God Bless the Broken Road

**Mackenzie’s POV**

When I woke up the next morning, I had a massive headache. The night before came flooding back to me, Eric had gotten home around three in the morning and I was awake. I was happy he was home but as soon as I saw him I just lost it again. I rolled over to find Eric’s side of the bed empty and my heart sank. I just wanted to see him. I jumped in the shower and tried to relax and not think about the day before. When I got out I put on one of Eric’s hoodies with a pair of yoga pants. I walked back into the room towel drying my hair when I noticed Eric sitting on the bed wringing his hands. He looked up and gave me a small smile when he heard me walk in

“Hey, there.” He said softly, almost like he was afraid he scare me off.

“Hi,” why was this awkward?

“How are you today?”

I shrugged and sat down next to him. “Okay I guess,” I finally answered.

Eric turned and placed his hand on my cheek. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here yesterday.”

I shook my head, frustrated with him. “Don’t you dare apologize. It’s your job to travel. I know that.”

“You needed me though.”

“I always need you, Eric. Always. Some days I’ll need you more than others, but don’t think that you will always be there when I do need you.”

“But I should be here when you have days like you did yesterday.” He sighed. “What caused such a horrible day for you? Was it therapy?” He asked, rubbing my back

I sighed and nodded. “We talked about the wedding and how I needed to realize mom and dad weren’t going to be there.” I whispered. “Like I don’t already know that!” I yelled, slamming my fist into the bed. “Like I haven’t thought about the fact that I won’t have a father, daughter dance everyday since we got engaged. Or how my mom won’t be able to help me find the perfect dress. Or how they won‘t get to see our kids grow up. I‘m only nineteen years old! I shouldn‘t have to worry about all that!” Tears once again were falling freely down my face. Eric wiped away the tears as they fell. Once I calmed down, I took a deep breath and looked at Eric. “I don’t think therapy is working.” I admitted. “If I’m coming home this upset, it isn’t working.”

Eric sighed and rubbed my back. “Do you want to take a break from going?”

I sniffed and nodded. I hated admitting defeat, but if it isn’t working it’s not working. “I’m sorry, I know you wanted me to go.”

“Mackenzie, if it’s not helping you then what’s the point of going? I only wanted you to go because I thought it would, clearly it hasn’t. I just want you to be happy again, I miss my happy girl.”

“So you’re not mad?”

“Not at all, sweetheart.” He kissed my forehead. “I just don’t want to see you upset like last night.”

I sighed, “Yeah yesterday was hard. I just really needed you and you weren’t here. Then I got mad at the fact that I haven’t seen you all week. I snapped at Marc last night, I never yell at you guys. Oh yeah and I almost murdered Jared last night, just to help with everything I was feeling.” I sighed. “Yeah, yesterday was bad. I don’t want to go through that again.”

“Understandable and I bet my brothers understand as well. You know Jared was just thinking about what would be best for you.”

“I know.” I stood up. “Has he left yet?”

Eric nodded. “He left about fifteen minutes ago.” I turned and walked out to the living room and grabbed my phone that I had plugged in when I woke up in the middle of the night. “Where are you going?” Eric asked following me.

“Just grabbing my phone, I have people to apologize to.” I told him, opening a new text message.

Hey, Jared. I’m sorry for last night.

Eric sat on the couch and pulled me down with him. I laughed and laid my head on his shoulder. “So I shouldn’t have to ask this, but how’d the game go last night?” I felt bad that I didn’t watch the game. I always watched Eric’s games.

“We won, I ended with a goal and two assists.” He smiled. “A four point road game stretch, not bad.”

I leaned up and kissed him. “I’m sorry I missed last night.”

“It’s okay, but I knew something was wrong though.” I looked at him confused. “No texts.” He clarified. “You always text me good luck before the game and always text me when I score a goal.”

I sighed, “I know, I’m a horrible fiancé. I dropped the ball.”

He hugged me tighter. “Relax, I’m not mad. I’m just glad you’re okay and not having a breakdown.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” I looked at my phone to see if Jared had responded, but nothing. “Do you have practice today?”

“Nope and even if we did, after receiving a text message from all three of my brothers mentioning you not being okay I wouldn’t have gone.”

“Well I appreciate it, I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

My phone chimed signaling that Jared responded.

Don’t apologize, I’m sorry for mentioning it. How are you doing today?

I shook my head, these Staal boys were going to be the death of me I swear.

