God Bless The Broken Road (Jonathan Toews)

Winning

Jonathan

Maisie and I look through baby names and try to pick out the right one. There's just so many. She sits on my lap as we scroll through names on a warm November night. We had some furniture added to our porch recently for this reason exactly. Jackson was at practice, at least he had hockey still. Everly was watching TV and we were just so excited to be having another baby. A boy in fact. Both the baby and Maisie are happy and even though it's hard without hockey, it's better when you have something to take your mind off things.

"What about Paul" she asks.

"I don't know, isn't that a bit predictable" I ask

"You're right" she smiles before turning back to the phone. She scrolls down as we just throw out names.

"I would say Christopher but I know you don't like that name" I mention as that name comes up on the screen. She slowly closes her laptop and turns to me giving me chills. Oh shit.

"How do you know about that" she asks and I freeze. Shit, I shouldn't have said that.

"Know what" I try and she crosses her arms over her chest. No way I was getting out of this one.

"I'm not stupid Jonathan" she claims and I let out a sigh.

"Okay, fine. When you were in Minnesota with Jackson and our unborn baby I went to your parents to confront them. I needed answers and I didn't want to hurt you so I went to them. I wanted to tell them that I wasn't about to let anything bad happen to you guys and to make sure it never happened again. I was just really mad and scared and wasn't thinking straight, I was seeing red. As your mom explained some things to me she kept saying the name Christopher and I wasn't sure who that was. I asked who Christopher was and she told me his name was changed to Jackson" I explain. She lets out a loud sigh and closes her eyes.

"Why... why would you do that. Why would you go back" she asks.

"I was pissed... I wasn't thinking and I just wanted a way to bring you back and keep you here. I had questions I shouldn't have had and honestly it was a shitty experience. I just wanted to make sure they would leave us alone" I say and her eyes shoot open.

"What did you do" she whispers and I rub the back of my neck. I'm already in the hole, might as well keep digging.

"I gave her twenty thousand dollars to leave us alone" I whisper and she freezes.

"Are you crazy!?! Twenty grand? Jonathan that's exactly what she wanted. She's made money off me her whole life, that's all I've ever done for her. She never went out of her way to hurt me, but she sure did make sure she got what she needed out of me. And now she's using you too. That's a lot of money that could be going to a charity or to someone who really needs it. I'm not in some witness protection program, you shouldn't have to do that to make me happy" she insists.

"I wanted to make sure you didn't have to worry about them" I defend.

"Well if I didn't know you did that I would always worry. My parents are bad people, they shouldn't get what they want. They shouldn't have the satisfaction of winning this.. whatever the hell you want to call this" she claims.

"They won't win. Because we have each other and our kids. Baby we won. The ultimate prize is nothing money could by. It's something they can't even dream of. It's love and I would spend millions to assure we can keep ours" I reply. I pull her into my lap and she rests her head on my chest. I wrap my arms around her while she thinks and I feel her calm down in my arms.

"I'm sorry" I say.

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault I have a fucked up family" she sighs.

"It's not yours either" I defend. She looks up to me and has the biggest smile on her face.

"What about the name Mason" she asks and my eyes light up.

"Mason, I like it" I admit. I place a kiss on her lips then her nose then her neck and she giggles.

"Jonathan Bryan Toews what do you think you're doing" she giggles.

"I'm hungry and you taste delicious" I tease and she playfully pushes me away.

"What do you want for dinner" she wonders.

"I'm down for anything you make. But I could go for your lasagna" I say and she nods.

"Okay, I have to go to the store and pick up a few extra things then I'll pick up Jackson from practice. Make sure Dagger gets some exercise in so he doesn't tear something up again" she laughs. I watch her leave which is painful yet satisfying at the same time. I grab one of Daggers toys and squeak it sending him flying out to the porch.

"Wanna play boy" I ask and he jumps up and down. I'll take that as a yes. I toss the ball as far as I could and he launches off the dock before retrieving it and bringing it back to me.

"Drop it" I demand and he does. What a good boy. We do this for about thirty minutes before he decides that he was tired and wanted dinner. I feed him and clean up a little until Maisie and Jackson got home. Everly and I play with some color and shape puzzles while Maisie makes dinner and Jackson washes up from practice. I listen to Maisie sing to herself like she does every time she cooked. She had a angelic and smooth voice, it just matches her bright personality. I help set the table and put the happy baby in the high chair.

"So, how was everyone's day today" She asks once we start eating.

"Great! Are you guys coming to my game tomorrow" Jackson asks.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world" I smile.

"Is Everly coming too" he asks.

"Yeah, she can come. And how about we get cake after the game" Maisie suggests.

"I'm not going to turn down cake" he scoffs causing me to laugh.

"What about you Jon, how was your day" Maisie asks. One of my favorite things about her is she asks the same question every time she eats dinner. And she genuinely cares and wants to hear the answer.

"I had a good day. We picked a baby name and Dagger and I got to chill. I watched our little girl kill shapes and colors and now I'm having this delightful meal with the coolest people on this earth" I smile.

"Good answer" she jokes and we all laugh.

"What about you Everly, how was your day" I ask and she starts babbling. We act like we understand but we most certainly do not. After dinner we get the kids to bed and let Dagger do his business. I crawl into bed and pull my pregnant wife into my chest.

"Hey Jon" she whispers.

"Yeah baby" I say softly.

"Thank you. For everything. Even the things you do that make me angry. It makes me appreciate you more, it means you're trying. I just want you know that no matter how much I yell and disagree with you, I never want you to change. Not for me or the kids or hockey. Nothing" she says while running her fingers through my hair.

"You are honestly the best thing ever, you know that" I ask.

"I don't. But I'm learning."