 didn’t know how to skate!” Julio yelled as Dina glided past him on the ice.
“Ice skate,” Dina called back as she slowed down to wait for him. “I roller-bladed all the time when I was a kid.”
Julio, struggling to keep from falling, saw his sons doing surprisingly well on the ice. Gustavo was staying close to the edge of the rink but shuffling along. Meanwhile, Kazu sailed by with a huge grin, though at times his arms flailed when he got off balance. He rounded the rink and skated up toward his parents.
He came up fast behind Dina. He tried to slow down, reaching out for her but as soon as he grabbed her outstretched hand, they both tumbled down.
“Ha ha!” Julio laughed, only in the next second to find himself sitting on the ice beside his wife and son.
Skaters cautiously dodged them as the giggling family struggled to help each other up.
“At least I wasn’t the first one to fall,” said Julio. “Still, I think I’m gonna join Gus at the edge.”
“You want to skate with me, Mom?” Kazu asked. Dina beamed as she took her son’s hand and they
skated off, finding a rhythm together.
“Show offs,” Julio muttered to Gus as they watched the two glide around the rink.
“I’m getting better, Daddy!” Gustavo said as he pulled ahead of his father, venturing out toward the flow of skate traffic.
“Be careful, Gus!” Julio called.
Dina and Kazu came around toward Gustavo, but before they could get to him, he began to teeter as other faster skaters rushed past. His father, mother and brother watched helplessly as he began to fall forward.
“Gustavo!” Dina called, trying to reach him. Just then, she saw the gold light again, the same one she’d seen earlier that night hovering over Julio.
Gustavo saw the ice coming closer as he fell face forward. He put out his hands and closed his eyes, but instead of hitting the ice, he felt himself being lifted up. The next thing he knew, he was waiting at the railing with one of the ice rink attendants as his family skated towards them.
“Thank you so much!” Dina exclaimed to the young man next to her son.
“Sure,” He answered. “Hey, I know you from the coffee shop.”
Dina recognized the tall, thin young man with the afro as a regular customer.
“Of course! I’m Dina and your coffee is on me tomorrow!”
“Sounds good! I’m Eli.”
Julio finally caught up with his family.
“Hey, thanks man!” he said, holding a hand out to Eli while ruffling Gustavo’s hair.
Dina made introductions all around.
“That was a great save!” Kazu exclaimed. “You skate really good!”
“Yeah well, I grew up in Detroit,” Eli shrugged. “You guys want some pointers?” He asked pulling
away from the railing and skating backwards.
The boys agreed and skated after Eli.
"I could use some pointers,” Julio mumbled after them.
To be continued December 8..
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