Page 41 of Ice Ice Maybe
“Look! There’s the couple!” Zena practically yelled. “Look how happy you made them. They’re having a blast.”
“That’s good to see,” I replied, feeling the warmth of doing something meaningful. “And the plan is working, so I won’t have your dad breathing down my neck. Win-win.”
Five minutes later, San Diego scored another goal. A disgruntled fan in front of us yelled, “Sea Lions suck!”
We exchanged amused glances.
Suddenly, Zena glanced at her phone, her eyebrows shooting up. “Apparently, hell has frozen over.”
“What’s up?” I asked, curiosity piqued.
She showed me the screen.
It was a text from Mr. Dalton:
Dad:Zena, I wanted to apologize for my earlier behavior. Nolan was right, I should never talk to my daughter that way. It was disrespectful and rude. I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately, but that’s no excuse. I’ll try to do better. Please forgive me.
I read it twice, surprised that such humility came from one of the most powerful men in the country, the same guy who fired someone for not doing him a favor. Maybe the man had a heart after all.
“Wow, that’s unexpected,” I said.
“He’s never apologized to me before. For anything,” Zena said, her voice a mix of shock and wonder. “Although he has never insulted me before, either.”
“Do you think your mom might have nudged him?” I asked.
Zena smirked. “Maybe. Even so, it couldn’t have been easy for him.”
A noise from the crowd momentarily drowned out our conversation, and we both glanced up at the screen. The Sea Lions scored another goal.
We clinked bottles, then I said, “I guess some people can change if they really want to make an effort.”
Zena nodded, sipping her beer. “Thanks to you. I admire what you did, by the way. Nobody ever stands up to him. Peopletreat him like a god because of his money. His rags-to-riches story is inspiring, sure, but character and how you treat others matter more to me.”
“I get that,” I said. “Coincidentally, my dad was the same way. His life revolved around the stock market. I couldn’t stand being around him because his mood swung with every market shift.”
“Sounds rough,” Zena commented.
“It was, for all of us,” I admitted. “He lost all our money he invested when the stock market tanked. For him, it was worse than dying.”
Zena winced. “Your poor mom.”
I nodded. “She gave him an ultimatum: get a new job and focus on our family, or she was out of there and taking me with her.”
“Good for her,” Zena sighed. “My mom’s reaching that tipping point, too. Something’s got to give with my dad, for everyone’s sake. And also for his heart.” She took a sip of her beer. “What does your dad do now?”
“He ended up getting a very cool job as a tour guide at Miller Brewing Company in Milwaukee,” I said. “And you know what? He loves it.”
Zena’s eyes widened, and she glanced at her bottle of Miller Lite Beer. “Is that why you ordered these beers while I was in the bathroom?”
“Guilty as charged,” I clinked my bottle against hers. “I always think of Dad when I have one. It’s like his whole life got a reset, you know? And honestly, he’s happier now than I’ve ever seen him. My mom as well.”
“There’s nothing like a happy ending,” Zena said with a smile.
And there was nobody happier than me at that very moment because this felt like an actual date. The conversation flowedeffortlessly. I paid less attention to the game and more to the way Zena’s eyes crinkled when she laughed, or how she’d gently touch my hand and lean in closer to hear me over the noise. This was real, and nobody could tell me otherwise.
Before we knew it, the final buzzer sounded and the Sea Lions had won 4-1, with Mitch scoring two impressive goals.
Back in our hotel room, we’d decided we were both tired from a long day and opted for reading in bed and going to sleep early.
