I'll Be Right Beside You

Cam

Four days later found us in the airport waiting for our flight to Thunder Bay to board. I sat with my legs across Jordan’s, leaning against his shoulder for a pillow while I struggled to stay awake. We wanted as much time with his family as possible, so our flight was leaving at quarter to six in the morning. Just imagine how early we had to be here to get through customs and everything before that.

Finally we heard them call over the intercom that our flight was boarding, and we slowly stood up and walked over, because Jordan had insisted on flying first class. His excuse was that he was too tall to fit comfortably into the economy seats, but I’d come to learn that when it came to me he had this strange urge to spend more money than he should.

Our flight stopped in Toronto, where we transferred to a smaller plane, and the hour and a half flight to Thunder Bay flew by, no pun intended. The fact I fell asleep for about forty minutes probably helped a lot.

We got our bags and headed out to the main part of the terminal, deciding on getting some lunch before heading out to Henry and Linda’s – we hadn’t eaten anything on the plane - so breakfast was a long time ago. We were just trying to decide where to go when I heard a familiar squeal that I missed so much.

“AUNTY CAM!” I turned and picked up the little boy as he barreled at me, arms outstretched.

“Park! I missed you so much,” I told him as I covered him in kisses, making him giggle excitedly before he wrapped his little arms around me and held me as tight as he could.

“Miss you too Aunty!” he announced, and Jordan laughed from beside me.

“What am I? Chopped liver?” he asked, and Parker made a face.

“I no like liver,” he told his uncle, obviously not quite understanding. Jordan just chuckled and pressed a kiss to the little boy’s forehead.

“Me either,” he admitted, and Parker giggled before burying his face against my neck, obviously quite content to stay where he was. It only took a few minutes before we heard two frantic parents calling for their son, and we both knew it had to be Eric and Tanya. Parker wasn’t too great at staying ‘with the herd’ in packed places.

“Rick! Tan! We’re over here!” Jordan called, and while he got a few confused glances nobody seemed to recognize who he was, or just didn’t care. Eric and Tanya came into view seconds later, and we saw the relief on both of their faces as they caught sight of their oldest boy in my arms. Eric was carrying Levi, and I couldn’t believe how big he’d gotten since I’d seen him last. Parker had turned three in September, and he’d grown at least a couple of inches since I’d seen him in Thunder Bay, and Levi had just turned one like a week and a half ago.

“Hi,” Jordan smiled awkwardly, probably feeling just as bad as I was that his oldest brother and his wife had probably been freaking out looking for their son.

“Parker, how many times do we have to tell you; you CANNOT just run off like that!” Eric gently reprimanded his son, who’s expression fell and he looked a little confused.

“But I with Unca Jordy and Aunty Cam,” he said.

“What if Uncle Jordy and Aunty Cam hadn’t been here and you’d gotten lost sweetheart?”
Tanya asked, and Parker hung his head, understanding at least a little of what his parents were saying. I gently rubbed his back, and he mumbled an apology to his parents before burying his face against my shoulder again.

“Sorry about that,” I apologized, and both of them shrugged it off before giving Jordan and I hugs.

“It’s okay – for the most part he’s okay, but I don’t know what it is about huge busy places that makes him want to run off,” Tanya sighed, and Eric nodded. We talked for a little while, and found out that they’d came to pick us up from the airport, having arrived here late last night.

We all got into the SUV; Jordan and I sitting in the very back seats, with the two boys sitting in the second row. I leaned against Jordan while trying to keep back a yawn.

“You can go to sleep when we get there sweetheart,” he assured me, but I shook my head. I didn’t want to miss a minute of my time with all of the Staals.

We hadn’t even got completely out of the car when we heard a commotion come from the house, and soon found out it was the other two Staal brothers coming out to greet us. Jared hugged me, picking me off of my feet and swinging me around with a huge grin on his face before he planted a slobbery kiss on my cheek.

“I missed you!” he announced, making me laugh when he finally let my feet touch the ground again, Marc and Jordan were laughing at us, Jared’s six-foot-five frame bent over so his cheek was pressed against mine as he hugged me.

“Missed you too freckles,” I grinned back at him, and proceeded to blow a raspberry on his cheek for payback, ducking and running to hide behind his brothers.

“Did you miss me too?” Marc asked playfully, and I gave him a hug from behind, being careful to keep the two middle brothers between me and Jared, just in case he wanted revenge.

“Of course I did Marc, don’t be silly,” was my response, making him chuckle as he ruffled my hair.

