Count On Me (A Brayden Schenn Love Story)

Missed Calls

My happiness turned to sadness in a matter of minutes. Thinking of the win and the performance of Emery in net, made me think of my sister. I buried my face in a pillow and cried. I've cried more than I ever had in my life in the past day. What else was there to do?

I was half asleep on the couch an hour later when I heard the door open, and shut. I sat up. Brayden was standing in the kitchen, examining my phone, he held a puck in his hand.

"What are you doing?" My voice was raspy from the crying.

"You have 5 missed calls from your mother," he said, showing me the screen.

"Shit," I rushed over to him.

I called my mom.

Brayden fiddled with the puck in his hands.

"Kay," my mon answered.

"Hi mom," my voice cracked.

"I'm at your aunt's house. I think I'm going to stay here for awhile until I can get my head straight," she said, quietly, but solemnly.

"Okay," I choked.

I hung up. I was angry. I would be all alone in this house. No sister, no mother. No one.

Brayden took me into his arms and kissed the crown of my head.

"I have something for you," he broke the ice after about 2 minutes of hugging.

He handed me the puck from today.

"This was for Caitlin," he looked into my teary eyes.

I blinked and a tear ran down my cheek.

"Thank you," I whispered.

___________

"So, what did your mom say?" Brayden asked, sitting down at the table with me.

We were having dinner. Sort of. He just made mac and cheese and had a bag of goldfish between the two of us.

"She's staying at my aunt's house, I'm pretty sure Rachel is, too," I said, twirling my fork around in the bowl of cheesy noodle shells.

"Really?" He said, mouth full of goldfish. "They left you alone, here?"

"Yeah really," I laughed.

But it wasn't one of those ha-ha funny laughs, it was one of those sad, depressed laughs.

"You know what?" Brayden smacked his hand on the table. "I'm gonna stay with you," he announced.

"Oh, Brayden, you don't have to," I said.

"But I want to," he protested.

"No, seriously."

"Seriously." He had a smirk on his face.

"Alright, fine," I gave in.

Brayden kissed me on the cheek. "We'll get my things after dinner."