Don’t apologize, I would have done the same thing if it was reversed. I’m better =)

“What do you want to do today?” Eric asked, playing with my hair.

I bit my lip, there a few things that we needed to go over for the wedding but I didn’t want Eric to spend his day off planning the wedding. “Well we still need to think about a date for the wedding and then when we have one we need to get save the dates. I know you don’t want to spend your day off doing wedding stuff, but if we just get a few things done today I would be able to breathe easier.” I admitted.

“I don’t mind doing wedding stuff.” He smiled. “Plus if it means less stress for you then I really don’t mind.”

I clapped and reached for the notebook I had for the wedding. I loved planning the wedding, but it was more fun when Eric was actually helping me. So for the next hour Eric and I discussed a date for the wedding and a location. We were stuck between Thunder Bay or somewhere around the Raleigh area.

“Well, if you do it in Thunder Bay it will have to be a summer wedding. If we do it here, we can have it whenever you want.” Eric said, sipping his iced tea.

“Good point. Let’s do it in Thunder Bay, I love summer and what better way to celebrate summer then with a wedding?” I said, writing Thunder Bay down on the paper.

“Would you mind if we had it at the lake?” Eric asked almost sheepishly. “It’s my favorite place on the farm and it’s so pretty out there.”

I leaned over and placed a kiss on his lips. “The lake would be perfect. It’s my favorite place too.” I smiled and then wrote down the lake next to Thunder Bay. “So we have a location and a season.” I chuckled. “When during summer do you want to have it?”

Eric sat there for a minute thinking about it. “How about July 1st? It’s a Saturday.” He said after he looked through his phone.

“July 1st? Sounds like a good date to me.” I wrote the date down under the location. “So we have a date now.” I announced excitedly. Eric kissed me and looked just as excited. “So colors, I already had an idea of colors, but I wanted to run them past you first. What would you say to red and silver?” I bit my lip and waited for him to responded.

“I like that idea a lot. I can have the guys wear silver ties.” He nodded. “I like it. So who are you thinking for your bridesmaids?”

I set my pen down and thought about it. “I was thinking of asking Heather to be my maid of honor. Then Cody, Cellina, and Christy, and my cousin Danielle as my bridesmaids.”

“Christy, as in Skinner’s girlfriend?”

I nodded. “Yeah, she and I get along well. Plus, besides Cellina and Cody, she’s the only girlfriend I’ve got.” I admitted. I didn’t have many girlfriends because I didn’t go to school with others and most of my friends were hockey players. “Do you think she’d do it?” I asked suddenly worried.

Eric placed a hand on my cheek, rubbing it softly with his thumb. “I think she’d love to. Like you said, the two of you get along well.”

“Who are you thinking for your groomsmen?”

“My brothers of course, but I don’t if I want to ask any of them to be my best man. I don’t want to start a war.” He chuckled. “Cam and Jeff.”

“I like that selection and I understand not wanting to start a war between your brothers, but I don’t think you should write them all off as your best man. The only reason I’m asking Heather to be my maid of honor and not Cellina, is because Heather was there when I met you guys and we got along so well.”

“Well I’ll think about it.” He said getting up and placing a kiss on the top of my head. “You want anything to eat?”

“No thank you, I’m going to go call Heather I think.” I smiled. Eric nodded and made his way to the kitchen. I picked up my phone and dialed Heather’s number.

“Mackenzie!” She answered brightly. “How are you?”

I chuckled. “I’m okay, had a hard day yesterday but I’m better.”

“Yeah, Jordy told me. I’m sorry things have been so rough for you lately. Other than that, how have you been?”

“Good, a little stressed but otherwise good. How about you, how have you been?”

“Busy.” She sighed. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too, I may have to take a trip up there so my maid of honor can help me pick out my dress.” I said, biting my lip.

Heather was quiet for a second then she spoke. “Did you just say you were coming here?”

I laughed, “Out of that whole statement that’s what you heard?” I shook my head. “Heather, will you be my maid of honor?”

“Of course! I’d love to!” She cheered. “And I heard you the first time.” I could hear the smirk in her tone.

“I figured and thank you. I’ll have to sit down with Eric and see when a good time for me to come visit would be.”

I heard a lot of noise from the other line before Heather was back on. “The Penguins are playing in Carolina next week. I’ll tell Jordan that I’m going to the game and we can get a jump start on looking for a dress there and then you can just fly back with me.”

