Just Like Paradise

TJ Oshie was living in his own personal hell. Had this particular shopping trip just been he and his wife, he would have been in heaven, but taking his baby girl shopping to get swimsuits for their family vacation along with his wife was proving to be too much.

“Mommy? Do you like this one better in blue or pink?” Abigail asked as she stepped out of the Pac Sun dressing room. TJ rest his face in his hands as he sat on the other side of the curtain from the dressing rooms, wishing he could disappear. The only one wearing something so revealing in public should be his wife, not his thirteen-year-old daughter.

“Definitely the blue, don’t you think, Osh?” Bri asked, tilting her head as she exited her own dressing room in a hot pink zebra print one-piece with large pieces missing to reveal her tummy and back.

“Nope, I can’t do this.” TJ shook his head and stood up. “I’m going to go get a pretzel then meet the boys at Ultimate.” He said, handing his wife his card and quickly making an exit, being able to hear Brianna’s giggle as he hightailed it out of there.

Nate and Tyler were just where they said they’d be at Ultimate Athletics, both checking out their new pairs of skates they’d be getting at the beginning of their next season. For now, they’d use their current pairs for their summer training program that cost Osh an arm and a leg, but was happy to pay for nonetheless.

“Thank God.” Tyler sighed as he spotted his father, talking with the owner of the store, seeing as they stopped in there all the time, they were on a first name basis with most of the staff. “Please, please.” Tyler pouted up at TJ, holding the coveted skates in his hands.

“You know you have to wait, Mom would kill me if I dropped more money on two more sets of skates right now, especially before the trip.” TJ shook his head. He knew that Brianna was trying to instill morals into their children by not constantly spoiling them, but it irked him that it was his money to spend on his kids and he wanted to spoil the shit out of them.

“Hey, it wasn’t my idea to make this a family affair.” Tyler pointed out, turning his hat backwards on his head, revealing a small, gold M on the back of the maroon cap. It was safe to say that it was not particularly TJ’s favorite hat that Tyler would wear, but he often reminded himself that he and Tyler were not the same person.

“I know, but this way you can still go for spring break and this was the deal. Your mother had a much more… restricted experience with trips like this at your age. Grandpa Tim let me get away with anything, so it’s not like I can talk either.” TJ shrugged, referring to why they were shopping for vacation supplies in the first place.

”Tyler, no.” Brianna shook her head. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea.” She finished, cutting up fruit for a snack seeing as Abby would be home from her cheerleading practice any time now.

“Mom, there is going to be a huge group of us, we’ll always be buddied up with someone or in the group, it’s perfectly safe.” Tyler tried to reason, making his big green eyes wide.

“Sending a group of sixteen year olds to Mexico for spring break is not safe with no chaperones.” Brianna pointed the knife in his direction before continuing her ministrations. “For the final time, no.” Brianna finished the conversation.

“Mom, please.” Tyler fixed his precious baby face into a frown as TJ entered the kitchen. “Dad, back me up here.” He sounded rather desperate.

“Ty, you know that no means no, listen to your Mom.” TJ said, stealing a piece of fruit from the bowl Brianna was putting together.

“Great, so I’m just going to sit around here all spring break while all my friends go to Mexico.” He sunk down into a breakfast bar stool. “Fuckin’ sweet.”

“Tyler.” TJ immediately scowled at his son.

“Sorry.” He quickly apologized, knowing better than to swear in front of his mother.

“Well, maybe you don’t have to stay here. Daddy, why don’t we take a family trip?” Brianna asked, looking over her shoulder at TJ. “We aren’t doing anything fun over their break anyways.” She shrugged.

“Don’t say it if you don’t mean it, Ma, don’t play with my heart like that.” Tyler narrowed his eyes at her.

“No, I mean it!” Brianna laughed, tossing the fruit together before sticking it into the fridge. “What do you think, Teej?” She asked, leaning into him while he sat against the kitchen counter.

“I don’t see why not.” TJ shrugged, giving Tyler a wink over his mother’s shoulder. “Let’s go, I haven’t had a good party in a while.” TJ shrugged, laughing as Brianna slapped his stomach playfully.

“What’s going on?” Nate asked as he sleepily walked into the kitchen, sitting down at the breakfast bar. Brianna immediately walked over, placing her hands on his shoulders and rubbing them tenderly, knowing he was sore from their late nigh game the night before.

“We’re thinking about going to Mexico for spring break.” Brianna commented casually.

“That would be sweet.” Nat said, dropping his head down into his hands, letting his muscles melt under the touch of his mother’s fingers.

“Mexico?!” Abigail squealed as she bounced into the kitchen. “Daddy are we going to Mexico?” She immediately flounced on over to him, wiggling her way under one of his arms to which he happily held her there.

“Do you want to go, babe?” He asked, lightly petting her soft hair she just had cut yesterday with her mother at the spa and salon.

“Yes!” She said eagerly, wrapping her arms around TJ’s middle. “Let’s go!” She insisted, resting her head on TJ’s chest before Brianna spoke up.

“Okay so then it’s settled, we’re going to Mexico for spring break.”

