It only takes 10 seconds

Part Thirty-Four

~Feb. 25, 2014~

Jonathan's POV

I look over at Laura who's sleeping next to me on the plane. Her arm is wrapped up in a brace, just as her leg is. The doctor's said she could remove them in about two weeks, but I can tell she's self-concious about it. Ever since she came out of the hospital in Sochi, she's been nervous, not sleeping well, looking at any packages suspiciously. 

When we get back home, she tries taking her luggage out of the cab. "Stop," I say, gently taking her hand off her luggage and picking it up myself. "But I can do it," she says, her stubborn face on. It's the one I see at every game, the face that says that she won't give up no matter what the situation is. She once told me that people mistook it as her angry face. She tries to take the luggage back but I won't let her. "Jonny!" she whines, pouting and crossing her arms. "C'mon," I say, heading to the elevator in the lobby. 

In the apartment, she's quiet, unloading her suitcase and then disappearing as I finish unpacking mine. I find her in the dining room, her laptop open to the Hawks hockey coaching schedule. She's just staring at the screen as I walk over and kiss the top of her head, wrapping my arms around her. "What's wrong?" I ask. "Nothing," she mumbles, the stubborness in her voice still present. "Seriously, what's upsetting you?" I ask her.

"I just feel so stupid with these stitches and these braces," she says, her voice cracking as she starts to cry. "We go to Sochi to celebrate you and your accomplishments and instead I end up in the hospital and I wasn't even there to support you half of the time." I hug her tight and whisper in her ear. "That win was for you. You are the best support I could ever ask for." I take my gold medal from my neck and slip it over hers, the heavy medallion resting on her chest. I smile as I wipe away one her tears. "Now you're a champion, too." 

Kami's POV

We file into the church for the service after burying Dad in the cemetary across the street. As we stand up for the first hymn, my legs feel like they're shaking and I can't even hear the words from the congregation. It just feels like everything is blurred. I drop my hymnal and run down the aisle, ignoring the views from our relatives as tears stream down my face.

I collapse near his grave, my tears staining the earth as I sob. My hand touches his headstone, tracing the letters of his name. David Timothy Barger. 1962-2014. "Daddy, why did you have to leave?" I whisper. I hear footsteps and turn to see Corey running up behind me. 

Corey's POV

As soon as Kami runs out of the church, I put down my hymnal and follow her. She quickly outruns me, but I find her at her dad's grave. I can hear her crying as I run up and I hug her, holding her tight against me. "I can't do this, Corey, I just can't," she says, sobs racking through her chest and her breath catching in her throat. "Yes, you can," I say, "I know you'll make it through this." We sit on the grass and Kami just stares at the grave, her tears silently running down her face.

"He was everything for me," she says. "He was my coach, the one who came to all of my games, the one who got me my first pair of skates. He was so excited when I called the other day and told him about my first NHL game and he was so excited when I told him about our engagement." She shakes her head, her blonde hair gently moving. "Now he's not going to see any of it," she whispers.

"When I made to it the NHL," I say, "I lost my grandpa. He was like your dad, inspiring me, coming to all my games. But everytime I make a save, or we win a game, I just think of him and I know that he's still watching. And you know what? I know your dad is watching you from heaven and I know he's so proud of what you've already done and what you're going to continue to do." She hugs me. "You really think he's still somewhere out there?" she asks, her voice quivering. I hug her back. "I know he is." 

~Hi everyone. Sorry this is so short, but I wanted to upload something. I won't be updating anymore this week because I have a crazy schedule as graduation come up! I'll be uploading more frequently after that though!~