Sticks & Spirals

I managed to not see Daniel again. That’s the beauty of living in a huge city. There’s just too many places and too big to be hunt down.
Thank God. The Blackhawks finally calmed down a little. They were all on high alert since my cousin informed them that the asshole was in town. They’re just so cute. I love them all.
But it’s Christmas now, three weeks since I saw Daniel in the mall with Steeger. Andrew and I were sitting around the tree, with Bur and Wis sharing a couch and Kaner on the chair. We invited them over because those three didn’t have any family visiting or any other plans. Most of the other players have their girlfriends, wives, or family visiting.
Except Steeger. He’s spending Christmas day with Rhyne’s family.
It’s too sweet.
“Stop hitting me with pillows!” Burish growled to the young Kaner. I wish he wasn’t here. I didn’t get along with his immaturity too much.
Kaner made a giggling like noise.
My eye twitched.
Andrew laughed and draped his arm around my shoulder, getting me to ease off my hate boat. “Last gift, little cuz,” he said, glancing at it with genuine curiosity. “No from on it.”
We opened all the gifts by eight in the morning, except for this last one that was hiding behind the tree. I took it from my cousin and glanced at it. My name was written in an elegant script on a tag, but that’s it.
“Hmm, I don’t recognize the writing either,” I mused while carefully tearing the paper.
With the paper gone, I cocked my head to the side as a small brown box positioned in my hands. “What is it?” Wis asked, standing up to see.
“I’m not sure,” I replied, taking the scissors to open the box.
I pulled out the box’s contents, and a huge smile appeared on my lips. Black, white, and red skate laces draped over my hands. I giggled happily. “I really wanted these! To use in my practice skates!”
“Blackhawk skate laces? I didn’t even know they had such a thing,” Bur said from the couch, yawning. He was the first one to be awoken by the annoying youngster.
I grinned. “Yeah. I only mentioned it once though... and no one was around but my trainer.”
“And no one but the team has been in the house. And that’s the only way it’d be able to get under the tree,” Andrew added in. “Secret Santa!”
I glanced at my cousin. He’s still such a kid sometimes. But that’s why I love him.
I was alone doing some light skating with my coach the day that I stated that I’d love Blackhawk laces. There was a shadow in the runway... and only one person was there at the time besides Andrew, who was gearing up.
Could it have been... no, impossible. Maybe it really is a Secret Santa.
I shook my head.
Burish laughed and hugged me from behind as I stood up. “So, what’s for dinner, mini Ladd?” he asked with bright eyes.
I rolled my eyes and elbowed him away, grabbing my skates from my bag and flopping out the laces. “Chinese food or Mexican food?”
“That’s not a Christmas dinner!” Wis whined.
“James Wisneiwsky, you came into my apartment for Christmas and thought you’d be getting a proper turkey dinner?” I scoffed. “Hell no. I don’t cook anything that extravagant. Are you shitting me? Do I look like a house wife to you?”
“You look like a figure skater!” Kaner added in. He’s trying to get on my good side. Aww, how cute. But it won’t work.
Wis just kept pouting. “I wanted turkey.”
“Then you should have begged your girlfriend to stay with you,” I retorted.
He gave me a very dirty look and I knew I went too far, but he’d forgive me in an hour or so. That’s just how we roll. We bicker and forgive. Andrew makes a big deal out of it.
“Vanna Ariadne Ladd!” he scowled.
See?
“What? He’ll get over it,” I shrugged.
Andrew sighed.
“So...” Bur looked at me and Andrew.
Andrew was about to answer until his phone rang. He sighed and looked at it before answering. “Merry Christmas,” he answered, then paused for the person on the other line to reply.
Andrew looked between all of us. “Really? That’s a legitimate offer?” Pause. Andrew’s eyes lit up. “Yeah, that’ll be awesome! We’ll be there in about an hour. Or more. The snow outside may delay us but we’ll be there.” Pause. “Yeah, ok. Thanks.”
My cousin hung up and he had four pairs of eyes staring at him blankly as he grinned like a fool. “What?” we all said in unison.
“We are going to Rhyne’s house for Christmas dinner!”
Four jaws dropped.
Andrew sighed and elaborated. “Her dad is a phenomenal cook, and he’s making enough food for Christmas dinner to serve the whole team. And Steeger just called saying that he knew we were together without family, and her family offered for us to come over.
“YES!” we all yelled, hugging each other and quickly getting our coats and snow boots on.
Andrew laughed. “Looks like we get a real Christmas dinner after all.”
“Hallelujah!” Wis exclaimed.
“Shotgun!” I yelled, racing down the hallway of the apartment building to the elevator, grinning like an idiot as the doors closed before the boys reached me.
And I had the keys... tee hee.
I was in the passenger’s seat of the car when the four boys showed up. Andrew laughed as he got in and took the keys from me to drive, and the three huge hockey players had to squish into the back of the SUV. Kaner had the lucky middle spot, since he is the smallest of the three. Bur and Wis are very big and buff guys.
I laughed hysterically as Patrick Kane looked miserable. I took a picture with my phone, and sent it to all of the guys.
The replies came quickly and throughout the drive to the Naperville suburb. The names that appear are actually what is in my phone.
Steeger: What the fuck is Kaner doing? I hope they purposely smush him.
My reply: Me too!
Captain: LOL! Serves him right for trying to outshine me. Little twit :)
My reply: Oh, Captain. You amuse me.
Captain: I’m glad, mini Ladd. Yes, I know that rhymes.
