Back to December

Seventeen

  Despite Christmas being over, there's still one last thing to do on Skye's list of Christmas activities. Ice skating. The local ice rink near our house is nowhere near as exciting as skating at Rockefeller centre in the city. It was small and indoors, where the little kids' hockey teams and figure skating classes take place. It seems that they hadn't upgraded the place once in the twenty-two years I've been alive.

     There are a couple rows of benches near the ice, but barely anyone sits on them. Instead, the small ice rink is crowded with families, all skating in a large circle around the ice. Christmas music plays on the speaker overhead, echoing off the walls. "You wanna skate first, and I'll hang with the twins?" James asks Lizzie, pushing the double stroller over to a nearby bench.

    Before Lizzie can respond, Wyatt interjects, "I can watch them if you want. That way you can both skate together." Wyatt is wearing a beanie to conceal his identity today, pulling the hood of his hoodie up to cover the rest of his face.

    "Are you sure?" Lizzie asks.

     Wyatt eyes the eyes cautiously before looking back at Lizzie, "Positive." He reassures. It seems his nerves are evident only to me. His eyes glance at the ice as if it's the most terrifying thing he's ever seen, his lips pressed together tightly as he smiles. Wyatt is good at most things; he picked up hobbies and made it look like he'd been doing it for years. However, ice skating is the one thing he had never been able to do.

    "Awesome, thanks, Wyatt." Lizzie smiles, sliding the twin's diaper bag off her arm and passing it to Wyatt, "just call whenever you want to trade places."

    "Will do." Wyatt nodded, sliding the diaper bag over his shoulder. Everyone moves to the bench closest to the entrance to the ice, while Wyatt moves to another one, pushing the stroller in front of him.

     "I'll meet up with you in a minute," I say to Harper, watching Wyatt as he pushes the stroller back and forth lightly. I don't wait for Harper to reply before walking over to Wyatt. He was too focused on the twins. He had the stroller turned around so they were both facing him, holding the edge so he could move them. He hummed an adorable tune under his breath. I almost don't want to interrupt him, longing to watch him hum to the twins for a bit longer. "Still can't skate, huh?"

    Wyatt flinched, startled by my presence, "Pfft who, me?" He scoffs, his brows furrowing together, "I just think Liz and James deserve a break, that's all. I'll skate later."

     I could tell by his tone that he wasn't going to "skate later." He was avoiding getting on the ice at all costs.

    "Right," I nod, dragging the word out as I take the seat beside Wyatt. Both twins were stirring from their sleep.

     "Are you not skating?"

      I shrug, kicking one leg over the other, "I'll help you watch the twins."

     "Seriously, Marley, I can handle the- "On cue, before Wyatt could finish telling me he could handle watching both babies on his own, Elliot lets out a cry. His eyes furrowing together as his chunky face turns red.

    Following her twin in suit, Iris beings crying next, "what were you saying?" I ask Wyatt, standing up, "you can handle them on your own? I'll leave you be then."

    Wyatt grabbed my wrist as soon as I stood, pulling me back down, so I was beside him, my legs pressing against his, "Fine, I need your help. Just make this stop."

    "Happily," I smirk, releasing my wrist from his grasp as I undo the straps on Iris. Then, picking her up, I begin bouncing her in my arms, soothing her crying. "Can you grab Elliot?"