Flightless Birds

"Hanna! Oh my god! Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! Call me."

Hanna shook her head listening to Maggie's voicemail and then reading the ten text messages that waited for her as well. She knew she needed to call her back but first she had to get off the plane. She grabbed her backpack and her carry on and made her way through the airport. When her phone buzzed in her hand, she looked down, smiling at the message before pushing outside.

"Hanna!"

She turned at the voice and quickly made her way towards it. "Hey! Thank you so much for letting me take you up on that offer to crash on your couch."

Brandon grinned. "It's my pleasure." He grabbed for the bag she was rolling behind her and placed it in the trunk of his car while she swung her backpack off and set it beside her bag. "You ready?" He asked.

"Yep. Do you mind if I call Maggie though? She called while I was in the air and left me nearly a dozen texts."

"Is she okay? Paul has been all smiles since she got here and she looks really happy every time I've seen her."

"She's fine, just freaking out a little. Paul's parents were coming next week but they decided to come early so they can meet Maggie and she's nervous. She wants it to be perfect."

"When do they get here?"

"Tomorrow."

"She knows you're here though, right?"

"Not yet. I only told you. I wanted to wait until after my interview."

"Which is when?"

"Nine tomorrow morning."

"It's almost six so why don't we stop and grab something to eat and then head to my place so you can unpack and do whatever you need to so you can get a good night's rest."

"You don't mind?"

"Of course not. I'll call in an order to Primanti's."

"And I'll call Maggie," she smiled. "Thanks again, Brandon."

"You don't have to thank me. I just want you to get the job. For selfish reasons, of course," he winked.

Maggie blushed as Brandon's comment. "I hope I get this job. It's exactly what I want to do."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a lawyer accountant. I went to school for my CPA because numbers have always fascinated me. My dad is a lawyer and I wanted to follow in his steps too so I went to law school after. I've been working at his firm in Nashville. I know he doesn't treat me differently than any other employee but it would be nice to really make it on my own."

"I get that; it can be hard living up to the family name."

"Yeah, you would know about that."

"Pressure like that is both a blessing and a curse."

"Exactly! You know, I'm glad I met you. And not just because it's a free place to stay for a couple days."

"Were you able to get on the same flight out as Maggie?"

"Mmhmm."

"Good. I'm glad I could convince you to stay for the game on Wednesday."

"I'm really looking forward to it." Hanna's phone vibrated in her hand and then started to ring. "It's Maggie; I better answer before she loses her mind." Brandon nodded and Hanna lifted the phone to her ear. "Hey, Mags. What's going on?"

"Where were you? I called you ages ago! And I texted!"

"I was in a client meeting. And I know you're just freaking out about meeting Paul's parents. You need to breathe."

"That's what Paul said too."

"Because he's smart. Also a damn saint if he's been putting up with you freaking out."

"He's got a couple tricks to calm me down."

"Maggie! That's TMI." Maggie giggled and Hanna sighed. "Are you having a good time with Paul? Everything's okay?"

"It's been great. I can't believe I'm coming home in three days."

"Not looking forward to that?"

"Not at all. I mean, I won't miss this damn cold weather but I'll miss Paul."

"It's been okay, with his schedule?"

"Practice every morning and then he's all mine. Well, except game days. Honestly it's been easy to adjust too."

"He also hasn't been on the road while you're there."

"True. I'm spoiled now. I'm going to hate going home to Nashville and when he goes on road trips. All that damn traveling."

"Have you talked about what you're going to do next?"

"We don't talk so much as we just wait and see what happens."

"You mean neither of you want to talk about what happens next because it's kind of scary."

"That too. I mean, I just can't uproot my life, on a whim, for a guy."

"You could move closer. It doesn't have to be Pittsburgh. You can get a job anywhere, you know you could."

"I love Nashville."

"I know you do but I also know you want to make things work with Paul. It's why you turned down Ryan and it's why you haven't dated anyone since meeting him. Your heart and your head are in deep with whatever you two have going on."

Maggie sighed. "I hate when you're right."

"You love it."

"Yeah."

"I'll call you tomorrow, check in with you. When do his parents get there?"

"Noonish? I'm going to practice and then we're picking them up from the airport."

"Oh my gosh girl. Are you doing everything as a couple?"

"Maybe."

"You're screwed."

"I know. I'm either gonna end up really happy or with a broken heart."

"I'm rooting for happy."

"I better go. Paul's staring at me and he looks hungry. Apparently you have to feed hockey players and the ones that cook get testy when dinner's ready and you're not."

Hanna laughed. "Tell Paul I said hi."

