Family Sticks Together

With Vancouver two months behind her, she'd finally made her trip to Chicago to see the one person who had always supported her, given up everything so she could achieve her dream, her brother Daylin. She longed to see him, missed him more than she could even say, but worried that seeing her again would make their inevitable departure unbearable. Looking through the pane of glass as the man with a smile that could make everything better sat down in front of her. Picking up the phone on the wall, she put it against her ear as he did the same thing.

“Shae-Lynn, you have no idea how great it is to see you.”

“I've missed you so much,” Shae-Lynn said, a sad smile on her face. “These past few months have been really busy.”

“I got your letters,” he smiled. “It sounds like things are going really good for you.”

“I've got sponsors now. I guess the time I spent in Vancouver gave me the right exposure.”

“Well that and you hanging around that hockey superstar.”

“It wasn't like any of my friends could go. I had to make friends somewhere.”

“But hockey players? Especially Patrick Kane?” he asked, giving her a look. “Guys like him only want one thing.”

“Daylin, there is something I really need to tell you, but I need you to promise not to get upset at me or the situation.”

“I hate when you start conversations like this.”

“Because you know what I have to say is important and you just need to understand that I'm not a kid anymore and I made the decision and I'll have to deal with the consequences.”

“Don't start it like that,” Daylin said scrunching his face as if he already knew what he was about to be told. “Shae-Lynn, please tell me you didn't do something stupid.”

“You know me, Daylin,” Shae-Lynn said giving him a wavering smile. “Don't you trust me?”

“I trust you, never doubt that,” Daylin said. “It's the guys that I don't trust.”

“Well this mistake is something that isn't just the guys' fault. It's both of ours.”

Shae-Lynn could feel the tears sting her eyes and she looked down. Using her free hand she wiped the tear that fell from her eyes. Taking a deep, yet shaky breath, she looked back up and into her brother's blue eyes. “Shae-Lynn, you are my baby sister. You've been by my side during all of this. There is nothing you can say that would make me so upset, so stop the waterworks and tell me what has you all worked up that you can't tell me what is going on.”

“I'm not allowed to compete for awhile,” Shae-Lynn said before pausing and holding a hand up to stop her brother from interrupting what she was going to say. “I didn't do anything illegal or get in trouble or anything like what is going through your head. I'm pregnant.”

“No,” Daylin said as he ran a hand through his thick brown hair. “You haven't done that, I would have known if you were doing that.”

“You also should know that it happened in Vancouver. So I'm about two months along.”

Grabbing the photo from her lap, she held the sonogram picture up against the glass. Watching as he looked at the picture, his eyes softened. “Who?”

“Does it matter?”

“It does to me.”

“Patrick Kane.”

“Does he know?” Daylin asked, his eyes never leaving the picture of his future niece or nephew. “I've heard stories about him. I don't like him.”

“I haven't seen or talked to him since he left Vancouver. I ended up canceling my flight to Chicago and diving straight into work before I found out and I thought that if I was gonna come on the day you are released then I don't want you to be too surprised at how big I'll be by then.”

“He's not good enough for you,” Daylin said. “Shae-Lynn, what were you thinking when you got involved with a guy like him?”

“Well if you want the truth I was thinking that I just got beat out of the gold medal and I'd be going home second best. I needed something to help me forget and Patrick did that for me.”

“I didn’t need the details.”

“Then you shouldn't have asked the question.”

Putting the picture down and pressing her free hand against the glass Daylin followed suit. “You have no idea how much I've missed you. Are you really gonna be there the day they let me out of this place?”

“I will be,” Shae-Lynn smiled, through teary eyes. “I love you.”

“If this Patrick Kane doesn't step up to the plate-”

“I'm more than capable of caring for a baby. It isn't like I'm sixteen and just the two of us.”

“I'll always be there for you,” Daylin said. “Even if you are growing up. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

“Time is up, little sis,” he sighed. “Be careful. That's my nephew you're carrying in you.”

“You don't know if it will be a boy or a girl.”

“Trust me, I know. I'll see you soon.” Daylin said with a smile before he hung up the phone.

