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And with that, the game ends. The girls all run to the glass to see the players heading for the locker room, but they’re all upset due to losing by a single goal.
After the game, I follow Emma to the team area. While the other significant others gather in a designated space to show support, I find Andrew near the locker room entrance.
“You’re really here!” He seems to be the only player smiling there. “Did you watch me?”
I try not to smile. “I did.”
Smiling would be showing weakness, and weakness is the last thing he needs to see in me right now. “We need to go somewhere else and talk, Andrew.”
“Um, am I in trouble?” he raises an eyebrow, concerned.
“Maybe.” I cross my arms.
“Okay, just let me change. I’ll be right out.”
From there, we get to his car. Before even buckling up, I start the litany.
“Alissa was playing dolls yesterday,” I start, serious. “A hockey match.”
“Nice. I guess I left a mark, huh?” he chuckles, starting the engine.
“Yes. One player was you, and the other was her father,” I say dryly.
“Um…” The light inside of Andrew seems to go out. “Does she know her father?”
“Nope. Just has the idea that he is uncool, unlike you, who’s the coolest person in the world according to her.” I turn to him, “Do you happen to have any idea why she would be doing that?”
Andrew’s eyes go wide trying to figure out what he did.
“We never talked about her father, Emily,” he defends himself, taking a left turn.
“Lies!” I state, firm, but without being hostile. “She said you implied you were her father!”
“What?”
He looks sharply at me.
“When?”
He looks so shocked that I realize this was all probably a big misunderstanding.
I lean forward and say, “She said it was during career day.”
His shoulders slump, and his eyes stare out at the road as he gets lost in thought.
After several moments, he finally replies. “This is the only thing I can think of. A kid said something about how cool it would be to have a dad in the NHL, then Alissa said promptly I was not her dad. I stood there like an idiot after he said it and didn’t say anything. It just caught me off guard, but maybe since I didn’t make a comment, she got confused or something? I’m sorry. I had no idea she took it that way.”
I let out a long sigh of relief. It is good to hear Andrew’s point of view, but I still feel terrible about the confusion my daughter must be feeling.
I will make sure to talk to her about it when I get home.
We sit in silence as he drives. When he parks the car in front of the hotel, we both unbuckle our seat belts but don’t climb out yet.
“Emily, are you sure I’m not Alissa’s father?” he mutters softly.
He is looking for solace and assurance, but all I can feel is fear and sorrow.
I still don’t trust you completely yet with my own heart, let along my daughter’s.
