"We meet again"

1

"I'm going to miss you so much Ellie! I don't want you to leave. Please stay." Hailee, my teammate and best friend begs to me at the airport drop off.
"Aw. Hails I'm going to miss you so much. Good luck at your last year at BC. You're going to do amazing. Keep it up. Don't worry, I'll be back when the stars play the bruins which Im counting down. There's a playoff game in 2 months and they play New Year's Eve!" I assure her that I'll be back. Unless they send me down to the minor league to help out or somewhere else but that's less likely to happen.
We give each other a huge hug outside of the car ignoring cars honking at us to get out of the way. "Love you. Text me when you land"
I grad my suitcase and wave good bye looking back when I get into the doors. She honks and pulls away. I get through security and go to see where my gate is. I have about 25 minutes until the plane comes so I grab the basic white girl drink. Starbucks.

*Flight 935 to Calgary, flight 935* I hear over the airport intercom. I make my way to the gate and take a seat. I am going back home in Canada for one week and then I'll be catching a flight to Texas where I've only visited when Mike played there. I will be spending 3 days at my brothers house with his wife Brigitte and my niece and nephew. They have a game tomorrow so I will be going to that and then I will be spending time at my moms house for 3 days also.
*last call for flight 935. Flight 935 will be boarding now*.
I secure all of my things and head on the plane for this 7 hour flight. We only have a 35 minute layover in St.Paul Minnesota which is okay with me. I will be landing around 3p.m.

———————-

To brigi❣️😽- hey sista!!! Heads up: I'll be landing soon. In like 20 minutes. Can't wait to see you all ❣️❣️
From brigi❣️😽- aw yay! Can't wait either. We're here waiting. I told jack and Charlie you were coming and they haven't stopped asking where you are all day.

I put my phone away since we'll be landing soon and just stared out the window thinking about all the things running through my head about life.

*thank you for boarding with Southwest. We hope you enjoyed your flight this afternoon. Thank you. Please exit in the front of the plane and do not forget your belongings*. The flight attendant announces and everyone stands up. I grab my suitcase and my bag and head out anxiously waiting to see me niece and nephew. I haven't seen anyone really in a year since last Christmas break.
I get out into the terminal and look around for my family. All but my brother since he had a game last night in Detroit.

"Ellie! Ellie!" I look around until I feel two body's jump onto me from the back.
"Oh my gosh! Look at you guys. You're both so big" I smile. "Where's mommy?"
They pull me over to her and we greet each other with a hug also. Just not like the one my niece and nephew did.

We catch up all the way from the airport to their house.
I plop down on the couch with my childhood dog that my brother now has, his name is Bauer. Like Bauer hockey of course. He is a black German Shepherd which is now 11 years old. I fall asleep and wake up a few hours later.

"Sorry I fell asleep on the couch. You could've told me to go to a room" I tell Brigitte and we laugh.
"It's fine El. I don't know how you slept anyway with these kids screaming. The flight must've been tiring. Your brother just landed a little bit ago so he should be here in about an hour or so."
Im starving but we are going to go out to eat when my brother gets home so I have to wait. I'm so happy to see him because last time I visited, they were on a 5 game road trip.

I'm upstairs going through my suitcase to find some jeans instead of wearing the sweatpants I wore on the plane to dinner. I grab them and black sweater with some black booties and braid my hair to the side since it was in a crazy bun.
I hear the door so I run downstairs to see my big bro.

I peak around the corner and hear "El!!" And I run and give him a big hug. "Careful we need this old man. So don't have him pull out his back" I hear a mans voice say coming from the game room. I look but didn't recognize him.
"Ellie this is mikes teammate, Elias" Brigitte informs me.
"Lindholm?" I questioned to see if I was correct. "Yes ma'am".
"Did you not tell your sister who's staying here that we have someone else staying here mike? That was your job. You said she didn't mind" Brigitte looked at mike concerned.
"Oops" Mike says and I just laugh.
"It's fine. Are we going to eat now"

At dinner we just chatted and caught up. Elias seems like a very cool and nice guy. Also may I say cute? He's 24 too. I'm 23... but my brother says no NHL players but I can do what I want. I've dated Sean Mohanen 3 years ago for about 6 months and it didn't work out. He had actually went out with another girl. A model. I've always had insecurities and that made it even worse. Ever since, I never had a boyfriend. The guys are mostly like brothers to me and best friends. Nothing more but the internet doesn't believe that. When I'm photoed with Mike, they think he's cheating on his wife. I'm his freaking sister, the websites do not care, they just want the publicity and have drama.

When we got back to the house, I went upstairs to get ready for bed.
"You like him. I can see". I drop my toothbrush because I didn't know Brigitte was Standing there.
"No B. I don't. I don't have time anyway." I tell her. I may have a little crush but I'd never date him. I don't know him.