Page 4 of Waiting Game

“Har har.”

This time, her smile is more genuine. “I’ve heard of it.”

“Thank God. I was worried.” I rub the back of my neck. “You sure you’re doing okay? We can reschedule?”

The genuine smile disappears and is replaced with a forced one. “We’re good to go.”

“I can start next week if you’ve got?—”

“My uncle died,” she blurts out before I can finish the sentence. “It hit me that I won’t be able to call him on the way home anymore.”

“Aw, man. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“We should reschedule?—”

“No! That won’t be necessary. Thank you but I have to figure out how to pay for his funeral so I can’t cancel the class because I need the money.” Mortification has her cheeks blazing hotter than ever. “I’m so sorry that we ate into that time. We can stay longer?—”

“There’s no need.” I raise a hand to further stall the torrent of words. “Okay, how about I still pay you for the session, but we head to the cafeteria and we can talk instead of practice?”

“Why would you do that?”

Because I want to get into your pants and I’m trying to impress you.

My brain sucks.

I’m such an asshole.

Recognizing it doesn’t make it less true though…

“Because it’d be real shitty of me to force you into a coaching session when you’re grieving.”

There—I can sound like a decent human being if I try.

“I’ll still be grieving next week. And the week after. No. I need to rip off this Band-Aid because...” A shaky sigh escapes her. “Never mind.”

“When did he die?”

Her bottom lip is back to trembling but it’s the devastation in her expression that hits me on the raw. “This morning.”

I don’t care that I’m doing a goldfish impression. “Are you being serious?”

“I need the money for more than his funeral,” she confesses in a low, embarrassed whisper.

Immediately, guilt jabs at me and gets followed up with an uppercut of privilege.

Even without hockey, I’m a trust fund baby. The summer my grandma died, I took weeks off, never mind a few hours.

“I meant it when I said we can talk theory and about my expectations,” I reassure her. “We never got the chance todiscuss what my end goals are for the lessons and you shouldn’t have to eat that cost. How do you feel about going for a coffee?”

“A-Are you sure?”

“Of course I am. If you want, we can even skate around the ice. I know that helps me clear my mind.”

“Could we do that? Skate?”

I nudge her with my arm. “Of course.”

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