Here I Am

I watched as Delia got Riley ready for his first day of school. I sipped my coffee, smiling as she fretted about everything. “Do you have your lunch box? Your pencils? A notebook? Everyone will love you sweetie, I promise,” she hugged the boy tightly.

“Uh Delia,” he struggled for air. “Can’t breathe. . .”

“Who needs air,” she said, nonetheless releasing him. She sighed, looking at him and straightened up his hair. Again.

“Okay,” I laughed, walking up next to Delia. “Let’s get the kid to the bus stop, okay?”

“Yes!” Riley shouted and ran out the door.

Delia sighed again. “I’m glad he’s excited. Come on, I need pictures!” Delia ran out after him and I walked out.

We arrived at the bus stop and Delia and I lingered a ways away while Riley talked to the other kids waiting.

“First time?” a mother walked up to us and her little boy ran over to join the others at the corner.

I laughed. “Is it that obvious?” I gestured at Delia taking pictures.

Delia swatted at me while taking another. “Shut up goalie man. You’re going to thank me in five years when he’s moving out and you’re a mess.”

I almost choked on my coffee. “Jesus Delia he’s still in elementary school! And for the record, you’re going to be a mess. Not me.”

The other mom chuckled. “Well it’s good to see he has such good parents.”

I wasn’t going to say anything to correct her. Well what was I supposed to say? That no I wasn’t his actual father or her husband. That we were just getting started?

Delia smiled. “He isn’t so bad at this parenting thing,” she winked at me and waved wildly at Riley as he got onto the bus. Once the bus was out of sight and we were the last ones standing there she sighed. “Well what do I do now?” she turned to me. “All I’ve done is watch him for years all day and now he’s at school. I don’t start my job until Friday. What do I do?”

“I’ve got practice?” I shrugged.

She sighed. “No. I shouldn’t. You all need to stay focused and it seems that whenever I’m around you all want play tricks on me or just chase me around on the ice. That isn’t going to win you the Stanley Cup,” she poked my chest. And then she took my coffee, taking a drink from it. “This is delicious. What is this? Caramel in here? Scrumptious. Isn’t this stuff bad for your health? You shouldn’t be drinking this.”

I sighed and held out my hand. “Coffee back. Now.” She grinned and backed away and I knew what she was doing. “Delia get back here now,” I warned her.

“Here I am Mr. Corey Crawford. Come and get me!” she drank the last of my coffee and spread her arms wide.

I took a step closer. “You know I will.”

“Like I said Corey. Here. I. Am.”

I sprinted towards her and she ran back to the house, slipping and sliding on the ice, shrieking with laughter the entire way. She tried the shortcut through the snow covered yard, but I got her. I made a grab for her, but she turned and we both fell into the snow.

She popped up first, a pile of snow in her hair. “You should try out for the football team Corey. Hockey is getting too mainstream for you,” she said in a serious tone.

We both burst out laughing and hurried inside out of the cold. I followed her into the bedroom and found her taking off all of her clothing. “What are you doing?”

She tossed back a look that told me I was an idiot. “I’m cold.”

“And. . .” The lightbulb still wasn’t flashing.

“Body heat is the fastest way to warmth,” she said and took off her bra and panties.

“Oh.”

And I was quick out of my clothes as well, because really. Practice could wait.