I smiled. “That sounds like a wonderful idea Heather.” I let out a little squeal causing Eric to chuckle from his spot in the entry way in the kitchen. “This is so exciting!”

“I know! Oh, hold on Jordan wants to talk to you.” I heard the two of them talking before my best friend was on the line.

“What the hell happened last night?”

I sighed. “I had a pretty bad day after therapy and I just lost it. Everything just came tumbling down on me and I finally broke. I think I scared Jared.”

“Yeah, he texted me last night saying he fucked up and you weren’t okay. I was scared. Are you better today?”

“Yeah I am. I’ve talked to Eric and we’ve decided that I’m going to take a break from therapy for a while because it’s doing more damage then actually helping me.”

“I think that’s a good idea.” He sighed. “So, what’s this I hear you’re coming to the ‘burgh next week?” I could hear the smile in his voice. Jordan didn’t like that I chose to live with Eric, but he understood.

I chuckled. “Yes I’ll be there next week. I think Jared was right when he said I needed to get away and what better reason to get away then to look for a wedding dress?”

“Well whatever the reason is, I’m glad you’re coming. A couple of the guys have been asking about you.”

I shook my head. I managed to make friends on all of the guys’ teams and they all always wanted to know when they were going to get to see me again. Especially the Penguins.

“Tell them that I’ve been keeping tabs on them and that I’ll see them at the game next week.”

“They’ll be so excited.” He laughed. “Especially Sid and Kris.”

“Don’t let your brother hear that.” I laughed. Eric came over to me and raised and eyebrow at me. I shook my head at him, still smiling. “Listen, Jord I need to go. Tell Heather I’ll call her again sometime this week and I’ll see her next week.”

“Alrighty, tell Eric I said hey.”

“Will do, bye Jordan.”

“Talk to ya later, Kenz.”

I hung up with Jordan and looked at Eric. “Jordan says hi.”

“So you’re going to Pittsburgh after the game next week?” He asked, quietly.

“Yeah, I just figured Jared was right and I need to take my mind off of everything that has been happening to me the past couple of weeks. And I’ll be able to actually look at dresses without you always asking what they look like.” I chuckled, kissing his cheek. When I pulled away I looked up at him. “Are you okay with that?”

He gave me the signature Staal smirk. “Of course I’m okay with it. I’m glad you’re going to get away for some time. I wasn’t lying when I said I worry about you. I think a trip up there will be good for you.”

“I think so too.”

We were silent for a little while, just enjoying time together. I loved off days because Eric and I would spend them doing just this. Hockey was pushed aside and it was just us. Molly jumped up on the couch and laid between the two of us, I smiled and began petting her. For the rest of the day Eric and I laid around the house and watched movies, around five or so Eric sat up from his spot on the couch.

“Let’s go out to dinner tonight.” He suggested. “We haven’t been out, just the two of us in a long time.”

“Dinner sound like a great idea.” I smiled. “What time where you thinking?” I asked looking at the clock.

“How’s seven sound?”

“Perfect.”

We finished the movie we were watching and then went to get ready for dinner. We didn’t go anywhere too fancy, just a steakhouse we’ve been wanting to check out but I never wanted to go. Ever since starting therapy I wasn’t the same, I use to love going out with Eric whether it was just the two of us or with the team and I felt bad about that. Eric says he understood and I knew he did, but he always stayed home with me. It took me literally pushing him out of the door to hang out with the guys.

I looked at Eric sitting across from me and smiled to myself, he was so good to me. Eric looked up from his menu and smiled at me.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, taking my hand.

“Nothing important, just that I miss this.” I said, giving his hand a squeeze.

“Me too.”

The rest of dinner was spent laughing and having a great time. We talked about the wedding a little bit more and talked about my trip to Pittsburgh. He tried to get me to tell him what kind of dress I was looking for, but I wasn’t budging on it. He was going to have to wait until our wedding day. My smile got even bigger thinking about that day, it was only a few short months away.

When we got home, we let Molly out and went straight to bed because whether we liked it or not, reality was just a few hours away. Eric had practice and a couple of appearances to make and I had homework to catch up on.

“I love you, Eric.” I said when he got into bed and wrapped his arm around my waist.

He leaned over and kissed me. “I love you too, Mackenzie.”

I smiled and laid my head on his chest and was lulled to sleep by his even breathing and heartbeat.