And So I Know

Brie Nichols breathed deeply, letting it out slowly before climbing the stairs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As an event coordinator in the office of special events, it was her responsibility to ensure that events planned at the museum went off without a hitch. Some events were simple, lectures in the auditorium or a luncheon in the Rose room. Others were more elaborate, like the wedding reception she was currently in the midst of planning that would be held on the roof garden, an open air space with breathtaking views of the city skyline.

Brie set her things down in her office, small and cramped but completely hers. She slipped her heels off under her desk and immediately checked her voicemail, the red, blinking light signaling at her as soon as she had walked in.

Not surprisingly, the message was from Kate, her bride to be. As usual, she had a worry about the upcoming day. Kate was easy to deal with and had a clear vision for what she wanted. She was an event coordinators dream. Open to suggestions, polite and not pushy. Except Kate worried. A lot. And usually about things that no one else would worry about.

Like what if the cake fell over and should they have a backup cake, just in case.

Before Brie could call her back, reception buzzed her desk, letting her know Kate was there. So she rode back down the elevator, stepping off the lobby to find the blonde fidgeting nervously as two friends tried to calm her.

"Is that her?" Felicia nudged Kate who spun in the direction of the elevator. When she looked up and saw Brie, she hurried towards her, anxiously asking her about her message about the cake.

"I will assume that means yes," Lennon giggled.

"She's pretty," Felicia mused aloud. She took stock of the girl, appraising her. She was dressed smartly for her job, chic but without the designer labels. She seemed to be around Lennon's height, 5'6 or 7, give or take. As they followed Kate and got closer, she could see that she wore little makeup; her friendly smile all she needed.

Brie looked over at Kate's friends as they approached, both with apologetic smiles.

"I told her worrying about a cake falling over was silly," the shorter of the two said. "Cakes don't just fall over. Right?"

Brie turned to Kate with a reassuring smile. "Cakes do not just fall over. If they fall over, it is someone's fault and you can legally murder them."

The taller brunette laughed. "I have twenty bucks now that says if anyone topples the cake, it's Kreider."

"He is sort of a goof," Kate admitted with a soft smile. "Brie, these are two of my best friends here, Felicia and Lennon. Their boyfriends are teammates with Brian."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Brie said as she shook each of their hands. "Do you want to show them the space?"

"Can we?" Kate asked. "If it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble at all. Come on."

She led the three to the elevators, the three women talking the whole way. Lennon asked questions about the museum that Brie was happy to answer and when asked by Felicia, told them a little about herself. When they walked out onto the roof, Brie smiled to herself at their reactions. Everyone always did the same the first time they stepped out: a slow turn of a circle to take it all in. Brie launched into describing it all for them after a pause and she could see their minds turning, picturing it exactly as she described. She saw the happy smile on Kate's face as they made their way back inside and to the events offices.

"So," Brie began. "Are we still worried about a cake falling over?"

"It was silly, wasn't it?" Kate answered.

"You're marrying a hockey player," Felicia spoke up. "Anything can happen at a wedding, trust me." A dreamy smile crossed her features and Brie was certain there was a story there but didn't dare ask.

"They do tend to behave themselves at formal events though," Lennon added. "They all think they look so debonair in their suits and bow ties."

"Did you really convince Dan to wear a bow tie when you get married this summer?" Kate asked.

She nodded. "I did. And he's going to look so hot." The threesome giggled before Felicia turned to Brie.

"Sorry; we forget sometimes that not everybody knows these guys like we do."

"Or at all," Kate said. "Brie has never been to a Rangers game. She had no idea who Brian was when we came in."

"That is true," Brie replied. "But as soon as word got out, one of the curators in the modern art exhibit stopped by with some paperwork for me that was just blank pieces of paper. Apparently he's a huge Rangers fan."

"You haven't brought her to a game?" Felicia asked Kate who shook her head. "Brie, I insist you come with us to tomorrow nights game. You can sit with the three of us." Lennon and Kate shared a look behind Brie's back at Felicia's insistence.

