Unexpected - 1. Chapter 1

“Travelling” I hollered back grabbing my hockey bag and sticks as I head through the open bedroom door and down the stairs. My brother is standing by the front door all intimidating at 6’3”, and about 200 pounds all muscle, his hair dark blonde and curly but cut and sat perfectly, his tongue just poking through his white perfectly straight teeth, (this tells me he is a tad annoyed with me) with his hockey bag and stick in one hand and the other on his hip with the keys hanging from his thumb, giving me the ‘You’re a pain in my ass’ stare. Me on the other hand, I have unruly curly blonde hair, white but not perfectly straight teeth, am barely 6’1”, lean with a little definition not because I exercise but because I am always slogging around wood and metal daily. I just grinned, opened the door and skipped out to his red Ford 250, threw my gear in the tub of the truck and hopped into the passenger seat.

As we’re driving to the ice rink I looked over at my brother while he concentrated on the road, taking in how much older and tired he seemed these days. He’s always so serious lately and wears a permanent frown like the answer to life is just one thought away. When we were younger he was always so much fun, taking me places with his friends or just by ourselves. Back then he wore a perpetual smile and laughed a lot. I wish I knew what he was thinking now so I could make things a little easier for him. I’d give anything for him to be happy again. If anyone deserved a break or some happiness it’s him.

When I was in my senior year of high school our parents were killed in a wreck and Callen was just starting Law School at Harvard. He’s a smart cookie and makes me look like a walking plank of wood in the brains department. After the funeral my brother decided to transfer to Duke and stay in Durham so I could finish high school with my friends. I didn’t think about it at the time but I’m pretty sure it was a huge sacrifice for him and he didn’t have to do it. If I remember correctly he’d had a girlfriend and a future they had mapped out together. However he went up to Harvard to collect his belongings and returned. After Callen came back from Harvard there was never another mention of his previous life at school or the girlfriend. If I brought it up his eyes would just glaze over and he would turn the subject of conversation back to me without my knowledge. Callen is crafty no wonder he became a lawyer. He threw himself into looking after us and going to school. I selfishly went back to school and never skipped a beat of my life thanks to my brother’s sacrifice he made it as easy as possible for me. God I love my brother. Every day it amazes me how wonderful and how big Callen’s heart is, especially considering how much I complicate his life. I don’t really remember him dating much if at all or having a social life since my folks died. I’m not even sure he had time to grieve. Thankfully our parents had been good with their money and assets. We were able to keep the house we grew up in and there was enough money to pay for Law School and Art School for me.

After school had finished for us both, Callen went to work at some affluent law firm in Charlotte. Taking a wild guess that he is very good at his job, he has just been promoted to a Junior Partner and moved to a bigger office in Florida so he moved us both. At first I refused to go, I could look after myself is the argument I presented. He insisted we are family and I was moving and staying together. After a lot of back and forth I gave in and so here we are in the State of the Sauna.

I looked pensively at my brother and asked “Do you regret moving back home and taking care of me?”

“Not for one second bud.” He turned and smiled at me, reached over and squeezed my shoulder. “What brought that on?”

“I don’t know” I stared down at my feet and mumbled “it just seems like you have had to sacrifice a lot and haven’t received much in return.”

“Are you kidding me, I’ve had the pleasure of watching you emerge into this amazing man. Tracy, you are kind, thoughtful, intelligent and so creative. I envy that about you. You’re also fearless when you go after something you want to achieve and not mention handsome, of course you take after me in that department” He chuckled and settled on a mischievous grin and followed up with. “I didn’t think I would make it through your senior year of high school but other than that you’ve made it a pretty easy job.”

“Uhh!….Yeah!, sorry about that who knew my best friend of 10 years Matthew Mack and his A-hole of a father would be such homophobic, hateful pricks.” I said bitterly and then chuckled a little before adding “Who by the way, according to Facebook, is now in a relationship with someone named Chad.”

Callen stared at me for a second. Then looked back to the road and out of nowhere he hooted and just about wet himself laughing whilst trying to say. “I wish I had been there when Senór Mack found out, after the hell they put you through and had you kicked off of the hockey team.”

