Sequel: Take My Love ›
We Don't Have Forever
A Serious Talk
When I woke up the next morning, nobody was home. Kylee wasn’t there, which was strange, as she usually stayed the night especially with Jon coming home. I didn’t expect Jon to be there, with practice and everything. I shrugged it off and threw on something to wear while I headed down the street to Starbucks. It was kind of warm out for March. I headed into the shop, enjoying that it was hot inside. Just because it’s nice out, doesn’t mean it’s not cold. It’s Chicago, they don’t call it the windy city for nothing. I stood in line, scrolling through twitter on my phone as I waited to order, then I waited for my coffee and my muffin.
I felt like someone was staring at me, making me look up and glance around for a moment but not seeing anyone I knew. I shrugged a little bit, pulling up my texts and sending a message to Kylee, asking if she was coming over once practice was over. I had planned on talking to Jon today and I knew she said she would be there. I sent it and then pushed my phone into my back pocket. I finally got my coffin and muffin, thanking the barista and heading back out onto the street and back to the apartment.
I sat on the couch and watched the highlights from Sidney’s game last night. As soon as that finished, I started flipping through the channels again. As I was about to give up and just grab my laptop, the front door open. I looked over to see Jon walking in, looking a little bit tired. We both exchanged looks before I turned back to the TV, tossing the remote on the other couch, giving up on finding anything good.
“Hey, can we talk?” I asked, turning and seeing him grabbing water from the fridge.
“What’s up?” he asked, taking a drink and standing in the kitchen. I rolled my eyes slightly at him, just standing there like an idiot.
“I mean a serious talk, Jonny.” I said, his eyes widening a little bit. He glanced at his phone and sighed a bit before nodding and coming into the living room, sitting on the other couch, sitting forward and looking at me.
“Okay…let’s talk then…” He said, gesturing for me to start. I cleared my throat and nodded, rubbing my hands together.
“I just…want to…apologize. For how nasty I’ve been…but you gotta understand, what you said wasn’t exactly nice. I know I’m not over the accident and neither are you but we need to move on from it, together. We’re the only people who can help each other with it because we’re the only ones who know what happened. You’re my big brother, I don’t want to hate you….I know that….you were just trying to do what you thought was the right thing…trying to get me home. But mistakes were made and we can’t take them back.” I said, looking up at him. His posture was mimicking mine and if this weren’t so serious, I would point it out. You sure we aren’t twins, mom?
“Kathryn…” He started, groaning a little bit and rubbing his face. “I felt like such shit for what happened. I went to the rink every day, trying to be the best Captain I could and trying to maybe find some peace on the ice. But it just followed me, everywhere. No matter what I did, I had to hear about how badly you were hurt. I felt like such a failure as a brother. I’m supposed to protect you and for 18 years, I had done that for you, I mean….you know Dad wasn’t around too much because of work and our hockey. I’ve been doing my best to help mom and be a great older brother and be a positive male figure in your life. I felt like I destroyed everything that night. When they handcuffed me and dragged me away as they put you in that ambulance, I felt like everything just went to shit. I still feel like shit for ruining your hockey career and making you sacrifice the Olympics.” He stopped, taking a deep breath and turning away for a moment, sniffling quietly. I sighed and stood up, going over and pulling him up to his feet so I could give him a proper hug.
“I forgive you, Jonny.” I said, rubbing his back while he pulled me into the tightest embrace he could muster, which is pretty squished considering his strength.
“I’m so sorry, Kathryn, for everything.” He said, whimpering slightly. Ohhhh no, stop it! It hurt to hear him just as broken up about this as I was. I had come to terms with it while I was in the hospital, being alone with my thoughts finally.
“It’s okay, I forgive you.” I said again, letting him be emotional for once. We just hugged for a bit before he finally let go, wiping his eyes a little. “Can we be siblings again without wanting to murder each other every day?” He chuckled, smiling a little bit at it.
“I think we can handle that.” He said, laughing again and wrapping an arm around my shoulders and messing with my hair.
“Jerk!” I squealed, pushing him away from me and shooting him a look while he just stood there and cracked up. “You ruined a nice sibling moment!”
“Oh please, I was just breaking up the emotional tension. You’re welcome.” He said smugly, making me shake my head. There’s my older brother.
“What time is your game?” I asked, making him check his watch.
“I should probably take my nap…you gonna be ready to go when I get up?” He asked, making me roll my eyes at him.
“Yeeeees, Captain Loser.” I teased, making him roll his eyes back at me. “I’m stealing a hoodie, by the way.” I walked down the hall to his room and went into his closet, snagging one for the game tonight.
“Sure! Whatever you want, little sister of mine!” He replied sarcastically, waiting for me to leave before kicking my butt, literally, and shutting the door. I stuck my tongue out at the door and pulled up my phone, seeing Kylee still hadn’t replied to my text, which was strange. I started a new message for her.