Watching her brother walk away with his head held high while wearing the ugly orange jumpsuit, Shae-Lynn felt the tears fall from her face. Talking to him and then having him walk away from her, made her feel as if her heart was breaking into a million tiny pieces. The day she watched him being taken from the courthouse and into the custody of the police was one of the worst days she ever had. Coming to visit him and talk with him before watching him walk away and back to his cell or to whatever it was that he was supposed to do got harder and harder with each visit. In the four years that he had been locked up, more letters were written then visits made. It was easy to write a letter, but to come and visit was heart breaking each and every time she came. Never did Shae-Lynn want her brother to thing she wasn't there for him, so she would put her own feelings aside and see him. And with each visit, a piece of her heart stayed with him. Wiping the tears off her face, she hung the phone up and walked out of there.

After leaving the jail, she drove around the city. Wanting nothing more than to figure out what she was going to do with the day and a half she had left in Chicago. At first she thought of going to the home she had growing up, but then she remembered her childhood wasn't something she wanted to remember. The only good thing that came out of that was the fact that her and Daylin were as close as they were. He had done everything for her, to make sure that she had a chance at a good life even though it was just the two of them. Being grateful didn't even begin to describe how she felt when her brother gave up his life to make sure that hers was better. He saw the talent she had even before she really realized there was any talent. Daylin was her number one supporter and she was glad to have him as her older brother.

After some aimless driving, she headed back to her hotel. Stopping at the red light, she heard her phone go off. Putting it on speaker phone, she turned off her music before she accepted the call. The number wasn't one she recognized. “Hello?”

“Were you even going to tell me that you were in Chicago?”

“Patrick.”

“Who else do you know in Chicago?”

“I was visiting someone and I'm leaving tomorrow. I never had the intention of staying long in Chicago.”

“I haven't seen you since Vancouver, you barely return my text messages anymore.”

“I've been busy,” Shae-Lynn said. “Plus it isn't as if you have been watching the phone and waiting for it to ring. I bet you and your friends have gone out on numerous occasions.”

“That doesn't mean that I didn't think about you. That I didn't wish you'd call.”

“Did you think of me when you were sleeping with those other girls?”

“I'm not going to give you a line of bullshit and tell you I wasn't with anyone else, but if you are trying to push me away it's not going to work.”

“You are still as cocky as the day I met you.”

“Not cocky, confident. Shae, I wanna see you before you leave.”

“I'm not really in the mood for company right now. Maybe the next time.”

“How about a little party of just us? I was gonna have you meet the guys, but maybe something like what we did on our last day together? How does that sound?”

“Patrick...”Shae-Lynn sighed. “I'm just gonna eat and take a nap. I'll call you when I get up.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Yes,” Shae-Lynn laughed. “Hey, Patrick?”

“Yeah?”

“How did you know I was in Chicago?”

“I can't reveal my sources, sorry.”

“You aren't a reporter. How did you know?”

“It doesn't matter. Get some sleep and I'll talk to you later.”

Hearing the dial tone, Shae-Lynn let out a low growl as she parked her rental car in the hotel parking lot before getting out of her car. Grabbing her stuff she closed the door and walked away. Turing back to look at the car, she hit the alarm button before going inside the hotel for some sleep. Seeing Daylin today had taken a lot out of her. More than she had anticipated.

The moment her head hit the pillow, Shae-Lynn was out like a light. She didn't wake up when her phone went off for a text message or the three calls. Four hours later, she finally woke up. Laying in bed felt nice just to lay there and not rush to something she had to do. Hearing the knocking on the hotel door, she groaned knowing the silence in the hotel room was ruined. When the knocking persisted, she realized that the person wasn't just going to go away.

Getting up, she straightened her shirt before making her way to the door, she opened it and found herself staring into the familiar blue eyes that she could never forget. “Patrick....”

Feeling him wrap his arms around her, she did the same thing. After a minute, she pulled back and moved out of his arms. Closing the door, she looked at him. “How did you know where I was?”

“You are in my city, Shae,” Patrick laughed. “I did some digging and luckily there are some big Blackhawks fans that work here and told me what room with some persuasion.”

“I'm shocked that you are putting this much effort into trying to get into my pants again.”

“C'mon, Shae, you know you mean more to me than that.”

“Do I?”

“Shae...”

“I'm actually glad you came here,” Shae-Lynn told him as she walked to the bed. Sitting down she patted the bed and waited for him to sit down. “There is something we need to talk about and I'm not sure how you are gonna react to it.”

Sitting next to her, he looked at her and laced their fingers together. “Whatever it is, I'm sure that it isn't as bad as you think it is.”

Looking into his eyes, she said what she should have the moment she found out. “I'm pregnant.”