Goose's Big Adventure

Niklas was shaking as he entered the room of his younger sister, scared of what he would find there. Guilt was still swirling around in his stomach, but he pushed it down and opened the door. Natalie was lying on the bed, two IVs in her arm. She had bruises all over her face, her leg was in a cast, and some of her ribs were bruised but other than that, she had no other internal injuries. Upon hearing the door open, she looked up and smiled.

“Hi, Nicky,” she said, reaching her hand out to him. Niklas wiped the tears from his face and gently took it, kneeling next to her bed.

“Hej, Natie. How are you feeling,” he asked, raising his eyebrows. Natalie blushed and bit down hard on her lip, feelings of guilt and sadness running through her veins.

“I…I…um, I’m okay physically. Just a couple of bruised ribs and a broken leg, but no internal injuries,” she started, causing Niklas to breathe a sigh of relief. “However,” she continued, “I’m messed up emotionally. I hate myself for the way I treated you. You know that I have no problem with you being gay or dating Hank, Nicky, I was just mad you couldn’t trust me with that information. I understand why you were scared, but you should’ve known well enough that I wasn’t going to judge you for it. I love you no matter what. You’re still my Nicky, my brother, my best friend. I don’t want anyone else but you.” She stopped talking to get her breath back and to hear Niklas’ reaction. Tears were spilling down her cheeks but she didn’t bother wiping them away. Niklas couldn’t blame her for crying considering the pain she was in, but he gently wiped them away anyway.

“Sis, I forgive you. I forgive you from the moment you stormed out of room. I was mad and said things I should not have said. I hurt you in a way I shouldn’t have, and now you’re in the hospital. That hurts me more than anything you said to me. I caused that accident, Natie, and I’m sorry. No, I wasn’t the driver that ran into you, but I made you mad enough that you could focus on the road. And I hate myself for that. You mean more to me than anyone in the world, Natalie, and I will give up everything for you. I love you, sis,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. Natalie couldn’t control her tears at this point and, her ribs be damned, she buried her face into his shirt. She felt like the whole world was crashing down on her and she couldn’t do anything about it. Feeling her shake, Niklas became worried and crawled into bed with her, gently holding her to his chest.

“Natie! What’s wrong,” he asked her, trying to keep the worry from his voice. Natalie swallowed hard and glanced up at him, lips trembling.

“I…it just feels like the whole world is crashing down on me and I can’t do anything to stop it,” she hissed, trying so hard to keep the shakiness from her voice. Niklas felt sick to his stomach when he heard that and moved his hand to stroke her hair. He knew what it felt like to have the world crashing down and feeling helpless to stop it. He felt Natalie shift against him and looked down. She was fast asleep on his chest, her hand gripping her shirt as if it were her life line. Niklas sighed and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“We’ll get through this, I know we will,” he whispered.

A few weeks later, Niklas got a phone call that changed his life. He was giving Natalie her dinner (her leg was still hurting her) when the phone rang. Giving her an apologetic look, he raced into the kitchen to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hello, this is the Kronwall residence? This is Anna Mitchell, calling from the adoption agency in Detroit,” a voice on the other end answer. Niklas straightened his back and frowned, wondering why in the world they would be calling him.

“Yes, this is the place. You’re speaking to Niklas. How can I help you, ma’am,” he replied, using his manners the way his momma had taught him. He heard some paper shuffling in the background and some sighing noises.

“Sir, does the name Katrina Wright mean anything to you,” Anna asked. Niklas sucked in his breath at the mention of his ex’s name. What did she want with him?

“Yes, ma’am, she was my ex-girlfriend. What does she need?”

“It’s not what she needs, sir, it’s what her-your-son needs,” came the answer. Niklas nearly choked on his water. He had a son and he didn’t know about this? Why had Katrina never told him?

“My son? What does he need,” he asked, worried now. Anna sighed and readjusted her phone so that it was pressed more firmly against her ear.

“Your son came to us about a week ago by Katrina’s boyfriend Jaden. He told us that Katrina had been killed in a car accident and that he couldn’t take care of him on his own. He said that Katrina’s last request was to make sure he got given to his real father, which is you. He said Katrina had been trying to contact you for a while but she could never get ahold of you. And for some reason he didn’t explain, he wanted us to wait a week to tell you.” Niklas’s head was spinning from fear, excitement and sadness. Even though he had lost touch with Katrina, it still hurt to know that she was no longer here. No child should have to grow up without a mother, but it looks like his son would have too.

“Ma’am…what is my son’s name? and how old is he,” he asked quietly.

“Your son’s name is Douglass and he’s four months old, sir. What time would you like to come and get him,” she asked. Niklas bit down on his lip.

“Would 5 work? Just so I can have some time to get his room ready,” he asked. Anna smiled, even though he couldn’t see her.

“Yes sir, five will work! See you then,” she said cheerfully as she hung up. Niklas stood still for a minute and the shook himself and stood up to get ready for his son.