‘Guess we’ll see you at the arena. Jon’s down for his nap now. See ya tonight!’ I hit send and decided to work on some homework before the game. I was glad Jon and I finally squashed this, even though it would have been nice to have Kylee there. She’s become a part of both of our lives now, it would have been cool for her to see us make up. I wonder what she’s been up to today…
I felt like someone was staring at me, making me look up and glance around for a moment but not seeing anyone I knew. I shrugged a little bit, pulling up my texts and sending a message to Kylee, asking if she was coming over once practice was over. I had planned on talking to Jon today and I knew she said she would be there. I sent it and then pushed my phone into my back pocket. I finally got my coffin and muffin, thanking the barista and heading back out onto the street and back to the apartment.
I sat on the couch and watched the highlights from Sidney’s game last night. As soon as that finished, I started flipping through the channels again. As I was about to give up and just grab my laptop, the front door open. I looked over to see Jon walking in, looking a little bit tired. We both exchanged looks before I turned back to the TV, tossing the remote on the other couch, giving up on finding anything good.
“Hey, can we talk?” I asked, turning and seeing him grabbing water from the fridge.
“What’s up?” he asked, taking a drink and standing in the kitchen. I rolled my eyes slightly at him, just standing there like an idiot.
“I mean a serious talk, Jonny.” I said, his eyes widening a little bit. He glanced at his phone and sighed a bit before nodding and coming into the living room, sitting on the other couch, sitting forward and looking at me.
“Okay…let’s talk then…” He said, gesturing for me to start. I cleared my throat and nodded, rubbing my hands together.
“I just…want to…apologize. For how nasty I’ve been…but you gotta understand, what you said wasn’t exactly nice. I know I’m not over the accident and neither are you but we need to move on from it, together. We’re the only people who can help each other with it because we’re the only ones who know what happened. You’re my big brother, I don’t want to hate you….I know that….you were just trying to do what you thought was the right thing…trying to get me home. But mistakes were made and we can’t take them back.” I said, looking up at him. His posture was mimicking mine and if this weren’t so serious, I would point it out. You sure we aren’t twins, mom?
“Kathryn…” He started, groaning a little bit and rubbing his face. “I felt like such shit for what happened. I went to the rink every day, trying to be the best Captain I could and trying to maybe find some peace on the ice. But it just followed me, everywhere. No matter what I did, I had to hear about how badly you were hurt. I felt like such a failure as a brother. I’m supposed to protect you and for 18 years, I had done that for you, I mean….you know Dad wasn’t around too much because of work and our hockey. I’ve been doing my best to help mom and be a great older brother and be a positive male figure in your life. I felt like I destroyed everything that night. When they handcuffed me and dragged me away as they put you in that ambulance, I felt like everything just went to shit. I still feel like shit for ruining your hockey career and making you sacrifice the Olympics.” He stopped, taking a deep breath and turning away for a moment, sniffling quietly. I sighed and stood up, going over and pulling him up to his feet so I could give him a proper hug.
“I forgive you, Jonny.” I said, rubbing his back while he pulled me into the tightest embrace he could muster, which is pretty squished considering his strength.
“I’m so sorry, Kathryn, for everything.” He said, whimpering slightly. Ohhhh no, stop it! It hurt to hear him just as broken up about this as I was. I had come to terms with it while I was in the hospital, being alone with my thoughts finally.
“It’s okay, I forgive you.” I said again, letting him be emotional for once. We just hugged for a bit before he finally let go, wiping his eyes a little. “Can we be siblings again without wanting to murder each other every day?” He chuckled, smiling a little bit at it.
“I think we can handle that.” He said, laughing again and wrapping an arm around my shoulders and messing with my hair.
“Jerk!” I squealed, pushing him away from me and shooting him a look while he just stood there and cracked up. “You ruined a nice sibling moment!”
“Oh please, I was just breaking up the emotional tension. You’re welcome.” He said smugly, making me shake my head. There’s my older brother.
“What time is your game?” I asked, making him check his watch.
“I should probably take my nap…you gonna be ready to go when I get up?” He asked, making me roll my eyes at him.
“Yeeeees, Captain Loser.” I teased, making him roll his eyes back at me. “I’m stealing a hoodie, by the way.” I walked down the hall to his room and went into his closet, snagging one for the game tonight.
“Sure! Whatever you want, little sister of mine!” He replied sarcastically, waiting for me to leave before kicking my butt, literally, and shutting the door. I stuck my tongue out at the door and pulled up my phone, seeing Kylee still hadn’t replied to my text, which was strange. I started a new message for her.
‘Guess we’ll see you at the arena. Jon’s down for his nap now. See ya tonight!’ I hit send and decided to work on some homework before the game. I was glad Jon and I finally squashed this, even though it would have been nice to have Kylee there. She’s become a part of both of our lives now, it would have been cool for her to see us make up. I wonder what she’s been up to today…