Page 11 of Check the Halls
I suppose that’s the right attitude to have. Not only is my sister smarter than me, she’s also more emotionally mature.
“Do you think Foster would want a dog?” Beth asks shifting gears.
I give my head a shake, chuckling at her abrupt change in topics. I think about her question as I pull on my sneakers. Would Foster want a dog? I know he likes dogs. Probably more than he likes people, but that’s not saying much. I’ve never heard him talk about owning one. Maybe that’s because we’re on the road so much with the team.
“I think Foster would let you turn your home into an animal shelter if it would make you happy.”
She heaves a discontented sigh and I picture her scrunching up her face, the same way she has since we were kids. “That’s what I was afraid of. I’d love to get a dog, but only if Foster wants one, too. I don’t want him to do it just to make me happy.”
“Buuuuttt making you happy makes Foster happy.”
“So you see my predicament!”
“I think Foster would love to have a dog.”
She hums softly, and I can hear the smile in her voice when she says, “I think so, too. He’s a natural caregiver. It’s one of the things I love about him.”
That’s exactly who Foster is—always has been. And yeah, I was a jerk when they first got together. I didn’t like the idea of my best friend dating my little sister. It felt too close, too messy, like a fool-proof recipe for disaster.
But now? Hearing her like this—so happy, soher—I know I was wrong.
They’re perfect for each other in a way I never saw coming. Foster keeps her grounded without holding her back, and she challenges him to come out of his shell. They balance and elevate each other at the same time.
“I’m glad you two are happy,” I say, and I mean it.
“Thank you. That means a lot to both of us.” She pauses briefly. “And I know you’ll find someone, too. You’ll find your person.”
I already had her and I lost her, I think sadly. It’s been over two weeks since I saw Maddy, but I think about her almost constantly. It was easier to put her out of my mind when she was in another province. But knowing she’s here? In my city? It’s unbearable.
What is she doing right now? Does she like it here? Is she lonely?
I remind myself that it’s not my business anymore. She made that clear when she said she didn’t want to meet to catch up. Still, I wish I knew for sure that she was happy, because she deserves to be so happy, even if it's not with me.
I clear my throat with a laugh. “Well, just do me a favour and stay happy. If you two break up, you’ll have to decide who gets custody of me and that could be very traumatic for all of us. Especially me.”
“Aww, Benny. No matter what happens, you know we both love you very much.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”
“I’m almost home. Which reminds me. Do you want to come over for supper tonight? I’ve got a roast in the instant pot.”
Ever since we were eliminated from the playoffs last year, my sister has invited me to have supper with her and Foster at least three times a week. Most of the time I accept because I like hanging out with them and I’ve got nothing else to do. Not to mention, Beth and Foster are both great cooks and I am definitely not. But lately I’ve been trying to break out of being their automatic third wheel. Also, I’m beginning to suspect that the reason she invites me over so much is because she worries that I’m lonely.
Which I’m not. Okay, I am, but no more than I usually am. I used to fill that void with one-night stands, but I’ve curbed that habit, for the most part, focusing more on hockey and less on getting laid.
“Sorry, I’m busy tonight,” I say, relieved to have a real excuse. “I’m on my way to meet my little buddy.”
“That’s wonderful! What do you know about them?”
“Not much, to be honest. He’s an eleven-year-old boy named Sam. We’re just going to hang out at his place today, get to know each other a bit. Then we’ll decide what to do next time.”
I’m really excited. I love kids and they fucking adore me. And what eleven-year-old boy doesn’t want to hang out with a pro hockey player? I was thinking I could take him to our practice rink so we could shoot the puck around. If he plays hockey, and he probably does, I could even show up at a team practice. That would probably blow his prepubescent mind.
“I think it’s so great that you're doing this, Ben. I’m really proud of you.”
“Thanks, Bug.”
“Let me know how it goes?”
