Page 20 of Heat It Up (Off the Ice)
The day I walked out of my pity party for one had been the first warm day of spring. Young green shoots were poking their way between the dead brown grass. The early buds were forming on the trees and bushes. Birds were chirping from the branches in my backyard. That was the day I decided to spend the summer in Finland and get a fresh start.
My plan might’ve been to have a fresh start, but so far it hasn’t happened. The same tired Sofia stares back at me in the mirror. My long blond hair is pulled back in a ponytail. The same way it has been for the past year. I can’t even remember the last time I had a haircut.
I take a deep breath and make a decision. Muumu is watching TV on the orange vinyl couch in my room (aka the living room). She nods at me as I enter and tells me I can change the channel if I want. I tell her I’m good, although I’m not sure if it has the same meaning in Finnish as it does in English.
Taking my phone with me, I step out onto the balcony. Laughter greets me from young kids running around the playground one level down. Tall apartment buildings and birch trees surround the area. Even years after I was last here, the area looks the same.
I Google hair salons in Vantaa and I call one to book an appointment for myself and for Muumu. Luckily, the girl who answers the phone speaks English.
“I have a cancellation for one o’clock this afternoon. I can fit you both in then. Is that okay?”
Not only can she fit us in for hair appointments, she can schedule us in for pedicures and manicures. Perfect. Let the girl-bonding session begin. My grandfather died a few years ago and Muumu has lived alone ever since. Who knows when she last did something nice for herself. In the short time I’ve been here, she’s done all kinds of nice things for me.
I return to the living room and sit next to Muumu on the couch. With my smart phone, I Google translate the words I need to help me. I don’t use my phone for translating too often because it’s a major drain on my phone plan. Plus, I’ve learned the hard way that it’s not always the most reliable method. The translations have been screwy more times than they’ve been correct.
Maybe sensing I want to say something, she looks expectantly at me. I say the Finnish word for haircut and I point to her then me. Her expression is blank at first, as she tries to figure out what I said, but after a few seconds she nods. I pretend to paint my fingernails and toenails. Again, I point to her then me.
She nods and I let out a relieved breath. That was easy enough. I tell her the appointments are today, as well as the where and the when. Her eyes light up at the news.
My phone pings. I check the text from Maija. I haven’t heard from Kyle today, but Maija and I have plans for tonight. I respond to her text confirming we’re still on. I’ve already told Muumu that I’m going dancing with a friend tonight. The first thing she asked was if it was Joni. I might have rolled my eyes.
Muumu’s show finishes and aFriendsepisode comes on. I laugh at something Rachel tells Ross. Apparently, Rachel and Ross are just as funny with Finnish subtitles, because Muumu also laughs, albeit a second later because of the delay in translation. By the end of the show, we’re both laughing hard.
Muumu drives us to the hair salon and day spa in time for our appointment. She’s normally animated, but this Muumu is like a kid on candy. She’s as excited about our girl-bonding session as I am, which makes me feel a million times better already.
We arrive five minutes early and are directed to the seats in the corner, where we sit and wait our turn. Muumu picks a tabloid from the coffee table. I select a hairstyling magazine and flip through it. I need a change, but nothing too drastic.
Something to represent the new me.
Chapter Eleven
Kyle
My phone rings as Nik and I walk along the sidewalk to the dance club. I check to see who it is—my brother, Cody—and accept the call. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Nothing much. What are you up to?” His tone is in the gray zone between interrogation and casual. Which way it falls depends on how I answer.
And since lying to Cody is out, given the loud music spilling onto the streets… “Coaching the guys is going well, but they’re nowhere near as talented as you.” Who knows if he’s buying my bullshit. They’re all equally talented. “Nik and I are just checking out the local night scene.”
My brother groans. He thinks I’m out to get wasted and laid. To forget about last year.
Except this time, he’s wrong.
I’m here to forget the girl who’s starting to get to me in the short time I’ve known her. She’s not what I need. What I need is exactly what I’ve been doing since the accident—living the life I gave up to get married so young.
“I promise, I’m fine,” I say. “I’ll call you tomorrow. Promise.” And this time I won’t be hung over. Or at least I’ll try not to be.
I promise Cody I’ll be careful tonight and end the call.
The nightclub is similar to any other back home. But instead of the normal college crowd, here you’ve got your college-crowd smorgasbord from all over the world.
Nik’s face lights up and he straight-lines for the bar while scanning the crowd. He’s not just hunting for an easy lay for himself. He’s searching for a girl with female friends so neither of us go home empty handed.
I leave him talking to a group of girls Sofia’s age, and walk to the bar. Contrary to what Nik wanted, I haven’t been back here since the night I went home with the girl who looked like a sexy version of Snow White. I order drinks for us and join him and his groupies. I listen to the introductions—and forget their names the instant I spot her on the dance floor. Her long brown hair swings against the olive brown of her shoulders. Her purple dress skims her curves. Gabby.
Except it isn’t Gabby. But that doesn’t matter. Just seeing her is a stabbing reminder of everything I’ve lost. I swallow back the pain and the memories of the last time I saw her, bleeding next to me in the car.
One of Nik’s groupies says something to me. I block her out as I down my beer like it’s a life preserver to keep me from drowning. Once the drink’s finished, I return to the bar and order two more. I don’t give a damn what I promised Cody or my parents. I need this. I’m not planning to get wasted. Just a little buzzed to get me through the evening.
