Chapter 59 Family Ties on the Ice
The Kane family had a way of turning ordinary weekends into something sacred, and the long Thanksgiving break when Clara was twenty-one was one of those times.
Lily flew in from Boston with Nathan and the kids—Rowie (seven) and Charlie (five)—arriving Wednesday night with suitcases full of Fleet gear and stories from the season. Everett, home from his pro team in Minnesota for the holiday, picked them up at the airport in Rowan’s old truck, the three adults squeezing in front while the kids chattered nonstop in the back.
Clara, home from Wisconsin for the week, was waiting on the porch with Holly and Rowan when they pulled in. The reunion was pure chaos: hugs that lasted forever, Clara scooping Charlie up and spinning him until he squealed, Rowie tackling Everett’s legs, Lily and Holly holding each other like they hadn’t seen each other in years instead of months.
Inside, the house smelled like cinnamon and pine—Holly’s early Christmas baking already underway. Clara had helped decorate the tree the night before, and the lights glowed soft and warm.
Thursday was Thanksgiving, but the real celebration started Friday with the annual “Kane Family Turkey Tournament” on the backyard rink.
Rowan had flooded it one last time before the deep freeze set in, and the ice was perfect—smooth and fast under the string lights.
They divided into teams: parents versus kids, with Nathan refereeing and little Rowie and Charlie as “assistant captains” on both sides.
The game was less hockey and more joyful chaos.
Clara, home from college and already turning heads with her defensive play, organized the kids’ team with military precision—Rowie on left wing, Charlie in net with oversized pads, Everett centering, Lily on right wing.
The parents’ team—Rowan, Holly, Nathan—played with deliberate slowness, letting the kids score ridiculous goals and celebrating like they’d won the Cup.
Clara scored first on a breakaway, deking Rowan so badly he fell dramatically to the ice. She celebrated with the same celly Lily had made famous—arms wide, spinning in circles—while Rowie and Charlie piled on her in excitement.
Everett let Charlie “save” his shot, then “accidentally” scored on his own net to keep the kids ahead. Lily passed to Rowie for an easy tap-in, lifting her niece up for a victory skate afterward.
Holly, in net for the parents, let every shot go in with theatrical flops that had everyone laughing. Nathan called phantom penalties on himself to give the kids power plays.
By the end, the score was something like 12-3 for the kids, but no one was keeping track.
They collapsed in a pile at center ice, breathless and happy, snow starting to fall soft around them.
Clara lay on her back staring at the sky. “Best team ever.”
Rowie, curled against her aunt’s side, whispered, “You’re my favorite player, Aunt Clara.”
Everett ruffled Clara’s hair. “You’re gonna win nationals this year. I’m calling it.”
Lily smiled, eyes misty. “Family team forever.”
Rowan and Holly watched from the boards, arms around each other, hearts full.
Saturday brought quieter moments.
Lily and Clara took Rowie and Charlie to the town rink for public skate, the four of them holding hands in a chain while the little ones practiced crossovers. Everett joined for pickup with old friends, showing off moves he’d picked up in pro camp.
Nathan and Rowan spent the morning fixing the old dock at the pond, talking quietly about fatherhood and the way time sped up once kids arrived.
Holly and Clara baked cinnamon rolls in the kitchen, mother and daughter side by side, flour on their cheeks, talking about everything from Clara’s college season to her quiet crush on a teammate who’d transferred in last year.
That night, after the kids were asleep, the “big kids”—Lily, Everett, Clara—snuck out to the backyard rink with hot chocolate and blankets.
They sat on the bench under the lights, legs swinging, breath fogging in the cold.
Everett spoke first. “It’s weird thinking about us all grown up. Like… I’m pro now. Lily’s been pro forever. Clara’s almost there.”
Clara leaned her head on his shoulder. “I still feel like the little kid chasing you guys around this rink.”
Lily reached over and squeezed her hand. “You’ll always be our baby sister. But you’re gonna be a star.”
They sat in silence a while, watching snow fall on the ice.
Clara’s voice was soft. “I love you idiots.”
Everett pulled her into a side hug. “Love you more.”
Lily joined the pile. “Love you most.”
They stayed out there until their cocoa went cold, three siblings who’d grown up on the same ice, now scattered across pro rinks and college arenas but still tethered by this backyard, this family, this love.
Sunday brought the inevitable goodbyes.
Lily’s family flew back to Boston. Everett headed to Minnesota for practice. Clara packed for Wisconsin.
Hugs at the airport lasted longer than usual.
Clara hugged Lily tight. “Call me after every game.”
Lily kissed her forehead. “Every one.”
Everett lifted Clara off the ground. “Kick ass this season, little sis.”
Clara laughed through tears. “You too, big shot.”
Holly and Rowan held them all, the way they always had.
As the planes took off and the cars pulled away, the house felt quieter—but fuller too, with the echoes of laughter and love that would carry them through until the next reunion.
In Evergreen Hollow, under a sky full of winter stars and the gentle glow of rink lights waiting for spring, the Kane family scattered to their horizons—connected by roots deep as the frozen pond, wings wide as the dreams they chased, and love steady as the ice they’d always call home.