Page 5 of Thin Ice

"Oh — " I set my glass down. "I made captain."

She went still. "What?"

"Interim captain. Jace graduated early, and Coach Hale — " I suddenly needed to look at my plate.

"Liam."

"It's just interim, it's not—"

"Don't you dare." She was already up, coming around the table, and she grabbed my face in both hands like I was eight years old. Her eyes were wet, and she wasn't hiding it now. "Captain. Captain of the team." She kissed the top of my head hard. "Fifteen years I've been driving you to practices and now… Captain Moore."

"Okay, Mom."

"I'm saying it one more time."

I shook my head even though I could feel myself turning red. I was happy to make her proud. She was the reason I was doing all of this.

"Captain Moore." She let go of my face, wiped her eyes with the heel of one hand, done. Went back to her chair. Picked up her fork like nothing had happened, and that's when she landed it.

"What'd you get him?"

"What?"

"For Christmas."

I didn't answer.

"Liam."

"I don't know yet. I've got time."

"You've got a couple weeks." She took her plate to the sink. "Has anything come to mind? Anything meaningful?"

Meaningful. The word sat there. What was meaningful to a guy who'd grown up with everything? What could I hand across a table that wouldn't just remind both of us how different our lives were?

"Not yet," I said.

"It'll come to you." She rinsed her plate and put it in the rack. "Goodnight, baby. I've got the early one tomorrow."

She stopped in the doorway and turned. "It's good to have you home," then disappeared down the hall.

My room was cold at the edges, the way it always was.

I set Noah's whale dock up on the nightstand and turned on the speaker. The sounds came out into the dark.

My phone lit up.

Alex

Just realized tomorrow night we'll be sleeping on the same lake for the first time since it all started.

Liam

I like that. Drive safe golden boy.

Alex

Goodnight, Liam.