Higher Than Hope
Chapter 16
"Dude, is your sister really crashing with you?", asked Taylor as they skated off the ice after practice.
"Da, Mom called last week saying Irina is coming here. I will have to sleep on the couch then and she will have to go to school", grumbled Nail.
"How come your sister is coming here?", asked Jordan.
"Mom says she was misbehaving back home, but she did not say. Our town is very boring, the worst thing is to drink and there is only one club in the entire place. Maybe she just got bored", he mused aloud.
"That sucks, that's why I'm glad to be an only child. It would suck if one of Ebs' sisters moved in with us, they're a lot younger than him", said Taylor with a grimace.
"I'll give you a ride to the airport, Nail. Anna was planning on spending the night, but I don't need to freak out your sister", said Ryan, a slight blush on his cheeks.
"Smart idea, Ryan. Where is Rissa?", he asked.
"She's with Anna at the mall, we'll pick them up and then go to the airport. Lucky the next game's tomorrow and we're going to be in Edmonton for a week, just keep your sister away from Hallsy", said Ryan dryly.
"Da, ya paneymat. But Ebs and Magnus are all right, I trust them. Taylor has too much game", laughed Nail as they headed to the showers.
"Why is your sister coming to Edmonton so suddenly?", asked Larissa as they approached Edmonton International Airport.
"I have no idea, moy devushka myet. She could not have been in that much trouble, our town in Russia is very boring", he chuckled.
"Looks like it's the Holiday Inn for us, Ryan", teased Anna as her boyfriend turned bright red and the others giggled.
Larissa giggled and blushed pink as Nail chuckled knowingly and put an arm around her waist, kissing her cheek. Ryan parked near the domestic terminal and pulled his Seattle Mariners hat low over his face as he led them inside, not wanting to be recognized. "Okay, her flight is on time and it's Gate#12", he said, glancing at the arrivals screen.
"How long is it from Russia, she's going to be exhausted", said Anna.
"It's at least eighteen hours with no stopovers, Irina is going to be very tired. She will be fine for the game tomorrow", he replied.
"Air Canada Flight #112 has just landed and is taxiing to the gate", said the voice over the PA.
Fifteen minutes later, the doors of the gate and the passengers streamed out into the waiting area. A tall slim teenage girl wearing a denim skirt and a sleeveless black tank top stretched over her ample bosom emerged from the gate, glancing about warily. She was strikingly pretty in an exotic way with her long straight glossy black hair, almond-shaped green eyes and tank skin, more than a few glances coming her way.
"Irina!", shouted Nail as he waved over to her.
The girl heard her name and a big smile broke out on her face as she rushed over to him. "Privyet, Nail", she said as he embraced her.
"Everyone, this is my sister Irina Railovna Yakupova. Irya, this is my friend and roommate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, his girlfriend Anna and my girlfriend Larissa", he said as they all shook hands.
"Ocheyn priyatna, everyone", she replied graciously, stifling a yawn.
"You can rest at our place, Irya", he said in understanding.
Irina nodded as they went over to the luggage carousel, watching as it came to life and various bags were slowly dropped onto the conveyor belt. Her eyelids felt heavy and she shifted her weight from foot to foot in order to stay awake, the revolving carousel having a hypnotic effect.
Nail grabbed her bags as they followed Ryan out towards the parking lot. "You can crash when we get back, Miss Yakupova", said Ryan politely.
Nail woke her up when they arrived back at the apartment building, carrying her bags upstairs while Larissa and Anna helped Irina as she had fallen asleep the moment she had gotten inside the truck. "Spat karoshy, Irya", he said as Irina passed out on his bed.
"We'll see you guys later, unless we have a double date", said Ryan.
"Irina has my number in case, we should not disturb her", said Nail as Larissa nodded in agreement.
"Da, Mom called last week saying Irina is coming here. I will have to sleep on the couch then and she will have to go to school", grumbled Nail.
"How come your sister is coming here?", asked Jordan.
"Mom says she was misbehaving back home, but she did not say. Our town is very boring, the worst thing is to drink and there is only one club in the entire place. Maybe she just got bored", he mused aloud.
"That sucks, that's why I'm glad to be an only child. It would suck if one of Ebs' sisters moved in with us, they're a lot younger than him", said Taylor with a grimace.
"I'll give you a ride to the airport, Nail. Anna was planning on spending the night, but I don't need to freak out your sister", said Ryan, a slight blush on his cheeks.
"Smart idea, Ryan. Where is Rissa?", he asked.
"She's with Anna at the mall, we'll pick them up and then go to the airport. Lucky the next game's tomorrow and we're going to be in Edmonton for a week, just keep your sister away from Hallsy", said Ryan dryly.
"Da, ya paneymat. But Ebs and Magnus are all right, I trust them. Taylor has too much game", laughed Nail as they headed to the showers.
"Why is your sister coming to Edmonton so suddenly?", asked Larissa as they approached Edmonton International Airport.
"I have no idea, moy devushka myet. She could not have been in that much trouble, our town in Russia is very boring", he chuckled.
"Looks like it's the Holiday Inn for us, Ryan", teased Anna as her boyfriend turned bright red and the others giggled.
Larissa giggled and blushed pink as Nail chuckled knowingly and put an arm around her waist, kissing her cheek. Ryan parked near the domestic terminal and pulled his Seattle Mariners hat low over his face as he led them inside, not wanting to be recognized. "Okay, her flight is on time and it's Gate#12", he said, glancing at the arrivals screen.
"How long is it from Russia, she's going to be exhausted", said Anna.
"It's at least eighteen hours with no stopovers, Irina is going to be very tired. She will be fine for the game tomorrow", he replied.
"Air Canada Flight #112 has just landed and is taxiing to the gate", said the voice over the PA.
Fifteen minutes later, the doors of the gate and the passengers streamed out into the waiting area. A tall slim teenage girl wearing a denim skirt and a sleeveless black tank top stretched over her ample bosom emerged from the gate, glancing about warily. She was strikingly pretty in an exotic way with her long straight glossy black hair, almond-shaped green eyes and tank skin, more than a few glances coming her way.
"Irina!", shouted Nail as he waved over to her.
The girl heard her name and a big smile broke out on her face as she rushed over to him. "Privyet, Nail", she said as he embraced her.
"Everyone, this is my sister Irina Railovna Yakupova. Irya, this is my friend and roommate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, his girlfriend Anna and my girlfriend Larissa", he said as they all shook hands.
"Ocheyn priyatna, everyone", she replied graciously, stifling a yawn.
"You can rest at our place, Irya", he said in understanding.
Irina nodded as they went over to the luggage carousel, watching as it came to life and various bags were slowly dropped onto the conveyor belt. Her eyelids felt heavy and she shifted her weight from foot to foot in order to stay awake, the revolving carousel having a hypnotic effect.
Nail grabbed her bags as they followed Ryan out towards the parking lot. "You can crash when we get back, Miss Yakupova", said Ryan politely.
Nail woke her up when they arrived back at the apartment building, carrying her bags upstairs while Larissa and Anna helped Irina as she had fallen asleep the moment she had gotten inside the truck. "Spat karoshy, Irya", he said as Irina passed out on his bed.
"We'll see you guys later, unless we have a double date", said Ryan.
"Irina has my number in case, we should not disturb her", said Nail as Larissa nodded in agreement.