I was laughing at his laugh. God I love my brother. “I went and looked through the pictures and videos he uploaded and ‘Chad’ is flamboyant, effeminate and I’m pretty sure he was wearing eye makeup.” I told my brother. He was now slapping his leg, trying to breathe, laugh and drive at the same time. If he was going to kill us on the road, now would be a good time so the last thing I saw was my brother laughing. I’ve missed that laugh. But I’m not ready to go yet. Sooo I grabbed the steering wheel so he could get himself together.

Once he had settled down he looked over to me and smiled and said “I love you bud”.

I returned the smile with “I love you too Callen”.

<>-<>-<>

Thankfully his best friend from high school Alex Blundell ended up here in the State of the Sauna after college. Everyone calls him ‘Chewy’, so at least we know one person well at least my brother does. From what I remember of Chewy he was this big bear of a guy about 6”4’, dark brown hair every wear and ungroomed, slobby dresser, totally obnoxious and for some reason a girl repellent. Go figure. And for some reason thought it was cool to call me Tracy or girly girl in a girly voice. I think it used to bug him that Callen was happy to take me wherever they went as long as he got me home before my curfew. Once he got his licence we would hang out all day and then he would drop me home before my curfew and then they would go out with Chewy again. I would always complain to my Mum about Callen taking out his furry creature instead of me. She would chuckle and say ‘be nice’.

Chewy had organised for us to join his hockey team as soon as we moved here and today is our first game. We pulled into the parking lot at the ice rink and as Callen turned the truck off, I turned to him and said “I hope that hairy beast of a friend of yours doesn’t start his usual crap with me I’m not twelve any more I don’t have to take it.”

We hopped out of the truck and as we were grabbing our gear from the tub he looked over squinted his eyes at me, sighed, and kind of demanded in his lawyerly way “Tracy it’s been 10 years let it go, I’m pretty sure he isn’t the same person he was then. Don’t forget he didn’t have to help us get into this league. Also we will be going back to his place after the game for BBQ with the team. Just give him a chance. You’ll see he is not the same. It’s been a long time. Can you do that?”

“Alright, I’ll try. I promise. Just don’t tell him I’m gay I don’t think I could take the ongoing torture and harassment from him.” Hopefully pleading my case to Callen for some backup.

Looking at me over the tub and a little hurt, while holding his gear he said “Trace, you know I would never out you to anyone, no matter what. It is not my place to tell them. It’s yours. This is a new place we don’t know anyone so it’s like you have to come out all over again. But you know you have my support 100%. Speaking of which, please be careful.” He turned and started walking toward the front doors of the ice arena.

I was stunned for a second and then catching up to him I openly thought “Wow, I didn’t even think of that. Look Callen I’m out you don’t have to worry about that. Been there done that, I’m not going to be spilling my guts to everyone but I’m not going to hide either.” I had a quick thought about the locker room. “Shit! Callen do you think I should tell Alex and have him run it by the guys in the locker room first.”

Callen started shaking his head no.

“Are you sure, I don’t want this to become a problem later”

“No Trace, you are going in there to change into your hockey gear and then shower and back into your regular clothing that’s it. It’s no one’s business. Why start drama if we don’t have to. You know how to act in a locker room you’re not a kid anymore.”

“Okay. Thanks Callen”

“No problem bud” He stopped with his hand on the handle of the door looked at me and said “Well, are you ready?”

“Yup, let’s do this.”

Coming through the door of the arena, we moved forward toward the ice. All of a sudden we both stopped, smacked in the face with that familiar musty smell of an ice rink. The rubber flooring, wet in places where people had walked with skates. On the right side next to the ice half way down was the score box and on either side of it were wooden steps about a foot and a half high which would also serve as spectator benches. The left hand side next to the ice had makeshift team boxes and a penalty box at either end of the team boxes. Behind those were more of the wooden spectator step/benches. We looked at each other smiled and inhaled deeply and then we both laughed at our own childishness. What a wonderful, disgusting and memory forming smell. As we looked around I noticed the skate shop and remembered I didn’t have any tape for my sticks or skates.

“Cal I’m just going to grab a lace hook and some tape. Do you need anything?”

