Status: On Hiatus

I'll Be Right Beside You

Seventy Nine

I was so nervous sitting on the plane that I had everybody worried about me. I couldn’t sit still, and the nerves had my hands shaking a bit again. Jared and Eric had talked and all but forced me into keeping up with physio and had my hands basically in the shape they’d been in before my car accident. I’d made leaps and bounds even since I’d seen Cam in January, and I couldn’t wait to see her again. A few visits when the Penguins had played the Hurricanes was all I’d seen of her since then, but nothing where we’d been able to really talk or spend time together.

“Excited?” Mom asked, and I nodded.

“Yeah, really excited,” I agreed. I’d been watching Marc’s games on the TV and had heard a lot of the speculation that the broadcasters had about her re-signing with the Penguins, and a lot of them thought that she’d be going to New York to play with the Rangers with the amount of time she’d spent there and at the games. I didn’t know what she was thinking or planning to do, but I wasn’t going to jump to any conclusions without talking to her.

Jared was sleeping, snoring quietly beside me while mom and dad were in the seats in front of us. I’d argued with Jared for almost fifteen minutes over who got the window seat, and of course being the little brother he won by default, only to sleep the entire freaking flight. Talk about making the flight boring for me.

“Please fasten your seatbelts, we are approaching New York City,” the attendant’s voice came up over the intercom, and with a satisfied grin I poked Jared in the ribs to wake him up.

“Holyshitwasgoingon?” he shot straight up, blinking his eyes and looking around wildly. I couldn’t help but laugh at him, earning myself a dirty look from both him and my mother. Dad was trying not to laugh along with me so instead buried his face in his book.

We got off the flight, got our bags, and immediately I felt a little overwhelmed at the pure mass of people going about their business in the airport. It was absolutely insane, but it didn’t get to me the way it had when I’d came to stay with Marc before moving down to Raleigh.

“Hey! There you guys are!” we turned to see Lindsay and Cam waiting for us, wide smiles and all. Marc must have been at home with the boys for his day off.

“Hey! How are you two?” Mom immediately wrapped them both up in hugs, dad and Jared following suit. I hung back a moment, letting everybody say hello before I hugged Lindsay, then pulled Cam in close.

“I missed you,” I whispered, and felt her melt into me. The hug lasted a little longer than any of the others, and I was glad my family was visiting amongst themselves and giving us a moment.

“I missed you too Jord,” she whispered, and I kissed her forehead quickly before we rejoined everyone else to make our way back to Marc’s place.

“We each drove so we could get all of you guys,” Lindsay explained, leading the way toward the parking lot. I kept myself as close to Cam’s side as possible, hoping to drive back to my brother’s home with her. Maybe even have it be just the two of us so we could talk.

“Cam sweetheart, I’ll come with you and Jordan, if that’s all right,” my mom spoke up as we came to the two vehicles. I resisted the urge to groan, and from the look on Lindsay’s face she knew exactly what I was feeling. Marc had been my sounding board a lot before playoffs started, and I knew he couldn’t keep his mouth shut when it came to his wife. Undoubtedly Lindsay knew every minute detail that I’d told my brother.

“Sure, of course it is,” Cam wore a bright smile, and bumped her shoulder against my arm as she walked past me to open the trunk of Marc’s car to put our bags in. I felt my shoulders slump a little bit as I passed my bag to Cam, and she settled it in before looking over to me and giving me a small smile.

“Lighten up Jord – we’ve got all week,” she teased, and with a wink moved to get in the driver’s seat. I felt the grin grow on my own face then, and when I turned to get in the backseat found myself face to face with my mom.

“This trip’s about your brother all right? Just remember that,” she warned me, but the grin tugging at her lips and the way her eyes had lit up told me all I needed to know. Mom was happy that things were looking up for us, and as much as she wanted all of our attentions on Marc, she probably wouldn’t say a word about me and Cam hanging out or doing our own thing.

“Yeah, I know,” I rolled my eyes, and she shook her head, laughing quietly to herself as she got in the front seat. I sat down and put on my seatbelt, and soon Cam and my mom were chattering away catching up on everything.
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So here's an early little chapter for you guys! I felt like my week needed something more fun than midterms and studying so here it is! I hope you guys like it!