Page 177 of Lose You Twice

Wrenley Mae: Are you busy? Can I call?

Kai: finishing class in 5. you okay?

Wrenley Mae: Need a favor. Call me when you can.

As soon as I walk out of the doors, I dial her number. She answers on the second ring.

“Hey! Sorry for being vague, but I figured a phone call would be better.”

I adjust the strap of my bag on my shoulder, heading toward the parking lot. “No worries, what’s up?”

“So, I have a doctor’s appointment today, and my mom was supposed to be off, but she picked up a shift, and now I don’t have anyone to watch the twins after school. We really can’t afford another day of their childcare this month, so I was hoping you could…maybe watch them? It shouldn’t take me long, like an hour or so, but yeah.”

Before I even have time to respond, she continues. “And if you have practice at that time, I totally get it, but I thought Tuesdays were a different schedule when we had a Thursday game, so I just⁠—”

“Freckles, take a breath,” I tell her. “I can watch them. We have weights at two, but I can go early and dip out, no big deal.”

She sighs in relief that I can feel even through the phone. “You’re literally the best. I would’ve asked Harlow, but she’s taking a big test tomorrow morning, and I know she needs to study.”

“Yeah, no problem.” I make it to my car, tossing my bag inside before getting in. “What time do you need to leave?”

“It’s only ten minutes away, so I need to leave around three.”

I nod, even though she can’t see me. “Okay, do you want me to pick up the twins or just meet you at your house?”

“Well, you’d need their boosters for pickup.”

“True, I have a break now, though. You on campus? I can come grab the seats.”

“Almost. I just need to grab a couple things, and I am headed that way. I just have to turn in my time sheet to Donnelly, and then I just have a lecture today.”

“Let me know when you’re here, and I’ll come meet you. I gotta run by my place and change, but it won’t take long.”

I hear her rustling around, then I hear the beep of her car unlocking. “Sounds good, I’ll text you.”

“See you soon, love.”

At 2:30 that afternoon, I’m sitting in a car rider line, waiting for two little girls that will either be thrilled or pissed to see me.

Wren made sure to call the office and let them know I’d be picking them up today, and Justin will also be riding home with us and should be walking over here right about now.

I drum my fingers on my steering wheel, thinking about how life would look in the future if things between Wren and me worked out this time.

Would I be the one in line picking up our kids someday? Would I ever get the chance to? Maybe during the offseason, but a lot of the stress and responsibility would land on Wren, which I know she could handle, but only if she wanted to.

I’ve always dreamed about having a family of my own, kids running around the house when I came home from the rink, playing with them and loving them, just like I loved their mom.

The future I’ve planned for myself has never leaned one way or another when it came to having kids, boys or girls; I never cared. I never attached one or the other to my dreams, but the one thing that always stayed certain was that I’d come home to her.

To Wren.

Any future I’ve ever dreamed up for myself, she was always the center of it.

A tap on my passenger door snaps me back to reality.

Justin waits outside, waving at me. I unlock the door, and he climbs in.

“Hey, man,” I say as he puts his bag at his feet. “How was school today?”