Write Your Own Song

Chapter 8

"You got skates for 'em?" Bobby asked as he ambled down the steps, his own set of skates draped over his shoulder.

"Yeah, in the car," Jerry explained as he knelt down, zipping up Amelia's coat and tugging on her knit hat, making her giggle as it covered her eyes. Daniela was already bundled up, her arms sticking straight out from her sides, as though she couldn't quite bend them properly in the thick winter coat.

Bobby stopped for a second on the last step and shook his head in amusement. "Jeez, Jerry, it's just Detroit, not the fucking Arctic."

"Language, man," Jerry sighed. "Do I have to keep reminding you?"

"Yes," Jack answered from the couch.

"Like you have the cleanest mouth in the world," Bobby shot back.

"I know not to curse in front of little kids," Jack pointed out as he grabbed his crutches and maneuvered himself upright. Bobby slowly looked him up and down, taking in the crutches and the leg brace.

"Thought you were through with the brace?"

Jack shrugged. "Consider it added protection. It's not exactly safe with you on the ice."

"You're just gonna be warming the bench," Jerry pointed out.

"Exactly," Jack said as he slowly made his way over to the others. "I once saw Bobby aim a puck at a guy minding his own business, standing all the way out in the parking lot."

"Really?" Jerry asked and Bobby shrugged.

"Yeah, really - he was on his cell phone and disturbing my concentration."

"How many stitches did it take to close the gash on his head?" Jack asked as he leaned forward, reaching over Jerry to grab his leather jacket from the rack.

"How the fuck should I know?" Bobby asked and Jerry groaned, feebly covering Amelia's ears as Daniela got a mischievous look in her eyes and opened her mouth, about to say something.

"Don't you even think about repeating what Uncle Bobby says," Jerry said, cutting her off and she slowly closed her mouth, her bottom lip turning down into a pout. The last thing he needed was one of the girls cursing in front of Camille - he'd never hear the end of it.

Jack cleared his throat. "Anyway, as I was saying - it ain't safe on the ice with Bobby around."

"Damn straight," Bobby said with an emphatic nod of his head.

"Damn straight," Amelia repeated, mimicking Bobby's nod, a huge grin across her face, displaying her missing front tooth.

"Bobby, man - how many times …" Jerry shook his head and opened the door, motioning for the girls to head outside.

"Damn straight," one of the girls shouted at the top of her lungs as soon as she stepped outside and was quickly repeated by the other one.

Jerry took one last, steady look at his older brother before stepping outside, following his daughters, trying to shush them before the whole neighborhood heard.

XxXxXxXxXx

"The key to a good check is to angle your shoulder just so before you slam the other guy into the boards. And if you're quick enough, a hard jab to the ribs with your elbow will really fu -- uh, screw the guy up."

Jack could barely hear his oldest brother over the sound of dozens of skates gliding across the ice. The rink was full of kids and their parents, with a couple of teens sprinkled throughout, darting in and out of the slower moving clusters of people. Winter was winding down and it wasn't going to be long before the rink was nothing but empty space framed by a rusty fence. There was always the indoor rink downtown, but skating outdoors was sort of a Mercer family tradition.