This Is What Brothers Are For

I sat in the living room staring out the window waiting and onto the winding driving, patiently waiting. My brothers were coming home from a long season in the NHL. I finished ninth grade last week but summer never truly starts until my big brothers were home.

“Honey, staring out the window isn’t going to make them get here any quicker; trust me I’ve tried.” My mom Linda explained. She too was anxious for the arrival of the boys. “Why don’t you go up to your room and read. It always makes time seem to go by quicker. I’ll call you as soon as I see them.”

I agreed and made my way up to my room. I picked up my latest summer read, Sarah Dessen’s This Lullaby. As I opened it up to the page I was reading I couldn’t help but think about my brothers.

There was Eric who was the eldest, the protector. He was married two summers ago to Tanya, and they had a son, Parker. He was the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes and was the captain of the Staal Offspring. He is blonde, which was one thing he never let me, Marc and Jared forget.

Then there was Marc, the second oldest, the defenseman. He was my rock whenever I had problems he was the one I went to. He always knew when something was wrong and was the first one to comfort me. He played for the New York Rangers. Even though we were really close he wasn’t the brother I was closest too.

That was Jordan. He was the partier of the family and he wasn’t afraid to say what he was thinking; he never sugar-coated anything. He was the brother I went to about relationship advice. My friends loved him and thought he was the best thing since apple pie and to me he was better than apple pie.

Then there was Jared. He has not made it to the NHL yet but he was traded to the Hurricanes this year and there is a good chance he will play with Eric next season. He was the baby of the boys at 19, only 4 years older than me. He is the quietest of the Staal children but is always the won that comes up with the great plans.

I am the baby girl at 15 years old. I am the only one in my family with brown hair and brown eyes. I am 5’11 and still growing. I never played hockey; that was the boy’s thing. I play softball and volleyball. I’m still in school so I don’t get to see my brothers as much during the season as I would like to.

I was interrupted by my mom yelling up at me. “Katie! The boys are home.”

I ran down the stairs as fast as I could, out the front door into outstretched arms. It was Eric. “I missed you so much little sis.” He gushed.

“I missed you too,” I responded. I had tears in my eyes because I was so happy they were home.

“Stop hogging her!” I heard Marc yell. I pulled out of Eric’s grasp and ran to Marc who had the biggest smile on his face. No words were exchanged between us. We both knew what each other was thinking so it wasn’t missed. I cried into his t-shirt before I was passed to Jared. “You’ve grown!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah, all the better for volleyball and I’m not a shorty anymore!”

“Yes you are.” I heard a voice over my shoulder. I turned around and screamed, “Jordan!” I jumped into his arms and he spun me around.

“Where the hell have you been?” he exclaimed.

“Jordan! Language around your sister!” mom scolded as she took him in her arms. It was a funny sight; a 6’4 tough guy hockey player hugging his mother but the truth was all four of the boys were momma’s boys and I was a daddy’s girl. “I made sandwiches. They are in the kitchen.” My mom said and it made the boys run inside.

“It feels so much better when they are home.” Mom said as she wrapped her arm around my shoulder and led me into the house.