"I will. Talk to ya later Hanna Banana."

"Bye, Mags."

She pocketed her phone with a smile and Brandon looked over at her. "All good?"

"Yeah; she'll be fine. I have faith they'll find their way."

"Good; I like Maggie. She's fun. And I bet she'll move here once you do."



Hanna was awake at six the next morning, a bundle of nerves ahead of her interview. She was showered, dressed, and making breakfast from whatever she could find in Brandon's kitchen by eight.

He drove her to her interview, dropping her off with instructions to take a cab to the arena after she was finished to meet him. He gave her a pep talk before she took a deep breath and stepped out of his car.

An hour and a half later, a cab was dropping her at Consol and following Brandon's directions, she approached a door marked authorized personnel only. She gave her name to the security guard and he consulted a piece of paper before opening the door, handing her a temporary badge to wear and directing her towards the arena to watch what was left of practice.

The path there was hallway after hallway but she just followed the sounds of skates and pucks hitting boards until she found herself out in the empty arena. She glanced around, taking in the space without the thousands of cheering fans for a moment. She spotted Maggie about twenty rows off the glass near center ice and made her way towards her.

She slipped quietly into the row behind her and sat behind her, putting her hands over her eyes. "Guess who!"

"Hanna!" She squealed, jumping up and pulling Hanna up with her and hugging her over the seat. "Oh my god! What are you doing in Pittsburgh?"

"You might want to lower your voice so you don't continue to interrupt practice."

Maggie looked back at the ice where most every eye was turned in their direction. "Sorry!" She yelled out. "I'll be quiet so Sid doesn't keel over and die from my interrupting his routine!"

They heard a laugh roll through the group of hockey players. "She still not like you," Geno laughed loudest. "Never win her over."

Hanna climbed over the row to sit beside Maggie. "Are you still harassing Sid?"

"I wouldn't call it harassing. I just like to get under his skin and drive him insane. It's really fun. And Geno eggs me on anyway."

"Of course he does."

"Enough about me. What are you doing here? When did you get here?"

"I flew in last night."

"Last night? But where did you stay?"

"Brandon told me I could crash on his couch whenever I wanted. Turns out he has a very nice guest room with a bed."

"Brandon Sutter? You stayed at Brandon Sutter's?"

"Yes."

"Did you see his penis?"

"Maggie!" She hissed. "We've talked a few times. That's it."

"You've talked a few times and never told me?"

"I have so told you."

"Ok, but you didn't tell me you were going to be here."

"I didn't because I've been avoiding telling you this."

"Are you dying? Do you have an inoperable brain tumor?"

"No, Mags, I'm not dying. I had a job interview, my second actually. I had a phone interview two weeks ago and I had my face to face today after they narrowed it down to me and one other person."

"You had a job interview? In Pittsburgh?" She asked softly.

"You know I loved it here. And I've never made it a secret that I want to live north, not south."

"But you didn't tell me you were looking for a job. Did Brandon know?"

"I told him in October that I was sending out my résumé."

"Which is why he offered for you to stay with him."

"Yeah."

"So you're going to move to Pittsburgh."

"Maybe. I don't have the job. They could pick the other person."

"Does your dad know?"

"No. Well, probably. I'm pretty sure they've called to talk about me. He just hasn't brought it up."

"I can't believe you're going to leave me alone in Nashville. You know left to my own devices that I'm bound to screw up my life."

"You will not."

"I will; you keep me from doing the really stupid stuff like Nealsy."

"You don't need me for that. You're capable of keeping yourself from doing anything stupid."

"Not when James Neal smiles. He's all boyish good looks and my panties melt a little."

"He's one of your boyfriends really good friends also. Stop thinking about him naked."

"I bet he’s incredible though."

"I can't believe I'm about to say this," Hanna muttered. "I'm sure Paul is as incredible, if not more, than James Neal."

Maggie's face lit with a smile, her eyes went dreamy, and she sighed. "Paul is incredible. Paul is...he's everything, Hanna. No one has ever made me feel as good as Paul does. No one has ever made me feel wanted or special the way Paul does. Paul makes me feel like there's no one else but me and him in the entire world and I just want his family to like me."

"They're going to love you, Mags."

"What if they don't? What if they think I'm some hillbilly Nashville ho trying to seduce their son to the dark side? What if they hate me? Family is important to Paul; it's important to me, you know that."

"I do know that and they aren't going to hate you. If you make Paul as happy as he makes you, then they'll like you just fine. Because I'm sure that what matters most to them is his happiness. And if you are the source of it, then they'll surely welcome you with open arms."

"I hope you're right."

"I know I'm right."