No ones live their life with conviction, we all have a choices to make that guides us in where we will go. Patrick Kane never had issues deciding what he wanted to to be for hockey is all he has known since he was a kid. Sophia on the other hand has...
Summertime is usually not my favorite time of the year. And it seems un American to stay that, especially when I play a sport dominated by Canadians. But that's the only season we have without hockey so that usually is where my problems come in. Though this year it's been easier to steer straight when I got a girl who I would follow to the end of the world hanging around. But it seems to drag on and I was ready for it to be cooler so I can get back to doing what I do best.
In my time here in New York I've found my spark again. Coming home reminded me why I picked up the stick in the first place and why I should never put it down until I absolutely had to. My dad instilled in me a love for this game that might waiver but will never go away. And I feel refreshed, replenished. I was ready to go.
But there was still a few weeks before I get back to Chicago. I train out here but it isn't the same. Plus it's a little hard to... let's say focus when Sophia is around.
"Do I have to go" I ask her as I watch her pack a beach bag. This whole summer whenever my sisters did something with Soph I was unapologetically uninvited. Now I'm being forced to come to the beach with them?
"Do you want me and your sisters prancing around in bikinis unsupervised" she counters.
"Where's my swim trunks" I ask as she starts to laugh. I would do anything to hear that laugh.
"They're in your carry on" she reminds me.
So I go change for the beach and pack a bag. I wasn't excited to sit in the sun, I was more of a ice kind of guy. But for my family and for Sophia I will stop my bitching and accompany them on this trip.
"Is this swim suit too much" Erica asks.
"Yeah" I mumble.
"You haven't even looked" she whines.
I look up to see her in a revealing bright pink bikini which just so happens to be the second brightest thing in the whole world only behind the sun.
"No, I was right" I say as I continue to dig around in my bag for my sunglasses.
"Erica you look amazing. Ignore him" Sophie insists.
Great. Now I got a fourth person on my ass.
After dumping everything I had out of my bag I finally find my sunglasses. Once I mutter a few curse words about never being able to find anything I start to toss things back in there. I see a pair of hands to help and I know it wasn't my sisters. They were no help at all.
Sophia and I both reach for the bottle of sunscreen and I freeze with her hand under mine. It was hot as hell out here but her hands were still cold. Her hands were always cold but her touch made me feel so warm.
I follow the hands up to thank her but all air gets sucked out of my lungs. I try hard to swallow but the dry air doesn't go down. I was choking on air.
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"Woah" I whisper as I finally let her go. My eyes never leave her as we both stand up again. She nervously tucks a piece of head behind her ear as she hands me the sunscreen.
"Close your mouth why don't you" Jackie teases as I shake my head. I take the sunscreen just trying to find some words so I don't look like a complete idiot.
"I uh... I like your swim suit" I try as she laughs at me. I would laugh at me too.
"Thanks. I got it from modeling" she admits.
"I mean you could get me to buy it" I scoff.
"Now that's just weird. Is he always like this around you" Jess asks Sophie.
"Not always. But I find it endearing. It's not often Patrick is at a loss for words" she says.
"Unfortunately" Jess teases.
"Why don't we get in the water? Silently" I beg.
"Sounds like fun" Sophia cheers.
So we all get covered in sun screen and go into the water. It was a little too cool at first but I got used to it. I splash my sisters and make sure they remember that after all this I am still their big brother. They try to take me down together but I still get the upper hand.
After spending hours in the water we dry off before we go grab a beer and some food. I set my towel right next to Sophie and lay down on my back. My hands lace behind my head as I close my eyes. I feel Sophie move in closer until her head was on my arm. I smile to myself as I feel her presence near me grow.
"You know when I was a kid I wanted to be a mermaid" she says randomly making me chuckle.
"I didn't know that" I admit.
"I did. I said that I would sit in the waters and save every person from ever drowning. Like the little mermaid. I didn't want to be the princess out there being rescued. I wanted to do the rescuing.
Turns out curly hair doesn't do so well when it's constantly going from wet to dry and you can try and help as many people as you can and they won't accept it" she says.
"Maybe we aren't deserving of your heroic mermaid deeds" I insist.
"Maybe not. Maybe this world deserves to burn until all that's left is the diamonds burned from coal. But I am not one to be the decider of who's life is worth saving. Who is a Diamond and who is coal. Because if you took a look at me not too long ago I wouldn't be seen as a person worth saving. I could disappear and no one would question why. Say I'm a lost soul out looking for something that doesn't even exist.
But thanks to a kind stranger and some harsh wake up calls out here with you and your family I am finally finding my way. Because you took that chance on me I am someone worth saving in peoples eyes. But what is worth to a stranger, how do we chose what souls to try and save? Maybe no one is deserving of such kindnesses" she says.
"Well I'm thankful for yours. You were no mermaid saving me from drowning in the water but you were my best friend, saving me from drowning in my sorrows" I admit.
