Be My Mascot

Chapter 66

Chapter 66

Bailey's POV

That night, I got to spend time with my brother for the first time in ten months.

Being in the army, Danny rarely has any time to communicate with us, nor does anyone else he's deployed along with. So when he is able to send me a quick text or call me for a maximum of ten minutes, I savor those messages and minutes like my life depends on it.

Growing up, Danny was always the shoulder to cry on, the man of my life, my shield, my defense against bullies. He was always there for me and when he continues to reach out to me to assure that I'm okay even when he has no time, it means the absolute world to me.

But now, with Niall sewn into my life I feel more secure and capable of facing whatever life throws at me without the assistance of my brother. He will be my new security system, my best friend. My husband.

I slowly glance to my side, careful to not be caught by the man whom my brain revolves around. I watch as different features on his face brighten when various colors are burst upon on the television screen.

After dinner, the multiple pictures taken, and my mum tugging me upstairs to the steps of the attic where she lugged down box upon box of wedding magazines, I was finally able to escape. Downstairs in the den I found my two favorite boys playing the miniature version of football. With one person on each side, I quietly watched on as they skillfully handled the joists that maneuvered the many little men.

"Ah, shit shit shit shit," Danny swore repeatedly as he hastily whipped the lever around in attempt of saving the tiny football. But he failed to do so and the ball slammed into Niall's reserved goal.

I laughed out loud at their interaction, making my presence known in the corner by the stairs. Niall had his arms up in victory, jumping around the spacious basement as if he were ten years old.

"Told you I was the better football player." Niall pointed at my brother after slowing his dance moves to a halt.

"Yes because a child's game of hitting a little ball around a rectangular box until it slides between one of the wooden men and into the goal definitely means you're better at football," Danny fought back with a teasing grin etched on his face.

Niall shrugged. "I don't see your name signed to a professional football league team."

Argument won.

Once they bickered some more, the three of us had moved on to sit in front of the TV, sifting through cases of movies, not being able to agree on one. Danny wanted a thriller which was a definite no from me, I'd rather not have continuous nightmares every night for weeks of a zombie apocalypse trying to end the human race.

Niall wanted some comedy movie that I've never heard of, a movie Danny said was given to him from one of our aunts trying to be "hip" by picking it out for him.

After going through more than one hundred titles of movies, some that I've never even known that we owned, one caught my eye and I snatched it from the bottom of the box, jumping up off the floor.

"Forrest Gump!" I read out the title. "Please, please please can we watch this? This movie is my favorite!" I begged them. It's true, the story of Forrest and his adventures through the war, getting shot in the butt, attempting to become a shrimp boat captain, and then running across the entire country of America is possibly my all-time favorite film.

Niall looked over to Danny, shrugging.

"Yes, okay no time for arguing we have settled on a movie and this is it." I gleamed, taking the disc out of its case and slid it into the DVD player.