𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓 qᵘⁱⁿⁿ ʰᵘᵍʰᵉˢ

01

Three years. That's how long it had been since Ivy walked through the doors of her childhood home. Three years since she'd seen the house next door, since she'd spoken to the family that lived inside. That feeling, the heartache she experienced the last time she was outside that house was still there. Everything she experienced in that yard, on that porch, in the corners of the white home—it was a distant memory now.

A memory that she had worked on for years to stop hurting.

Now she was back, promising her mother that she'd come home for the holiday. She had traveling since she left, wishing to escape the world she called home.

The first few hours of being in the house had ben her attempting to make herself comfortable. She unpacked, shared a glass of wine with her mother, showed them the pictures she'd taken in South America. It was sweet, her parents loved her, brought her in as if she never left them.

Of course, her explanation for leaving was to 'see the world, gain independence' but she knew that wasn't the full reality of it.

That gut punching feeling hadn't happened until she'd walked downstairs, seeing the game her father had put on the TV. Hockey, her father's favorite and what used to be hers.

"Wanna watch with me, kiddo?" It was the Red Wings and Penguins. "Larks is captain now, did you know?" She didn't.

"He is? When did that happen?" Ivy was sitting beside her father, curling up into his side like she had when she was young.

"In '21."

She missed this, without realizing, she missed being at her fathers side, watching the games. Hockey was a huge part of her life for years, an even bigger part when that family was moving next door. She wanted to ask about them, curious as to how they were. Despite never wanting to face them again.

Ivy decided against it, rather wanting to enjoy the game in front of her. The next two hours she spent shouting at the tv with her father, learning the names of the players traded and drafted into the team.

"Oh!" Ivy and her father jumped from the couch at Cecelia's cry. "Pete! Baby! Luke's home!" The woman exclaimed, watching out the kitchen window to see the car pull into the driveway beside theirs.

Ivy couldn't help herself, the boy she'd babysat as a teenager, the one she missed was outside. She raced from the couch, forgetting shoes as she ran out the door. She felt the tears, he was so grown up she couldn't believe her own eyes.

The once small preteen was now over six foot, grown into his body. He wasn't a kid anymore and she wished she hadn't missed that. That she hadn't missed him growing up.

"Luke!" She shouted out and he stopped making his way to his own door. He froze when he saw her, a gaping smile forming on his face with recognition.

"You're home?" She nodded vigorously, running to the boy and he didn't waste a second bringing her into his arms. "I can't believe you're actually home." Luke mumbled into her hair, letting out a soft laugh in joy.

Ivy pulled back, "look at you! You're a man!" She was  in shock, at the sight of him. The last time she saw him he was about to turn sixteen, still shorter than Jack. There was no doubt that he towered over both his brothers now.

"You sound like my mom." Luke groaned, swatting her hands away as she ruffled his curls.

"I'm sorry, I just can't—"

"Ivy!" Ellen was running out of her house now, ignoring her youngest son to bring the girl into her arms. "This is like a blessing! My baby and the daughter I never had!" Ivy missed this, the love that the Hughes family had always given her.

"You had Jack." Luke joked and the woman rolled her eyes, bringing her son into the hug.

"Jack and Quinn will be here in the morning! We need to have a family lunch, its been too long since I've had you all home." Ellen stated and suddenly Ivy was fighting that feeling again.

He'll be here in the morning.

Ivy had all night to think, all night to toss in the bed she hadn't slept in for years. She knew that just a yard away, from the view of the window above her bed, she would soon see that bedroom light on. A room she had spent many nights in, laughing, experiencing the happiest moments of her teenage life.

She didn't know what she would say to him when she sees him tomorrow. How he will react, how she will feel.

She forced herself to sleep, to wake up early enough to shower before lunch. It was an early lunch, thats how Ellen always liked it. Her mother was just as enthusiastic as the Hughes woman, cooking her own share of food in their kitchen.

Ivy left her room after getting dressed, hearing the noise from outside. She knew the voices but refused to let herself run outside the way she had when Luke arrived. She couldn't do that, she couldn't risk that feeling coming again.

"Your dad's out back with Jim and the boys if you wanna go say hi." Ivy knew her mother better than to think it was just a suggestion, rather the woman was telling her to say hi. "They still ask about you." Cecelia stated clearly and Ivy's face fell, filling a mug full of coffee without meeting her mothers eyes.

"They do?"

"Course, those boys love you." Except she didn't know the full story. None of them knew, besides them.

Sucking up her pride, Ivy slipped on her shoes and coat, holding her mug as she went out the back door. They were on the frozen pond, ice skates on, fooling around with the puck being passed between them. Her father, being the man he was had already set her skates on the porch.

She walked past the skates, shivering as the snow hit her bare ankles. They hadn't noticed her, too entertained by their friendly game. She watched with familiar infatuation, her coffee halfway gone by the time Jack let out a shout.

"Ivy!" He skated to the edge of the pond quickly and she made her way down the steps.

"Hey, Jack." She smiled, giving him a small wave.

"You gonna play? Were odd a man—well, woman." Ivy shook her head, glancing back to the ice behind him. "Oh.." Jack knew part of the story and that was enough for him to understand her hesitation to join.

"Just wanted to come out and say hi." She wanted to cry, she missed Jack's draft day and that was horrible of her. She knew he had been first overall, watched it from her hotel in Australia. She was unbelievably proud of him, of all of them.

"You're coming to lunch, right?" Jack's eyes were almost pleading, hopeful for her answer.

"Yeah, I'm coming to lunch." She gave him a small smile before walking back up the steps.

"Not gonna say hi to me?" Ivy swore her heart stopped at the voice, body freezing in place.

As much as she wanted to ignore him, she couldn't, "hi, Q." She waved weakly as she turned to face the man at the edge of the ice.

"Hey, V." He gave her a soft smile, one that made her want to crumble right then.

"H-how are you?"

"I'm good, you?" This is weird.

"I'm okay."

How could he just stand there, smiling at her like everything was okay? Like he hadn't broken her heart. Like he hadn't been the reason she cried herself to sleep for months.

Ivy couldn't stand him.