I nod. “Yeah, I guess Coach Watts said it in the pressroom, and someone put it in an article. The fans even chanted it once,” I say proudly.
He comes over and pulls me into a hug. “I am so proud of you, Hen. And I’m sorry that it has taken me so long to get to a game.”
Ash always came to my games. He and my mother. They would travel together and see me play all over the East Coast when I was in college. But I haven’t seen Mom come to any of my games in Tampa. She’s quieter with me now than she used tobe. I think she thought for sure I would come back to Philly and use the business degree I obtained to build a career. But I wasn’t interested in a life like that. I wanted to keep playing, so that’s what I did.
“It’s okay. We made the playoffs, so thing are about to get really exciting over here,’ I tell him, bouncing on my heels a bit.
“So, the regular season is over?” he asks me.
I shake my head. “No, not quite yet. But it’s rare for a team in its inaugural season to make the playoffs.”
“I knew you could do it,” he says, grinning proudly at me.
“I’m just one member of the team, Ash. So many of the girls contributed to getting us this far.”
“Well, they aren’t ‘The Wall,’” he says, teasing me.
I shake my head. “Let me show you where you can put that mammoth of a suitcase you brought. Exactly how long are you planning on staying?”
He shrugs. “I hadn’t really thought about that.”
“What about work?” I ask him.
A look crosses his face that I can’t quite decipher. “It’ll be fine. Some things can be done remotely,” he tells me. I feel like there is a lie in there somewhere, but I don’t push. There will be plenty of time for that later.
“Nice, it’ll be good to spend some time with you,” I tell him. “Follow me and I’ll show you to your room.”
I lead him down the short hallway, past the bathroom and linen closet on the right to his room on the left.
“It’s not much,” I tell him as I open the door to where he’ll stay, “but it’s got a dresser, bed and nightstand for you.” I say lamely, looking into the room at the large black poster bed with dark grey bedding. “I didn’t exactly have you in mind when I decorated this, but I feel like the dark furniture and bedding fits you too a tee,” I tease.
He shakes his head and laughs. “Thank you. I appreciate you letting me stay with you. I know you have a lot going on with training and hanging out with your friends. I won’t get in the way, but promise me that you’ll spend some time with your big brother.”
I grin at him. “Oh, you know that I will. I already have plans to bring you to our next home game, and I want you to meet all my friends. I think you would like them, and the bar that we hang out in.”
“My baby sister is a professional athlete and hangs out in a bar?” he chides me. He must be remembering how little I drank in college so that I could stay at the top of my game.
I shake my head. “It’s not like it sounds. We go there to eat our cheat meals, hang out and we do a drink a bit. But never more than two,” I promise him.
“Still so strict with that diet? Here I thought that we could have a wing-eating contest or something,” he says, grinning.
“Um, there’s no way you are having a wing-eating contest with me. You don’t even eat that crap either,” I tell him, gesturing towards his tall, lean figure like that answers everything I need to know about my own brother’s eating habits.
He chuckles. “Yeah, yeah. So, what is on the docket for tonight?” he asks, clapping his hands.
“I thought tonight, we could just hang out, catch up and watch movies. Does that sound good?” I ask him.
“Whatever you wanna do, Hen, I’m down for it.”
“Great,” I say, beaming at him. “I’m so happy you came to see me.”
“Me too, kiddo. Sorry about yelling earlier,” he says sheepishly.
“Don’t worry about it. I know you’re overprotective and you worry,” I say quietly.
“I do. I just don’t want that guy to be able to fuck with you anymore.”
I nod. “I know and he’s not.” The lie slips out so easily that I hope he can’t tell. Because recently, I let August turn my world upside down and I’m not sure any amount of denial can flip it right-side up again. “I’ll let you get settled and then maybe we can grab a late lunch if you’re hungry. I’m starving.”
