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Todd steps off the plane, glancing around the Örnsköldsvik Airport. He was supposed to be meeting Markus and Peter, but neither was around that he could see. He sighs and shakes his head, getting his passport ready as he heads for customs.
Peter looks at Markus. "I don't get why you invited him."
"He and Julie are just finalizing his divorce. I know you and him aren't the best of friends, but be nice, Peter. He is one of my closest friends and he's having a hard time right now. I do not want you picking on him or treating him badly."
"Mackan, I'm not going to be mean to him. I just don't know why you're inviting him on our annual retreat. I get that you feel sorry for him, but..."
"It's not just that. I've always invited him, just as you've always invited Alex Tanguay. Neither of them has ever taken us up on it, which is their right. But Todd is lonely. Julie left him and took his kids and has poisoned his children against him. Can you imagine if Lennox suddenly hated you?"
Peter frowns. "Okay. Fine. I can understand that, but..."
"I know, Peter. It's our tradition and has been since we were young boys. But we used to take the twins with us. And Niklas Sundstrom came with us a lot. It was never really just you and I beyond those first few years. Even now, our kids come with or our wives. Please be nice to Todd. He needs our help."
"I'll be nice." Peter sighs and points. "There he is. You should greet him first."
Markus hugs him lightly, then jogs over to where Todd is just making it through the customs line. "Bert!"
"Nas, hey." Todd hugs him and lets out a little sigh. "I... Thank you. I know this is your's and Peter's thing, so I really appreciate you inviting me again." Todd steps back and smiles a little sadly. "How's Lotta and the kids?"
"Good. The girls and Alex are excited to see their Uncle Todd." Markus takes Todd's backpack and pulls him over to where Peter is waiting for them. He glances between them. He's always felt like the two men were fighting for his affections, though he adores them both the same.
"Todd. Welcome to Örnsköldsvik. I... I heard. I'm sorry, man. It sucks."
Todd smiles sadly and nods. "Thanks, man. It's good to see you Peter. How's... Nicole? And your son, Lennox?"
"They're both beautiful. We're having a cookout over at the Naslunds before we all leave on our getaway, so you'll get to meet them."
"Good." Todd smiles at him and sticks out his hand. He and Peter will never be best friends, but they've both grown up a lot, so it's probably time for them to be friendly.
Peter smiles and shakes Todd's hand. "Have any other bags?"
"Just one. My duffle. Lead me to the baggage carousel and I'll grab it."
Markus smiles and nods, leading them down to the baggage claim. "There you go, big man." Todd heads off to grab his bag and Markus looks at Peter. "Thank you."
"No need, Mackan. I remember Todd as being rough and mean and rude. This is a shell of the man I knew in the NHL. I feel sorry for him if losing his wife is hitting him this hard."
"I don't think it's losing Julie that hurts him quite so much. I think it's her turning his children against him that hurts the most." Markus smiles sadly as he looks at his old friend.
Peter nods. "I'll be nice and I'll try to include him in everything we do."
Markus smiles and pats Peter's shoulder, holding his hand out for Todd's bag when Todd comes back. "Give me your bag."
"Don't think so, Naz." Todd grins at him. "I'm still bigger and stronger."
Markus snorts. "And you're a guest in my country, so maybe you should let me help you."
Todd slings his arm around Markus' shoulders. "Not with my bag. You letting me come over here and hang out with you and your buddy when I know this is a trip you guys take every year, just the two of you is help enough."
Markus leans against him. "Fine. Be that way." He lets out a little sigh and Todd rubs his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Todd. I'm so sorry this is happening to you."
"It's my own fault. Julie's lying to the kids. Not about everything, I mean I did cheat on her. She thinks it was another woman, but..." Todd drops his arm. "I'm still not sure how Ryan and I ended up... But it happened and now I have to deal with the consequences."
Markus looks at him and frowns. "Kesler?"
Todd blushes a little. "Uh. Yeah."
"Wow. I didn't know he..." Markus licks his lips. He and Todd had flirted a lot, but he'd never actually thought Todd liked men.
