Page 114 of My Wife
When we pull out of the parking lot behind my parents, I say, “Sorry about that with everyone.”
“No need to apologize. They were wonderful,” Jessica says.
“My wild family?”
“No, you’re the wild one, Liam. They’re rather tame.”
“Stick around, it’ll get worse.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Grandma Dolly and KJ ride in the back while I give Jessica a who’s who of the Ellis family while she signs to her grandmother.
“My dad was born in Germany and played hockey there before being drafted to Canada in the nineteen nineties. He’ll be all too pleased to tell you about the beauty he met shortly after.”
“Your mom?”
“Belinda Bell. They moved to Brookking Sound when Dad retired. When the three of us grew up, they then relocated to sunny San Diego—my sister Ingrid followed.”
“They seem really sweet together. Cara and Pierre gave me an abbreviated version of your bio. Though she didn’t mention that you’re a doting uncle.”
“Mom and Dad are all too pleased because Ingrid has three kids and they love being grandparents.” I glance over my shoulder at my son. “They’re going to spoil him.”
Jessica signs and says, “You say that like it’s a bad thing. It’s literally a grandparent’s job.”
In the rearview mirror, I see Grandma Dolly agree.
Jessica says, “Tell me about your brother.”
“You mean the charmer, the flirt? I’d warn you not to put up with him, but he got a Christmas surprise of his own.”
“I take it he found someone special?”
“Oh no. It was an absolute disaster. I thought they were going to bury each other in the snow. But things wrapped up nicely with a bow.”
Her laughter fills the truck. “Sounds like a Happy Christmas Ever After.”
“Something like that,” I grunt, thinking about my boy waiting for me in the Old Mill building when I got back from the festivities with my family.
“You guys played really well. I knew Hendrix was your brother because you both have the same posture when at attention and the same smile … when you release yours from its bonds.”
And there I thought we were nothing alike.
I say, “We’ve been in skates together since we could walk.”
“Has there ever been rivalry?”
“Do you with your siblings?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know if I have any.”
Her words come with a heavy silence. There is so much I don’t know about the woman my parents think is the child’s mother, who I’m supposed to be marrying.
Clearing my throat, I say, “He’s the right forward. Our positions have different duties, but we challenge each other out there.”
“You’re both amazing … and very physical.”
I snort. We’ve been known to accidentally throw elbows on occasion, especially at each other because we know that after the game, we’ll snap back into being family. I guess. Unlike other players who manipulate, take advantage, play victim … Valjean. “If you have a chance, call him Heinrich. He hates it.”