"Oh no, I couldn't. Besides, I don't even know anything about it."

"That is not a problem," Lennon replied conspiratorially. "Fe played all her life, up until a few months ago. And she grew up with the Staal's. She can teach you everything. And I can fill in the rest. It'll be so much fun."

"Please come, Brie. You will have a great time, I promise,” Kate added.

That was how Brie found herself climbing the stairs at MSG the next night to the seat printed on her ticket, looking for the three women. She was slightly ashamed to admit she had googled Brian's name after they left before checking out the team roster on the Rangers website. She remembered Lennon mentioning her fiancé being Dan and quickly narrowed down of the two Dan's on the team that it was Dan Carcillo she was engaged to.

Seeing a picture of both Lennon and Felicia with their first and last names made Brie recall Lennon mentioning that Felicia used to play. She typed Felicia Todd into the search engine and sat back in surprise at the number of results her name returned. She read about her career, her recent shoulder injury, how it kept her from the Olympics, and her retirement a few weeks earlier.

So as she climbed the stairs to find the three women, she was more than a little intimidated. Lennon had had a successful career in Chicago and was now making a name for herself as the marketing and PR manager for a local non profit. Felicia was an accomplished hockey player, and had retired only after finding out she was pregnant.

And because once she got clicking she found she couldn't stop, she read all sorts of crazy gossip about each girl. Like Felicia's rumored baby daddy. When she spotted the threesome, she waved. Both Lennon and Felicia wore Rangers jerseys and Kate had on a simple grey v-neck with jeans and flats. She hadn’t been sure what to expect the girls to be dressed like, only what the internet promised. She was glad to find the three looked like normal, down to earth hockey fans, and not the glamorous other halves of three of the New York Rangers.

As promised, Felicia explained the game to her, patient and willing to answer any questions. And when her explanations got too technical, Lennon stepped in to explain it in a much simpler way. Kate made sure to point out Brian the first shift he skated.

“That’s Dan, number thirteen,” Lennon added. “He skates on the fourth line with Brian and Dominic Moore.”

“How did you two get into hockey?” Brie asked.

“I wasn’t until I met Brian,” Kate admitted. “I thought they were all toothless goons but Brian made me reconsider every preconceived notion I had when we met three years ago.”

“I got into hockey after we got a team in Nashville," Lennon answered. "My father is a lawyer and his firm did some work for the owner of the team. We had free tickets once and I was hooked. When I moved to Chicago, I met Pat and we got to be really good friends and I came to love the Blackhawks. That’s where I first met Dan.”

“I just grew up right smack in the middle of it,” Felicia smiled. “The Staal’s were our neighbors and our families were close. Marc and I are the same age, Eric is two years older, and Jordan is a year younger. It was just natural to do what they did.”

“There’s three of them and they all play, right?” Brie asked.

“There’s four of them actually, but Jared doesn’t play in the NHL,” Felicia explained. “Jay plays for the farm team of the Hurricanes in the AHL, which is a step down. Jordy and E are teammates for the Canes, and Marc is a Ranger.” She pointed him out as play was whistled off.

“And you grew up with the four of them?”

“Yep. Jordy is my best friend; we’ve been close forever. Eric is my big brother, whether I wanted him to be or not. Marc and I hated each other, and Jared was just the baby brother. Jordan and I usually included him in whatever trouble we got into but he never got into trouble like we did.”

“Marc was one of the first players I met after Brian and I started dating,” Kate said. “He was really nice to me.”

“I met Kate at my first game I came to after Dan got traded here,” Lennon added. “Him and Brian were linemates so it only made sense that Kate and I would become friends. We watch the away games together. When Fe got here, she liked us best so now we’re the three musketeers.”

“They’re the only two not intimidated by the fact that I know as much or more as their boyfriends," Felicia laughed. "And that I have no shame in telling any of those guys what I think they did wrong."

At the end of the game, the three women led Brie down to the family lounge with them. She tried to beg off at the end of the game but the three insisted and dragged her with them. Slowly, the players began to trickle in and one by one the room began to clear out.

