The Hockey Heartbreaker

Fresh Start

Brynleigh

"BRYNLEIGH! RUN" is the last thing I hear as I feel myself shoot up in the bed of my hotel room, drenched in sweat, with tears running down my face as I try to catch my breath. After I calm myself down, I check my phone to see the time "2:37 AM" is the number staring at me in the face when I see a text from my brother from a few hours ago "I can't wait for you to get here tomorrow little sis, I've missed you. Call me in the morning before you leave your hotel" I slightly smile at the text, excited to be back in the same place as my brother, and away from the past that haunted me in California. After realizing my breathing is back to normal and my heart rate has slowed, I do my best to go back to sleep, needing to be fully rested for the rest of my drive tomorrow. "You had another nightmare about it?" I hear my brother, Easton, say on the other end of the phone as I'm finishing getting ready to complete my drive to Briar, "Yep, same as all the other ones, ending with hearing dad yell at me to run" I say as I try to not focus on the night that happens in my nightmares, "I'm so sorry Bryn, I know those nightmares don't make the healing process any easier, and I'm even more sorry that I wasn't there the night it happened" I hear the emotion welling up in his voice and I'm eager to change the subject, "E, I've told you a million times it's not your fault, no one blames you for not being there, especially not me. Now I have 5 hours left of my drive before I get there and as long as I don't hit any intense traffic, I should get there in plenty of time to begin getting settled before your game tonight" I say in the most cheerful voice I can conjure up. I hear Easton begin to laugh slightly on his side of the call "Sis, you really don't have to come to my game tonight if you would rather stay at the house and get settled before the after game party" he says picking up what I can only guess is his gear bag since he has to leave for practice soon, "I already told you that I'm coming to your game no matter what, I have never missed one of your games that we've been in the same state for, I even used to watch the livestreams of the games you had at Briar when I couldn't be there to watch them in person" I say loading my suitcase into my car before going back in to finish my checkout, he of all people should know that I never miss an opportunity to watch hockey on any level. "Yeah I know, I just wanted you to know that if you get here and are too tired you can change your mind, but I have to go to practice, I should be home by the time you get here but in case I'm not I left my house key under the plant on the front porch, love you times a million gecko, I can't wait for you to get here" he says, making me smile at the childhood nickname he's called me since we were 5 and 6, "Okay. My GPS says my ETA is 3:12, so I should get there after you get home from practice but we'll see, I know your coach never guarantees a set end time for practice. Love you times a million, alligator. I'll see you in a few hours. Bye E" I say and hang up the phone. "It's time I get a fresh start" I say to myself as I put on my driving playlist and begin the last 5 hour stretch of my journey to Briar.