How AAOOOSC! Got Started!

Chapter 18 We Are The Champions!

Red, white, and black confetti scattered all over the ice as the Stanley Cup was being presented to the 2010 Champions: the Chicago Blackhawks. They managed to beat the Philadelphia Flyers in overtime, thanks to Patrick who scored the game winning goal. Now the the Blackhawks got the Stanley Cup.
Each player began to raise the Stanley Cup in the air while skating around the rink. Antti got his turn and it was like pure joy to him. He gave it over to Patrick after his share was done.
"Great job, Patrick; you earned it."
"Aw, thanks, man. But you did amazing as well, dude." Then Patrick took off with the Cup.
"Antti! Antti!"
Antti turned around and saw Jonna running up to him onto the ice. "Jonna! What are you doing here?!"
Jonna wrapped him in a big hug. "What else would I be doing here? I'm here to see my champion! I'm so proud of you!"
Before Antti could say anything, someone with a camera came up to them and asked them permission to take a picture of them. They agreed, so they got their picture taken.
"Oh, look at this!" Jonna pulled her shirt out a bit to grab Antti's attention. "I'm wearing your jersey! The black one!"
"Yes, yes, I see--"
"Oh, I'm just so excited!" Jonna squealed. "We are gonna have the Cup! The-the... Wait, what is the Cup's name?"
"It's the Stanley Cup."
"Oh right, the Stanley Cup! Were you expecting this?"
"Well...not really. Just played until we were eliminated...."
"Hey, man!" Patrick skated up to Antti. "Is this your wife, dude?"
"You're Kane, right?" Jonna's eyes were full of awe.
"That's right, ma--well, yea, that's right, dude...tte."
Jonna ignored Patrick's hard time of trying not to say 'man' or 'dude.' "Wow, that's so awesome! You scored the winning goal! That was uh-MAY-zing!!!"
"Thanks..." Patrick turned to Antti. "So this is your wife, man."
"Yup." Antti smiled.
"Nice."
"And I'm wearing his jersey!" Jonna pointed to the back of her jersey that said 'Niemi' in white on the back.
"Look, she's a Blackhawks fan, dude!"
"I hope she's a fan...," Antti said.
"Yea, that is true, man. But I'm gonna go fetch some champagne, dude. You want some, man?" Patrick pointed to the direction of the drinks.
"Sure, bring a bottle over," Antti told him.
"Cool, dude. Be right back, man." Patrick skated away.
"So what do we do with the Stanley Cup?" Jonna asked Antti.
"Well, we go back to Vantaa and show it and share it to the town...."
"So your father would know, too, right?"
"Yea, he'll know that I won..." The something popped into his mind: the deal.

With a deep breath, Antti knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the door opened and Mr. Niemi appeared in the doorway.
"Hello there, Antti."
"Hello, father."
"So, how was the season?"
"It went well...very well...."
"Really?" He tilted his head a bit.
"Yea. We won."
"You won?" Mr. Niemi made a surprised look.
"Kyllä." Antti lifted the cumbersome Cup off the ground. "See?" (Yes.)
"You...you got the Stanley Cup?"
Antti grinned. "Yes, we did...!"
"Whoa...come on in..." Mr. Niemi opened the door wider and moseyed into the house. Antti followed him inside, placing the oversized Cup next to the sofa. "I can't believe it...you actually went and got the Cup." He sat down and touched the Stanley Cup like it was something from another world. "Hämmästyttävä" (Amazing.)
"Well, now you know that I am serious about playing hockey as a career."
"Yes, I can see...."
"Would you let me continue to play hockey?"
"Well, that was part of the deal, son..." Mr. Niemi turned away from the Cup to look at Antti. "...and you won. So, you're free to play as much hockey as you'll like to your heart's content."
"Kiitos." Antti hugged him for a moment then pulled away. "But...why were you so against me playing hockey? I mean, I'm not small anymore...and I can't really be run-overed...." (Thank you.)
Mr. Niemi chuckled. "Oh, that was when you were little, shorter than that Cup. Now you are as big, if not bigger, than those hockey players."
"But you still didn't want me to play like a year ago and I'm still the same...size."
"Oh, Antti, I did it so that I could protect you. I had my misfortunes with hockey myself. I got injured badly and couldn't play again. I was the star of the team and had the most goals, but with one hit, all that was taken away. I didn't want that to happen to you, so I tried to make you stay away from that sport as best as possible because I didn't want you to go through the same thing. But now, I see that you can handle the sport very well, especially in the position you play, as a goalie. So now, I'll let you play hockey, but please, keep yourself safe from those hits...."
"I will, don't worry, father. But thank you for the explanation."
"Yes. And Antti, I am very proud of you...for not holding back and doing what you love and playing your best...so that you can get this." He patted the Cup. "You shared it with everyone else around here?"
"Yup. Tomorrow I have to get back to Chicago." Antti got up.
"Oh, you should get going so that you get a good night's sleep." Mr. Niemi also got up.
Antti walked over to the Stanley Cup and picked it up. "Kiitos jälleen." (Thank you again.)
"Olet tervetullut. Come back anytime you'd like." (You are welcome.)
"Alright, I will." Antti out of the house. "Hyvästi." (Good-bye.)
"Hei sitten." (Bye.) Then he closed the door.

The next morning, Antti had to stand in the street, holding the Cup, while Jonna was fishing through her purse, searching for the keys to the car; Mr. Niemi was also with them, who was at the driver's door.
"You found them yet?" Mr. Niemi asked Jonna, with his hand on the door latch.
"Ummm...no..." Jonna adjusted her sunglasses and continued her search.
"Hurry up...I'm gonna be late..." Antti mumbled with impatience, drumming his fingers on the side of the Stanley Cup.
"Op! Found them!" Jonna held up the keys that glinted in the sunlight. "Let's get going!"
"Aren't those the house keys?" Antti narrowed his eyes at the keys.
"Mitä?" Jonna looked down at them. "Ugh!" She put them back into the purse and continued looking. (What?)
"Well, do you need help looking for them?" Mr. Niemi asked.
"No, no, I got it...."
"You okay there, son?" He turned to Antti.
"Twenty pounds... I've been holding twenty pounds for the past ten minutes."
"Don't she'll find the keys soon, I know it."
"I hope."
Five minutes later, Jonna finally found the keys.