“Is it usually this quiet?” Eve asked Beck as they walked awkwardly through the lobby where they’d rented skates for her and Paisley and toward the doors to the rink. Well, she walked awkwardly. Beck was a natural on skates. He looked incredible, so tall and tough and obviously in his element. Even on the squishy lobby floor while carrying Paisley, he didn’t so much as wobble. It was just Eve who was waddling like she was pregnant and afraid she’d fall before she even got on the ice.
Beck looked around. “Well… when you rent the place out it’s this quiet.” He pulled open the door to the arena and cold air stung her cheeks. It wasn’t horrifically cold like a Colorado winter but she still shivered.
Eve shuffled through, glancing around at the bleachers and the glass wall surrounding the rink. Beck opened another door and led them onto the ice.
“Do you normally rent the place out?” she asked.
“I’ve noticed you like things quiet.” He shrugged as if it weren’t a big deal but it was a big deal, to her.
Her eyebrows lifted but she didn’t have time for a follow-up question, or even to thank him, as he escorted her onto the ice and immediately her skates wobbled underneath her. Eve held on to the wall and watched as Beck set Paisley on her skates, bending down and keeping his hands under her arms. “Okay, Princess Paisley. We’re going to start skating, but I’ll hold onto you.”
“Thank you, Sir Beck,” Paisley said all sweet and giggly. Eve was glad her daughter was enjoying herself and hoped she could keep a smile on her own face and not end up with bruises all over.
Beck looked over at Eve and his brow squiggled. “Maybe I need to hold on to your mama too.”
Eve waved him off, even though she was grateful that he’d noticed and was concerned about her. “I’m fine. It’s just been a few years. I’ll hold on to the wall and get the hang of it again while you teach Paisley.”
Beck looked like he wanted to argue but he simply nodded and skated forward bent over so he could support Paisley. Eve thought it was sweet and Beck was even more appealing to her, sacrificing his back to teach her girl.
She shuffled behind them, slowly remembering how to push off and glide as she kept one hand on the wall in case she fell. She realized some women would’ve wanted their dates full attention but for her watching Paisley laugh as she skated fully supported by Beck was exactly what she would’ve requested.
Beck and Paisley glided by several times and Beck would softly encourage Eve while Paisley would remonstrate her. “Go faster, Mama! Let go of the wall, stop being a wimp!”
Eve would simply smile and wave them on. By her second turn around the ice she was gaining confidence and left the wall. Beck and Paisley had stopped flying past and Beck was patiently teaching Paisley how to push off and how to glide. When he seemed to feel she was ready he took her by one hand and as Eve approached them he reached out his other hand to Eve. “I think our Princess has got it. Shall we go together?”
Eve smiled and took his hand. They skated slowly around the rink with Beck as their anchor. They hadn’t gone twenty feet when Paisley’s feet shot out from under her and she only missed slamming her head into the ice by Beck holding her up with one arm. Beck released Eve, steadied Paisley, and they started out again. Paisley gave a little scream a few seconds later as she must’ve dug her toe into the ice and she lurched forward. Beck rescued her before she face-planted. Thank heavens for his quick reactions and expertise on the ice.
Paisley ripped her hand free and planted them on her little hips. “I got to do this myself, Beck. You can’t be babying me if I’m going to be the Ice Princess.”
Beck smiled but his blue eyes were concerned. “Let me hold your hand a few more times around then you can do it yourself.”
“No.” She stuck out her chin and pushed away from them. Her skates flew backward and she flew forward like Superman.
Eve cried out louder than Paisley did as her daughter sprawled on the ice. Beck got to her quick, lifting her up and checking for injuries.
“I’m okay,” Paisley said as Eve hurried as fast as she could on her skates to their sides. Luckily Paisley hadn’t scraped anything, though her palms were a little red. “Apparently, I suck at this,” the little girl moaned.
Beck laughed, but Eve felt she had to say, “We don’t say suck.”
“You don’t, but sometimes I have to.” Paisley stuck her tongue out but Eve didn’t reprimand her when she saw the tears in her eyes.
“This was supposed to be the best night of my life. My first date with my Beck and my mama and the whole thing stinks! I’ll never be the Ice Princess.” She added to the dramatic line by flinging her hand over her eyes.
Eve was trying to think how to encourage her daughter and not make Beck feel badly if Paisley hated ice skating, obviously his passion, when Beck spoke up. “Well, Princess. Sometimes things do suck and sometimes we fall, but what do we do to make it better?”
Paisley stared at him and shrugged. “I don’t know. Go get ice cream?”
Eve and Beck both laughed. Beck gave her a happy smile and said, “I love your laugh,” before turning back to Paisley. “We will definitely go get ice cream, but first I want you to try a few more times. Learning something new is always hard, but if we keep trying we’ll be proud of ourselves for giving our best effort.”
“What if I always suck?” Paisley asked.
Beck shrugged. “Then maybe ice skating isn’t your thing, but we’ll never know if we don’t try.”
Paisley regarded him as Eve waited. It was a hard balance as a parent, trying to give your child experiences, guide them to be successful, and learn to work hard, without being too demanding or having unrealistic expectations. She liked Beck’s approach, try to learn something new, and give it your best effort but there was no shame in it not being “your thing”.
Nodding, Paisley said, “Okay, I’m going to keep trying… will you hold my hand?”
“I’d love to.” Beck grinned at Eve. “Can I hold your hand too?”