"I wouldn't say I'm gay, Mark. I just... Julie and I have been growing apart for a while and I was in Vancouver and hanging out with Kes and a couple of the other guys. They left, we got drunk... It happened." Todd shrugs. "Julie heard rumours and asked me and... I've never been able to lie well."
"I know. You can't even keep surprises." Markus smiles and rubs Todd's back. "So..."
"I told her I had sex with someone else while I was drunk. I never said who, but she's told the kids that I'm marrying another woman and that I'm going to have kids with that woman and that I no longer want them to be my children."
"When we get home, we'll talk to Lotta. Julie and Lotta still talk all the time. Lotta will hopefully not kill you for hurting Julie and help get Julie to understand that it wasn't a... it wasn't an affair, it was a one night stand."
Todd nods. "Lotta's going to kill me. She and Julie were best friends."
Markus smiles. "Yeah, she probably will." He opens the trunk and sets Todd's backpack in it. After they've loaded the trunk and then loaded themselves into the car, Markus looks at Todd. "Can I ask..."
"I don't know. I don't know why Kes and I had sex. We were talking and drunk and we kissed and I don't know if I kissed him or he kissed me or..." Todd sighs. "It happened and I know it sounds crazy, but I did kind of like it. It was different from being with Julie. I didn't feel like I was going to crush him when I was on top of him. And when he rolled on top of me, I felt it. It wasn't this light weight that was barely noticeable." Todd falls silent when he realizes Markus and Peter both are completely silent and still. "Uh... Look, I understand if you don't want me on your getaway. I'll find a hotel room."
"No." The statement comes not from Markus, as Todd had expected, but from Peter. "You're coming with us, Todd. It's not like you're gonna seduce either of us, though I wouldn't blame you if you tried with Markus." He chuckles. "So what if you enjoyed your encounter with Kesler? It doesn't make you anything but who you are. It just adds another facet to your many sides."
Markus looks in the rearview and smiles. "He's right, Todd. You're still family, but if you hit on me, I'm punching you."
"You'll only break your hand," Todd says, smiling a little. He'd never for a second thought he'd have Peter Forsberg defending him, but he has to admit, he kind of likes the change. He likes the idea of having one more person out there who believes in him.
Peter laughs when Markus snorts. "He's right, Mackan and you know it. You've never been a fighter."
Markus flips them both off. "I could punch both of you and you'd be hurting for a week!"
Todd and Peter grin at each other and break into laughter.
It's not long until they're arriving at the Naslund household. Todd gets out and grabs his bags before Markus can and he smirks. They head up the walk to the house and he looks around as they walk in. "I love your new place... well, I guess it's not that new." He shrugs, then smiles when Lotta and the kids come in. "Lotta. Hi."
She walks over and punches him in the shoulder, then hugs him and pulls him down to kiss his cheek. "Hi Todd. How are you?"
"I'm doing okay. I miss the kids. I don't suppose you've talked to them recently."
"I have. Them and Julie. The kids miss you, Todd. Julie is so angry though... They don't want to upset her." Lotta rubs his arm. "Jaden's fourteen though and Tag's thirteen. They're old enough that when the divorce gets to the custody arrangements, you'll at least get visiting rights."
"I didn't cheat on her with a woman."
"But you did cheat on her?"
Todd nods. "One night. I was drunk and that’s not an excuse, really. I've never wanted to sleep with a man before."
Lotta nods and hugs him. "Come on, the kids are in the living room, practically vibrating from excitement over getting to see their Uncle Todd." She takes his hand and smiles at her husband and Peter, leading Todd into the living room. The kids all yell and run for him and he bends enough to pick up all three. He lifts them and hugs them, laughing as they kiss him and hug him.
Markus pulls Lotta aside. "I thought the divorce was finalized."
"Almost. They have to deal with custody and property." Lotta squeezes his hand. "It'll work out for him, Markus. We're here to see that it does."
Markus nods and glances over, watching as their children climb all over Todd. "Todd, Peter and I are gonna start the cook out. Bring the kids outside."
"'Kay." Todd tucks the girls under his arms and lets Alex cling to his back as he follows them outside.