Dominick
"Hey there! Stop! Stop right this instant!" someone shouted, and I immediately recognized the voice as one of the security guards.
That wasn't something you ever wanted to hear.
After all, the times when we could safely assume that intruders were just fans in search of an autograph were long gone. Who knew what to expect anymore, these days? The whole world could turn upside down in a matter of seconds, and if you weren't careful you could end up on the news for all the wrong reasons. Cautiously, I turned around to face the commotion.
I thought I was prepared for anything, but I certainly hadn't been ready for this.
A young girl, thirteen at most, was rushing straight in our direction. Her face was full of confidence and determination, betrayed only by the hint of fear in her eyes. The guard had given up on shouting warnings, and was now quickly gaining on her as she sprinted towards the rink.
Behind me, most of my teammates lost interest. Even if she wasn't the typical obsessed fan, the girl ultimately seemed harmless. My friend Alton called for me to hurry up and join the others as they filed into the locker room, but I stayed exactly where I was. I wanted to see how all of this played out—after all, it wasn't every day that a young kid managed to get the better of security.
Giving a few seconds of my time and an autograph seemed like the least I could do.
Besides, something about her made me curious. Really curious. The feeling grew stronger with each passing second, and I was unable to look away as the girl came closer. I could hear Alton's voice once again, but his words simply didn't register.
Who the heck was this little girl, and why did she look like this was a matter of life and death? She'd made it as far as the edge of the rink, hesitating as she scanned through the few players left on the ice. She shook her head and frowned, her expression shifting from determined to panicked.
At least until she noticed me standing apart from the rest of the group.
In that moment, her entire demeanor changed. There was a flash of a smile, so brief that I would've missed it had I not been staring at her. The guard had almost caught up to her, at least until she calmly stepped out onto the ice as if it were preordained.
Her composed demeanor lasted about two seconds, then her legs started to shake. She was dressed for a hot summer day, and the sandals she was wearing couldn't have been less appropriate for walking on ice if they'd tried. With wobbly knees, she made it a few more steps before the fear returned to her face. Lurching forward, she grasped at the empty air in front of her in a futile attempt to steady herself.
I didn't think, I just reacted.
Skating forward as quickly as I could, I caught up to her just before she lost her balance. When she started to fall, my arms were there to scoop her up, saving her from taking a nasty spill on the ice in light summer clothes.
"Hey now!" I said, putting her down and righting her as I spoke. "Be careful, you wouldn't want—"
And that's when I first noticed.
Heterochromia.
It was really hard to miss—plain as day, right there in her wide and tearful eyes. One deep green iris, the other a striking crystal blue.
Just like mine.
Neither the girl nor I said anything, and a few moments later the security guard finally caught up. Huffing and puffing, he admonished her for the stunt and demanded that she come with him immediately. The girl winced as he grabbed her firmly by the wrist, and I had to fight back an irrational urge to shove the man away from her.
He's just doing his job, and his job is to keep everyone safe, I reminded myself.
"I…give us a minute," I finally managed to say, after I'd recovered enough from my shock that I remembered how to speak.
"You know her?" the guard asked.
I didn't know what to say to that. Yes? Kind of? No, but I wanted to speak with her privately anyway? Every answer seemed wrong. Eventually I just shook my head, repeating myself.
"Just give us a few minutes, okay?"
The guard nodded, letting go of her wrist and crossing his arms impatiently. She glanced up at him and seemed to freeze, hugging herself and shivering from the cold.
"Alone," I clarified.
The guard sighed heavily and walked off, muttering something about players and their egos. I ignored him, looking back down at the girl who seemed even paler than she had a few moments ago.
Again, I had no idea what to say.
"Let's…get you off the ice, okay?" I offered, trying to focus on the practical.
She nodded, taking my hand for support as the two of us slowly left the rink.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
She opened her mouth but didn't say anything.
"Can I help you with anything?" I asked, crouching down so I didn't dwarf her quite so much. I was easily a couple of feet taller than her, and the bulky gear must've been intimidating for a kid her size.
Of course, getting face-to-face with her just made it that much harder to ignore her eyes. They were shinier and even more colorful than mine, but the similarity was undeniable. I saw those eyes every day when I looked in the mirror, but never before had I seen another person with them.
"Y—yeah," the girl replied, but didn't elaborate further.
"You, uh—you want an autograph or something?" I asked, already knowing the answer. Years of dealing with the public had taught me how to handle fans, but nothing could've prepared me for this situation.
"No, thank you," she said politely.
"So…," I said awkwardly, feeling every bit as lost as she looked. My heart started pounding in my chest and suddenly, I felt strangely lightheaded.
"Uh—well—that is to say that—" she stammered, wringing her small hands.
"Yeah?" I asked, smiling and doing my best to look reassuring despite the utter confusion I felt.
"The thing is, I wanted to talk to you," she said, sounding even more tense than she had when the guard was after her.
I nodded, my chest feeling tighter. Rivers of blood seemed to be rushing to my head, making me feel dizzy and unsteady.
It couldn't be that—
But before the thoughts fully formed in my head, she opened her mouth. The anxiety on her face was clear, and her next few words turned my whole world upside down in a matter of seconds.
It's just that…you're my father.