no."

Without saying another word, she slips into the women's restroom to her left and disappears through the door.

I'm afraid to walk in after her. I'm afraid of seeing the look on her face. I'm afraid that everything we just gained in thisvulnerable conversation we finally had the nerve to share—will be gone the second I walk in.

"Noooo," I hear her sob.

And I don't even have to walk in to know that once again my mom's dream has been stolen from her.

Chapter 20

Keelan

"Where is my baby? I need to squeeze her!" Izzy's voice rings out through the quiet house.

I set the bottle down that I just prepared for my niece and pick her up from her tummy time mat.

Izzy walks in smiling and very tan. After spending three days under the Puerto Rican sun, her freckles are more pronounced now.

"Hey, sizzler! Lookin' goo—" She snatches the tiny human right out of my arms without glancing in my direction.

Ryker comes in next, lugging their hall and what looks like two extra totes that are possibly full of souvenirs if I know my sister.

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