Cottage Country
Gary slumped down onto the bench at the edge of the lake, letting his bag drop onto the ice with a thud. It slid a few inches on the frozen surface, the weight of his equipment pulling it away from him. He drew his hands to his mouth and blew warm air into them as he had done so many times before. Even at this temperature, he refused to wear gloves. “Well, I’m here,” he grumbled under his breath, without expecting a response.
“He’d be happy to see you.”
Gary’s head snapped around and saw that his daughter-in-law Caroline had followed him down the steps from the cottage. She was wearing oversized snowmobile boots, completely unnecessary for the walk down to the lake, and totally at odds with the yellow wool sweater and brown mittens that held a steaming cup of tea. Even with the boots he hadn’t heard her coming and didn’t at all feel like talking, so this was a particularly frustrating intrusion. “No, he wouldn’t be,” he barked with a voice that already had a hint of strain.
“Yes. He would. He loved coming down here with you,” she explained, taking a seat next to him and sipping her tea. “I’m the one that put an end to it when Peyton was born. It’s dangerous in Apri—”
“It’s not dangerous,” interrupted Gary. He couldn’t stand more than a few seconds sitting next to her. He grunted and went to his bag, pulling the skates out. They hadn’t been used in some time, and the socks stretched over the blades hadn’t quite kept them from rusting. He grunted again and tried to think of a way to put them on without sitting again. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her gently drumming her mitted fingers on the bench beside her. He sat.
Caroline took a sip. “You know I never come down here either. The boys always want me to help, but I make up an excuse. Peyton skates just like Kurt. Just like you.“ At this, Gary snatched up his bag and started storming up the stairs.
Caroline sat, staring at the empty net. The metal has been painted and re-painted, but not in a while; the mesh, patched in a dozen spots, was starting to fray and needed mending. Her eyes were glistening and the tea was already getting cold. She didn’t take a second sip.