Kassie
Kassie didn’t like the way her brother was staring at them. She could see him out of the corner of her eye as she held little Hank. But it wasn’t the painful, stomach churning tension that recently filled the air between them. This was less anxious.
Kaden shook his head, and let out a sigh. It was as if he wanted to say something but instead held back.
“Kaden?” Ali questioned her husband.
“Don’t worry, doll. I’m not going to start anything. It’s hard for me to admit it, but you are all grown up, little sister. Seeing you sitting there holding Sam and Trina’s new baby, not to mention the way you two are looking at one another…” It was as if he might gag just saying the words. But then again, Kaden could always be dramatic.
Ali interrupted, “I’m sure Tyler or Paige would like to hold their new nephew. I’m going to take Willow down to the cafeteria to get a snack. Maybe you two could take this conversation out in the hall?”
Ali’s hints were obvious. This wasn’t something that needed to be discussed in front of everyone. This was Sam and Trina’s big day. The spotlight was to be on them.
“Ali, I’ll join you and Willow. I could use some hospital pudding,” Luc added with a grin. “I like pudding.” He kissed Kassie on her head before he left with Ali and Willow.
Kaden shuffled his feet by the doorway, looking from the door to the floor. Tyler sat down next to her. Paige smiled warmly at Kassie as she scooped up the baby from her arms, cooing to the sweet little newborn.
“Kass, your brother is a good guy, just a bit overprotective,” Tyler whispered. “Just don’t give up on him.”
Kassie looked up at Kaden and nodded towards the door with a heavy sigh. Before she could stand up, Paige lightly grabbed her arm. As soon as Kaden left the room, she spoke. “Kassie, you’re one of us now. We’ve got your back. Remember that. If you need us, we’re always here.”
“She’s right, Kass,” Trina added.
“Thanks, I appreciate that. But I’m hardly one of you ladies. I’m sure it takes more than what I’ve done to be held in the same regard.” No one knows who I am, much less considers me Luc’s girlfriend. Kassie followed her brother into the hallway.
Once they were in the hallway, she looked up at him. She couldn’t stand this weirdness between them. Kaden had already spoken to Luc and they seemed to be on good terms now. She just wanted that for her and her brother, too. She just wanted this to be over, for him to know she was happy and accept it.
“Kaden—”
“Kass, let me say this. Please. I was watching you in there. I don’t know why, but I always think of you as a little girl still. A little girl that I need to protect, especially with Dad no longer around. After Dad died, I thought of you as my responsibility. I was the man of the house suddenly and the only one left to take care of you, to protect you. I felt like Dad was counting on me, and I didn’t want to let him down. I wanted to believe that Dad would not approve of what you were doing, because he knew the code and understood it. That maybe he’d fight for it the way I did. But I was the one that was wrong.”
“You? Admitting you were wrong? We should write this date down somewhere. Anybody have a pen?” She looked around the empty hall humorously trying to make her point.
“Ha, ha. Yeah, I get it. I know I don’t like to admit when I’m wrong. Sorry sis, it’s my one fault.” He shrugged. “But, all joking aside, I was watching you in there, holding the baby, and the way you and Luc looked at one another.”
“We’re not here to argue about this, are we? I think your wife has had enough of that.” They’d had a nice time at the party, then topped off the extraordinary night with the birth of a brand-new baby. Her brother wasn’t going to ruin all that with fighting, was he?
“No. I’m not here to argue, Kass. I just think that Dad would be so proud of the strong woman you’ve grown into. This whole time you’ve stood your ground and fought for what you wanted. Luc didn’t back down like I thought he would, but he fought for you, too. He still has a lot of proving to do, but I do respect him for that. I also saw the look you two gave each other in there, over the baby. I recognized that look. It’s the same one Ali and I give each other, as well as Sam and Trina, and Tyler and Paige, and the list goes on and on.”
“So, are you trying to say that you’re okay with me and Luc now?” Kassie stared at Kaden, and for the first time since this all started, he resembled her loving brother again.
“I finally see that you’re all grown up, and it’s hard for me. That’s something I’m going to have to learn to get used to, but that’s my problem, not yours. I told him he had to prove himself to me, and I will be watching him. But that look you two exchanged… that was really all I needed to see.”
Kassie was stunned at her brother’s words. “I appreciate that, Kaden. But how do we proceed? We were always a team. Then Ali came into our world, and she became one of us. I’m sure you know that Luc wouldn’t be a bad addition. He’s loyal, he’s kind—”
“Woah… Kass, I get it. I swear I’m trying. I’m your brother and I love you. I only want you to be happy, and if that means your being with Luc, then I’m okay with that. You’ve got my blessing. But please, don’t tell him that just yet; it’s comical to watch him squirm.” Kaden chuckled at Luc’s expense. “But I’m confident now that he won’t let me down. Anyway… I saw that the other wives got you the hat and shirt they wear. They’ve taken you in as one of them.”
