Unexpected

Catie

The next week goes by slow with all the nurses checking in on Patrick and all the visitors coming to make sure he's okay. It's the same routine everyday. Wake up, eat, nurse, visitors, nurse, eat, sleep, repeat. I'm pretty sure Patrick is sick and tired of it too. I've been in his room more than anyone else and I can tell by his look of boredom, he's fed up with all of this. After this week, Patrick has been released. I sign the papers and drive him to the airport. We walk to the car in silence. Really awkward silence. I open the passenger door for him and he gets in. I close the door and walk towards the driver side. I get in and start the car. Before I put the car in reverse, a hand is placed on mine. I look at Patricks hand and smile. I look at him and see his tired, bloodshot eyes.

"Thank you," he finally says.

"For what?"

"Taking care of me. I know the doctors took a really long time to fill you in on how I was and-"

"Wait how do you know that?"

"For some reason I know everything that happened. Like how you collapsed on the floor in tears. How you almost knocked a doctor out for not letting you see me."

"Okay I was not going to hit anyone." Patrick smirks.

"I just wanted to thank you for being so patient and giving this relationship another chance."

I smile and give him a quick peck on the cheek. I pull out of the parking spot my car has been sitting in for almost a week now and drive down the road towards the airport. We quickly board our plane to get to Patricks house. Sorry, to get to our house. I can't wait to see Ella. We sit in silence listening to the flight attendant. It seems like it takes an eternity to get to our house, but when we finally do Patrick and I are greeted with a huge 'Welcome Home' banner. I walk Patrick up to the front door and unlock it. Ella comes sprinting over towards us and grabs Patricks knees.

"Daddy. You home!"

"Yes Ella I am," he says laughing. "Look who I found!"

"Olivia!"

"Hello sweet girl," I say squatting to her level. She nearly knocks me over with a big hug. I squeeze her back and pick her up. She's grown so much since the last time I've seen her. Moments later I'm greeted by a little Yorkie dog.

"Oh yeah, we got a dog," Patrick responds. "Her name is Sophie. I let Ella name her."

The dog sniffs me and licks my lower calves. I put Ella down and close the front door. I bend down to pet Sophie and she rolls over onto her back. I rub her belly and scratch her head. I stand up straight and walk into the kitchen. I look in the living room and see a few photos on the mantle. I walk over to the mantle and see four different photos. One is in a glass picture frame. The picture is of Ella and I smiling at a Blackhawks game. I remember that day distinctly. It was a Saturday, the Hawks played the Dallas Stars at the United Center at one o'clock. Of course the Hawks won and Patrick received first star. I look at the photo next to that one in a simple black frame. Patrick is holding Ella on his hip at his parents house. I took this photo from Patricks family barbecue. That was the first time I met his family. The third photo is of all three of us in a white frame. That was the annual family skate at the UC with the Blackhawks players. Only family was allowed and all three of us went. I am holding Ella and Patrick has his arm over my shoulder with the UC stands in the background. We look like one happy family. The last photo makes my heart melt. I am looking into Patricks eyes with a big smile. Patrick is staring at me with a smile and his hand on my neck. We look in love. Madly in love. That was the day Patrick told me he saw a future between us. He didn't propose but he told me someday he would. I've held him to that promise. The last picture is an a red frame with white hearts around it. I start to tear up. I hear footsteps behind me and then suddenly they stop. I sniffle and I hear footsteps again. I feel a pair of hands wrap around my waist and hold me tight.