“You’re starting to really look like a girl now; that haircut looks nice,” he said, and I felt myself blush a little.

“Thanks, it’s starting to feel like a girl’s haircut now,” I agreed, pushing some hair behind my ear as I kept my cheek pressed against Marc’s back. Jordan shot me a grin before hoisting up his bag as well as the huge bag filled with Christmas presents before he tried to figure out how to get mine too.

“I can get my bag Jordy – don’t worry about it,” I said, moving to grab it. Suddenly there was something ice cold down the back of my coat, and I let out a shriek as I danced around trying to get it out. I heard the unmistakable sound of Jared’s laughter, and sent him a glare. The bugger had thrown a snowball just perfectly to get snow down my jacket.

“You’re so dead Freckles,” I warned him, and took off at a dead sprint, hitting him in the middle of the stomach and bowling him over into the snow bank. He was caught off guard and fell easily, and soon we were wrestling in the snow; me sitting on his stomach attempting to give him a face wash while he tried to get me off. We could hear his brothers busting a gut laughing behind us, but both of us were determined to come out the better of this situation.

“Want some help sweetheart?” Jared’s eyes widened and he shook his head violently as I heard Jordan behind me.

“You can’t do that! We’re brothers! You know what they say!” he argued, and I just batted my eyes up at my blonde boyfriend.

“Yes please honey,” I said, and laughed as Jordan dumped a huge handful of snow on his brothers’ face. I let Jared’s hands go so he could get it off, not wanting to be too mean, and then found myself in the snow bank beside him. I shielded my face, expecting retaliation, and was shocked when I didn’t feel snow. I opened my eyes and saw Jared taking off after his brother, Jordan laughing so hard he couldn’t run straight, and Jared looking like he was going to kill him. Marc chuckled, walking over and offering me a hand up.

“Jared loves you too much for real revenge,” he explained, and then looked to the two of them; Jared was trying to get Jordan into a real headlock but wasn’t succeeding, and soon they were going to end up in a snow bank themselves. I brushed the snow off of my butt, knowing I was going to have to change anyway.

“And I think he’s a little pissed that Jordan didn’t adhere to the ‘Bros before hoes’ code,” I rolled my eyes, making Marc laugh some more.

“That too. Here, let’s get your stuff inside; they could be a while,” he advised. I grabbed my bag while he grabbed Jordan’s and the presents and I shut the back hatch of Eric and Tanya’s rented vehicle before we headed inside.

“Cam! It’s so good to see you!” Linda immediately greeted me. I hugged her tightly, and Henry was right behind her.

“You look very nice; the hair suits you,” he complimented, making me blush a little as I pushed my hair off of my face once again.

“Thanks, I’m trying to grow it out,” I replied, and Marc ruffled it up again.

“Don’t let it get too long or I won’t be able to do that anymore,” he warned me, making his mother swat at him, even though she was grinning a little bit.

“Marc, be nice,” soon we were all laughing as Marc and I took off our coats, and I realized just how soaked I really was.

“I think I’m going to go change real quick – Jared and I got into a bit of a wrestling match,” I explained, and Henry laughed.

“You two are worse than Jordan and Jared,”

“No – Jordan and Jared are still trying to dump each other in a snow bank,” Marc corrected him, and he chuckled some more, shaking his head. Linda ushered me downstairs to Jordan’s old room, the same one I’d stayed in the last time I was here. I quickly changed into a nicer pair of dark wash, straight-legged jeans and a grey sweater before heading back upstairs.

“CAM!” I hardly had time to react before Lindsay had me in a tight hug, which I gladly returned.

“Lindsay! I missed you so much! Oh my God; you look fantastic!” I gasped, holding her at arm’s length. I’d last seen her right after she’d had her baby, and I think she was somehow even slimmer now than before she was pregnant.

“Thanks – Marc’s trainer at the gym gave me some exercises to do to help slim off the baby weight,” she positively beamed, turning a little circle to help emphasize her point.

“Well damn, it worked!” I assured her, and we laughed some more as we walked to the living room. We sat down with Tanya, Eric and the boys; Parker and Levi watching cartoons, while I scooped up Michael. He was starting to look more and more like Marc; his hair had taken on a strawberry blonde color since I’d last seen him.

“Hey there cutie-pie! Do you remember me?” I asked, and he just let out a happy gurgle as I bounced him gently on my knee, keeping a secure hold on him because Lindsay warned me he liked to squirm. We were all visiting for close to fifteen minutes before we heard the front door open and close. I bit back a laugh as Jordan and Jared came into view, soaked from head to toe; their cheeks and noses pink from the cold.

