God Bless The Broken Road (Jonathan Toews)

Making It Work

Jonathan

February comes around and things are almost back to normal. Well as normal as things can be around here. I can tell Maisie still worries about the future and thinks I hate her for running away, but I don't. I'm not happy she didn't come to me first, it makes me feel like I'm not enough for her. But I didn't answer her calls so I guess I'm as much to blame for this as anyone. It's just how she's hard wired, nothing I can do about it. And I can't tell her I paid my mom to leave us so I'm kinda stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Have you thought about going to therapy" I wonder as I watch her make dinner. Whatever she was making smelled amazing, but that's nothing new.

"Therapy? For what" she asks.

"Getting past things that happened in your childhood. You know, to talk about your past" I shrug.

"You're the only person I've ever told... and that was hard enough" she explains.

"I know, but I never know what to say. I don't know how to help you or make you feel better. A therapist would, and I know a really great one. She's one of my best friends wife and really brilliant. She can help you get over your fears and live a happy life" I try.

"I am happy" she insists.

"Okay, but running away doesn't fix anything. I want you to feel better about yourself and who you are. I love you so much and I want you to also" I defend. She stays still and stares at the food as it boils on the stove.

"Okay, I'll do it. Only because I want to get better for you and the baby" she says turning to me and giving me a smile.

"Seriously" I ask. She doesn't accept help often, at all actually. I mean I'm still not allowed to help her some times. So I'm surprised she let her guard down so easy.

"Yeah. I mean she can't make it any worse. Plus I want this baby in the best situation when she's born. I can't have you worrying about me and the baby too, just the baby" she giggles.

"I will always worry about you. You're my number one. And things that happened to you are beyond my comprehension, but I don't want you to feel like you have to live in fear. This world is beautiful and I want you to see it" I say wrapping my arms round her neck.

"It is, you're my whole world and you are very beautiful. I don't want all the fancy stuff. I can do without the mansion and sports car. I never had a lot in life, but since Jacksons been here I've had love and that was enough. And now I have you and that's more than I will ever ask for. There's no us if there's no me, so I will go to a therapist to find the real me" she smiles and kisses my lip.

"I love you so much" I remind her.

"I love you too baby" she smiles. I help her set the table and we wait for Emma, Patrick, Jackson, and Henry to get back from hockey practice. Once they get here they all wash up and we sit down for dinner.

"So how was everyone's day" Maisie asks as she puts mashed potatoes on her plate.

"Daddy taught me how to toe drag! It was awesome" Henry claims and I turn to Patrick. Since when did he start calling him dad? He just winks at me and I shake my head.

"I can say the alphabet backwards now" Jackson cheers.

"You can not" she gasps.

"I can too! Watch" he laughs. He does it and I think its right. I mean I wouldn't know.

"Wow buddy, that's impressive" I say and he smiles up at me.

"Thanks dad" he says and I give him a nod. We eat the delicious meal Maisie prepared and have a good time. Rarely do we ever eat alone around here, whether Michael and Nicole come over or someone from the team or my parents. There's always extra mouths to feed.

We finish up and Maisie makes everyone her famous hot chocolate. We enjoy the rare day off from hockey by watching hockey and us boys sit around the tv watching intently while Maisie and Emma go look at baby things.

"How's wedding planning going" Patrick asks me.

"It's going. We've decided it would be next summer up in Winnipeg. My mom is doing a lot of that planning so we don't have to worry about it" I shrug.

"That's cool. Are you nervous" he asks.

"Of course not. Sure things are kind of sticky around here, but Maisie is an amazing girl. She's willing to do a lot to make this work. It's hard, but she's more than worth it. I love her a lot and I want more than anything for her to be happy, and we're getting there" I defend.

"Glad to hear everything is working out" he smiles and I nod. Me too. We finish the game and I climb into bed where Maisie had been for a while. She's seven months along and gets tired super easily. I feel bad honestly but once I see that little girl I'm sure it'll all be worth it.

"Do you need anything" I ask.

"Just you" she whispers sending chills down my spine. She rests her head on my chest and I wrap a arm around her.

"Give me your hand" she demands and I do as I'm told. She places it on her stomach right as it starts moving.

"Woah, that's so cool" I whisper.

"She likes when you talk" she smiles.

"Well I can't wait to tell her how much I love her as she lays in my arms. I hope she has your eyes" I say.

"I hope she has your cute nose" she replies lightly poking it. I quickly grab her hand and kiss the back of it before setting it on my chest. Eventually she falls asleep and I kiss her forehead before nodding off.