“Oshies!” All three of the men in the Ultimate Athletics store turned their heads to see Brianna standing near the storefront. “Put the skates down and let’s go get something to eat.” She nodded her head away from the store.

Tyler sighed, setting the skates down and following his Dad as they met up with his Mother.

“Did you both find suits?” TJ asked as he laced his fingers with Brianna’s the same time as Tyler and Abby did the same thing. Ever since they were little, Tyler has always had a mean protective streak over his precious baby sister and even now at sixteen and thirteen, the need to watch over her was stronger than ever. Nate walked beside his father as Tyler and Abby bringing up the rear as they walked towards the Mall’s Chino Latino restaurant.

They were quickly seated and Abby rest her head on Tyler’s shoulder, sitting by one another in the booth side of the table.

“Are you guys excited to go? I’m excited to go!” Brianna said, wiggling slightly as she looked over her menu.

“I’m excited, Mom.” Abby smiled, sitting up as the waiter approached. “Daddy can we go scuba diving?” She asked, tilting her head at TJ.

“Sure thing baby, anything you want.” TJ smiled as he ordered appetizers for the table.

“Mm, just think, a week from now we’ll be on the beach, soaking up the sun.” Brianna sighed dreamily.

“Can I answer this?” Tyler asked, taking out his cell phone and looking to TJ, knowing that using their cell phones at dinner was against the rules.

“Make it quick.” TJ insisted as the waiter dropped off a big plate of Asian nachos.

Brianna raised her eyebrows as she tried not to eavesdrop on her son’s conversation, but it wasn’t as if she could turn her ears off. TJ’s hand squeezed her thigh softly under the table, knowing that she was straining to listen to the conversation. She noticed the way the same smirk would come across his face that his father possessed when he talked to her as well as that certain tone he would take whenever he talked to a person of the female persuasion.

“Who was that?” Brianna asked curiously as he hung up a few moments later with a promise to call back later that night.

“My friend Kelsey.” He replied casually, making Nate scoff and stuff his mouth with nachos before Tyler could elbow him in the side.

“Friend?” TJ raised his eyebrow at his son with that same smirk on his lips.

“Well…” Tyler trailed, sticking his phone down into his pocket.

“He loves her.” Nate grinned, his green eyes twinkling as he shot his mother a look in the dimly lit restaurant.

“You little shit!” Tyler frowned, nudging his brother with his shoulder.

“Tyler.” TJ frowned.

“Sorry.” He mumbled. “I’m not in love with her, I just like her.” He shrugged. “Do we really have to make this a topic of conversation? You never as Abby about her boyfriend!” He insisted.

“Boyfriend?!” TJ damn near shouted, eyes growing wide as his already pink cheeks turned a bright red.

“TJ! Quiet, Jesus!” Brianna scolded her husband, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Boyfriend, what boyfriend? You don’t have a boyfriend, Abigail Marie, you know the rule, absolutely no dating till you’re sixteen.” His face fixed itself into a deep scowl.

“He’s not my boyfriend, Daddy.” Abby sighed, looking at her father pointedly. “I don’t even like Derek, he just follows me around a lot.” She shrugged.

“What’s his name? Derek who?” TJ asked, narrowing his gaze.

“I don’t know, G something?” She replied. “Trust me, you don’t need to worry about him, Nate and Tyler scare away any boys who come near me anyways.” She added softly. TJ grinned like he achieved some sort of accomplishment; glad to know his boys were still looking out for their baby sister at school.

“He’s a dumb little… jerk.” Nate censored himself. “Not a big deal.”

“Well what about Kelsey? Is she not a big deal?” Brianna asked, itching to know more about this mystery girl that her son was so suddenly interested in.

“Ma.” Tyler sighed.

“Bri, leave him alone.” TJ insisted. Brianna gave him a rather pointed look and he immediately silenced up, knowing that the best thing to do at the moment was to keep his big mouth shut.

“Come on, give me something.” Brianna pouted down at her son who was a sucker for his Mother.

“She’s in my chem class, she’s cute.” He shrugged. “Her family is going to Mexico, too and she wants to hang out. That’s all, I swear.” He put his hands up in defense.

“Maybe I’ll get to meet her.” Brianna grinned at her boy.

“Yeah maybe.” Tyler rolled his eyes.

---

Abby held her father’s hand tightly as they exited their terminal after a cushy, first-class plane ride, making their way towards the luggage carousels.

“I can’t wait to go swimming, oh, and cliff diving, oh! And scuba diving, you promised, Daddy!” She said, looking up at him as she flounced along excitedly.

“I know I did.” He laughed with a wide smile, happy to finally be on vacation with his family somewhere sunny and beautiful. They rarely got to go on vacations as a whole family because of the boys’ rigorous hockey schedule, but a few personal phone calls to their coach got the Oshie boys off the hook for a few days.

“Mom, this way.” Tyler insisted, guiding her slightly with his hand on her back as she turned to follow her husband, flanked by her two sons.

Their town car took them back to their hotel, Le Meridien Cancun, arguably the nicest in Cancun where their two rooms ran upwards of a grand per night, but to TJ, it was worth every penny.