“My God you two,” Linda shook her head, and they both rolled their eyes at her as they shed their shoes and coats.

“Nice to see you too mom; missed you lots,” Jordan replied, and she raised an eyebrow.

“Go and put some dry clothes on before you both get sick, all right?” she asked, and they nodded, Jared heading upstairs toward his room and Jordan downstairs to where I was staying. Once they were dried off and back upstairs Linda and Henry properly greeted Jordan, and everybody met up in the living room. Jordan’s eyes lit up when he saw Michael, and when he sat beside me tickled his nephew’s sides, slipping his other arm around me so I could lean against him.

“Hey buddy,” Michael let out a giggle, wrapping a tiny hand around Jordan’s finger. They kept each other occupied for quite a while, and I caught Linda giving us a look, which she quickly covered with a smile and then re-joined the conversation I’d been having with Tanya and Lindsay.

“Gramma? Can we light up the tree?” Parker asked, and Linda nodded. Eric got up to make sure Parker didn’t stick his finger in the socket or anything as his son insisted on doing it himself. It was only mid-afternoon, but the Christmas Spirit was high in the house; Linda had decorated everywhere, Henry had put the lights up on the house and the barn, and the tree was up and decorated beautifully.

“Your tree is gorgeous,” I complimented her as the boys sat back down, Parker content now that the tree was lit up, and Levi was falling asleep with his head on his brother’s lap. Tanya chuckled, informing us that he’d been too excited for everyone to get here to take a nap, and soon he was snoring. Eric picked him up and held him while we continued to talk until nearly suppertime.
“Why don’t we go out for supper?” Henry suggested. All four boys gaped at him, and I looked to Tanya and Lindsay for an explanation.

“Did you really just say that?”

“Dad, are you feeling okay?”

“Who are you and what have you done with our dad?”

“Huh?”

Were the responses from the boys, while Linda tried her best not to start laughing at the scene unfolding before us. I soon found out that Henry wasn’t much for eating out unless they were in a different place – he figured that when you were at home you could save the money and make a meal for yourself. But he insisted that with everybody being so tired from flying in and everything that going out for dinner would be better, and soon everybody was filing to their rooms to change. I headed downstairs after Lindsay and Marc, and moments later heard another pair of feet on the stairs.

“Jordan Lee Staal you can wait until she’s changed!” Linda called down the stairs, and I turned to see Jordan’s face turning a deep shade of pink. He mumbled something that I couldn’t here, and Marc let out a guffaw when he saw his little brother’s expression.

“She knows you too well,” he told Jordan, who huffed before following me into his room anyway. As soon as he’d shut the door he pulled me in tight, his lips against mine in a kiss that made my knees weak.

“Jordy,” I weakly attempted to push him away, but without any conviction. Seeing him with Michael had to be one of the hottest things I’d ever witnessed.

“Shh, it’s not like Marc and Lindsay will tell,” he argued, his lips attacking mine once more as his hands slipped beneath my sweater. I didn’t argue, instead tangling my hands into the baby-soft blonde hairs at the nape of his neck and kissing him back. He pushed me back onto the bed, laying on top of me as his mouth moved down my jaw and to my neck. I pulled his lips back up to mine, sliding my hand down from his chest to his stomach, when there was a knock on the door.

“Hey, hurry up or mom will suspect something,” Marc quietly told us, and with a groan Jordan sat up. I did the same, before pulling a nice purple cowl-neck sweater from my bag, stripping off my grey one and pulling it on.

“Goddamn,” Jordan grumped, and I turned to him, wondering what on earth he was talking about. I was met with another rough kiss, his hand sliding down, and I pulled away when he began fiddling with the button of my jeans.

“Jordan!”

“You just had to strip in front of me, didn’t you?” he asked, his mouth back on my neck as I noticed the slightly stretched fit of his jeans. I rolled my eyes at him then and pushed lightly on his chest; and with a pout that could melt hearts he pulled away.

“You started it remember,” I told him as I stood up to make sure my hair was laying nicely. He changed into a button down shirt, and as we went to leave the room I gave his ass a smack, just to be mean.

“I’ll tell mom and dad you’re not feeling well and that we’ll just stay behind,” he warned me, pressing my back against the door frame and pinning me there with his body. That was a tempting offer, I’ll admit. The last week had been so crazy we hadn’t exactly had a lot of time for any of… that.

“Except everybody will know what you’re trying to pull,” I insisted, and kissed him once more, before we both went upstairs.