Slipping Through My Fingers - Nathan MacKinnon

Chapter 4

Eight years old

"Daddy!"

Andrew's voice reverberated around the tall ceilings of the airport, its nightly crowd barely turning their head to look at the kid running for his life. You watched the scene unfold in front of your eyes: Andy jumping in Nathan's arms, wrapping his arms around his father's neck.

You strutted towards them, carrying the large bags all on your own, with a tight smile on your lips. The flight had been long - too long for your own good -, and all you wanted to do was to go to the hotel room you had booked, get in bed, and have a good, long sleep.

When you reached your son and his father, you realized Nathan had tears in his eyes. He was kneeling at his son's height, softly running a hand through his messy short hair as he listened to Andrew talk about the flight.

When your shadow came into view, Nathan looked up at you, a smile forming on his lips. "Hi," he whispered, opening his arms for you, quickly embracing you in a hug. "Welcome to Canada."

You didn't say much, looking out of the airport's floor-to-ceiling windows to see the snow lightly falling on the ground, a shiver running up your spine. You hadn't seen snow in years, living near the ocean, and you didn't miss it. At all. In fact, you would have preferred being at the beach, under the warm sun, even if it was the busiest time of the season.

If you had to be honest, you couldn't exactly tell why your son loved ice hockey as much as he did. Probably got it from his father.
Because, yes. You had found Andrew an ice hockey rink close enough to bring him there for hockey practice three times a week, and Andy loved it. He loved it so much. And how could you say no to him, when he held so much love for something? So much passion?

"I've never seen the snow before," Andrew mumbled, catching his father's attention. "Just in pictures."

"No?" Nathan asked, turning around to face the windows too. "Let's get out, then. Put on your coat, buddy."

Andrew smiled up at you, eyes shining under the dim lights as he slipped on the coat you had previously handed him. "Can I?"

"Of course," you sighed, smiling softly down at him. "Tell daddy I'll stay here with the bags, okay?"

Andrew nodded one last time, running out of the doors to join his father on the snow-filled sidewalks. His cheeks turned red in no time, hands forming balls to throw at the man he resembled so much. You watched them for a while, the smile on your face never faltering as you sat down, dragging your bags with you.

You were tiredly stuck in your own thoughts when the door opened and Nathan's footsteps reached your side. Your eyes fell on his frame as he picked up Andrew's hockey bag, just to take a hold of your own large suitcase a few moments later. "I can take care of them." You mumbled.

"There's no way I'm letting you carry all of this," Nathan argued, making you chuckle. "Let's go to the car, shall we?"

You nodded your head, following him out of the airport, where Andrew was still touching the cold snow. "Come on, buddy! We're going home."

Home, you repeated in your head. Home was your apartment in Australia. Home was the lifeguard tower. Home was the sandy beach during the summer.

Canada wasn't home to you, but could it be for Andrew?

You silently followed Nathan to his car, your son staying at his side. A booster similar to the one you had in your car was in the backseat waiting for Andy, your eyes focusing on it for a second. Your son spent no time entering the car, his eyes focusing on the interiors as you sat in the passenger seat.