Between Two Lungs

Mae and Marc pulled into the Staal family's driveway after an excruciating drive from Manhattan. They had taken turns driving Marc's car so that the other one could rest their eyes, but driving in the snow proved more difficult as they headed further north.

Still, finally making it to their destination was worth it in the end. Linda Staal waved from the doorway, rushing over all bundled up to help her son and his new girlfriend with their bags.

"How was the drive up?" she asked Marc once they shared a hug.

"It was alright," he shrugged. "Mom, I want you to meet Mae."

Linda grinned at the petite girl. "So you're the one that my son is always raving about!"

Mae let out a bit of an awkward laugh. "I guess that would be me. It's really nice to meet you, thank you for letting me stay in your house."

"One more mouth to feed isn't that big of a deal," she shrugged. "This house is always full of bodies anyway. It'll be nice to have another woman around, though...you know, to take a break from all the testosterone."

"I hear you," Mae giggled. She could tell that Linda was a really nice person and didn't feel as awkward anymore about being around her.

"Go on inside the house," she motioned to the front door. "It's cold out here. Marc, show her to the guest room, please."

"Sure thing," he agreed. "Come on, Mae."

She followed Marc into the house, the warmth greeting her instantly as she shed her coat and hung it on the coat rack. Mae picked up her suitcase and followed Marc up the stairs to where her designated room was. She glanced over at one of the rooms and saw someone who looked like a younger version of Marc poking his head out.

"Hey Jared," Marc called.

"Hey, Marc," he replied casually.

Mae waved. "You're the youngest Staal brother, right?"

"I am indeed," he replied. "And you're Mae?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Sorry for invading your family's Christmas."

"Hey, don't apologize," Jared said with a laugh. "Everyone's welcome here. Besides, if Marc invited you, you've got to be at least decently cool. Right?"

Mae smirked. "I guess you'll all have to be the judge of that."

She and Marc continued down the hall to the guest room until Marc settled on a door and opened it. It was a simple room with a desk, a dresser, a bookshelf, a bed and a large picture window. Even though Mae could tell that it hadn't been used in a while, the room held a simplicity that she loved.

"How do your parents do it?" she asked Marc, putting her suitcase next to the dresser.

He raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"

"Make a house feel like a home," she told him in a small voice. "I've never seen anything like it before."

Marc gave a lopsided smile. "I really don't know."

Mae sighed, rubbing her eye and yawning slightly. "Well, I'm going to go outside for a quick smoke and then I'm going to take a nap," she decided. "Thanks for inviting me, Marc."

"You can stop thanking me," he grinned. "Spending time with you is enough for me." He gave her a peck on the lips before she headed back outside.

Standing on the Staal's front porch, Mae set the cigarette between her lips and pulled out her lighter, inhaling the nicotine into her lungs. She took a long drag and exhaled slowly, tapping the ashes away by flicking the butt with her thumb.

Mae kept smoking calmly until she saw another car coming into view from down the road. She looked from left to right, but there were no other houses that were immediately close by. She squinted with a frown at the silver SUV that drew closer and closer to the Staal residence.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," she growled, throwing down her cigarette and stomping it out. She went back inside the house as a stone-faced Jordan got out of his car.

"Mae, wait!" he called. But she was already gone.

* * * * *

"You're being rash."

"You promised me that he wouldn't be here," Mae seethed as she paced the small bedroom as Marc stood by the doorway. "The only reason I came here was because you said yourself that he had some games to play on the road with the Pens. You told me that, Marc."

"Maybe the schedule changed," he reasoned. "I don't know what happened. All I know is that he was supposed to get back after we left. I can't help that he's here now, Mae. And I can't ask him to leave, he's my brother!"

"Then let me leave," she said firmly. "I'll just take a Greyhound back to Manhattan."

Marc sighed. "That's not happening. Come on, Mae. Let's just make the best of this. I'll talk to Jordan, make sure that he's on his best behaviour around you. Okay?"

She huffed, arms crossed over her chest. "I'm still pissed."

"I know," he said quietly, walking over to her and kissing her on the top of the head. "Just be nice, okay?"

"No promises."

* * * * *

Jordan sat in the living room with his feet propped up on the coffee table watching hockey recaps from games in the west coast. He yawned, resting his head back as his eyes started to close.

"Hey, Jordan," he heard his brother call. Groaning, he sat up and opened his eyes. Marc plopped down next to him. "Interesting surprise, seeing you here."

"They rescheduled a handful of our games for after the Christmas holidays," he shrugged. "I didn't expect to come back either."

Marc nodded. "Mae told me what happened between the two of you."

Jordan bit his lip and sighed. "She told me what happened between the two of you, too."

Marc scratched at his hairline and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Jordan, I just thought that you should know that Mae and I are dating now."

Jordan's head snapped over in Marc's direction. "You are?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "And I'd really appreciate it if you could just...leave her alone. She's already wanting to go back to New York now that you're here. I just want this Christmas to be a good one. You know what I mean?"

Jordan nodded numbly. "I guess so."

"So, are we cool?" Marc asked, holding out his hand to his brother.

Jordan looked at Marc, who had a small glimmer of hope in his eyes. Sighing audibly, he shook his hand and said, "Yeah, we're cool."