Page 109 of Offensive Plays

Four Years Later

The music pouring into the arena is soft and sensual.

“What is she doing?” I ask Delaney.

The little girl shrugs. “I wanna dance with mommy.”

“You do?”

She nods excitedly, “Yeah. I wanna do like mommy does.”

The little girl with the curly red hair glides in her socks across the floor of the office.

“Wow, Del. You’re really good at that.” She curtsies and waves just like her mom does at the end of a set.

“You wanna go see her finish?”

She cheeses and bounces up and down, “Yeah, let’s soo-pise her.”

“Yeah,” I agree. “Let’s soo-pise her. Come on.”

We’re about to head out into the arena when a big body blocks the exit.

He clears his throat and looks down at the little girl.

“So…” Zane says. “I heard from your cousins that you want to be a figure skater. Is that right?”

Delaney giggles as she looks up at her uncle and nods. Her curls bouncing as she does.

“Well, lucky for you. I think I found the perfect skates.” He pulls out a box and bends down to give them to my daughter.

“Happy birthday, Del.”

She squeals and plops onto her butt to open the box.

I look inside. “Don’t you think those are a bit fancy for a three year old, Coach?”

“Shut up, Fergie. She’s my niece. I get to spoil her however I see fit.”

“Daddy, can you please put them on. Pease daddy!”

The tiny pink skates lined with white fur look exactly like something her mom would wear.

“Oh and that’s not it.”

“You got her more?” I ask. “Zane you already got her a pony, a remote start car, and a full-size robot.”

“That robot will pay for itself, twice over,” he shuts me down.

“Ok, but seriously, no more gifts.”

“Fine,” he says, stalking over to the closet and reaching in to produce a beautiful pink sequined ensemble. “Last one,” he tells Delaney. “For now.”

“Zane!’

He laughs as I tie up her skates and she asks me to slip on the pink dress over her head.

“Ready?”