I kept them tucked into my sides to the elbow and then arched them out with my palms facing down.
“We’re going to look like we’re waddling like penguins, but we don’t care, do we?”
“Nooooo!” they called out.
“And when you feel like you’re going to fall, get low, your hands out like you’re driving a tiny car. Like this,” I said, getting into the position. “Now you show me.”
They mimicked my moves and made it a whole ten feet when Addison dropped onto her knee, but she popped right back up with a smile just like I said. Not that it was surprising she was the first; she was the most adventurous of the three with Ellie right behind her.
Ellie fell next, landing right on her butt. She winced, then scrambled to her hands and knees, crawling as she scurried back up.
We turned the corner, then the second and the third. The girls never even noticed they’d stopped stomping and had begun gliding.
I crouched low to stay eye level with them while I rolled along backwards. This was it, their real first time. They’d never be this again and I was the one here teaching them. I wanted to take pictures. I wanted to record them. I wanted to brag to everyone at The Shipwreck and then do it all over again at Banked Track over drinks. I wanted to fly around the rink in a victory lap; I wanted—Priest.
I spotted him over Addison’s shoulder where he leaned against the lockers in faded blue jeans, one leg bent, his thumbs hooked in the edge of his pockets. His black tank top showed powerful muscular arms. His face unreadable, his gaze never wavered from mine.
The man didn’t even blink.
“Oh…oh…oh no…Maaiiissssyyyyy!”
At the sound of Rylee’s frantic cry, my attention snapped back to the girl. She’d picked up speed, the frantic windmilling of her arms doing nothing to help her regain her balance. Terrified eyes locked on mine as I reached for her to slow her momentum, but it was too late. Before I could so much as stand upright, she crashed into me and we both went down.
Rylee’s elbow landed right in my stomach as she pushed herself up over me. My grunt turned into a laugh as I smoothed the wisps of hair out of Rylee’s worried face. I glanced at Ellie and Addison who stood bent over us. “See, girls. I can still fall.”