Rushed(31)

I give April's fingers a little squeeze and a smile. "Then I'll remember to avoid him next week. You know, since we're taking the bus to Hamilton and all."

"I know. Mr. Larroquette invited me to go on the number two bus right after the game while you were talking with those reporters from CSN. He did tell me that it has to be on the second bus though, the one that the cheerleaders will be riding in."

I laugh and we keep walking. "I don't think that'll be a problem. At least, before the game. So did you think of what you'd like to do tonight?"

April nods, and ruffles my hair. "Yeah . . . I was thinking that I'd like to go fly a kite."

"A what?" I say with a laugh. "Did you just say a kite?"

"Yeah," April replies, smiling. "I saw a couple of people the other day when I was out running some errands for you using some cool stunt kites that they had doing all sorts of twists and spins. I know we can't fly those, but still. You can watch and relax.”

“Sounds like fun. Don't tell me you already have a kite, though."

April shakes her head, smiling. God she's amazingly beautiful when she smiles and isn't being shy. "Actually, they rent them at the park by the lake. I checked it out the other day. They're open until seven thirty, and a regular kite rental is only three dollars."

“Cheap entertainment. I love it,” I say, wrapping my fingers through hers tightly. "Let's go fly a kite."

We drive to High Park, which isn't exactly on the lake but is across the street, and is one of the larger 'urbanized' parks in the area around my apartment and the stadium. There's a lot of sculpted grass, a mini-zoo, and even a kid's play area. In the late afternoon light it's pretty, and not too hot.

"Wow, it's a lot different than what I’d expected,” I comment when I see the kite that’s available for rent. I thought kites were fun little things with a tail and a string, but even this supposedly starter kite has two strings, an aluminum and plastic frame, no tail, and looks like it could carry me in a strong enough breeze. “Are you sure that we can control this thing?”

“No clue,” April says with a grin. “Come on, let's go."

It takes us a while, getting the hang of controlling the two strings, and more than once April and I send the whole thing crashing into the grass. But we stick with it, and pretty soon, we have a fluttering, gently hovering nylon hawk looking thing on the end of our string.

“Congratulations,” I tell April, who's holding the two handles of the kite. “You got the hang of it faster than I did.”

“That's just because I got to sit back and watch the past few times while you struggled with it,” she counters with a happy little smile. “You seem to have a knack for that.”

“For what?” I ask, and she reaches out with her hands, offering me the handles to the kite. I take them, giving her a quizzical look.

“The whole time since getting to Toronto, you've been willing to look like a fool in order to set me up for success,” she explains. “You've been there to help me look a lot better off than I am.”

I shake my head and steer the kite a little, trying some turns right and left. “You sell yourself short — I bet you always have. Seeing you do well has been my favorite part about coming to Toronto.”

We keep up the flying until the sky is orange with sunset, and by the end April even manages to get the kite to do a figure 8 in the sky, which is pretty awesome. I intentionally crash the it in the end, doing a series of loops until it hits the ground, and we turn it in to the rental cart, watching as the guy breaks it down with eerie speed. It took me ten minutes to put together, but he takes it apart like he's folding an umbrella.

“Ready to go home?” I ask, reaching out and taking her hand. “Or do you want to stay a little longer?”

“A little longer,” April says, nestling against me. “It's unavoidable I guess, but with the way the team demands so much of your time, I feel like the only time we get to spend together is either as part of the team, or at the apartment. Which, by the way, I have to thank you for. I noticed you didn't even bat an eye when I took over most of the shower caddy with my stuff.”

“Actually,” I tease, “I've been stealing your conditioner . . . where'd you get it?”

“Just at the drug store. Why?”

“It smells great, and I was thinking I should get some,” I tell her. “You know, so I don't steal all of yours.”

April laughs. “I thought it was running out faster than normal. Don’t worry, I’ll show you all my little secrets.”

I stop, pulling her closer and wrapping my arms around her waist. She's so perfect in my arms, not petite, but not too big either. Kinda like the Three Bears, not too big, not too small, just right. “All of your secrets?” I ask, looking into her eyes. “You sure about that?”

She nods, putting her arms around my neck. “All of them.”

“Then explain to me this spell you’ve casted on me? Don't tell me . . . First Nations magic?”

April chuckles and kisses me, her lips soft and melting against me, our bodies responding to the close touch. “We natives, we have our ways. I didn't think you'd noticed.”