Finding Home in Redemption

Chapter Seventeen

"I have a surprise for you," Aaron said from my doorway. I was sitting at my desk looking through some emails on my computer.

"You do?" I asked. "What is it?"

"You really are bad at surprises," he laughed.

"We've been over that already. What's the surprise?"

"If you put on some warm clothes and meet me downstairs, I'll show you."

He walked out of my room, and I heard him shut the door to the apartment. I got dressed as quickly as I could and pulled my hair back into a long braid. I shoved my head into my hat and locked the door before heading down.

Pop and Sam were waiting on the sidewalk with Aaron when I arrived.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"I asked your dad to take Dog for the day, and Sam's here to drive us somewhere I think you'll really like."

"Which would be?" I tried again.

"Not a chance," Sam laughed. "Get in the car Bee."

I hugged Pop and watched as he drove away with Dog sitting in the front seat. We all loaded into Sam's car, and she drove us toward the city.

Aaron was sitting in the front seat so he could give her directions to wherever we were going, and I sat in the back. The way they acted with each other made them seem like brother and sister, and it was the weirdest thing. He was eleven years older than her, yet they bonded. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. I was excited to be going back to the city so soon and for whatever Aaron had planned for us.

About an hour later we were pulling into a building that I'd never seen before.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"This is the skating rink!" Sam replied. She was obviously excited.

"Skating rink? I've never been skating before though," I said.

"Me either!" Sam chimed in.

"That's alright. I can help you both, and you can hold onto the railing. You'll get the hang of it pretty quickly." Aaron climbed out of the car and opened my door.

We walked in, and Aaron paid for all our skates. He helped us lace them up and told us to practice walking in them while he got his own on. I felt like I was walking a tightrope.

"You doing okay?" Aaron asked from behind me.

"Yeah, I guess so. This is really hard!"

"I think you're doing great," he encouraged. "Let's get out on the ice."

"Oh no," I muttered to myself. I looked at Sam and could see she was now thinking the same thing.

"Bet you regret agreeing to this, don't you?" I asked her as I wobbled past.

"You have no idea." I laughed at her shaking voice.

When we got to the ice, I was sweating. Wiping out was in my future, I could feel it.

"You ever been here before?" I heard a male's voice coming from behind me. I turned to look in their direction and saw this guy talking to Sam. He looked to be around our age. He had black hair that fell into his eyes, and his ear gages were about the size of the tip pinky.

"I think we lost Sam," I said pointing my finger in her direction.

"Who is he?" he asked.

"No idea. Probably her future husband, if Sam has anything to say about it." We both laughed, and Aaron grabbed my hands and helped me onto the ice.