Page 73 of Off the Post

It changed everything.

36

Soren

“Hey, Uncle Ren,” Henry says across the line.

He holds the phone up toward the ceiling so all I can see is the top of his blond, shaggy hair. His use of the nickname only Günther ever used makes me choke down a lump of sadness. I’m sure Henry just abbreviated my name because I’ve caught him eating his breakfast.

I give a watery chuckle and wave a hand into the camera lens, gesturing for him to move his phone.

“How’s it going, Henry? What are you doing and why can’t I see you?”

Henry adjusts the phone so his pre-pubescent face peers at me, their bright, modern kitchen a cheerful backdrop.

“Oh, oops. Sorry, I’m eating breakfast. Mom’s taking me to the rink today. I’m meeting up with my friend Jack and we’re going to run some drills.”

“Well, that sounds fun. What about Clara?”

“I don’t know.” He pinches his lips together in a sour face. “I think Mom’s taking her shopping or something boring like that.”

“Yuck. Shopping. I couldn’t agree more,” I offer in sympathy. “Are you still working with the hockey coach I set up for you?”

As a present last Christmas, I’d gifted coaching sessions with my friend Rudy to Henry. Rudy and I used to play together in the German league, and he now does private hockey coaching and personal training. In June, Henry had regaled me with how much Rudy’s tutelage and guidance had helped him improve. For myself, I’m thrilled to be a small part of his hockey development even though I’m so far away.

“Oh yeah,” Henry says, stuffing his mouth with a spoonful of cereal. His next words come out muddled because he doesn’t swallow first. “Coach Rudy is great. He spends a lot of time over here now.”

I blink, confused about why Rudy would be at their house, but before I can ask, the screen moves.

Suddenly, Anna appears on my video screen, her blond hair up in a bun on top of her head. She smiles at me with a tinge of apprehension.

“Hallo, Soren.” She turns her head to the side and motions to where I assume Henry still is, mouthing, Hurry up. She looks back at me with a hapless shrug. “Sorry about that. I need to light a fire under his butt to make sure he brushes his teeth before we leave. That boy finds a way to be late for everything.” She exhales a long breath. “He reminds me so much of Günther.”

A sharp pain stabs me in my chest, and I rub at it absently. The inside joke between us all used to be that Günther would probably be late for his own funeral. The irony is that his death came earlier than expected. The one time in his life he was early, and we were the ones not ready for it.

“What’s this I hear about Rudy spending a lot of time with you guys? Does he mean at the rink?”

While I was the one who paid and arranged for the coaching sessions, Anna is obviously the one who makes it work. She had checked the family’s schedule and agreed to two-hour sessions, twice weekly during the summer and once a week during the school year.

Anna blows out a breath and closes her eyes, as if resolving an internal conflict. When she opens her eyes again, she pins me with a sincere gaze.

“Yes, Soren. Rudy spends time with us at our home. He and I have been seeing each other.”

I stared blankly at her, trying to dissect the meaning of her words. She’s dating Rudy? What the hell? When did this happen?

When I don’t immediately respond, Anna sighs again and her expression softens into apologetic look.

She touches her lips with her fingers and gestures with her hand over her heart.

“Rudy and I just clicked.”

“Clicked? What the fuck does that mean, Anna? You were just here and you didn’t mention anything about Rudy.”

I know I’m acting childish. Logically, I know she has every right to find love again. By why the fuck is it Rudy? My old friend and hockey teammate?

Am I angry over her decision to date my friend? Or is it because Anna has found a way to move on with her life after tragedy and I’m still fucking stuck in my own pain and remorse?

“This thing between us is new. We were only casually dating when the kids and I came to visit you. So yeah, I didn’t mention it because it wasn’t serious at the time.”