Dream On (Jonathan Toews)

Chapter Forty-One| Future Mrs. Toews

Jonathan

"This place is breathtaking" Mary Kate says as we get to our hotel hut thing. We decided Bora Bora was the place to go to relax and get away from hockey for a little. That season was intensive with the long post season run after the last one and the Olympics, we were both pretty beat. So here we are thousands of miles away from home and all the crazy things attatched to it. Patrick and Vanessa are back at home until they go to Buffalo, they seemed to be trying to make things work and I was beyond happy for them. We set our things down and look around the place. It was small but a perfect size for the two of us. Since getting to know Mary Kate I've come to like how simple things can be. That we should appreciate things we need more than the things we want because sometimes all the extra stuff isn't necessary. "What do you say to a swim" she asks. "I say lets do it".

We change into our swimsuits and walk outside then straight into the water. The hut was over water and I had a feeling we were going to spend a lot of time in there. "This place is beautiful" she says taking in all the scenery. "Not as beautiful as you" I say earning a light push. One of the things I love about her is that no matter how many times I compliment here she never takes it, she doesn't want to see how great she is, she just wanted to see how great life is. It's a unique mindset she has going on up there, but it's amazing nonetheless. We walk out and see a few little island creatures. She finds a starfish and easily picks it up. "Are you sure you should be picking that up" I ask. "Just because we don't know what it is doesn't mean it's bad. Doing something new is terrifying at times but you can never get the reward without taking the risk" she says making her way over to me. She takes my hands and runs my finger down the top of the starfish, it looked so rough but it was actually smooth. I would have never touched that thing but I'm thankful to have Mary Kate here to teach me these things. "Wow" I whisper letting my finger run across it. She puts it back and I wrap my arms around her. "I'm really glad we came here" I say setting my chin on her shoulder. "Me too, I've always been drawn to traveling, but it's even better with someone else. Especially if it's you" she says staring off into the horizon. "What do you think is on the other side of the horizon" I ask. "I don't know, there's a never ending list of possibilities" she sighs. "Why don't we expand our horizons" I ask. "Lets do it" she says before taking off under the water. I watch her swim away and admire her for a second. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but she is something else. Her personality is what sticks out the most, how she treats everyone with the upmost respect and care. It still doesn't seems real. As she resurfaces and her long brown hair sticks to her body I find myself staring again. Not at the scar on her back or the curves on her body, but I find myself admiring her approach to something she once would run from. "You coming" she asks and I swim over to her. "The world awaits us" I say once I reach her and we take off to the clear waves.

The next day we go scuba diving and snorkeling in the clear island waters. Mary Kate was a little more adventurous than I when it came to the sharks and sting rays but she wouldn't stop beeming about it. Her curiosity of most everything shines bright in the foreign land, often stopping to ask questions or learning about the islands. Her tan quickly returns making her eyes shine brighter and I knew what had to be done.

We eat dinner at a beautiful outdoor restaurant on the beach and enjoy a nice meal. I feel for the ring in the pocket and notice my palms get really sweaty. I've met many famous people before but no one makes me quite as nervous as she did. She has her hair curled and one of the flowers from the hut in it. She wore a white summer dress and flip flops on this warm night and I finally work up some courage. "Can we go for a walk on the beach" I ask and she happily nods. She hasn't stop smiling since we got here and I was hoping this would be good for her. As we walk down the beach I lace my hand through hers as she swings our arms. We come across a canopy lit up by white lights and I take her in there. "What is this for" she asks and I laugh. "You always have questions" I comment. "There's so much to know" she shrugs. "I'm not sure how this is going to come out so bare with me" I say grabbing both of her hands and looking into those oceans of eyes. She gives me that smile and I felt like I could fly at the moment. "I never had much hardship in my life. I've always known I was going to be a hockey player, by the time I was 21 all goals I had set for myself I had achieved. I had a cup, a gold medal in every level of hockey and personal accolades. But of course me being me I wanted more. When the lockout happened I wasn't sure what to do. The thing I had been doing my whole life was taken from me and I couldn't fix it. Then I met you, every problem I had at the time, you were my solution. Even the things I didn't know I needed like love and affection, it was still all you. I've never been the one to be in touch with my emotional side and you brought that side of me out. I was terrified, I couldn't explain why I stuttered about you or jumped at your touch. But as we moved from business to friends, I knew that you were going to change my life. Something about you always had me intrigued, I don't know if it's because of the way you saw hockey or how you always seemed to find the bright side, but I knew I couldn't let you go. You dropped everything to come back with me to Chicago for whatever reason and that was the most nervous I had ever been in my life. But you never let me drift, always saying the right thing at the right time. Now over a year after we first got together I've learned so much. You came into my life like a wrecking ball and knocked down my walls of everything I thought I knew. And although I still struggle with my feelings I know that my feelings for you are stronger than my feelings for anything else in this world. You're the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I see at night and I wouldn't have it any other way. When I tell people that you're my girlfriend they tell me how lucky I am and I will never forget that. You're my other half and I couldn't do what I do without you. The second I had the thought of losing you I couldn't function. I've never felt that bad in my life, I never realized how my much of my life revolved around you until that moment. But now I see that it's not that my world that revolves around you, it's that you are my world. My plans were a little messed up but I've wanted to do this for a long time" I admit pulling out the ring and getting down on one knee. Her hands quickly shoot up to her mouth and I see a tear form in her eyes. "Mary Kate Fletcher. You've made you're country happy and I want to know if you would do the honor of making me the happiest man in the world and one day play hockey with the name Toews across your back" I say opening the box. "Mary Kate, will you marry me" I finally ask. She vigorously nods her head and I slip the ring onto her finger. I stand up and pull her into a hug taking in the moment. As we break apart the fireworks start and we exit the canopy to see them. The sky lights up beautiful colors as the fireworks explode in the sky and I watch as they illuminate her face. "What are you thinking about" I ask as her eyes follow the fireworks. "Everything. Life hasn't been easy and a lot times I find myself wishing my life was taken in that crash too. But when my mind wanders now a days, that's not where it goes anymore. Now I think about my future... our future. I'm no longer worried about my past because I have things to look forward to, like marrying you" she says cupping my cheek. "I love you so very much" I say. "I love you most" she responds before placing a kiss on my lips.