Page 46 of The Pact
It guts me in the best way.
I need to be here more.
I should have known he’d switched to hockey before my sister sent me a picture of him wearing his gear, with a caption that read,The Future Aiden Griffith.Aiden is Aston’s older brother and is a hockey superstar.
Sure, I have reasons why I can’t be here more often, but that doesn’t change the fact that kids associate love with presence. Not intention. Not promises. Presence. And I’ve missed way too much.
After the game, Remy comes barreling out of the locker room with damp hair, red cheeks, and a wide smile. My sister is behind him with his gear back on her shoulder. The bag alone looks bigger than Remy.
“Uncle Wyatt!”
I barely have time to brace before he slams into me.
“There’s my guy.” I wrap my arms around his little shoulders.
“Did you see me out there?”
“I saw everything.”
“Did you see that I almost scored?”
“Sure did.”
“I missed though.”
“You’ll get it next time, bud.” I ruffle his hair. “You were tough out there.”
Rhyan pushes between us. “It was like a battle, Rem. I can also fight good.”
I look down. “I’m sure you can.”
“I’m a warrior in my heart.”
This kid.
“Absolutely.”
Savannah closes her eyes. “Can you please stop validating her battle instincts?”
Remy looks up and whispers. “She bit a boy at school this week.”
I look at my sister.
She rolls her eyes. “She didn’t break skin.”
“Uh-huh.” I try not to smile.
Savannah points at me. “Get in the car.”
We end up at a pizza place. It’s loud and busy with music playing, and other tiny athletes fill the place. Remy slides into the booth beside me, and Rhyan climbs onto my lap without asking.
“You’re my chair,” she says simply.
“I had plans to eat.”
“You can still eat, Uncle Wyatt.”
“How generous of you, queen.”
