Better Together (Patrick Kane)

12| Home Away From Home

Danielle

"Okay, so you see how the defender wants to close off your inside shoulder? He's trying to take away a bunch of options for you to carry the puck on your stick. That's when you cut to your outside forcing the defender to challenge you head on and miss you completely. You let him pass then accelerate with the puck unharmed" I explain to Patrick. He stares at the screen we were studying and nods his head.

"That's brilliant. This way I have time and space to create magic without getting squashed by someone a foot taller than me" he laughs.

"Hey, you can't hit what you can't catch" I joke and he points at me.

"This is why you're my favorite Bowman" he says and I roll my eyes. Sure, not the one with nine cups or his boss.

After going over a few more things I take my DVD and notes back and we hang out with the kiddos. We play with legos for about a hour and make quite the... whatever it was. I thought it was a space ship but Will says it's a tank and Camden claims it's a huge hockey puck. Whatever it was it was pretty cool. And pretty big.

Patrick and I clean up after the boys decided they were bored and wanted to play outside and there's a knock on the door. Amber comes in and she stands there just staring at Patrick and I.

"Hey Patrick, ready to go" she asks and he stands up. I try not to make eye contact but I couldn't help it. I catch her glare and swallow hard. I was in no way intimidated by her, I just didn't want to make Patrick upset because she's upset.

"Yeah, let me go grab a jacket" he says running down to his room. We stand there awkwardly as we don't really know what to say. I know she doesn't have a problem with me, just me with Patrick. But I don't get why she has such a problem with us, like we live together and work together. The only time we're apart is when he's on the road or he's with her so she should feel honored. But still, the fact that she told him he can't be friends with me, it just rubs me the wrong way. She's a sweet girl but Patrick isn't her slave. He's his own man who can make his own decisions. I'm not even sure she knows we kissed. She wasn't punching me in the face so I assumed she didn't.

"Danny! Danny! Will you come color with me" Camden asks pulling on my arm shaking me out of my thoughts. That whole play outside plan lasted about twenty seconds.

"Yeah buddy, I'll be right up" I reply and he darts up to his room. Patrick returns and turns to me with a sad expression on his face. He looks me in the eyes and starts to frown. It's like he didn't want to go but he felt like he had to and that's what I was afraid of.

"I guess I'll see you later" he says and I nod. He slides his arm around her and I want to throw up. They walk out the door and I let out a long breath. Why is this so hard?

I go upstairs and see Camden had emptied his pencil pouch full of crayons onto the floor and left a spot for us to sit. I sit down next to him as he hands me a piece of paper.

"What are we drawing today" I ask.

"How about we draw... what we want for Christmas" he asks.

"Easy enough" I nod. I pick up a black crayon and start tracing what I wanted. We sit there listening to music and taking about anything and everything but mostly hockey. It's how things go around here.

"Are you and Patrick going to get married" he asks randomly and I nearly choke on the air.

"Umm. No. Maybe. I don't know" I admit.

"You guys should" he says and I stop drawing.

"Why is that" I wonder. Maybe this three year old knows something I don't.

"Because he loves you" he says and I stop.

"How do you know that" I wonder.

"I just do" he claims. Okay then. "And I know you love him too" he insists. I turn to him as he nasulauntly draws on his paper.

"No peeking" he yells covering his paper and I turn around.

"How do you know I love him" I ask. I don't know what I'm feeling but this toddler does?

"Even though you don't say it with your mouth you say it with other things" he claims.

"Like how" I wonder.

"How you look at him. You're always smiling. It's the same way I look at ice cream and I really love ice cream" he explains and I giggle.

"Maybe we can get some after dinner, is that okay with you" I ask.

"Yeah" he cheers. "But you never answered my question" Cam reminds me. I sit there and ponder and I let out a sigh.

"I don't know if there will ever be a me and Patrick" I admit.

"It's always going to be you and Patrick" he says and I smile. Man I hope he's right.

It comes time for dinner and we had to wrap up our drawing party. He shows me what he drew as for what he wanted for Christmas and it was a Toews jersey. Oh Patrick really isn't going to like that. I make sure I give it to Suzanne so she knows what to get him for Christmas.

"And what did you draw" she asks me and I look down at the drawing in my hand. I hold it up and she lets out a gasp.

"Sweetie, that's amazing" she whispers and I smile. I look at it and let out a sigh. It was a drawing of me and my dad and my mom at a hockey game like how it used to be when I was a kid. My dad was holding me against the glass as I pounded on it and my mom watches us proudly. I knew I couldn't have it but it's still what I wanted for Christmas.

"Thank you" I reply. I put the drawing away and help with dinner. The whole family plus Patrick and Amber sit around the table. Suzannne and I put the food in the middle and everyone helps themselves. I sit in between the boys by the end of the table far away from the happy couple.

"Are you excited to start break from school soon" Stan asks me and I grunt.

"Yes. Plus, you could use some more of my help" I tease and he shakes his head.

"Ain't that the truth" he scoffs.

"And how about you Patrick. You're about to get a little break. Are you going home for the holidays" Stan asks.

"No, I think I'm gonna stay here. It's my home away from home" he says looking at me. I get a chill down my back ask he lets his eyes linger a little.

"I'm happy to hear that" my aunt smiles.

Dinner comes to a close as we just talk about random things. I mess with Will and Cam and have a great time. Always do when it comes to those two.

"Okay, time to clean up and head to bed" Suzanne says and everyone groans.

"I promised Cam ice cream" I announce and she laughs.

"Of course. I'll get it out" she says and he celebrates in his spot.

"Well I'm going to bed, we have a big game tomorrow. Goodnight everyone" Stan announces and goes into his room. I clean up and stay back with Cam to get ice cream. Amber leaves shortly after and I was happy to no longer feel like someone was staring at me the whole time.

After dessert I go to my room and look at the picture I drew. I pin it up on my bored and sigh. I could use my mom right about now.