Everyone did an individual lap, Henrik on the stopwatch, Nico skating in a smaller oval shouting, ‘Weight forward! Really push against that ice,’ over the sound of panting breath and swishing skates. As each kid started their second circuit he dropped a puck and flicked it into their path shouting, ‘Pass it back!’ It was an old trick of Lars’s so the team members took it pretty much in stride. Then he set up a slalom with uneven spacing culminating with a slapshot at goal, the two goalkeepers on the squad taking turns at guarding the short, squat net. He did a couple of runs himself, flipping the puck into the back of the goal then feeling guilty that he’d once hoped to play National Hockey League or Swedish Hockey League so it wasn’t a fair contest against the Nässjö under sixteens. But, hey. He was so rusty he creaked. The red, sweaty, smiling faces told him that everyone was enjoying themselves, which was the most important thing.

Hannah and the girls met him in the foyer when practice was finally over and he got away from the stream of questions about why he’d never turned pro. ‘You’ve been ages!’ Josie said accusingly. ‘We’re starving. Can we have burgers?’

His instinct was to go for a healthier choice and he saw Hannah’s eyebrows twitch as if anticipating a negative answer but he could cause problems in the kids by over-forbidding and instead of saying, ‘But you went to McDonald’s in Bettsbrough less than two weeks ago,’ said, ‘OK, for a treat.’

Instantly, Josie moved on to her next request. ‘Can we go skating this week?’

He nodded. ‘If we can fit it in.’

‘Can we hire skates?’ Hannah asked doubtfully. ‘Everyone in Sweden seems to have their own and mine are in England.’ She swung a lagging Maria up into her arms.

Nico took Josie’s hand as they walked through the sliding doors to the car park. ‘Dad runs a skate exchange for the kids he coaches because growing teens sometimes need to change twice a year. I expect we’ll find something for everyone in his collection.’

The burger bar visit was brief as Maria was almost too tired for food. Nico ate a modest-sized burger and enjoyed it without experiencing a knee-jerk reaction to get rid of it after. He drove home, Maria drowsing in her car seat. Indoors, he pulled her out of her snowsuit, which made her giggle sleepily, ready for an abbreviated bedtime routine. He was pretty sure she was asleep by the time he switched out the light.