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Confessions from a Ranger's Roommate

Thanksgiving Day

Teodora had a very uneventful flight up to New England and turned on her phone when she finally landed. When she turned on her phone, she laughed a low oh my God when it started buzzing over and over from lots of texts.
"Someone's popular," her businessman seat buddy chuckled as he zipped up his laptop bag.
"No kidding. Parents, former foster brothers, their parents, a foster brother's girlfriend, friends from my college town..." she snorted.
"Oofta. You were in the foster system?" He asked.
Teodora nodded. "Yeah. Used to be seriously bad. Lots better now. Great parents," she assured him and saw the line moving. "You have a good Thanksgiving Sir. Don't work too hard." She left her terminal and walked to the pickup sidewalk while reading her texts.
"HI!"

The scream made her jump a foot in the air but she ran over to hug Lexy. "Hi my seester!" She sang as they shared a long hug.
"Jerome would've picked you up if he wasn't deep in Operation Thanksgiving Turkey with his dad and my dad," she giggled.
"I must've beat Manny then," she said and peeked at her text. "Oh he's coming tomorrow like my parents."
"Yup, he had college stuff do to before coming," Lexy nodded as they pulled out of the airport. "Still having fun with those Ranger boys?"
She smiled. "Yup. Threw the roommate's scarf into the snow cause he dumped snow down my back. That was great." Her eyes drifted down once to see her phone light up from a text.
"I think its Jerome."
Teodora picked Lexy's phone up. "Yeah freaking right. I'm supposed to taste test desert stuff when I get there. I'm stuffed from the food today!"

"Not gonna lie though..." Teodora smiled at Lexy's pause and waited for it. "Your roommate is h-o-t!"
"I...well..." she sputtered. "Yes. Though just wait until you see how fussy he gets over, like, everything! But hold up! Speaking college stuff, how's yours going?" Teodora asked and elbowed her. "Y'know Sara's coming to Columbia!"
Lexy snorted. "Right. Like I can get into an Ivy League school. My grades are good but nothing astonishing."

"No, you don't need Columbia attached to your resume," Teodora replied. Lexy was so sweet and bubbly, that she'd land a job teaching kindergarten just fine.
The two of them continued to gossip about school life as she pulled into Jerome's driveway. Jerome's adopted mother must have seen them pull in because she opened the door and waved happily. "Hey Molly!" She cried and went to go hug Jerome's mother.

"Look at you! Still getting taller!" Molly preened over her and escorted her in. "Course the boys are deep into Thanksgiving planning."
Teodora came in to see Steve, Jerome and Lexy's dad Patrick cooking up a storm. "Man, you need Auntie Z here to get in on this action!"
"Hey kid!" Lexy's dad cried as Steve and Jerome moved to greet her. "How's the future doctor doing?"
"No tests so its all good," she laughed back. In the back of her mind, she wondered briefly if she told the rest of the Ranger boys that Jerome's adopted family was white. If not, Michael probably told them.

"Teo. Opinion now," Steve ordered and handed her a homemade bread roll.
Jerome smirked at her, very well knowing she was stuffed from food earlier so she fought off making a face back at him. Nibbling on the bread, she nodded. "Yeah Good of course," she said truthfully. Steve was a huge foodie and his cooking was always amazing.
Eventually, the heavy Thanksgiving eve food got to Teodora and she excused herself to sleep. Her head hit the pillow and what seemed like moments later-someone started jabbing her in the spine.

"Geoff," she swatted whoever away.
"Nice to see you too sister," Manny scoffed and she sat up.
"So-ree," she laughed and saw Jerome dart into the room so they could have their Rangers discussion. "We were simply foster siblings with an uneventful," Teodora pointed at Jerome and Manny. "No foster parents, no gangs, no riots, no National Guard imposing curfew. None of that stuff. Most of the boys are small towners have too sweet and sensitive hearts for our past."
Manny, who hated people fussing over his seizures agreed immediately. "This Del Zotto guy sounds too mothery."
"Seems like a decent guy at least," Jerome shrugged and then recalled, "You said some knew."
"Marion Gaborik, Brian Boyle and Derek Boogaard," she replied. "Didn't exactly admit the whole P Stone incident though. Boyle would shit himself if he heard that. Boogey might get freaked out too even but at least he's taken it the best of them all."
"Yeah you don't tell rich Canadian white boys that a notorious and dangerous black gang member considered taking us and hiding us away from the State so we wouldn't be stuck with abusive foster parents," Jerome replied.
Manny smiled. "I'm sure that the P Stones about pissed themselves when a sweet little white blond girl was wandering around on their block."

