The Parent Playbook (Love on Thin Ice)

16. Scotty

CHAPTER 16

SCOTTY

T he principal teeters in her no-nonsense heels, which were clearly not designed for gravel driveways. She marches up to where Angel and I are standing, and I suddenly get a flashback to second grade when I tugged on Suzy Anderson’s braids.

The principal casts a long shadow, which Andy and Lily try to hide in.

“Good afternoon, Virginia.” Angel steps toward her with arms crossed.

“Stick with Principal Ballard for now,” the lady version of the grim reaper says. “Because Andy and Lily decided that today was the perfect day to turn the cafeteria into their personal political advocacy battleground.” Her voice is stern, her eyes even sterner. Behind her, Andy and Lily trot up, looking not the least bit sorry. In fact, they’re nearly bursting, eager to explain.

“All we did was set up recycling bins!” Andy blurts out.

“And the banners were made from recycled materials!” Lily chimes in, her cheeks flushed. “Dad, back home they at least had recycling bins in the cafeteria. The school could be doing so much more.”

They look at each other, nodding, their little conspiracy clear as day. It’s like watching two mini-politicians gearing up for a debate.

I, however, am already planning Lily’s grounding.

Angel’s face is a mask of controlled amusement, a mom seasoned in the art of keeping a straight face. I, however , haven’t quite mastered that skill yet. My face is probably telling a story of its own—shock, disbelief, and maybe a touch of inadvertent pride.

The principal, however, isn’t buying their enthusiasm. “It’s wonderful to see such passion in students, but there’s a time and a place. Disrupting lunch to lecture their peers on carbon footprints isn’t it,” she explains. “We discourage all students from climbing on the tables, no matter their message. Tilting over the garbage cans is both unacceptable and unhygienic. As for the names they called the school board trustees?—”

“They weren’t rude names,” Andy points out. “They were accurate for a bunch of lazy, uncouth, short-sighted?—”

“Enough!” The principal rubs her forehead. “Angel, come on. And Mr. MacFarland. I need you to recognize how serious this is. As for you two,” she looks down her nose at Andy and Lily, “there are consequences. Do you understand?”

They nod, a little subdued now, their fire dampened by the realization that their stunt might have ruffled more feathers than they’d intended.

Angel gives me a look, that kind that says See what we get to deal with? but I don’t know how to respond.

What the principal says next nearly knocks me over.

“You are both suspended.”

Suspended? My Lilybug, suspended?

The gravel crunches under the principal’s retreating steps, but her words hang in the air like an undershirt after practice. I glance over at Angel, who seems to be processing the news, her brow furrowed in thought.

The kids look between us.

“Off you go,” Angel finally says to them, and just as well, because I didn’t know where to start. “Scotty and I need to talk about this.”

“But, Mom?—”

“No buts.”

“Come on, Andy.” Lily looks at me sideways and I can tell she knows I’m deeply, deeply unhappy with her. “Sometimes it’s best to let the adults talk between themselves.”

As they disappear around the corner, Angel and I share a look of wary resignation.

“I don’t get it. Lily’s never done anything like that before.”

Angel huffs. “With those two, we should be glad they didn’t try to convert the gym into a bio-dome. Instead, we need to teach them how to stage a protest without getting caught.”

The silence is awkward, a sting of irritation running through my veins.

“You know, this seems like something Andy would start,” I say, my tone sharper than intended. “He’s got a knack for stirring the pot. Lily wouldn’t ever have gotten into trouble like that before.”

Angel’s head snaps toward me, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Really, Scotty? Because from where I’m standing, Lily was just as involved. And last I checked, leadership isn’t about following. Seems she’s taking after her father more than we thought.”

I sense a compliment in there, but I don’t think I like it.

“I’m all for her standing up for a cause. But doing it wisely, not like this—not disrupting school.”

“Andy’s always been passionate about nature,” Angel shoots back, her voice rising. “And Lily’s got every right to be the same. She needs to learn how to channel that passion, and then we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“What are you trying to say?” But really, what is she trying to say? Because it sounds at once like an accusation and an accolade. I’m lost.

Her face softens, but then she exhales sharply. “I’m saying they’re kids, Scotty. They make mistakes. How we handle this will teach them more than any protest they could organize.”

The kids, who had been playing in the distance, now tiptoe their way over. They stop a few feet off. Their faces don’t hide their worry, and I’m sure they’re picking up on the tension between Angel and me.

“Are we in trouble?” Andy’s voice is small.

“Yes!” I holler as Angel says, “No.”

