Life as a hockey player herself dealing with growing up with 3 brothers all close in age who are all in the NHL. Payton has to choose between brothers, friendships, and relationships in her life that may not be easy.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
1.2k likes 284 comments "Guess where now... TOR -> ???"
@stephlachancee "I miss you so much already sister! So happy to see you this happy" @mkennaJ4 "wishing it was MN 🥺" > "missin u gf. It's ring szn, go get another" @dylanstrome "Chi-town baby!!! 🤩" @willnylander "let me know if she gives you any problems bro @alexnylander" > "how rude, I'm a great roommate. It should be the other way around." @mamastrome "I miss you kids already!! Can't wait to visit!" @blackhawks "Welcome to Chicago, Payton!"
"What's wrong P?" Dylan asks as we sit down at the restaurant table. "I don't know, I just feel a little dizzy and sick" "Are you afraid of heights?" Alex butts in. "No you stupid. If I was why would I even go out on the sky deck" I laugh. "I'll be fine. Let's just eat and call it a day."
The whole day they took me around Chicago to explore a lot of their favorite places to go. It was a lot of walking, not much food or water in me, and it was hot so I just figured it was from that. After we ate at this amazing restaurant that overlooked the entire city skyline that was sparkling from the night sky, we went back to the condo. I ended up getting ready for bed although it was only like 9:30 but I was tired.
The next morning, I woke up to silence which I knew was going to happen a lot this season. For the next month, they have training camps and a lot of meetings and only get about 2 days off a week. I have a lot of time on my hands until I find myself something to do so I've been trying to put my room together to make it feel like home. But today, I was going to head to the express clinic to get checked out. I took nausea medication and some other things but it did not help out at all. I checked the schedule and the boys will be gone basically all day today until 6pm so I decided to go before they get home.
"Payton Strome" the man called my name and motioned me to come to the back to follow him. He puts me in a room and informs me someone will be in shortly. It wasn't even a minute and someone already came in. "Hello, my name is Denise and I'll be your nurse today, what brought you in?" I explained to her I haven't been feeling myself. After a series of questions about symptoms, she proceeds to ask when it had all started. I haven't thought about that til now- "Thinking about that now, it's been maybe a week or two I'd say. I flew here last week and like a day before I came I felt weird." "I would like to take some tests if you don't mind. It will only take about 15 minutes." "Yes. That's fine, go ahead." She takes some blood work and says she'll be back in a little when everything's done.
I see her facial expressions had changed from the last time I had seen her. I speak up, "is something wrong?" I question quietly. "Um... well, in your bloodwork something had came up and I just have a few more questions. Do you have a boyfriend?" "No?" I say in a weird way not knowing why this had to do with anything. "Have you been sexually active in the last month?" I think back. "Uh, yeah. What's this have to do w-" "It shows that you are positive on the pregnancy part. Is there any way you think you could be?" "No. There's no way." "These tests usually don't have false positives, but adding up all of your symptoms, this very much could be true. I want to give you these" she puts out her hand, handing me 3 tests. "Just take them home and you can see for your self, or if you want to do them here, you're more than welcome. Here's your paperwork." I stick the tests in my purse and head to the front desk so I could leave.
I get back to the condo and all I do is sit in my bathroom, confused. Sitting there in shock- I look at the pregnancy tests on the counter that I took 3 minutes ago. "+" "+" "positive"
I hear the door unlock and a bunch of talking after. I rush to put everything away so no one would see anything. I started to freak out since they weren't supposed to be home for another hour and a half. Stupid me, I realized I left the papers from the clinic and my pills for nausea on the kitchen counter. I hurry out to get them before the guys would see but I see Alex standing there holding it.
"What's wrong? Why did you go to med-express?" "Um.." I try to come up with a lie on the spot. "I wasn't feeling well remember? They gave some medicine for food poisoning." "Payton. Cut the bullshit, we all ate the same thing last night and you've always been a horrible liar. I've known you for 23 years sis." I start to cry and just go to my room throwing the paper back down letting it fly on the floor.
Moving to Chicago was such a big move for me although I know people here who made it easy for the change. A couple moments later, a small light knock at the door appeared and without me saying anything, Dylan walks in. "Pregnant?" He stands there in shock also with the paper in his hand. "How the hell Payton? I thought you and Will weren't together!" "I don't know Dylan! It was obviously an accident I definitely wasn't trying to get pregnant. Especially now. I don't think it's Wills, Dylan." I cry towards the end knowing it most definitely would be Austons. He pulls me into a hug, "it's all going to be okay Payton. We'll get through it together. You need a girl to call like mom or Steph or someone to help you through this besides me. Who do you think it is? Austons?" I shake my head yes to the question but no to the telling someone else part. "Tell Alex he cannot say anything right now. It's my part to let them know when I can bring myself to it. And I swear I'll leave right now if you're going to tell anyone Dylan. Not even mom. Not even our brothers. Especially not dad." He promises and so does Alex.