“Boys, girls.” TJ issued the key cards to the two hotel rooms. Tyler and Nate would have their own room down the hall from the suite Abby, Brianna, and TJ would share.

“Daddy, I wanted to room with Nay and Ty.” Abby frowned over at her brothers who stopped walking behind their parents a while ago when they arrived at their own room, three doors inbetween the two Oshie rooms.

“Listen to Dad, Bay.” Nate instructed down the hall, making Abby frown and stick her tongue out at her younger older brother before he could disappear into his room.

“We can still have fun Princess.” TJ dropped a kiss on Abby’s head as Brianna opened up the door to their breathtaking suite. It was definitely worth the money.

“Oh, this is nice.” Abby giggled excitedly, bouncing into the room and immediately walking over to the open door that lead to her separate room within the suite. “Mommy get changed! Let’s go to the beach!” She called, closing the door.

When Abby emerged again she was wearing her one of her new bikinis covered up by a white tube-dress that came nowhere near to covering the majority of her thighs. TJ grimaced, knowing he was going to be keeping himself from attacking strange men all day.

“Snatch!” She giggled, stealing TJ’s shades from his nightstand, slipping them over her big blue eyes with a wide smile. “Take my picture.” She laughed as TJ brought his slim digital out of his pocket before snapping a photo.

“Come here, Princess.” He opened his arms before taking a picture of the two of them.

“Ready baby?” Brianna asked, emerging from the bathroom in a white bikini with a pale yellow sundress over it, her hair down in soft waves. TJ’s pupils dilated and felt his heart racing in his chest. It wasn’t just his daughter he was going to have to keep an eye out for.

Yes, this vacation was going to be more work than play.

“Oh Daddy, look!” Abby gasped as she looked over to where girls could get their hair beaded as they walked along the boardwalk above the beach that was swarmed with hundreds of people. TJ kept a tight hold on his daughter’s hand as Tyler and Nate walked in front of them, clad in board shorts just like their father. TJ grinned to himself as girls would wink and smile at his sons, pride running through him while Brianna rolled her eyes.

“Daddy can I please?” Abby asked, making her crystal green-blue eyes big at her father, knowing just the buttons to push and strings to pull to get what she wanted from TJ.

“Of course, sweetheart, let’s go check it out.” He said, bringing her over to the storefront. Half an hour later, Abby had a hair wrap, a small section of her hair wrapped in a mixture of blue and green threads, she and TJ’s favorite colors with a small dolphin bead at the end.

“Thank you.” Abby smiled sweetly, kissing her father’s cheek as they continued their way down the boardwalk. Brianna had picked out a spot on the beach with her two sons and after picking up a few bottles of Minute Maid lemonade; TJ and Abby joined them, the whole family laying out in the hot sun.

TJ’s eyes narrowed as two men walking by, easily eighteen or nineteen whistled provocatively at Abby as she shed her cover up.

“Yeah keep walking!” TJ called none too happily; that familiar beast from the early years of he and Brianna’s relationship clawing in his chest.

“Don’t be so embarrassing!” Abby frowned as she spread out one of the towels from Brianna’s beach bag before flipping her sunglasses down over her eyes.

“Yeah Daddy, don’t be so embarrassing.” Brianan nudged her husband as he huffed and hunkered down into their shared beach blanket.

“This is why I don’t like vacations. My girls get ogled.” He muttered, resting his head on her shoulder. “Can’t we just stay in the hotel? Tyler’s old enough to watch them, right?” He mumbled, all of the direct sunshine making her tired.

“Hush, they’re having a good time.” Brianna reassured. “Now rub some sun block on me.” She said, handing him her SPF 30.

Twenty minutes later, the sun was getting to be too much and Brianna went to grab a large umbrella to shield them from the sun.

“Dad, can we head out, explore a little?” Tyler asked his father.

“Ask your Mom.” Was TJ’s immediate response, pulling his UND hat down over his eyes.

“You and Nate can go, but not too far. Do you both have your phones?” Brianna asked to which Tyler nodded.

“Yeah, we both do.” He nodded.

“Can I go?” Abby asked.

“No.” TJ replied, not missing a beat. She huffed, lying back down in the sand.

“Be back for dinner at six, okay? Don’t be dumb.” She advised because afterall, they were their father’s sons.

“We won’t, Ma.” Tyler sighed, bidding his family goodbye as he and Nate took back down the boardwalk in their shorts and mandals.

“What are we doing for dinner?” Abby asked. “I’m hungry.” She pouted.

“Do you want me to go get something at a stand?” TJ asked, looking over at his precious girl.

“Ab, we’re eating at a restaurant down the street from the hotel.” Brianna informed her daughter who couldn’t seem to find comfortable spot in the stand.

TJ’s eyes surveyed the beach, knowing that people walking by, especially those of the male persuasion lingered past his two girls and couldn’t help but think that this vacation was not quite what he had signed up for.

However, this vacation was just what TJ needed, he had to take Brianna somewhere relaxing to prepare her to tell his wife what he wanted to be the next step of their relationship.