A Pittsburgh Penguins Love Story

A Pittsburgh Penguins Love Story 24

*I know I know took me long enough. Sorry writers bloke mixed with first couple weeks of summer. :/*

The reception hall was beautiful. I would definitely be using the company again. They had everything perfect for Miles and Max, from the green and brown tables to the cake figurine of  bride and groom high fifing. I walked in with Flower, smiling at the sea of people, most of which I had never met. It was actually a fairly small wedding to begin with but due to Talbot's job there were many associates he felt he needed to invite to keep in good graces. When the entire wedding party was seated, I between Mils and Mols, our food was brought to us and we made no reserve in stuffing our faces. We all laughed as the ever classy bride continued to shovel food into her mouth without worrying about the spaghetti sauce that already covered it. I chuckled thinking most men would walk out of the relationship right then, but as I turned my attention to the groom I saw him doing the same, absent of actually closing his mouth to chew like Mils. I sighed, well at least no one can doupt they're perfect for each other... 

As the rest of the party ate their food like normal human beings my eyes scanned the crowed looking for anyone I might I actually recognize. I obviously recognized a good majority of Mils family, but was surprised to realize I actually recognized quite a few of Talbot's associates, whether from years of being a Pens fan or through Sid. I continued to scan through when my eyes abruptly stopped. They locked on Mils cousin, Lauren, my sister-in-law. How had I not noticed his name on the guest list, it only made sense. Of course Mils would invite her cousin. Of course she would bring her husband. My eyes scanned the seats around her before landing on someone who had just walked towards the table. Even after a year of not seeing him, I knew who he was. Of course I did. He was my brother after all. Even though I barely knew him, I would still recognize him from across a room. After all, it was like looking at a male version of myself. If anyone was ever try to picture a male version of me it would come out looking exactly like Matt. From the auburn hair to the heart shaped face to the high cheek bones to the chocolate brown eyes to the dark circles around those eyes to the full lips. No one would ever question that we're related. I'm sure many people had already made the assumption. I turned my head just as his swiffled in my direction. I started a quick conversation with Mols as I felt his gaze on my face. As we spoke I saw her eyes glance behind me and she gave off an acknowledging smile for what I assumed to be him. 

"Your brother's looking at you," she smiled as her eyes met mine again. I wanted to snap at her for saying it. I was positive he would know what she said and now I couldn't pretend I hadn't noticed him. 

I gulped in some air, snapping at Mols helped nothing. It wasn't her fault. She knew nothing of the situation with my family, just the way I liked it. I already had to deal with Sidney's worry, I didn't need more people to add to the mix. 

I turned around slowly, met his eye, nodded, and turned away. Really Malana?! That's the best you can do?! I sighed. What more could I do? I was nothing to him. I knew my stony acknowledgment hurt me far worse than it hurt him. He felt nothing I was sure of that, where I was doing everthing in my power not to fall apart. 

My parents displeasure, even hatred, never had any effect on me. I didn't care about them. They could go to hell. I had always felt that way about them. There was never any emotional connection to them. My brother is a far different story. He was the one who, hypothetically, raised me. He was there for every moment of my childhood. Even if I was just a little pain in his ass for most of his teen years, he would always be more than that to me. He would always be the only one who at the very least pretended to care. The only person who gave me the comfort of not being completely alone. Even if I would never tell him anything emotional about my life as a child, it was still a comfort to know he was there. When no one else was there, he was, at least physically. I'm sure my parents had fed him and my grandparents lies as to why I was never around.