Finding Forgiveness

Evgeni's POV
The summer felt rather short with my new distraction. Misha made every day seem that little more worth while. On the days I didn't feel like getting out of bed there he was with his happy little face, sitting on my stomach waking me up with all different creative ways. 

I somehow had convinced Kira that it would be fun for them to come back to Pittsburgh with me, even if it was for a few weeks. I wanted everyone to meet my son.

“Daddy!” Misha climbed out of the car and ran into my arms.
“Hey buddy, you have fun picking your new bedroom with mummy?” I picked him up and he attached to my hip and locking his arms around my neck.
“Yes, I get bigger bed,” he smiled.
“How big?” I looked at Kira dragging his hockey gear from the car.
“It’s not that much bigger he just thinks it is,” she shrugged.

"Geno!" I heard the familiar Canadian accent of the captain.
"Hey," I turned around to see him running over to us.

"Kira," he stopped when he saw her with a huge smile on his face. I knew he had missed having her around, she was a good friend to him.
"Hey Sid," she smiled wrapping her arms around him.

"Who is this?" He turned to the little boy in my arms.
"Sid this is... Um this my son," I gulped suddenly not as excited to tell everyone about my mysterious child, "Misha."
"Hi Misha," Sid smiled at him.

He buried his head under my neck and peered out at Sid.
"He shy," I rubbed my hand up and down his back.
If there was one thing that described Mik it was being shy.

"He doesn't know much English yet either," Kira came up and kissed his forehead.
"Don't worry, Sid is nice. He is mummy and daddy's good friend," she ran her finger across the same spot.

"So what's the story?" Sid gestured to Kira and Misha as they walked hand in hand in front of us.
"I have son, no story."
"Geno, you don't just go back to Russia for the summer and come back with a son without there being a story."

This was what I didn't want to tell people. I didn't want people to be angry at her for me, I had already forgiven and understood her reasoning. I mean I was annoyed at Kira for not telling me about him in the first place but now I was just happy have her and a son on top of it.

"Kira was pregnant when broke up," I shrugged, "no other story."
"Why didn't she tell you?" he frowned.
"I was with Emily," I grumbled because I spent most of the summer regretting walking out that night. Maybe if I had have stayed we could have worked it out. I would have done anything to be there for Kira. I would have put everything behind me in a heartbeat to be there and see him grow up. See him smile for the first time, take his first steps, teach him how to skate, anything.

"Daddy I am scared," Misha looked up at me with his big sad brown eyes as we stood in front of the yellow double doors.
"Come here. It's ok just stay with me then," I picked him up and he held on tight trying to his his face in my neck.

Kira had gone off to see Mike and the moment she left he did exactly that. He sat right next to me in my stall, his arms wrapped around my midsection lookeing terrified at  the few guys walking around the locker room.

"Are you ok?" I chuckled as he flinched the second I moved. His little hands clutched onto my shirt as if his life depended on it.
"Where's mummy?" his little eyes peered up at me. 
"She will be back soon," I put my arm around him and pulled him into my lap where he sat with his arms wrapped around me and his head on my chest.

"Hey G, who's your friend?" Dan came up and sat next to me putting his hand on my little boys arm.
"This Misha my son," we both looked at him as he picked at my shirt.
"Don't do that Mik," I grabbed his hands, "come on say hi."
"No," he protested wrapping his arms back around me.
"You have a son?" Dan curled his eyebrow at me.
"Yes surprise me too, but no ask story I love him so not matter," I kissed Misha's little forehead.
"Don't worry G, I don't need to know how or whatever just as long as it's all ok now but get ready and out on ice, 15 minutes," he got up leaving me on my own.

"Hey sweetie, what's wrong?" Kira came back and sat next to us running her hand over Misha's head.
"He's just nervous."
"Naww Mik, come here. We are going to go and sit in the stands, cya soon," she took Misha and gave me a kiss before they left leaving me open to criticism  from everyone.

"Alright Geno can you please explain the mini me?" Cookie looked over at me from his spot on the other side of the room.
"Have son, no need explain," I ignored them and started on my skates.
"But like..."
"Guys," Sid warned, "leave it, we are here for hockey."

The only reason Sid was being nice was because he knew 'the story'. If I hadn't told him he would probably have sat there letting them pester me.

The moment I stepped out on the ice I heard Kira and Vero cheering my name. I looked up in the stands to see Misha standing on the seat in between them waving at me.

He turned to Kira before jumping down and running down the stairs to me.
"Don't run," I warned as he reached me at the glass.
"Sorry daddy," he looked genuinely sorry so I let it go.

"Geno come on!" Dan called me back as I was distracted pulling faces at my little boy.

"Go back to mummy," I pointed back up into the stands, "and don't run!"
He stopped running and smiled with a guilty face before walking up the stairs.

The guys continued to question throughout practice but I managed to ignore them. I wasn't in the mood and just wanted them to except it and not need a reason or story.

"Daddy we go skating," he came running into the locker room.
"Yeah come on," I sat him up in my stall and pulled his gear bag out from where it was stashed next to my bag.

"You going skating?" Sid sat down next to him as I helped him tie up his skates.
"He asked if your going skating?"
"Yes, is he coming?" Misha smiled looking up at Sid.
"He ask if you come," I looked up at Sid.
"Yeah ok."

We walked back out onto the ice and where Misha began skating circles around us.
"He is good," Sid looked surprised.
"He my son, of course he good."

"Mik here," I passed him the puck.
"You defend," I pushed Sid in front of my little future hockey star.
"Remember what I taught you," I smiled at him.
"What are you saying to him," Sid looked concerned.
"Watch," I pointed to Misha.

My little guy took off before Sid was ready and passed the puck up to me through Sid's legs. I dished it back to him and he skated up the ice. It hit the post with a little ting and he feel to his knees.
"No!" he looked disappointed.
"It's ok, come on, try again," I grabbed another puck for him.

I watch as he skated around with Sid having a ball. Yep this fatherhood thing was going to be fun.