Shooting Stars

Chapter 55: The Purity of Thoughts

{Jonathan}

"And then Jonathan turned around and gave me the dirtiest fucking look I have ever seen." Pat says, laughing and looking straight at me from across the table.

Roars of laughter.

"How come I haven't heard this story!?" Sharpie cries, wiping the tears of laughter from his eyes.

"That story is hilarious!" Duncan Keith laughs, shaking his head.

I roll my eyes playfully, and look down at my empty plate.

It's Saturday, November 15, about 8:30 in the evening.

The Blackhawks are having a team dinner at an upscale restaurant in Downtown Chicago.

The entire team and coaching staff are here, as well as everyone's wives or girlfriends.

Literally everyone has a girl with them.

The table we have is long and large, everyone's chairs placed around it.

The Hawks players sit, and their dates sits next to them.

Patrick and Abigail have settled in directly across from me, and I'm pretty sure they haven't stopped holding hands this entire time.

We've been here nearly two hours.

Chaunette and Andrew are to my left, and to my immediate right is Duncan Keith and his wife Kelly-Rae.

However, the list is not limited to these three couples.

I am literally surrounded by couples that are all completely and utterly in love.

I am the only person here, without my girl.

I shouldn't be complaining, but I just feel really...

Odd. It's extremely hard to describe.

Everyone has finished eating, and we are all telling humiliating stories from the past.

"I've got a funny one to tell." Corey says, running a hand through his hair.

I zone out as he begins to tell the story, my eyes darting around the room.

We're in a private room, and I'm trying to locate something to look at that will take my mind off of the love that circulates through this room.

But nothing is working.

These past few months have been hard.

Watching her leave me at the airport was nearly impossible.

I physically had to feel her slip away from my grasp, and thought of knowing that I'm not with her anymore killed me.

I felt her fingers slip away from mine, and with that, she was gone.

Her touch that always leaves me breathless has not been in contact with my skin for months.

I feel deprived.

Hearing her voice on the phone is not enough.

Being without her, and simply knowing that she's not in the same city as me, kills.

But I've survived.

However, I'm not sure how much longer I can survive at this dinner, with all these couples around me.

I glance over to my left and notice Chaunette's hands are wrapped up in Andrew's, as they sit on her lap.

Dayna Seabrook is leaning against Brent's shoulder.