Page 215 of Snap Shot

“No,you'restinky!” She retorts, sniffing twice. “Yuck.” Rascal.“Put me down, Uncle Landy. I'm a big girl now.”

“Oh, ya are, are ya?”

She wiggles free, then peeks around me. “I'll be back.”

“Where ya goin'?”

“Sadie!” Delaney calls after her. But the girl is faster on land than ice and disappears around the curve of the rink. I follow but hang back when approaching my niece's final destination. Strong little arms encircle Indi's legs.

“Whoa. Hey, I think you've got the wrong—”

“Indi! 'Member me? I'm Sadie.”

Delaney catches up but doesn't see me behind a wall of painted cement blocks. “Sorry, she made a run for it. Also, hi.” An awkward wave hello happens.

“Hey.” Her shock softens into a generous smile. “That's okay.” She lowers into a squat. “Hi, Sadie. Of course, I remember you.”

Oh, my heart.

“Wasn't I good out there?”

Indi holds her arms and gives her a little shake. “You weresogood. Did you have fun?”

“Themostest.”

“That's the most important thing.” Her head tilts, mirroring Sadie's bashful position. “I'm really proud of you.”

My niece returns a cheesy grin. “I'm proud of me, too.”

“Thanks, Indi,” my sister says. Indi straightens so they're eye-level. “I'm,uh…it's good to see you—”

“Oh!Oh!” Sadie tugs on the bottom of Indi's puffy vest. “Uncle Landy's here, too.”

“What?”

“Sadie.”

“Uh,well. I'm not sure he'll want to see me.”

“'Course he will! He likes yousomuch.” She pulls at Indi's hand, attempting to drag her forward. “He told me he really, really,reallywants you to be his—”

“Sarah Ann Chambers!”

“ButMommy—”

Panic strikes. Instead of backtracking, I surge forward, emerging from my hiding spot.

“Finally.” Delaney rolls her eyes. “Let's go, Miss Thing. You've done enough today.”

I almost can't move, Indi's so beautiful. I chew on my lip as we stare at each other. A gulp travels down my throat. “For the record, I'm not here to see you, but I'm glad I get to.”

My pesky niece and her equally pesky mother shuffle off toward the locker room.

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“So, this is where you've been, eh?”

---