"Technically Boyle's from Massachusetts but its up there with Canada," Teodora noted. "Everyone's real cool though. They all hoped you had J-Term so we could all hang out."
"This all does sound cool," Manny admitted. “Though I don't know shit about hockey."
"Kinda like soccer in a way," Teodora said. "They both have hat tricks. You should hear Alex chattering about all the hits and fights they do."
Jerome said, "Lexy wants to come meet your friends too. Do they mind giving out two tickets?"
"Oh sure!" Teodora immediatly waved it off. "Cara and all of them come all the time. Boys give them their family spots since their families are living in Canada or abroad. Though we decided its nice if we wear their numbers and Coach Agha thought it was real cool of us to think of that we're sorta there for them while their own families can't come."
"Suppose," Jerome mused. "You have that Swedish guy, that Artem guy, Gaborik. Yeah, we'll do that when we come."

The door opened a crack, little feet were scampering on the ground and Joey launched himself onto the bed. "HI BUDDY!" Teodora squealed and cuddled up her little brother into her arms. One glance at her old foster brothers told them the conversation was done. Little Joey would've been ecstatic about her Rangers secret however her adorable chatty little brother would talk everyone's ear off about Michael and let out her and Lina's secret.
"What's going on Chubbers?" Manny chuckled and tickled Joey's tummy.

She lifted Joey up in her arms and went downstairs to greet her parents. "Hi!" She cried as her parents rushed over to hug her. Mom swept her up first, engulfing her with her familiar cinnamon scent. "Your hair's longer! I like it!" Teodora touched her Mom's mane of flowing dark brown hair.
Dad hugged her next. "You slept well?" He asked. Dad looked the same except for a few more strands of silver in his slicked back hair.
"Yup, she fell asleep around 9 after I drove her over," Lexy replied, taking Manny's uncle and aunt's coats.
Manny's uncle Chuy stooped to take Joey in his arms and tossed him in the air. "Be careful!" Manny's aunt Marisol scolded. To Teodora she hugged her tight. "I see the workaholic chose the extra shifts over taking time off?"
The workaholic was really in Afghanistan but Teodora agreed immediately. "Oh yeah! New York-Presbyterian gets super busy during the holidays!"

"Oh," Dad cleared his voice and Teodora halted at his serious face. Immediately her mind started racing. Did he find out about Lina? About Michael? He handed her a slip of paper.
"Amir, what are you giving her?" Mom asked and she relaxed. If Mom was clueless then everything was okay.
Teodora opened the paper and yelled, "STUPID!" She threw it to the ground as Dad cackled. "It's the time of my dentist appointment! I think I should have it cancelled now!"
Mom swatted Dad as Uncle Chuy cackled. "Is it the same dentist that Teo used to bite?" He asked.

Typically her foster brothers would jump at the chance to tease her but they loathed the dentist too. "It's not our fault!" Jerome protested.
"No it isn't," Molly crooned and hugged Jerome protectively, just like she did every time their childhood was brought up.

"How are my mashed potatoes coming along?" Lexy's dad's booming voice came from the door. "He-ey! Rest of the family's here!"
Lexy's mom and her two sisters came in, happily greeting everyone. Luckily that eased the conversation away from the sore topic of the foster past as Lexy's family cooed over Joey like usual.
"So big!" Camilla smacked his fat cheek as Holly tickled his tummy.
"Gee, he isn't spoiled at all," Teodora giggled but she spoiled him just as much.

Dinner passed successfully with no more mention of the foster past or no seizures from Manny like two Thanksgivings ago.
The boys passed out around the couches and floors as Teodora squinted at the football game that was on. "You know its Thanksgiving if the Detroit Lions are playing somebody," she said as Lexy giggled.
"I suppose you can't bring food along?" Molly asked as she wrapped up the rolls.
"Nah. TSA would take it away," she replied with a smile. "I'm stuffed anyways." Truthfully she was seriously stuffed now and it sucked not telling Jerome's mom or Lexy's sisters because they would easily drool over Michael. "I picked up some Vietnamese sweets to make up to the roommate for not being there for Thanksgiving." Not a lie at least.
"That's good," Molly mused. "You kids work and study so hard. Oh, a boy is rising from the grave."

