“I made sure Christian and Mateo were on the bunk bed, so hopefully, you’re okay with the air mattress. It’s a good one, I promise. Has the pump in it and everything.”
“Thanks, Mama.”
“Anytime, my sweet boy.” She pinches my cheek. “I've got to get back to making dinner. I know your mom probably told you to help me, but rest, please. Send the boys down when you see them, and they can help. You’ve had a long travel day.”
“Got it.”
She gives me one last look over and then heads downstairs. I walk through the curtain and drop down onto the air mattress. A mixture of screaming, loud conversations, and the clinking of pots and pans echoes around the house.
It feels good to be home.
Is that my favorite hockey player?” I turn around to see Stella and Chase leaning against the doorframe of the living room. Stella has the biggest smile on her face.
“Hey, Stels.” I walk toward her and pull her into a hug. “It’s good to see you guys.”
“Well, you promised us you’d be home more often, but I don’t think we saw you once all summer.” Chase shakes his hand in my hair like I’m a child and then pulls me into a hug.
Out of all my older siblings, Chase is the one I’m closest to. Unlike the other three, he’s the only one who stayed in Illinois for college and remains the only one who still lives here. He and his girlfriend, Stella, live in the city, so it’s only about a thirty-minute drive here compared to my hour-long drive.
“I’m pretty sure you could also drive down to my place if you want to see me so bad.” I joke. “I don’t think your car only knows how to drive here.”
“Haha.” Chase gives me a shove. “Stella and I agreed that if you make it to the championships this year, we’ll go see you play.”
“So, you only want to see me play if I’m in a major competition?”
“Duh. I want to know the game I’m coming to will be a good one.” He grins and then hugs me again. “Really, Fletch, it’s good to see you. Your better half here, too?”
“Why does everyone call Tate my better half?” I tilt my head.
“Because we like her more than we like you.” Chase shrugs, and Stella smacks him in the stomach.
“Chase!”
“It’s okay, Stel, I like you better than this bozo anyway.”
Stella is also the only one of my siblings' significant others who is more like family than anything else. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of them, but Stella has been around since before I was born. Stella and Chase met in Kindergarten, and the rest is history.
They didn’t start dating until their senior year of high school, though, even though both of them were interested in the other. I think there were too many unknowns. But when he got a full ride for football, and she got a full ride for being the fucking smartest person in the world, to the same school, it was as if the universe gave them the answer they needed.
I think they’re the reason I thought something was going to happen between Tate and me in high school, but that was their story, not ours.
We’re all still waiting for him to put a ring on it, but they say they're happy with how things are. They like to say they’re Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russelling it.
“I don’t blame you, she’s pretty awesome.”
“Yeah, she is. And she actually texts me once in a while, you know?”
“Shut up, asshole.” Chase walks into the living room and drops down on the couch. “Baby, come sit.”
“I’m okay, Chase. Seriously.”
“Babe.”
“Chase.”
“Are you guys in the middle of a lovers' quarrel or something? I can leave you be if—”
“It’s nothing, Fletch. Just your brother thinking he knows everything, as per usual.”