“Um…just grab me some tape and spare laces, mine are looking a little funky and I want to be prepared if they snap.”

“No problem, back in a sec.”

I went to the skate shop and grabbed two different colored tapes, a lace hook I like my skates nice and tight when I play and went to the counter. The fragile lady behind the counter smiled at me with her missing two front ‘Hmm must play hockey’ I thought to myself and she said with a lisp “is that all hon?”

“Um….no I also need two sets of boot laces please, not nylon, cotton if you’ve got it.”

“Sure” She reached over and grabbed two sets from the cardboard hanger and put them on the counter. “That will be $23.00” I handed over the cash and had a quick look around from where I was standing. Just the usual things you would find; skates in assorted sizes; sticks; costumes for figure skaters; a few different accessories. I sauntered back over to where Callen was standing talking to some guy. As I got closer I got a better look and this guy was shall we say dictionary version of fucking beautiful. Longish brown hair to his shoulders, sun streaked blond throughout; tall, muscular, big shoulders tapering down to the nice smaller waist line that beautiful V shape, baby blue eyes, gorgeous straight white teeth and a nice set of wrap them around and hold me tight guns. ‘Yummy’. He was dressed in a pair of boot leg faded blue jeans and a black t-shirt that clung nicely to each and every muscle with a pair of black Johnny Reb boots. I thought please be on the hockey team and not a client of my brothers.

I stood next to Callen as they were talking and looked around the place from where I stood, then ‘Yummy’ said “I thought you were bringing your brother” catching my attention as ‘Yummy’ pointed in my direction.

“I did.” Callen grabbed my arm and pulled me forward. “Alex, this is Tracy”

I stumbled forward as my whole attitude changed, ‘that is Alex’ I thought to myself. ‘What a waste of Yummy’.

“Wow, Tracy I can’t believe how different you….um….geez you grew up huh?” he looked at me sheepishly holding out his hand for me to shake.

“Yup, that’s how it works.” Replying sarcastically to his remark and looked over to Callen. I didn’t attempt reciprocate the handshake and my brother scowled at me. Rolling my eyes I lifted my hand to shake his and as soon as our hands touched I felt a jolt. My eyes shot straight up to his twinkling baby blues. I heard Callen chuckle. We must have been staring at each other and shaking hands for at least minute when Callen interrupted and asked.

“So where is the locker room? How much time do we have?”

Alex let go of my hand and started pointing to a door on the right side of the ice rink. “Um…. Oh…. over there 2^nd door along is the locker room we have to be on the ice in about 45 mins. We just have to wait for the other team to finish their showers and leave and we can go in. They shouldn’t be too much longer. The Zamboni is about to do the ice and should be finished by the time we have our gear on so we will be able to go straight on and get warmed up. Stick to this end of the ice while you’re warming up.” He smiled and turned to walkaway but looked back and said “Come on I’ll introduce you to some of the guys.” We followed as he walked along. Callen was looking around again, and I was watching Chewy’s butt. My brother jabbed me in the ribs. Shaking my head internally thinking I wonder how that happened. Chewy didn’t seem anything like he was back in high school. I didn’t even recognise him, not one thing. He didn’t look or act anything like what I remember. Well he is 28 now so I guess you would expect him to be different than when he was at 18.

We headed toward a group guys standing outside of the locker room surrounded by various hockey gear and bags. Fancy that. As we approached a young guy about my age but a lot smaller looked up and called out “Hey Chewy”. Alex laughed and replied “How’s it going Jase? You ready to play?”

“Hell Yes!!” Was the reply and a few of the older guys chuckled. The team ranged in age, race and fitness from Jase and me to probably early 40’s. That put me at ease a little, a good sign this should be a fun league to play in.

“Guys, this is Callen, and his brother Tracy. They will be playing with us for the season.” The team smiling and nodding as Alex pointing as he introduced them. “This is Remmy, James, Tom, Jase, Mozzy, Colin, Joe, Ric, Maddy, Brad and our goalie is Dom but he isn’t here yet.” We nodded and smiled at the team.

All the guys went back to their conversations and Jase walked over to me held out his hand and said “Nice to meet you Tracy”. I shook his hand smiled and replied “Nice to meet you too Jase, I see we are the youngest by a few years.”

