“Rylee!!”

The initial shock of seeing two of the greatest player in the NHL right now had to wear off right quick, as Wayne, being Wayne, arrived an hour early. He walked into the house and wrapped me into a bear hug.

“Hi Weiner. What you doing here already?”

The luggage bags still sat beside mine and Kayla’s feet.

“Well, I didn’t know how early you’d be here and I didn’t expect these two to get everything squared away for the party.”

Of course by “these two” he meant Patrick and Jon. I plastered a fake smile on my face. I wanted to at least get my things to my room before someone else bombarded the house.

“Well, alright then. Kayla and I are just going to put our bags upstairs and then we’ll be down to help.” I turned to Jon and Patrick, “by the way, yes, I am Rylee and this is Kayla. Sorry if we’re interrupting your summer vacation. We’ll stay out of your way.”

With that, Kayla and I walked upstairs, leaving the two Blackhawks with puzzled looks on their faces. in the Living Room with Wayne, Patrick and Jon

“I don’t think she likes us.” Pat tried to whisper to Jon.

“No, it’s not that. She just doesn’t open up to people very easily. Give her time. She’ll need to like you if she’s going to be taking pictures of you for the next 2 years.” Wayne smirked to the two of them.

As Wayne finished what he was saying, both Pat and Jon’s eyes looked like they were going to pop out of their heads.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upstairs with Rylee and Kayla

“You didn’t have to be rude to them, you know. They didn’t know we were going to be here. They’re trying to enjoy their summer just like we are. Besides, you’re going to be working for their team for the next two years. It’s not like you can avoid them.”

Oh hell, why did she always have to be right? I thought to myself.

“I know, Kayl. I wasn’t thinking. I just thought it was going to be the two of us here for the summer. It’s hard enough for me to be here as it is. Now I have to be here with people I don’t know? Fuck my life!”

I threw my hairbrush across the room and started to cry.

"Why? Why did she have to die, Kayl? I know it’s been six years, but she was getting better. She was getting stronger. I pushed her. I pushed her to start doing the things she used to. I should’ve left her alone. I only made her worse. I….I killed her.”

By now, my sobs got so loud that Wayne was standing in my doorway. I looked up and I saw tears welled in his eyes. Kayla left my room and Wayne sat me down on the bed.

“Ry, you didn’t kill your mom. Don’t ever think that. She saw how happy it made you that she was doing things with you again. She didn’t want to burden you with knowing that it wasn’t making the cancer go away. Hell, there was nothing any of us could do to make it go away. You should be happy about all the good times you had with her before she died. She wasn’t laid up in a hospital for the last years of her life, like the doctors first told you. She was here, on the beach, laughing and enjoying the time she had left. She was with you. I know for a fact any second she had with you, she cherished.”

I looked up at him thinking How the hell did I get so lucky to have people like Wayne and Kayla in my life?

“I just miss her so much. Being here is so hard. This is the last place Mom was Mom. I’m trying to be happy, but I keep looking around and everything reminds me of her.”

As I wiped my eyes, there was a knock on my door. It was Kayla.

“Wayne, some more players just arrived. They want to know where they’re supposed to put the food they brought”

Wayne looked down at me, I nodded, telling him he could go. “I’ll be down soon.”

I smiled as Wayne left, and Kayla came in and wrapped me in a hug. “You okay, bitch?”

Kayla smirked at me, knowing it would make me laugh.

“Yea, slut. I’m fine. Head on down, I’ll be there soon. Don’t eat all the ribs, those are damn good!”

Kayla just laughed at my love for Wayne’s ribs and left my room. I wanted to be alone for a couple minutes. Just to collect my thoughts.

Is going to Chicago the right thing? Can I really leave Papa G after all he’s done for me? What about Kayla?

With many thoughts still floating around my head, I leave my room. As I’m walking the hall, my eyes on my feet, I walk smack into what feels like a wall. Looking up, I see I walked right into Captain Serious himself, Jonathan Toews.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

I move to walk around him, but he gently grabs my arm. “It’s fine. Uh, are you okay? You look like you’ve been crying.”

Jon looked at me with concern in his eyes. “Well, I don’t know how much Wayne told you, but it’s just a little hard coming back here.”

The look of concern didn’t leave his face. “Wayne didn’t tell me much other than you’ll be working for the Hawks the next two years. As a photographer, correct?”

I smiled a small smile at him. “Correct. So don’t be getting too many scratches and bruises this summer. My camera only likes the pretty people.” I smirk at him.

He returned the smile and added a hint of a laugh. “Well, I’ll be sure to do my best to stay safe. You going downstairs?”

He held his arm out as if to tell me to go ahead of him down the hall. I obliged and walked down the stairs, with him following close behind.

As we reached the main floor of the house he turns to me, extending his hand out infront of himself.

“I don’t recall a proper introduction. Jonathan, your summer housemate.” I laugh and shake his hand.

“Rylee. Nice to meet you, housemate. Sorry about my comments earlier. ”

He flashed his pearly whites. “Don’t apologize. You might possibly be the best interruption my summer vacation needed. Plus, you’re coming to Chicago for two years. I should apologize to you. You have to take pictures to Kaner, good luck with that.”

I smile as he walked out the back door of the house to where everyone has gathered. “So glad you can join us. You get lost?” I shove Kayla lightly as she came up beside me.

“Shut up. I was talking to one of our housemates.” She smirked at me.

“You can’t wait to go to Chicago, can you?” I rolled my eyes at her.

“Let’s just get through the summer first, dork.”

We linked arms and walked out to join the party.