Manny came over with a sheepish smile. "Had my twenty minute nap. Say, you should head back," he said, squinting at the time.
The parents were staying until the morning along with Manny's family. "Manny, would you go wake up Amir?" Mom scowled at the sleeping boys. "That husband of mine is such a lightweight when it comes to any holiday."
Teodora giggled as Manny smiled wickedly. "Oh no," she moaned, watching as Manny crept over. He squatted over her dad and let out a loud fart. "Ew!" She giggled and then cried out when Dad launched up to grab Manny's pants to pull down. She supported herself on the counter, laughing as Manny shot away, hoisting his pants up high. "I should have taped that," she laughed and hugged Dad.

"Friggen smells over there now," Jerome griped and got up to hug her goodbye.
She said her goodbyes to everyone else and took the taxi to the less chaotic airport. No doubt many were passed out like the boys from all the filling food. Teodora peeked at the Spanish work they needed to work on tonight and felt her phone buzz when she landed.
T, its Torts. Game in OT. DZ says find ride!!!

"Oh, yeah. Sure I found a ride," she giggled and pocketed her phone. Hustling over to Madison Square Garden by herself, she peeked at the overall game. "Oh Jesus, a nail biter," she said, noticing Ryan Callahan and Michael had both managed a goal, while a French name and a European sounding name nabbed goals for the visitor team.

Now sprinting, she zipped down to the family seats. "Sup?" She asked, peeking at the clock. "Christ its close. Down to a minute."
Ksenia beamed at the sight of her. "Did you run here?"
"Pretty much," she said and suddenly found her practice buddy Jake plopping down in her lap. "Hey practice friend. How's Pops doing?" She asked, seeing Marty was in the pipes.
"Not bad I think. He got shot in the wiener earlier," Jake snickered as Teodora laughed. She would have brought up Manny and her Dad's earlier scuffle but that might land her in hot water with the farting and depantsing.
All of a sudden, there was a collective ground when the number 28 scored the winning goal from the visitor's team.

"Ah that sucks!" Jake sighed as they gathered their things to meet the boys in the locker room. She wandered down, taking another peek at Spanish stuff when she heard a hissing sound.
"Psst. Psst!"
Teodora spun and laughed at Ksenia. "What?"
"Chica," Ksenia hissed happily and then blinked and shook out her head. "No. Not girl. Chico! To your left! Look!"
"Boy?" She frowned and made a show by fiddling with her phone. Feeling like she had a solid excuse, she quickly peeked to this boy and saw a guy around her age in a grey dress suit with a look of awe on his face-looking directly at her.
"Go!" Ksenia urged and then giggled.
"No! I can't do it now that you keep giggling!" She hissed back. Who was the guy? A player from the other team? He was in a suit but then again the sports media people could also be in suits. Teodora risked another glance and scowled when she saw he was gone. "Cute though."
"He was a hockey player," Ksenia informed her. "I know that face, I just can't remember the name. He's from Canada."
"He's from Canada," Teodora echoed back. "That narrows it down." She laughed when Ksenia swatted her playfully. Still, her stomach fluttered, both in amazement and in shyness. A hockey player was interested in her of all people.

"Sup?" Michael asked.
To lighten the disappointment of the game loss, she said, "So. Let me guess. None of my desert is left."
"I didn't eat all of it!" Michael whined back but still smiled.
Marc Staal yelled something over so Teodora waited. "Psst!" Ksenia hissed.

Her eyes immediately over to see her admirer was back with a white uniform in his hand. Two-Eight! Ksenia mouthed when her back was conveniently turned from the player. Teodora sort of caught the other colors from the uniform. Was it red or orange? Go! I dare you! Ksenia dared. Teodora blew out to bolster her courage up when her right ear suddenly went silent. "ASSHOLE!" She yelled at Marian who had turned off her hearing aid. Teodora punched him in the chest, doing her best not to grimace from his chest being too strong for her.
The hockey player was gone and Michael escorted her away back to the apartment where Cara came over for Spanish help. Teodora liked her roommate being chatty like usual to her college friend but it was a shame she couldn't gossip about the mysterious hockey boy admirer from earlier.

Notes

Comments

Loving this

Flyers62 Flyers62
7/1/15

love it

wow.. Can't wait to see what all goes down

Plz update!!! :D Great story!

LZK90 LZK90
6/15/14

Though on another note, I should explain that Teodora's adopted family is a fictional family from Afghanistan. I'm having them sort of be like the Kennedy's of Afghanistan-so a big name political family and the grandfather (whom I haven't exactly introduced yet) is sort of like a mix of Martin Sheen's character from the West Wing and the father in the Kite Runner. Lol, so don't go looking them up in Wikipedia expecting them to be real ;)

mgflutie mgflutie
2/1/14