“Yeah, but they’re pretty good for a bunch of geriatric old farts” Jase giggled.

Callen and Alex turned to us and simultaneously said “Watch it!” Jase and I laughed at the look on their face. Jase and I fell easily into conversation. Jase was about 5’9”, 140 pounds if he was lucky. He has jet black hair, green eyes and a nice smile. And I’m pretty sure he’s gay well about 80% sure as I caught him checking out my brother, more than once. Ha! Good luck! Callen’s as straight as they come. He worked for Alex as the Office Manager. Apparently Alex had majored in Engineering and minored in business when he graduated from College and took over his Uncle’s construction company when he retired. He had built it from a small time operation to big enough to take on multi-story buildings and government contracts.

“Trace” I heard my brother say. I turned to look at him. “Come on we can go in and change”.

“Okay” Picking up my gear I followed the others into the locker room and found myself next to Jase so I took the locker next to his as he continued to let me in on how the team worked together. He seemed to be a wealth of knowledge and gossip. Yep he’s definitely gay. I also scored the gossip gay gene where I like to hear it, but I never spread it. I’m pretty sure if I even whispered a piece of gossip my brother would come from nowhere and unapologetically smack me right in the back head. Hard too. I looked over to where my brother was getting changed and he and Alex were conversing about God knows what. Alex had his shirt off. Yep! Definitely him, there he is in all his beautiful glory, the furry creature was definitely Alex. I can’t believe how much he has changed. Sitting there smiling to myself I didn’t realise I was staring and Alex looked over to me and winked. I quickly looked away and could feel my embarrassment start to burn from neck to the top of my head. It was so bad I felt sunburned, what is wrong with me. I heard Jase ask if I was ok. Concentrating on my feet I just absently nodded and prayed the ground would open up and swallow me whole. Crap! I hope he doesn’t say anything to Callen, he will absolutely rip me a new one when we get in the car. Then I heard them both laughing I looked up and they were looking our way. Shit! I’m screwed now. I quickly finished getting ready and stumbled out to the ice to warm up.

<>-<>-<>

Crashing back into the locker room after the game, I hurried over to the locker and got my gear off, grabbed my towel and shower pack out of my bag and packed all of my hockey gear back into it. I then got undressed and practically ran into showers. We had won. It was a good game and I had enjoyed myself. I’d forgotten how much I loved this sport.

The showers, hmmm it was just a square room with 5 water heads spaced along the back wall. I took the one furthest to the left hoping to be left alone. No such luck of course, by the time Callen and Alex came into the shower room the only spare shower head was the one next to mine. My brother took that shower head and Alex jumped in and was sharing mine. Gulp! Not being able to help myself, I turned away to try and ignore him while I get washed up, plus the young horny body that I am currently possessing is now betraying me and I start to plump up. They continued their conversation, and I’ve finally managed to talk myself down. I turned back to the wall to grab my shampoo Alex turns to put his head under the water and is now facing me, full frontal. What do I do now you ask, what do you think, my eyes immediately go to the prize. Holy Crap! The furry creature has its own cut furry creature, with two beautiful playmates just hanging down behind. The whole package looks delicious and I start salivating. At least 4 inches flaccid, it takes all my self-control not reach down and pat the guy. The water was running through the hair on his god like chest down and dripping from the end of his cock. Callen cleared his throat and knocked me back into reality. I quickly looked around and no-one else was aware of what had just happened not even Alex I don’t think. I slowly pushed Alex over to share Callen’s shower head, washed my hair and got the hell out there.

Back in the locker room it was a cacophony of game recaps and guys ribbing each other as I opened the locker “So did you enjoy yourself” Jase asked as I grabbed my boxers to put on.

My head whipped up to look at him so fast, crap, did he see what happened in the shower.

“I know you haven’t played in a while” He followed up.

“Um.. Ohh.. Yeah I did, I’d forgotten how much fun this sport is. If I keep it up I’m going to have to do a bit more cardio training through the week or I fear my lungs will stop working just to spite me.” I chuckled at Jase.

