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My brain screams it’s a coincidence, yet my heart says there are no coincidences. That the name has to do with me.
Aiden moves closer to me, and when he’s standing right beside me, he places his hand on my face.
I lean in closer, loving the way he touches me. The way he can always calm my racing heart.
“I thought it would be obvious. For you,” he answers, and a kaleidoscope of butterflies instantly takes flight in my belly.
I knew it. I just needed him to say it. To make this all real. To prove that I’m not lost in a dream.
“I sponsor the team. I actually sponsor the whole rink, teams, and all. All of the kids here wouldn’t be able to afford the lessons, gear, etc.…”
“You do all of that?” I say, voice full of awe.
“I do.”
I take a deep breath, processing everything that Aiden has done in the years since we’ve been separated. Just how much of me he’s integrated into his life.
It’s endearing. Heartwarming.
It makes all those doubts and feelings of betrayal feel so ridiculous. While he might not have come back, he never forgot, and that means everything to me.
“How old are the players?” I ask, trying to keep the emotion out of my voice.
“This group is my five-year-olds, but I help kids all the way through high school.”
Tears well in my eyes, and I quickly turn away from Aiden so he doesn’t see.
He’s helping kids like him. Kids who don’t have an outlet, and he’s giving it to them.
“I’m giving them a chance. The same chance you gave me,” he says.
My vision goes spotty again, the unshed tears threatening to fall.
“How did I not know that?” I whisper more to myself than to him. With all the time we’ve spent together, I should have seen something. Some papers.
But this whole thing comes as a huge shock to me. I feel like I’ve been sitting in the dark, and the light just turned on.
“For the same reason people don’t know anything about me, I’m a private person.”
I nod, turning back to face him. “Yeah, I know that, but wouldn’t I have known since I work for you?”
“I don’t announce my involvement. Sure, I volunteer in the off-season to help them learn to be better players, but I don’t take credit for funding it.”
“Why not? It’s amazing what you’re doing.”
“I don’t do this for the accolades. I do it for them. For these kids, who by no fault of their own would never be able to play hockey without help.”
I blink, taking in a deep breath. He doesn’t want to draw attention to their situations.
“I understand. It’s the same reason I want to be a social worker.”
He nods in confirmation and understanding. “To help the kids like us.”
“It’s amazing, Aiden.” I look around. “Truly.”
His lips part into an earth-shattering smile.
“Come on, let’s go meet the team named after you.”
