Family Is All It Takes

“Mac!” Kris’s voice rang out.

Groaning, she responded. “What do you want, Tanger?”

“Oh, you’re writing. We were all headed for a run outside, you wanna join?” he asked opening the door to the office that had become hers.

Glancing at her gym bag, she nodded. “But don’t you guys need to get ready for the game tomorrow?” Mackenzie had been with the boys for almost three weeks again now.

“We’ve got time. The rest of the guys are going stir-crazy. And that is one thing we don’t need to be against the Flyers,” he shrugged.

“I get you. Give me ten minutes and I’ll meet you guys upstairs by the exit,” Mackenzie said. “Now get out so I can change!”

Putting his hands over his eyes, Kris began to walk out of the room, only to ‘accidently’ walk into the door.

Sighing heavily, she pushed the long-haired man out the door and locked it behind him. Kris really needed to learn when to stop joking around.

*****

“You invited Princess?” Brandon asked as he and the rest of the team trooped up the stairs.

“Yeah, I did,” Kris shrugged. “She used to go with us all the time.”

“Yeah, USED to,” he emphasized. “Don’t you think she’ll just slow us down?”

Sidney laughed. “Mac can probably run faster than most of us here. We’ll be fine.”

“That she can,” a voice chuckled. It was Max.

*****

Peering around the corner, she could see the guys standing around talking to some others.

‘Max,’ she laughed in her head as the man in question flailed his arms about while telling a story.

Devising a plan, Mackenzie took off at a sprint and crashed through the group. Jogging a ways off, she turned around.

“You lazy asses comin’?” she said with her hands on her hips.

“Mac!” Max screamed. “How are you, Mom?”

Laughing, Mackenzie let herself be scooped up and twirled around.

“I’m doing just fine, Son,” she replied as Max kissed her on both cheeks.

“Son?” Brandon asked.

Max took it upon himself to explain. “When Mac was with us last time, she was always looking after us. Jordan and I started calling her ‘Mom’ and she started calling us her ‘Sons’.”

“Right…,” Brandon trailed off. “Can we go running now?”

*****

Mackenzie had wanted to catch up with Max for a while longer, but Brandon had seemed adamant that the group get going.

‘I hate him,’ she thought. It had become almost a mantra for the young woman. Even when speaking with Jordan, it had come up a few times.

“You call me lazy?” Geno asked. He was currently trying to keep up with Mackenzie at the front of the group.

“Do you see the way you’re breathing? Of course I think you’re lazy. You and James have to be the worst!” she laughed.

“We prove wrong,” Geno said as James made an effort to catch up with them.

“Race us,” James challenged.

“You sure you want to do that?” Marc- Andre chuckled.

“I don’t see you steppin’ up,” James countered.

The goalie smirked. “That’s because I know when I’d lose. I’d like to keep my pride intact.”

Rolling her eyes, Mackenzie turned to Brandon. “Start us, will you?”

“Sure thing, Princess,” he knew she hated the nickname. “On your marks… get set… Go!”

And they were off.