Sequel: Chances Risked ›
Chances Taken
Chapter Ten
Days had passed, it was Thanksgiving morning, we won our last night’s game against Buffalo with the final score being one to zero. As soon as the game was over, we hopped the plane and came back to Pittsburgh, mostly everyone had plans.
We flew into Pittsburgh around three in the morning and I managed to get home a half hour later. When I got home, everyone was asleep, there was a note on the kitchen counter from my mom saying that she was excited to see me and that my parents watched the game last night, they thought that Mike and I played well. I smiled and then looked around to see that mom had pots and pans everywhere, recipes for the food that she was going to be waking up to cook soon.
I walked over towards the fridge, opened it to see that the turkey that mom had bought was huge, ‘…This will totally feed twenty people…’ I thought and then smiled and heard someone coming down the stairs, “Hi, baby,” I smiled when Jazz appeared and I bent down to pet him when a light flicked on and I stood up thinking that I was going to see my mom, but was pleasantly surprised to see my best friend from Texas, Emma.
“Hey girl,” she said and I squealed as quietly as I could and then ran over towards her and hugged her.
“I’m so happy to see you!” I said as I hugged her tight.
She laughed and hugged me back, “I’m happy to see you too!”
“I told you she would be happy to see her,” I heard and then looked up the stairs to see my mom and dad there.
“Hi, sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” I said and mom smiled, waved me off and then started to walk down the stairs.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m happy to see my baby,” mom said as she and dad walked down the stairs and hugged me.
“I’m happy to see you too,” I smiled and hugged and kissed my parents, “Where’s Nick?”
“He stayed at Mike’s place,” dad said and I nodded my head.
“That explains why Stanley’s not here,” I said and mom and dad nodded their heads.
“Well, you’re probably exhausted,” dad said as he kissed my head, “Go get some sleep.”
“All right, what time are we going to start cooking?” I asked and mom shook her head.
“I’m going to get up in about an hour,” she said and then smiled, “We’re,” she motioned to Emma and my dad, “We are going to cook, you are going to sleep and rest.”
“You sure?” I asked and mom nodded her head.
“Yes, what time are we expecting everyone?”
“Probably around one, the game is at two,” I said and they nodded their heads, “All right, I’m going to bed.”
“All right, love you!” I said and then started to walk up the stairs, Emma behind me.
“Oh my god, Mags, I love your puppy!” Emma said and I laughed and turned my head to look at her.
“Where is my little fluff ball?”
“My room, I was snuggling with her,” Emma said as she opened the room that she was staying in and I laughed when I saw Bella standing on the bed looking at me.
“There’s my girl!” I said and Bella flew off of the bed and ran over towards me.
“Don’t you usually have a hockey bag with you?” Emma asked and I nodded my head.
“Yeah, but I leave that in the garage, that bag stinks,” I said and she nodded her head.
“Oh, I remember how bad you and your brother could get,” she laughed and I smiled and nodded my head. Emma followed me into my room and then looked around, “Looks like you’re doing really well, Mags.”
“I’d like to think I am,” I said and Emma walked over towards me and hugged me.
“I really miss you.”
“I miss you too, how are you doing?” I asked as I walked over towards my dresser and Emma sat on my bed.
“I’m fine, I’m trying to get a job, but it’s hard,” she said and I nodded my head, “You and Mike had a job waiting for you as soon as you were out of high school.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that-“
“No, you guys were amazing, if was a grantee that you would make it into the AHL, and look at you now! You’re in the NHL, Mags, that’s amazing!” she said and I smiled and changed into my red checkered pajama pants and then one of the Penguins t-shirts that I got from last season.
“What do you want to do?” I asked as I sat next to her on the bed.
“I want to take pictures!” she said and I laughed and nodded my head.
“I know that, but what? Do you want sports, news?” I asked and she sighed.
“I don’t know, I mean I tried to get a job with Cowboys, but they picked someone else,” she said and I sighed and nodded my head.
“Would you move if you could get a job?” I asked and she looked at me.
