w 1 t n e s s

twenty-eight

It was Thanksgiving break. Finally. The American timing of the holiday gave me a week and a half off of classes. The second my courses ended for the day on Friday, I was on a plane home to my family. I was excited for Toronto and to see my family. Tyler had one day off to explore the city before his game. I was dragging him to my parents for dinner, then the next day I'd be going to the game with them.

The plane ride was long, but my excitement to see my family made it pass quickly. Not a single member of my family knew I was dating Tyler Dewalt. None of them had Instagram to figure it out. The real question would be if anyone would recognize him.

Tyler was picking me up from the airport, since he'd arrived in the city early this morning. My lunchtime arrival wasn't too late for him to be busy. Practice had already happened. So had team breakfast. My knee bounced as the plane finally began to empty. From overhead, I grabbed my usual baggage.

Through the familiar Toronto airport, and then outside. My eyes found the sleek rental car waiting for me. I bounced forward, throwing my stuff in the back. I attacked Tyler with a hungry kiss in the front seat.

"Hello to you too." His grin was satisfied.

"I missed you." He held out his phone for me to put my parents' address in.

"I missed you too. It's been too long."

"Is Tay here?" Tyler rolled his eyes at my heightened excitement.

"Yes, she's coming to the game tomorrow. Don't you text her?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to make sure."

Tyler pulled away from the airport, taking the highway up and out of the populous part of the city. The drive was basically a straight shot north to where we lived. I felt the nostalgia of the familiar streets as they shot by. I pointed out various places from my childhood to Tyler. In between the landmarks, I prepped him on what to say.

"If my parents ask what you do for a living...don't tell them you play yet. Say...you work with sporting events. Recording points. For Chicago. It's not wrong, technically." Tyler shook his head. His large reached over to grab mine.

"I'm not good at not mentioning playing. Especially if I walk in and your house is diehard Leafs decorations. I'll cry inside."

"Oh it's not that bad. Turn left here. It's a shortcut into the neighborhood." Tyler followed my instructions, veering from the GPS. "Right on Glenview. Ok another right on Acorn. And then the house on the left with the grayish stone." Tyler gave me a heavy sideways glance when he'd parked.

"Nice house." I shrugged.

"Thank, I guess. It was always a little too cookie cutter for me. But it's not bad." Tyler nodded, not responding. I got out of the car slower than I'd gotten in. I was about to introduce Tyler to my family. Would Hannah like him? What about Johnny and Mason? My parents? I pressed my hands together in an attempt to calm my nerves. Tyler came around the car, holding my bag.

"I'll be good Halls. Don't worry." I nodded dryly. I let Tyler take one of my hands as we walked to the door. I didn't ring the doorbell. Instead, the doorknob twisted before I had a chance to touch it. A mess of brown hair immediately catapulted into my torso. I let out a grunt.

"Hey Han. Come on let's get in before the dogs get out." I hobbled inside with my sister still clinging to me. "Jeez kiddo, I'm not going anywhere. You can let go." Hannah let out a strangled noise before pulled away. With her noise, I heard the clicking of nails on hardwood.

"Look out Ty. Incoming." The two massive fluffy forms of our two Bernese Mountain dogs came flying at us. With Hannah off me, I now had to worry about these two. The goofs were too big to be greeting people like this.