Oops.I wasn’t sure what the problem was, but I was sure I’d put my foot in it.
Chapter13
I Wasn’t Swooning
Mia
I hated that look of excitement on Arne’s face, when it was about hockey.Hockey that I couldn’t afford in time or money.Because disappointing him made me feel like shit.I was trying to take the easy out by avoiding the topic so I didn’t have to see his sad face.
How had I thought that I could get through the day without Arne finding out Justin was a hockey player?Not even a guy playing in a beer league, which would have made his day, but a professional.Any Canadian kid would be excited to spend time with an NHL player.
The cat was out of the bag now.I’d ask Tonya tonight if the hockey camp was full and hope like hell it was.Because even if I could swing that, there was no way I could do hockey throughout the school year.
Justin gave me a wary look.I must have my bitch face on.“Um, maybe that’s not a good idea?”
“Why not?”Arne asked, surprised.
Justin looked at me.Yeah, he didn’t know why I was upset.
“Because, well, Justin doesn’t want a lot of people coming here and asking him for autographs.”I looked at Justin, so he could chime in.
He nodded and held up his cast.“I can’t sign anything right now, so people might get upset if they asked and I had to say no.”
Arne let out a long sigh, as if he carried the weight of the world on his skinny shoulders.Then his face brightened.“I won’t tell.But you said I could sign your cast.You don’t have to do anything for that.That’s okay, right, Mommy?”
I agreed, because that seemed harmless enough.I didn’t want to deny him everything.I’d rather say yes all the time, but that wasn’t how life worked.As far as I was concerned, it was the hardest part of parenting.
“Did you bring my markers?I want to make it pretty.”
I looked at Justin again, not sure what he was willing to have on that cast for anyone to see.He smiled at Arne.Something inside me squeezed.I hadn’t seen a proper Justin smile in a long time, but Arne could charm anyone.And for him to be smiling at Arne?No, I wasn’t swooning.I was not.
“I don’t even care if you cover up some of the other names.”
Arne’s eyes opened wide.“Really?”
Justin shrugged.“I see those guys all the time.”
Arne considered the cast.“I could do a duck over the Duck guy’s name.But I don’t know what an Oppy is.”
Justin stared at the cast, where apparently Oppy had signed.“Do you have a friend who’s really loud, and says the things he shouldn’t?”
Arne nodded.“Norman is like that.”
“Oppy is short for Oppedisano.A lot of hockey nicknames are just shortened last names.I think Oppy is like Norman.But you can’t make a picture for that.”
Arne tapped his lip, mimicking a thinking pose.“Maybe he’s like Tigger?We read that in class.Tigger is bouncy and knocks things over.”
Justin shot me a look.“If you have orange, you could do that.”
“Do I, Mommy?”
“You should.Your markers are in your bag.Why don’t you go get them?”He stood up and ran out of the room.Not knowing how things were going to go, I’d brought a lot of stuff to distract him.I hoped Justin knew he could say no if he wanted to.“Are you sure you’re good with this?”
He lifted one broad shoulder.“It was my idea.”
“Okay, then.I’ll finish cleaning up in here and maybe start on some lunch.What would you like?”I could see his lips tighten, like when we’d discussed making eggs.“I work for you, remember?”
He still looked uncomfortable, but he answered.“Sandwiches would be great.Easy to eat one-handed.I think everything we need for that is in the fridge.And you and Arne should help yourselves.”