“Listen, I’m not saying Andy’s a bad influence.” I lower my voice because otherwise I might explode. “Because Lily can be headstrong.”

“Dad!”

“And that behavior needs to be kept in line.”

Angel tilts her head. “She could lead an army with that determination.”

“And maybe she will,” I concede, “but right now, she needs guidance. In the car, Lily.”

“Dad.”

“In. The. Car.” I am two seconds from losing it. I wait until I hear the truck door shut and then turn back to Angel. “We can’t let this slide.”

The tension hangs heavy as Angel turns to Andy, her voice firm but not the strict disciplinarian I thought she might be. “Andy, head up to your room for a bit. Think about how we can support your passions, without causing mass small-town disruption.” She gently nudges him toward the house.

Andy nods, a dark cloud crossing his young face as he trudges off.

“I’m grounding her for a month,” I say once Andy’s out of earshot.

“A month?” Angel’s jaw drops. “She’d miss all the games. You can’t do that to her.”

“Angel, she’s never done anything like this before, and I intend that she never will again.”

“You can’t control her. ”

“No, but I can teach her a lesson.”

“By ruining her chance to get better settled in Maple Falls?” Angel shakes her head. “She’s already ‘the new girl,’ finding her place. And her cause is a righteous one.”

“Whose side are you on?”

This conversation is not going where I want it to, and I somehow feel like it’s more because of me than anything else.

It hits me … I have no idea what the right thing to do is. Where’s the parenting manual? Since Corrie passed, I’ve been making it up as I went along. And that was easy because Lily was easy. Determined, head strong, principled, and obedient .

But she’s only a few seasons away from being a teenager, and suddenly I am petrified.

“Scotty,” Angel approaches slowly, “Virginia was being unfair with a suspension. She’s trying to make a point. You don’t have to?—”

The “Ice, Ice Baby” ringtone slices through the quiet. I glance at the caller ID flashing Doug’s name, and my stomach tightens.

Doggone it. I’m late.

“Scotty, you’re AWOL, man! Practice is off the rails here, and I’m one step away from sending them all to the penalty box permanently!” Doug’s voice cuts through, strained with stress.

I grimace, catching Angel’s knowing look. “Sorry, Doug, got tied up. I’m on my way.”

“Do you want to talk about this later?” Angel asks as I hang up.

“I really don’t.”

“Oh.” She crosses her arms. “Okay. I see.”

I get in the car without saying goodbye to her, which I immediately regret once I’m on the main road.

“Dad—”

“Not now.”

I hit the gas, weaving through traffic. Thoughts of the drama with the kids and Angel churn through my mind like game footage—analyzing, breaking down each moment. It’s a lot like dissecting a play, figuring out where I went wrong, what I should have done.

But I just don’t know.

I drop off Lily at the lodge, where Blair is waiting, thanks to my text from the stoplight.

“Come along, Lily,” she says, putting her arm around Lily’s shoulders. “I think your dad has important things to do right now.”

“Dad?” She looks back at me.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know, Lilybug. We’ll talk about it later.”

For now, I have a more immediate problem.

The rink comes into view, and I park badly, but have no time to feel ashamed. I rush in and the sharp scent of cold sweat and rubber hits me.

Inside, the scene is chaotic—sticks clattering, pucks flying, voices rising in frustration. It’s like stepping into a scrum where everyone’s lost sight of the puck. Doug catches my eye and gestures desperately.

“There he is! Get your skates on straight, boys, Coach Scotty is here.” He sighs and turns to me. “Clean up this mess, Scotty. My patience is at its end.”

I whistle sharply. “Okay, line it up! Back to basics.”

The team falls into formation, albeit grudgingly, and I start drilling the essentials back into them with a series of defensive positioning exercises.

Okay, grounding for a month might be too harsh. But the punishment has to match the offense. Does Angel think I’m too strict?

“Where are you sending the forwards?” Doug points across the ice. “Was that clump part of your formation?”

One foot in each world, it’s hard to keep up with drills and decide if what Lily’s going through is normal or a problem.

And then there was that moment Angel’s lips brushed mine.

I can’t forget that either .

“Scotty, focus! We need to tighten up these transitions,” Doug snaps, pulling me back to the present.

But I’m a father first. Lily needs me now, and whatever this is with Angel will have to wait until I figure out exactly what is going on in that wild preteen head of hers.

“Slice left, Dan!” I call out, but it’s too late. He missed the assist.

I’ve got to keep my head in the game. If the Ice Breakers make a mess of things, then a lot of these decisions will be taken out of my hands, anyway.

I don’t know how to do it all.

And I definitely don’t know how to do it all alone.