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I let him lead me into the changing rooms and Yas follows with Ade. Quilo throws towels at the both of us and offers us hot showers too if we wish, which I decline. I think I need a long hot bath and I just want to get home now. But I guess I have some explaining to do still.
I pull Ade into a hug and notice that she feels really warm.
“Aren’t you cold, baby?” I ask, frowning.
“No, Mama. I’m fine.” She takes the towel from me and uses it to squeeze the excess water from her space buns. I sigh. I’ll have to deal with her hair tomorrow and she’s going to moan the entire time.
“Here’s some clothes you can both change into. Obviously it’s all gonna be too big, but at least it’s warm and dry,” Quilo says, passing me a pile of fresh, folded clothing which looks like hockey uniforms. I’m not complaining.
“We’ll wait outside,” Yas adds respectfully.
They both leave and I quickly help Ade strip out of her wet things, glad that Yas must have helped her take her skates off as soon as she was out of the water. I dry her off and help her dress before seeing to myself.
“Ade, what happened?”
“I don’t know, Mama. I was skating and spinning and I was so so happy that I was doing it, and I just kept going faster and faster. It felt like the wind was spinning me, but then I couldn’t stop it and I got scared.”
“And when you got scared the ice broke?”
She nods sadly.
“Ade, you’re not in any trouble. So long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters.”
“But Whit is angry! He shouted and went away.”
“He’s not angry with you, baby. He’ll be so happy you’re okay. You scared all of us.”
“Can we go home, Mama?”
“Of course,” I say, pulling the jersey over my head and putting the wet towels in the hamper. I grab our wet things into a pile to go in my bag.
Yas is waiting for us outside the changing room. “Hey, is everything okay?”
“Yeah, we’re both pretty tired. I think we should get going.”
“Oh. Okay.” He looks disappointed. “Do you need to eat before you go? I can fix something up real quick.”
“No. We’re fine thank you.”
“Mama, can we have the cupcakes first?”
“Sure.” I give in and follow them over to the bench where the drinks and box of cakes are. When I open the box I feel a pang that Whit isn’t with us to enjoy his. Ade chose some rainbow monstrosity for him because it reminded her of his ‘magic balls’. I let Ade hand out the cakes and slowly start to eat mine.
The guys chat happily to Ade and don’t push me for information. Which is great, but also awkward. I just feel so stupid for not being up front and honest with them in the first place, but now I can’t say anything because Ade is here and I don’t want her to start asking questions about her dad. It’s not a conversation she needs to hear yet. Or ever if I can avoid it.
“Hey, Lumi?” I look up to see Yas hovering before me.
“Yeah?”
“I was wondering…” He’s shifting from foot to foot nervously.
“What?” I ask softly.
“If you wanted to shift with me some time? We could go for a run, stretch our legs...”
I look up from my cupcakes and give him a tentative smile.
“I’d love to.”
