Page 4 of Ethan

It took them another ten minutes to get all their gear together, but it was worth it to finally get outside.

It had snowed last night, but Dad had cleared a path to the pond when he’d checked it this morning, so they were able to get out there without too much trouble. Ethan only tripped and almost fell once, but Charlie was there to grab the back of his jersey, to tug him back upright.

“Careful, bud,” Charlie said.

He could be awful sometimes, but not always. Once in awhile, he was actually really nice.

Maybe it wouldn’t be so terrible when Avery left.

They finally made it to the edge of the pond.

Last summer their dad had put a little bench in by the side, and Ethan rushed to it, wanting to get ahead of Charlie and Avery, because he remembered how only two people in all theirpuffy gear could fit on it properly and he didn’t want to wait to put his skates on.

Avery laughed, the sound echoing through the white landscape.

But Ethan’s butt hit the bench first, Charlie collapsing next to him just after.

“Stupid,” Charlie said, nudging him. “You can’t even get on the ice til V gets here. He’s got your skates.”

Avery hadn’t let Ethan carry his own skates, even though he definitely could.

Charlie carriedhisown, and he immediately bent down to start putting them on.

“I got you,” Avery said quietly to Ethan, leaning over his feet, tugging off his snow boots. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you all set.”

“Don’t baby him,” Charlie whined.

Ethan wanted to agree with Charlie, but it was kind of nice, for Avery to bend over him and help him put his skates on. Hecouldn’tquite do it himself all the way yet, but it was always better when Avery helped than when Charlie did. Charlie was always so impatient.

“That too tight?” Avery asked gently, tugging at the laces. “Or is it okay?”

“It’s good,” Ethan said.

Ethan switched feet.

“Youarea baby,” Charlie declared. He already had his skates on and was tromping to the edge of the ice, taking the first steps onto it.

Ethan had wanted to be first—he was never first inanything—but the big smile that spread across Charlie’s face made it okay.

Charlie was always so happy to get on the ice. Like the rest of him didn’t fit quite right, like his Crosby jersey, sleeve stuck halfway up his arm, but once he was on skates? It was like everything was suddenly right in the world.

He was nicer, too, on the ice. Nicer, and also more annoying, too, because of how good he was.

“He’s gonna show off,” Avery huffed under his breath and Ethan nodded.

“You’re good too, V,” Ethan said. “So good. Just as good as Charlie.”

“Yeah? Maybe. I’m just older.” But he was smiling at Ethan now.

“And better,” Ethan insisted.

“We’ll see,” Avery said. He patted Ethan’s skate and straightened. “You good now, bud?”

“Yeah,” Ethan said and took off for the ice, feeling that same rush of air and freedom as he glided across the surface.

It wasn’t the nice kind of ice that they had at any of the rinks, all smooth and perfect. It was bumpy and a little uneven, but Ethan liked it even then. It was so good to be outside, in the fresh air, the clouds of their breath mingling together as Ethan skated around Charlie and managed to get his puck away from him, even for a moment.

“Ahhhh,” Charlie yelled, immediately grabbing it back, but Ethan felt good about it because last year he hadn’t been able to do that.