Better Together (Patrick Kane)

70| One Wish

Patrick

August was such a busy month for us and on top of birthdays and anniversaries and the wedding being next month I also get my day with the cup this hot Buffalo day.

I took my day with the cup back to home to share with this once in a lifetime experience with my family. My grandpa was super excited to see it and I was happy I could make it all worth while. He was a big reason I wanted to win and a big reason I did.

We started the day off at my home with a few close friends and family. We take pictures and my friends ask me stupid questions like "I wonder if this cup has gotten to see more naked women than me" or "if Gretzky kisses it and I kiss it does that mean I kissed Gretzky" but I love them anyway.

Halfway through the family session I lose my fiancé and freak a little because Stan would kill me if I lost her here. She was a grown woman but she was loved my many so it was important I keep her by my side.

"Have you seen Danny" I ask my mom.

"She's up with your sisters in your room" she says and my eyes go big.

"Ohhhh no" I freak out and she starts to laugh. I run upstairs and I find all my sisters and Danny on the floor looking through pictures. They were spread out everywhere as my sisters explain which each picture was.

"And this is Patrick in fifth grade at Halloween. He wanted to be superman but we made him be mojo jojo so we could be the powder puff girls" Erica explains and my eyes nearly pop out of my head.

"Alright, we are done with these" I say trying to collect them all and put them back in the box.

"No! We need them for the wedding album" Jackie claims.

"No you do not" I insist.

"Yeah we do" she says taking them back. We go back and fourth before Danny gets off the floor and steps between us.

"Alright alright alright break it up. He can have these, I think we got what we needed" Danny says sending a wink to Jackie and she smirks at me. Jackie lets go and I tuck the pictures away.

"Wait... what does that mean" I ask.

"Don't worry about it" Danny says before giving me a kiss and following my sisters downstairs. I'm in deep shit... aren't I?

After we all get to see the cup it gets loaded up into the keepers car and goes off to Imperial Pizza where we would share a slice before moving on.

I get outside the house and see my grandfather sitting on the porch. His house is right next to mine which is helpful considering how much time I've spent with him. Danny was sitting next to him on the porch with his hand in hers resting in her lap. He smiles at her the same way I do and it made my heart happy. My grandpa means the world to me, he's 83 and honestly one of my best friends. To see them together like that made me feel like everything was coming full circle.

After they talk for a little my grandpa kisses her cheek and she gets up. She helps him up and wraps a arm around him as they walk to the car. She helps him get in before the car drives off. I walk over to her as she watches him drive off.

"What was that about" I ask.

"Your grandpa... he's an amazing man" she says.

"He is" I agree.

"I was telling him about my dad and he gave some encouraging words. I think my dad needs to hear them for himself" she claims.

"They'll see each other next month at the wedding" I suggest and she smiles.

After everyone leaves we drive over and get some lunch. I sign autographs and take pictures before it was off to the next place.

We make it to the cancer institue and take the cup around to everyone who could see it. A bunch of the little boys and girls get to act like like they raised the cup above their head and honestly it was the coolest thing ever. This is what the cup was really about, defying odds and showing others that they can do it too. These people were the real heroes and I'm just happy I can give them a reason to smile.

Near the end I find a elderly man and take the cup in to his room. His dying wish was to see the cup and I was making it my mission to show it to him. I smile big as I carry it in and he lets out a little gasp.

"Hello Patrick" he cheers and I feel my heart jump.

"Hey Ricky, how's it going" I ask setting the cup on his bed. I visited him before but I didn't have the cup with me that time.

"Pretty good now" he admits.

"You want to touch it" I ask.

"Hell yeah" he admits and I laugh. I help him sit up and he runs his fingers over the engravings. "Wow" he gasps and I couldn't help but smile.

"Pretty cool isn't it" I admit.

"Yeah, how many times are you going to get your name on it" he smirks.

"At least seven" I tease and he laughs.

"Well I wish you the best. Hope to see you at least more time" he says and I nod.

"Yeah man, you too" I smile.

The cup takes one last round and I find Danny in a room with a woman about forty years old. It looked like they were crying and immediately I started to freak out. But before I busted in there like a mad man carrying the most delicate thirty pounds of silver I put my ear to the door to listen to what they were saying.

"Your mom would be so proud of you" the woman says and I become confused.

"Thank you" Danny aswers.

"Mom is going to be so excited to hear from you again. We lost contact with you after my sister passed and your dad moved you but we would love to see you again" the woman says. Sister? Mom? That was her aunt?

"I know Aunt Sam. It's been a rough few years and I wasn't sure how to get ahold of any of you. I haven't seen anyone on my moms side of her family since... since the funeral" Danny sighs.

"I'm so sorry. We miss her so much. But we would love to have you a part of the family again. You know you look just like her" she says and someone sniffles.

I go to rest my hand on the door to get a better listen and end up triggering the door handle. I stumble in and Danny laughs as I try to play it off.

"Aunt Samantha, this is my fiancé Patrick. Pat, this is my moms sister, Samantha" she says. I shake her hand and try to figure out what's happening.

"Nice to meet you Patrick" she says and I nod.

We talk for a little and it turns out she got sent here for bone cancer. She had been trying to contact Danny for years but couldn't find her. But now they can get together again and that made me happy. They exchange numbers before it was time to come home. We had one more day with the cup before it was back to Chicago to get ready for the wedding.