“Where?”
“Here,” I said and she looked at me wide eyed, “I can’t grantee that you’ll have a job with the Penguins, but I can try the Steelers or Pirates.”
“Really?” Emma asked and I smiled.
“I can ‘try’! I can’t make any promises,” I said and she nodded her head.
“A recommendation for Maggie Marshall herself! Hot damn, I’ll take it!” she said and I laughed and hugged her.
“You’re my girl, and I miss you so much, I’m so happy that you came, it was a really nice surprise,” I said and she nodded her head, “What’s the chance that you have portfolio?”
“Slim to none,” she said and I sighed.
“When are you here till?”
“Tuesday,” she answered and I nodded my head, “But I have my flash drive with me and can print some of my things out and put one together.”
“All right, that’s perfect, we’ll work on that Sunday,” I said and she nodded her head, “Are you gunna come to my games?”
“When?”
“Tomorrow and Saturday,” I said and she smiled.
“Can I?” she asked and I scoffed.
“No, I’m going to make you stay here!” I said and she laughed, “Of course dumbass! I’ll get you, Nick and my parents some good tickets and then you can meet up with me after the game.”
“Awesome!” she said and then hugged me, “You’re literally the best person ever!”
“I thought we established that a while ago,” I smiled and she rolled her eyes, “All right, I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.”
“Oh yeah, I’ll let you get some sleep,” Emma said as she stood up and smiled towards me, “I’m really happy to be here, I haven’t seen you in months!”
“I know, I’m really happy you’re here, I love the guys, but I was really starting to miss just us girl time,” I said and Emma giggled and nodded her head.
“Me too, night Mags.”
“Night Em,” I said and watched as she left my room and Jazz snuck in, “Hey buddy, let’s get some sleep,” I climbed into the bed and got myself comfortable and then patted the bed so that Jazz could jump up. He snuggled against me and then sighed, I giggled and looked at him, “Are you comfortable?” Jazz looked up towards me and then licked my face, I laughed, “I guess so.”
-Mike-
I walked through the door of my home after an away game against Buffalo, I was tired and hungry, but more tired so I was just going to go to bed. As I started to take my jacket off, I remembered that I forgot to pick Stanley up from Maggie’s house. I groaned and was about to throw my jacket back on when Stanley ran over towards me and jumped up.
“Stan?” I asked confused, ‘…Am I going crazy? Did I pick him up and then forget?...’ I thought and then rubbed his head and he jumped down. I heard someone yell and instantly stiffened, ‘…Who’s here?...’ I grabbed my hockey stick and pushed Stanley back as I walked through the halls, as I got closer to my living room, I heard gun fire from a video game and cursing being muttered. I sighed and instantly relaxed knowing who it was, “What the hell are you doing here?!” I asked, seeing my little brother on my couch playing Call of Duty and scaring the crap out of him.
“Mike?! Sorry, didn’t know you’d be home today,” he said and I looked at him to see that he looks like he’s been up for a long time.
“What are you talking about? It’s like four in the morning, I told mom and dad that Mags and I would be- Wait, how long have you been at my house?” I asked as I saw all the junk food in front of him.
“Um, what’s today?” he asked and I groaned and then walked over towards the TV and turned it off, “HEY!”
“Go take a shower and go to bed, Nicky, I’m tired and we need to be at Mags’ at noonish,” I said and Nick sighed and then stood up, I helped him clean up the area, “Did you eat all my food?”
“No, I stole this from Mags’ secret junkie food stash,” Nick said and I smirked.
“She still keep it in a plastic bin behind the cleaning supplies?” I asked and Nick laughed and nodded his head, “Oh, she’s gunna be pissed at you.”
“Me? Her baby bro? Naw!” he said and I laughed and hugged my little brother.
“It’s good to see you man,” I said and Nick smiled and nodded his head, hugging me back.
“It’s good to see you too, Texas misses you and Mags,” he said and I laughed.
“Well baby bro, I’m beat, so I’m goin’ to bed.”