“Yeah, well, I’d hardly call myself a WAG. I’m just like the new girl that they’re being nice to and befriending. Or maybe Ali told them they had to be nice to me. Who knows?”
Kaden shook his head. “I don’t think that’s it. They like you, Kassie. And whether or not you’re considered a WAG is apparently not up to you.”
Kassie could feel the warm tears filling her eyes. She grabbed Kaden around the middle and bear hugged him. “I’ve missed you, bro.”
Kaden kissed her on top of her head and rubbed her back. “I’ve missed you too, sis. I’ll always be your biggest fan.”
“Thanks. And I don’t think Ali would let it be any other way,” she teased.
“I do believe you’re right.” Kaden pulled back and looked down at Kassie. With a laugh he added, “Have you ever seen that girl mad? Fire shoots out of her ears. It’s wicked.”
“Really, Kaden? Fire?” Ali’s voice came out of nowhere. She was standing in the hallway, trying to look annoyed, but she was obviously trying to hold back a laugh.
“What?” Kaden asked, trying to look innocent. “I didn’t say fire. And did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight? Love you.”
Ali stood there in her leggings and sweatshirt, with her hands on her hips. “Uh-huh. And you’re just lucky that you’re cute.”
Willow stood by Ali’s side, holding her new unicorn and her doll tightly.
“Willow, did your Uncle Luc get you something yummy in the cafeteria?” Kassie asked her.
Willow nodded. She still had a little chocolate pudding on her face.
“Willow, it’s okay if you want to go in and see mommy and daddy now. Just be quiet in case your new little brother is sleeping.” Ali opened the hospital suite door for her, and the little girl ran inside and hopped onto the bed with Trina.
“Hey beautiful, you okay?” Luc wrapped his arms around Kassie. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
“Yeah. Everything is good.”
“That’s great to hear, sweets. By the way, while we were getting pudding, which by the way was delicious, Ali found something online that she thought you’d like to see.”
“Oh yeah! I really think you should see this.” Ali stood with her arm around Kaden. First, she held her phone for her husband to see.
Kaden rolled his eyes, but it was out of jest this time. “And so it starts.”
Ali left his side and huddled next to Kassie. “Looks like there’s no doubt now. You are officially a WAG.”
Taking Ali’s phone, she saw a photo of her and Luc posing together at the Halloween party. But it wasn’t on Luc’s page, nor on Ali’s. It was on a social media page about hockey WAGs, and they had re-posted it from Luc’s personal page.
“Can they do that?” Kassie asked.
“Do what?” Ali asked.
“Re-post something from Luc’s personal page?”
Luc grinned. “Sweets, as long as my page is public, anyone can re-post it.”
So, he had known exactly what he was doing, posting those pictures tonight.
“Well, Kassie. Looks like the world of social media has dubbed you a WAG. There’s no going back now.” Ali read the caption aloud. “Renegades puck-star Luc Marcella with girlfriend Kassie at team Halloween party. Luc! Ha! They even got your self-proclaimed nickname. Guess more people know about it than we thought.”
“But Luc just took that a few hours ago!”
“It took long enough. I hashtag it all the time.” Luc beamed, proud of himself that his nickname was finally being recognized. He squeezed her harder. “Now the entire hockey-fan world knows I’m with you. It’s out there for everyone to see that you are my one and only.”
Everything he had done lately was to prove to her that he was committed to her and only her. As if fighting to keep her wasn’t enough, now this. It warmed her heart and gave her a sense of security.
“Honey, you’re a WAG now. I told you that you were one of us!” Paige rushed into the hall and exclaimed. “Oh, and speaking of that, we’re making jackets for this season. I can’t wait for you to see them.”
“Kass, I’ll tell you all about them. Come sit down with us.” Ali smiled, grabbing her arm and heading towards Trina’s room. “And you’ll have to come help us design them.”
“Uh, Kass?” Luc called out, as Ali continued talking about the new WAGs jackets and pulling Kassie into the room. “Maybe I’ll just go get some more pudding. Kaden? You want to go to the cafeteria for some chocolate pudding?”
Kassie looked back at Luc and shrugged her shoulders with an apologetic smile. He was smiling at her, a warm, loving grin. “It’s fine. Enjoy it. I’ll bring you back some pudding, sweets.”
“I wonder if they have any pizza down there?” Kaden asked, as the two guys walked away. Her brother and her boyfriend, bonding over cafeteria food. Figured.
She had the WAGs hat and the shirt. A new group of friends who were more like family, and she finally had her big brother back. And the best part of it all, there was not a doubt in her mind that Luc was all hers, and she could finally tell anyone who would listen that she was his one and only. She was still Kaden O’Conner’s little sister, but she was also Luc Marcella’s lady, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
The End