Ice Cold

06

Landon Reilly

Anne and Matthew Hanson were the type of parents I wished I had growing up. It was clear they loved their son and did what they thought was best for him. But they were also the type to own up to their mistakes. If they had wronged their son, they would apologize to him and make things right. They were a loving and affectionate couple, not afraid to show their love to each other or to their son.

My parents were never like that, so it took some getting used to when I moved in with the Hanson's. That was why when I walked into the house after Wren had dropped me off, the hug I got from Anne was shocking, but welcomed.

"Landon! I didn't know you were coming home this weekend!" Anne said, squeezing her arms around my waist. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Sorry I didn't call, it was sort of a last minute decision."

Anne pulled away from me and waved me off.

"You don't have to call first, this is your home."

Home. I didn't know if that was something I would ever get used to. A place like this felt more like a home than mine ever did, but it still didn't feel like mine. I wasn't sure I would ever find a place that truly felt like mine.

"Landon?" Matthew asked, walking toward us with a smile. The expression on his face instantly made me feel guilty for never calling him like Micah asked me to.

"Hi, uh, I meant to call you," I started, awkwardly averting my gaze. "But I've been... busy."

He waved me off. "Don't worry about it. I know what college life is like."

I was sure he was imagining my college life a lot different than it actually was. But this was better than me admitting I just didn't want to call him because I had no idea what I would say. I was too used to my father only wanting to talk to me to make sure I was compliant with all his rules. He never checked up on me out of care, only to make sure he could still control me.

"Yeah, my classes are keeping me busy," I said. "And hockey's starting soon."

"Don't be afraid to ask for help if all becomes too much," Matthew said, Anne nodding in agreement. "There are so many resources for class help. Go to tutors, get to know your professors. They'll help."

I nodded, though I knew I probably wouldn't take his advice. This was a conversation Matthew and I had multiple times before I went off to school. He had been concerned from the start, and I knew his concern was much different than that of my own father. My father was only concerned with hockey, wanting me to be the best, to beat everyone. College, to him, was just a stepping stone to getting to the pros. It was a dream of his that he never actualized, so now it was supposed to be mine.

"Are you hungry?" Anne asked after a moment. "I'll cook something up."

"No, I'm fine," I said, shaking my head. "I'm going to go hang out with Livi, so we'll probably eat."

Anne nodded. "Do you need some money?"

I shook my head. "I have some."

I hated taking money from them, but they didn't give me much of a choice. Matthew wired money into my account every so often. I tried not to spend it because I hated the fact that I had to rely on them financially, but it wasn't like I could get a job during hockey season.

I put my things up in my room, and then Matthew let me borrow his car so I could drive to the ice rink where Livi currently was for her figure skating practice. I pulled around to the back of the building and saw her leaning against the back door. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun and her sweatshirt was zipped all the way up. She was scowling down at the ground, and I couldn't tell if she was angry or if that was just how she looked. The both of us had severe resting bitch face, so it was hard to tell.