“Well I go for a run before work Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As well as weekend mornings, nothing too far just about 4 miles. Then the gym Tuesday and Thursday as well as either Saturday or Sunday that depends on other commitments as well though. You are welcome to join me if you like.”

“That sounds great I think I’ll take you up on that, plus it will be nice to know someone other than my brother and get some exercise I’ve been lazy since I found out we were moving.” Whew, back into a pair of jeans, t-shirt and hoodie. Safe! Just then Callen and Alex walk back into the locker room wearing nothing but white towels around their waists. So I turn my back to them to concentrate on my conversation with Jase. I look him in the eyes and say “When do you want to start”

“How about, I meet you 5am Monday morning at the park over by Chilli’s, it has a great jogging path around it.” Jase handed me his card. “Just give me a call if you change your mind or something comes up. Yeah!”

“Yup, that’s sounds like a plan. I’ll see you then” Placing his card into my pocket and grabbing my gear I start heading out the front. As I’m passing my brother I let him know I’ll wait for him by the truck and he threw me the keys. I called bye to everyone and I heard a few call out their good-byes. On the way out I stopped by the food bar and grabbed two coffees to go. I threw my gear into the tub of the truck and took my place in the passenger seat and put the coffees in the drink holders between the seats. Resting my head against the back of the seat and closed my eyes to rest a bit as I waiting for Callen hoping I don’t explode from the embarrassment I just caused myself. I could feel my face getting red again.

I eventually heard voices coming toward the truck it sounded like Callen.

“Cal, just tell your brother to be careful in the locker room. I’m pretty sure most of the guys would be cool with it but you never know. Great game today and I’ll see you both in a bit. Don’t forget to bring some swimming trunks for the pool.” I heard Alex say to Callen. Great, please let the ground open up and swallow me whole. I could feel the tears in my eyes. Sometimes I just hate myself.

“Yup! No worries, we’ll be there shortly we’ll just pop home, stash our gear and grab something to swim in.” Cal replied. “Do we need to bring meat or anything”

“Nah! I have it under control just bring whatever you want to drink, I guess.”

“Great we’ll see you soon” My brother said as he jumped in the car and Alex departed.

Callen jumped in the truck, I could feel him looking at me. I kept my eyes closed and after a minute he started the truck. I felt his weight shift in the truck and him wipe tears from my face that I hadn’t realised had fallen. I was so embarrassed. “Don’t be upset bud, nobody else noticed except for Alex and he was really cool about it. Just be more careful okay.” I opened my eyes gave my brother a half smile, nodded my head and looked down at my hands. He backed the truck out and pointed the wheels toward home. I stared between my hands and out the window all the way home and stayed silent. Did I mention I love my brother he is always on my side.

As we walked through the front door Callen told me to stash my gear and grab something to swim in and meet him back at the truck in 5 mins.

“Callen, I’m not going” I sullenly walked toward my room and shut my bedroom door. I dropped my gear in the corner of the room and went to my desk and fired up my laptop. I could hear my brother talking to someone on the phone. I guess he was telling Alex we weren’t coming. I wish he would still go he shouldn’t put stuff off because of me. I was checking my emails and my phone started ringing. I pulled it from my pocket, I didn’t recognise the number but I answered anyway.

“Hello” I said softly.

A voice came bellowing through the phone. “Don’t be so ridiculous, get your fucking shit together, get downstairs and into your brothers truck NOW!!” I Just sat there in a silent panic and then it registered who was yelling at me. I still didn’t say anything and he went again. “I’m not kidding, get your shit and get in the truck or I’m coming there to get you” Click, that was apparently the end of the conversation we were going to have. I put my phone back in my pocket and changed into some board shorts, t-shirt and flip flops then stuffed my jeans, a clean t-shirt and a hoodie into a back pack. I was coming down the stairs and saw my brother come from the kitchen with a plastic bag with drinks and head for the front door.

“Did you give that furry creature my cell number?” I asked my brother annoyed.

He chuckled and replied “Yup and it worked didn’t it? You’re coming with me aren’t you?”

“Yes” I snapped at him and he just threw his head back and laughed and walked through the front door. Jackass. This night is going to suck. How can you avoid someone when you’re in a small space.