Sixty Seconds [Conor Sheary]

4

As the night carried on Audrey became more and more comfortable with who she had met on the team. They were just normal people who were in the spotlight more than others.

She learned that Sidney and Evgeni as well as Phil Kessel who she had yet to meet were known as the three-headed monster. Beau was called Sunshine and was always injured, and Conor Sheary was never drafted.

Audrey knew some things about the sport but when the men and wives began to talk about it she became lost, so she got up from the navy accent chair she was sat in and made her was through the cozy home and up the staircase to play with the kids.

Audrey followed the sound of laughter until she came to a room filled with toys. In the corner were two toddlers playing with mini hockey sticks. Without being noticed she walked in and sat down on the tiny green stool behind them.

Alex looked up at her. "Audrey, let's play!" The little boy yelled excitedly. Alex pulled on her arm.

She laughed. "Okay, okay." The brunette stood up and followed her nephew to where Estelle stood. The little girl smiled once she saw Audrey. "Is it going to be you two against me?" Audrey asked.

Alex shook his head. "No. Boys against girls."

Audrey looked at Estelle who still had a bright smiled on her face. "Are you okay with that, Estelle?"
The little girl smiled before nodding. "Okay then, let's go."

Estelle and Audrey made their way to one side of the room. "I must tell you that I'm not very good, Estelle."

The little girl giggled. "It's okay. You can stay here and be the goalie like my daddy."

Audrey watched the two battle it out in the middle of the room. She had never quite understood hockey but did enjoy watching it. Personally, she had grown up loving soccer and swimming—both sports she'd done her entire life. Estelle had managed to get the ball from Alex and scored in his net. The blue-eyed boy dropped his stick and crossed his arms.

"Not fair!" He complained. "You have a goalie and I don't."

Estelle looked at him and shrugged. "You made up the rules." She stuck out her tongue.

"I'm going to call my dad to play with me." Alex told her before running out the room and down the stairs. The dark-haired boy came back after a couple of minutes. However, it wasn't Kris who he had come back with, but Conor.

"I thought you were getting uncle Kris?" Estelle remarked, raising her eyebrow.

"He's busy with the food so uncle Conor said he'll be on my team."

"Fine. But me and Audrey will win anyways." The little girl sassed before walking away.

Audrey and Conor made eyecontact and laughed together at the two. You'd never really know that they were only three by the way they talked. Conor got into the goal on the opposite side. Audrey watched as Alex made his way to her with the ball on his stick as he ran across the playroom.

Ten minutes later the score was 4-4 and the two kids were out of breath. Estelle had asked Audrey to be the forward now and Alex did the same with Conor.

When the face-off started Audrey noticed how Conor had bright blue eyes  that stood out on his pale colour skin.

Without paying any attention to what was going on around her she just smacked the miniature sized stick and the beautiful man kneeling in front of her buckled over in pain.

"Oh dear! I am so sorry. I didn't try to do that. I don't even know what I was thinking let alone even doing." She ranted leaning over him while the two toddlers were sat in the corner giggling.

"Don't worry about it. I can take a little bit of pain; I think." He chuckled as he started to get up.

"If I can't well I shouldn't have the job title I do know should I?" He said backing out of the room looking at the brunette knelt on the floor with a Penguins mini stick in her hand and a faint blush in her cheeks.

Estelle and Alex were still giggling as the ran after their uncle Conor. Audrey could tell how close the team was. Just like family because they were family. You don't just spend everyday together and not be family.

Audrey was absorbed in her thoughts when her brother came in with a plate of finger foods and a cup in his hand. His Penguins hockey hat was now backwards and there was a stain on his khakis.

"How are you liking the team so far?" He asked her while handing the plate and cup over to his sister.

"Their really nice. I like them. I'm glad that you're teammates with great people." She told him picking at the things he put on the plate.

"That's great sis. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself that makes me happy." He said squeezing her shoulder gently.

"Kris? I just want to tell you how grateful I am for you. You took me in even when you could have totally ignored me. You just opened up your home to a complete stranger without even blinking. So thank you for that. I really appreciate it." Audrey told him honestly.

"Your welcome sis. I knew the moment I saw you that you were more than just a stranger. You were my sister and I would do it a hundred times over for you if I had to. I'm happy you decided to give me a chance and come live with me and the family. It's a great journey that's for sure." He murmured back to her as he was leaving.

As Kris walked down the stairs Audrey made her way across the hall and into her bedroom. Absorbed in her thoughts Audrey didn't hear Alex come into her room.

"Auntie Audrey, can you tuck me into bed?" He asked softly and Audrey's heart just melted.

"Of course Alex. Let's go." Alex led her down the hall and into a bedroom with cars and hockey pictures on the walls.

Pulling back the covers on the bottom bunk on the bunk bed Alex shuffled across the floor and got in. Audrey pulled the blankets up around him and kissed his forehead.

"Goodnight Alex. Sweet dreams." She said as she was leaving and as she left she heard the soft reply of "Goodnight Auntie Audrey."