Falling Forward ✔

Chapter Thirty-Seven - Reece

One Month Later

Spencer is skating with Bas and Russo tonight. They look like a well-choreographed ballet, passing amongst themselves with barely a glance. Brixton stands on the seat between Kaila and I, big blue eyes rapt on his daddy as he streaks around the rink.

It takes a few shifts of hard skating to shake up Toledo. The first couple shots on goal are deflected. Then their defense goofs, lets Spencer steal the puck. He fires an almost blind pass to Russo, who flicks it to Bas.

Bas deftly avoids a defensive check and controls the puck in a backward streak. A wrister sees the puck up and off the ice, screaming toward the net. The goalie dives for it and I hold my breath.

The lit lamp is quickly followed by Kaila's and my shrieks. "YEESSSS!"

"GET BENT, TOLEDO!" Kaila jumps up and down.

"Yeah!" Brixton shouts from beside her. "GET BENT!"

I almost choke on my beer, hearing that phrase come out of a three-year-old's mouth.

I'm surprised how quickly Kaila's taken to Brixton, and he to her. Kaila isn't nearly as flighty and flippant when it comes to Brixton's well-being. In fact, when the kid's around, she's almost responsible.

"Don't repeat that in front of your dad," Kaila says hurriedly, looking mortified and casting me a guilty look. Shrugging, I keep an eye on the game.

The speed of play increases. Toledo is a great team, keeps our guys going hard. The next portion of the game is tense and scoreless. I forget my beer, barely aware of Kaila chattering away with Brixton beside me. I hold my breath again as Bas steals the puck. He can't get the pass off before a Toledo player crosschecks him into the Plexi.

"What the – fudge – Ref!" I leap to my feet, "Call something!"

"Uh-oh," Kaila sing-songs, knowing smile curling her lips. "We've made a hockey fan out of her."

"Hockey is the coolest!" Brixton clutches tight to the puck Spencer flicked over the glass at him. "Go Cyclones!"

Kaila and I cast amused glances at one another, then join in his cheer. "Go Cyclones!"

**

The Cyclones win against Toledo with a score of 3-2. My boys are sitting pretty for the Kelly Cup.

Despite Johnson's desperate pleas for Spencer and Bastien to join him in his celebrations, both decline and opt to head back to the Anarchy Immortal Café with Kaila and I. Brixton included, he's also part of the reason why Spencer chose not to go out.

The February air is still cool as we tromp the short distance from the cab to the front door. Brixton makes it there first, Kaila following quickly behind due to his tight grip on her hand.

She giggles as he tries to push on the glass and fails. "Need help?" Kaila asks, smiling.

Brixton frowns up at her and shakes his head. "I can do it."

When he tries again, Spencer comes up behind Kaila and raises one hand above her head, fingers against the glass. The door opens and the squeal of delight Brixton emits makes us all laugh.

Bas and I follow the three of them in, his arm resting comfortably around my shoulders. "What's up with that?" Bas immediately asks, he points toward the back wall and I follow his finger confusedly.

Where the Wall of Expression should be is a blank white canvas with what looks to be a painter's tarp draped over the center of it. I shrug, "It's been a few months, Dad repainted."