“Yeah, I’ll be up soon.”
“Don’t play video game!” I yelled because I knew that that’s exactly what my brother was about to do.
We flew into Pittsburgh around three in the morning and I managed to get home a half hour later. When I got home, everyone was asleep, there was a note on the kitchen counter from my mom saying that she was excited to see me and that my parents watched the game last night, they thought that Mike and I played well. I smiled and then looked around to see that mom had pots and pans everywhere, recipes for the food that she was going to be waking up to cook soon.
I walked over towards the fridge, opened it to see that the turkey that mom had bought was huge, ‘…This will totally feed twenty people…’ I thought and then smiled and heard someone coming down the stairs, “Hi, baby,” I smiled when Jazz appeared and I bent down to pet him when a light flicked on and I stood up thinking that I was going to see my mom, but was pleasantly surprised to see my best friend from Texas, Emma.
“Hey girl,” she said and I squealed as quietly as I could and then ran over towards her and hugged her.
“I’m so happy to see you!” I said as I hugged her tight.
She laughed and hugged me back, “I’m happy to see you too!”
“I told you she would be happy to see her,” I heard and then looked up the stairs to see my mom and dad there.
“Hi, sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” I said and mom smiled, waved me off and then started to walk down the stairs.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m happy to see my baby,” mom said as she and dad walked down the stairs and hugged me.
“I’m happy to see you too,” I smiled and hugged and kissed my parents, “Where’s Nick?”
“He stayed at Mike’s place,” dad said and I nodded my head.
“That explains why Stanley’s not here,” I said and mom and dad nodded their heads.
“Well, you’re probably exhausted,” dad said as he kissed my head, “Go get some sleep.”
“All right, what time are we going to start cooking?” I asked and mom shook her head.
“I’m going to get up in about an hour,” she said and then smiled, “We’re,” she motioned to Emma and my dad, “We are going to cook, you are going to sleep and rest.”
“You sure?” I asked and mom nodded her head.
“Yes, what time are we expecting everyone?”
“Probably around one, the game is at two,” I said and they nodded their heads, “All right, I’m going to bed.”
“All right, love you!” I said and then started to walk up the stairs, Emma behind me.
“Oh my god, Mags, I love your puppy!” Emma said and I laughed and turned my head to look at her.
“Where is my little fluff ball?”
“My room, I was snuggling with her,” Emma said as she opened the room that she was staying in and I laughed when I saw Bella standing on the bed looking at me.
“There’s my girl!” I said and Bella flew off of the bed and ran over towards me.
“Don’t you usually have a hockey bag with you?” Emma asked and I nodded my head.
“Yeah, but I leave that in the garage, that bag stinks,” I said and she nodded her head.
“Oh, I remember how bad you and your brother could get,” she laughed and I smiled and nodded my head. Emma followed me into my room and then looked around, “Looks like you’re doing really well, Mags.”
“I’d like to think I am,” I said and Emma walked over towards me and hugged me.
“I really miss you.”
“I miss you too, how are you doing?” I asked as I walked over towards my dresser and Emma sat on my bed.
“I’m fine, I’m trying to get a job, but it’s hard,” she said and I nodded my head, “You and Mike had a job waiting for you as soon as you were out of high school.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that-“
“No, you guys were amazing, if was a grantee that you would make it into the AHL, and look at you now! You’re in the NHL, Mags, that’s amazing!” she said and I smiled and changed into my red checkered pajama pants and then one of the Penguins t-shirts that I got from last season.
“What do you want to do?” I asked as I sat next to her on the bed.
“I want to take pictures!” she said and I laughed and nodded my head.
“I know that, but what? Do you want sports, news?” I asked and she sighed.
“I don’t know, I mean I tried to get a job with Cowboys, but they picked someone else,” she said and I sighed and nodded my head.
“Would you move if you could get a job?” I asked and she looked at me.
“Where?”
“Here,” I said and she looked at me wide eyed, “I can’t grantee that you’ll have a job with the Penguins, but I can try the Steelers or Pirates.”
