Page 9 of Reckless With the Rookie
He’s been asking about a playdate with Magnus since Saturday, when he last saw him, and he’s persisting even though it’s Tuesday now.I’m sure Magnus would love getting that call.And I’d take a semitruck load of shit from Jules over asking for his number.
“Hey.Backpacks have a place, and it’s not the floor.”
Coop drags his backpack into the mudroom.
“I need your assignment folder,” I remind him.
“I’ve had an exhausting day.Can I get a snack first?”
I try to suppress my smile.“An exhausting day?What’s worn you out, my little grandpa?”
“Math makes my brain tired.”
“Okay, get a snack and then bring me your folder.Do you have homework?”
“I don’t know.”
Eli scoffs, elbow deep in the Cookie Monster cookie jar on the counter.“How can you not know if you have homework?”
Coop shrugs.“I just don’t.”
“I need to study for the spelling bee.Can you quiz me, Mom?”
“Sure, but let me get a handle on Coop’s homework situation first.”
Coop has melted chocolate chips on his fingers when he brings me his folder five minutes later, and I discover he wasn’t paying attention during class, so his teacher wants me to review reading, phonics, and math with him.
Fortunately, homework is my specialty.I spend hours studying every day because I’m determined to graduate first in my class.The overachiever in Eli is probably because of me, but I also see myself in Coop’s sweet, funny side.
I hit up Cookie Monster for a treat for myself before diving into kindergarten reading.
Later that evening, with homework, dinner, and cleanup behind me, I quiz Eli on spelling words on the way to hockey practice.
This isn’t their usual team practice; it’s a skills group Noel got the boys into.Crush players and coaches teach it when they’re available, and when they aren’t, coaches from elite high school and college programs do.
It’s one of those groups that doesn’t have a cost, because you can’t put a cost on it.Some of the other kids in the group are children of Crush players and the team’s biggest sponsors and supporters.
It’s all I can do to fit the three of us and all their gear into my old Toyota sedan.The passenger seat and trunk are always stuffed full, and my car has a “permafunk” from the smell of sweaty gloves and skates.
“Eli, did you finish your chore list?”
When I get silence, I glance at him in the rearview mirror.His brows are pulled together like he’s searching for the perfect way to say no.
“If it’s a no, say no,” I say.
“No.I was studying spelling words.”
This spelling bee is going to take over his life until it’s over, but I guess there are worse things he could fixate on.
“I love that you’re in the spelling bee, but Dong’s litter box still needs to be scooped and the dishwasher still needs to be emptied.”
“I’ll do it when we get home.”
“Thank you.”
I park in the player lot Noel insisted I can park in for these practices, my car sticking out among all the much more expensive ones.It’s all Eli can do to get his equipment bag on his back, and I put Coop’s on mine.Coop carries a few extra things, all of us slowly sliding our shoes over the icy parking lot.
By the time we make it into the arena, I’m sweaty.I pretend the equipment bag weighs nothing at all, smiling and waving at other parents we pass.When we were new to these practices, righteous wives would frown at me struggling under the bag’s weight and tell their husbands to help me.