Brian and Dan came in together and approached the girls. Lennon introduced Dan to Brie and the group chatted until Derick walked in.

"Brassy!" Felicia exclaimed. He smiled when he saw her and he crossed the room to hug her. "Check you out with that goal in the third to tie the game."

"Merci, Fefe." He smiled at the other women before his eyes landed on Brie. He had never seen her around before and he took a second to check her out before Felicia nudged his side.

"Brie, this is Derick. Derick, this is Brie. She's planning Kate and Brian's wedding reception."

"It's nice to meet you," he offered, shaking her hand.

"And you as well," she returned politely.

He was incredibly good looking, warm brown eyes that smiled with him, short brown hair damp from a recent shower. His suit was impeccably tailored and cut to fit him to perfection. He spoke with his teammates, reliving his goal when it clicked.

Brassard was the name on the back of Felicia's jersey and she had called Derick Brassy, his teammates called him Brass. He must be the same person she had read about online. He must be the father of Felicia's baby.

The others began to gather their things to head out and Kate invited Brie along with them. She hesitated, not sure if she should or not. When she took the job and moved to the city, it was a leap of faith. She had moved from a tiny town in Nebraska with no friends and no connections in the city but her job. She missed having a group of girlfriends to talk to and hang out with and being around Kate, Felicia, and Lennon had made her realize that. She was not supposed to interact with clients outside of the professional setting as their event coordinator but the threesome had been very persuasive in getting her to come to the game. She didn't want to push her luck but she was enjoying the company of girlfriends.

“Are you coming, Fe?” Lennon asked.

“No, not tonight.”

“Boring! You’re such a homebody.”

“I’m pregnant,” Felicia protested.

“You went out a week ago.”

“And look where that got me,” she replied pointedly.

“Come on, Fe. Let’s get you home,” Derick said, offering his arm to her.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Len. Brie, I hope you had fun. You’re welcome anytime to sit with us,” Felicia smiled.

“Thank you,” Brie answered. “I might take you girls up on that.”

Derick led Felicia out of the room and down the hall to find Marc. “What did you think of Brie?” Felicia asked.

“She seemed nice,” Derick shrugged.

“You thought she was pretty. I saw you checking her out.”

“She wasn’t bad looking.”

“Who wasn’t bad looking?” Marc asked, stepping out of the locker room. He gathered Felicia to him and kissed her.

“Brie,” Felicia answered.

“Who is Brie?”

“The event coordinator for Kate and Brian’s wedding. We met her yesterday when Kate freaked out about the cake.”

"Who freaks out about a wedding cake?"

"Girls who marry hockey players that become five year olds whenever they're around one another."

“Makes sense," Marc nodded. "So is she hot?”

“Derick?” Felicia smiled.

Derick blushed. “Yeah, she was pretty hot.” Felicia squealed. “Whatever you are thinking, don’t,” Derick told her as they walked out of the building.

“Why not? She has a job, she’s smart, she's completley down to earth, and she didn't even care about you guys being Rangers. She’s perfect.”

“If Brass doesn’t want you to set him up, then don’t set him up,” Marc said.

“Brassy doesn’t know what’s good for him,” Felicia retorted.

Marc laughed loudly. “And you do, Flea? Really?”

“Yes, really,” she replied haughtily. “I am a woman, he’s a man, and we always know best for you.”

“Well I really can’t argue with that logic....mostly because if I do, you might not have sex with me for a week,” Marc winked.

Derick gagged. “Trop d'informations. Manière à beaucoup.”

“TMI, Brassy?” Felicia asked.

“TMI, Fefe.”

“Marc, TMI,” Felicia admonished. “What is wrong with you?”

“Probably a lot of things,” Marc grinned. “And I’m sure you can name them all.”

She grinned and kissed his cheek before turning back to Derick. “Can I please set you up with Brie, Derick? Pretty, pretty please?”

Derick sighed. “Since I know you won’t give up, fine, you can set me up.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“This is going to be fantastic!”