“Really?” Emma asked and I smiled.
“I can ‘try’! I can’t make any promises,” I said and she nodded her head.
“A recommendation for Maggie Marshall herself! Hot damn, I’ll take it!” she said and I laughed and hugged her.
“You’re my girl, and I miss you so much, I’m so happy that you came, it was a really nice surprise,” I said and she nodded her head, “What’s the chance that you have portfolio?”
“Slim to none,” she said and I sighed.
“When are you here till?”
“Tuesday,” she answered and I nodded my head, “But I have my flash drive with me and can print some of my things out and put one together.”
“All right, that’s perfect, we’ll work on that Sunday,” I said and she nodded her head, “Are you gunna come to my games?”
“When?”
“Tomorrow and Saturday,” I said and she smiled.
“Can I?” she asked and I scoffed.
“No, I’m going to make you stay here!” I said and she laughed, “Of course dumbass! I’ll get you, Nick and my parents some good tickets and then you can meet up with me after the game.”
“Awesome!” she said and then hugged me, “You’re literally the best person ever!”
“I thought we established that a while ago,” I smiled and she rolled her eyes, “All right, I don’t know about you, but I’m beat.”
“Oh yeah, I’ll let you get some sleep,” Emma said as she stood up and smiled towards me, “I’m really happy to be here, I haven’t seen you in months!”
“I know, I’m really happy you’re here, I love the guys, but I was really starting to miss just us girl time,” I said and Emma giggled and nodded her head.
“Me too, night Mags.”
“Night Em,” I said and watched as she left my room and Jazz snuck in, “Hey buddy, let’s get some sleep,” I climbed into the bed and got myself comfortable and then patted the bed so that Jazz could jump up. He snuggled against me and then sighed, I giggled and looked at him, “Are you comfortable?” Jazz looked up towards me and then licked my face, I laughed, “I guess so.”
-Mike-
I walked through the door of my home after an away game against Buffalo, I was tired and hungry, but more tired so I was just going to go to bed. As I started to take my jacket off, I remembered that I forgot to pick Stanley up from Maggie’s house. I groaned and was about to throw my jacket back on when Stanley ran over towards me and jumped up.
“Stan?” I asked confused, ‘…Am I going crazy? Did I pick him up and then forget?...’ I thought and then rubbed his head and he jumped down. I heard someone yell and instantly stiffened, ‘…Who’s here?...’ I grabbed my hockey stick and pushed Stanley back as I walked through the halls, as I got closer to my living room, I heard gun fire from a video game and cursing being muttered. I sighed and instantly relaxed knowing who it was, “What the hell are you doing here?!” I asked, seeing my little brother on my couch playing Call of Duty and scaring the crap out of him.
“Mike?! Sorry, didn’t know you’d be home today,” he said and I looked at him to see that he looks like he’s been up for a long time.
“What are you talking about? It’s like four in the morning, I told mom and dad that Mags and I would be- Wait, how long have you been at my house?” I asked as I saw all the junk food in front of him.
“Um, what’s today?” he asked and I groaned and then walked over towards the TV and turned it off, “HEY!”
“Go take a shower and go to bed, Nicky, I’m tired and we need to be at Mags’ at noonish,” I said and Nick sighed and then stood up, I helped him clean up the area, “Did you eat all my food?”
“No, I stole this from Mags’ secret junkie food stash,” Nick said and I smirked.
“She still keep it in a plastic bin behind the cleaning supplies?” I asked and Nick laughed and nodded his head, “Oh, she’s gunna be pissed at you.”
“Me? Her baby bro? Naw!” he said and I laughed and hugged my little brother.
“It’s good to see you man,” I said and Nick smiled and nodded his head, hugging me back.
“It’s good to see you too, Texas misses you and Mags,” he said and I laughed.
“Well baby bro, I’m beat, so I’m goin’ to bed.”
“Yeah, I’ll be up soon.”
“Don’t play video game!” I yelled because I knew that that’s exactly what my brother was about to do.