Brent Seabrook: He looks super happy. Merry Christmas, btw, Vanna.
I stared at the last text for a long time. I hated the way my heart fluttered in my chest and how I could feel the soft flush in my cheeks. I don’t know what’s going on with me, but I don’t like it.
We ended up pulling into the driveway of a beautiful, warm looking house and I quickly replied. I felt bad leaving Seabs hanging, so I replied with a back at you before getting out of the car.
I raced up the steps and ringed the doorbell, hearing the barking of a dog before the voices. Someone was telling the dog, named Crosby (really?), to sit and then the door opened to reveal a six foot tall, handsome young man with bright blue eyes and a wide smile. “Hi there!”
“Uh,” was my replied as I stared blankly at him.
Andrew walked up behind me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder just before the chocolate lab named Crosby crashed into us, wanting attention. “Hey, Dylan. This is my little cousin, Vanna. Vanna, this is Rhyne’s younger brother.” He introduced us while petting the dog.
“Oh, hi,” I said, extending my hand while Burish, Wis, and Kaner all shoved through the doorway and shed their winter clothes before heading up the stairs into a beautifully decorated living room. “You’re... so tall.”
Dylan laughed. “Yes, I am. If you’re comparing me to my sister, then wait until you see my older brother- her twin.”
I just stared at him while I was ushered out of the cold. Andrew helped me take off my clothes, and a man appeared on the top of the stairs, smiling. “Hello, I’m Ray White, Rhyne’s father.”
I shook his hand and smiled back. “Hi, Mr. White. Thanks for inviting me along with those idiots.”
He laughed. He had the same brown eyes as Rhyne, and dark brown hair compared to her light brown. He was about the same height as Dylan too. So far, I’m wondering where Rhyne is getting her height from.
“Hey guys,” Steeger’s voice appeared behind me.
Andrew and I turned from Mr. White and faced our friend. “Steeger! There you are!”
He laughed. “Yeah, I was helping Mrs. White with something. Rhyne and Luke will be back in a couple minutes. They had to grab something to add with our dinner.”
“Cool,” I said, looking around while petting the chocolate lab that was licking my hand. The living room was separated from the kitchen by a thick wall with the dining room diagonal from it. The hallway to the left of the stairs leads to the bedrooms. I couldn’t help but look down to the bottom of the stairs to see the first floor. I couldn’t see much except shoes.
“Make yourself at home, like the boys,” Mr. White called from the kitchen.
I looked over at Wis and Bur already challenging Dylan to a C.O.D tournament. With a laugh, the three plus Kaner wandered down the stairs to the first floor.
“Down there is like another, larger living room. The kids all claim it for whatever reasons,” Steeger exclaimed. “The Playstation and XBox are down there, as well as a weight room. Both of her brothers and her dad play hockey. There’s also another bathroom, the laundry room, and closet.
“This is a wicked house,” I said honestly. “It’s so big!”
Steeger chuckled. “Yeah. Luke and Rhyne still live here as they go to college too, so the size is really needed. Dylan is a senior this year. He will probably also be starting off at College of Dupage like the other two.”
I nodded. “You know a lot about this family, don’t you?” I asked with a smirk while Andrew went to help Mr. White in the kitchen.
Steeger blushed. “Well, yeah. I’m here a lot.”
I laughed and turned when a small, light brown haired woman with blue eyes that mirrored Dylan’s appeared in the hallway. Well, that’s where Rhyne got her height from.
She had a happy smile as she rushed up. “Hello! I’m Della, it’s nice to finally meet you. Rhyne told me a lot about you.”
I blushed ever so slightly. I didn’t know Rhyne talked about me. “Good I hope,” I laughed.
“Of course,” she smiled, embracing me before turning to Steeger. “Kris, dear, can you go help Rhyne and Luke. They just pulled in and the snows piling up.”
Steeger nodded. “I’m on it,” he smiled and turned to me. “Just a warning, her face is still very bruised.”
I nodded and sat down on the couch, petting the dog.
I looked at the stairs as a towering six foot two brown haired boy with chocolate eyes appeared. He cocked his head to the side as he stared at me. “You must be Vanna,” he said.
“Yeah,” I said, in awe.
“Luke. Nice to meet you,” he nodded his head and headed into the kitchen.
I was amazed at how much he and Rhyne looked alike. The same chocolate eyes and brown hair. He wears it longer, his bangs hiding his eyebrows and the rest of his hair hiding his ears. He’s huge, though, compared to her. Tall and stick-like, the muscles sure did show though.
I can’t get over his height compared to his older twin.
Steeger appeared while Luke wandered down with Rhyne just behind him. A large purple and brown bruise highlighted underneath her eye and cheekbone from where her orbital bone was broken from being punched. She waved at me.
She joined me with Steeger just behind her. “Ready to eat? It’s almost done,” he stated.
I nodded. “Hell yes!”
Rhyne laughed her cute laugh, but I couldn’t help but stare at the bruise. I felt so bad for her. She didn’t deserve to be punched.
“Dinner!” Mr. White called from the kitchen, and before my eyes, seven boys piled around the large dinner table. Rhyne and I followed suit, Rhyne sitting between Steeger and her twin and me between my cousin and Dylan.
Mr. White places the ginormous turkey on the table in the center with all the carrots, and potatoes and everything else surrounding it. We all helped ourselves and the dinner table was loud, but warm. I looked around, taking in this girl’s family and my own family of hockey players together for Christmas.
And this is what Christmas is really about- family.