Sweet Caroline (Corey Crawford)

Sir Patrick

Corey

Once we get home from a few away games I decide to take Julie on date night. We haven't been on a date in months and if we were going to try to work this thing out then I figured I should at least take her out on a date.

We get to Chicago Cut and order some food. We have a light dinner conversation about our days apart and I find myself enjoying the dinner. Turns out there was a lot about her I didn't know, even though we've been "together" for a year. She actually loves her job as a nutritionist and trainer. Her family was in town the other day and asked about me but I was out of town so I couldn't meet the . She was friends with a lot of girls in the organization and they actually hang out a lot. That's how we originally met even though she never goes to games or anything hockey related really.

"So how have things been with the team" she asks.

"Pretty good. The season is still early so we're still figuring it out" I explain.

"How are you doing personally" she asks as I kind of look at her weird. I figured she would at least catch a game or two, or maybe follow the team a little to see how I've been doing.

"I've been doing pretty good. Been seeing pucks well and I changed my style a little which is working out nicely for me" I admit.

"Why did you change it" she asks.

"Caroline noticed something that a lot of us missed and it actually made a huge difference. I'm doing a lot better now and feel pretty confident in my net" I explain.

"Oh... her" she mumbles.

"If it makes you feel any better she's kinda been shunning me for about a week now. Barely even talks to me" I sigh.

"Oh, I'm sorry" she says. I know she didn't actually mean that. But hey, at least she's trying.

"She's actually the reason I'm trying to make things work with you" I explain and she raises a eyebrow.

"Is that so" she asks.

"Yeah. She made me realize what we were doing was not healthy at all, hence why she was shunning me. I want to be a better person and a better person to you" I say and she smiles.

"That's really sweet of you Corey" she insists.

"I try" I smile back.

After dinner we walk around for a little and we talk. I learn more in this one night than I have the year I have been with her.

But I also learned why the relationship was originally so lack luster. Because we might be attracted to each other, but I'm not so sure it goes past attraction. And at first I was okay with that, it was more than enough to be apart together. But lately it's been messing me up in the head and I thought I could fix me and it all started with this relationship, considering it was most of the problem. Yet this wasn't anything like I thought it would be, for I'm finding out she's a good person but she's not good for me. But I want it to work out so bad so I can prove that I'm not this terrible guy and I can show affection. I can make her happy, I just know I can.

"What are you thinking so hard about" she finally asks.

"Oh... just about the game tomorrow" I claim and she nods. "Would you like to come? I have some extra tickets" I insist.

"I actually don't like hockey" she admits and I raise my eyebrow.

"Really" I ask.

"Yeah. More of a baseball or basketball kind of girl" she claims. Well that's a game changer.

I drop her off at home and kiss her goodnight before heading back to my place. I take a shower and change before crawling into bed. I check my phone and see I had just gotten a text from Caroline.

Hey, are you free right now?

I stare at the text and try to figure out what to say. I can't read this wrong again or she might actually never talk to me ever again. As much as I wish this was her coming over to confess her love for me, I know that's too good to be true.

Yeah, I just laid down for bed.

I press send and hold my breath. I see her typing before the bubbles go away. Suddenly I see her calling me and I raise my eyebrow, am I in trouble?

I answer the phone and hear some shuffling before the line goes silent.

"Hello" I ask.

"Hey Crow, it's Patrick" a deep voice says. Parts of me want to jump up and down in bed. Other parts of me actually did.

"Hello sir" I say and he laughs.

"No need to call me that. Patrick or Pat works just fine" he assures me.

"Okay" I say softly. I know I already met him but I will never get used to this. He is the reason I'm playing goalie in the NHL and I wish I could explain to him how much he means to me.

"I was in town visiting my daughter and I wanted to talk to you. She was telling me about your episodes and I wanted to make sure you'll get through these" he claims.

"Okay" I reply again, not really able to form sentences coherently.

"Basically I wanted to tell you what I've told myself a million times, and that's just to stay true to yourself. Don't do too much and get lost in all the chaos. Bad goals are going to go in and you're going to over think the simplest of things. That's natural, don't get down on yourself because from what I have seen, you are a very good goalie. Every night you give your team a chance to win and that's something that can't be taught. I just want you to know that you're going to have to fight through some things and it's going to be really hard at times. Find what works best for you, not everyone else and it will get a little easier" he suggest.

"I don't think you understand what you calling me and telling me this means to me. Because it means everything" I admit.

"I hope it does, I wish I had someone to tell me these things when I was still young. Sometimes it's things you don't want to hear, but those are the things you need to do the most" he insists. He sounded just like Caroline.

"You know... you raised a great daughter. There isn't another person in this world I would rather be going through this with. She is so freaking smart and so passionate about hockey, I've never met anyone like her. She's already helped me out a lot, and now to be able to talk to you... it's awesome."

"Well I'm glad I got to talk to you. I trust Caroline has been good to you, she was worried and wanted me to call you. We both want to see you do good" he insists.

"Thank you sir... I mean Pat" I correct myself.

"Anytime" he assures me.

"Can I talk to Caroline" I ask.

"Yeah" he replies as the line gets hectic again. I hear Caroline and her dad talking in the background. She takes the phone and a smile comes on my face.

"You know you're the best... right" I ask.

"I try to be" she giggles.

"You have no idea how much that meant to me" I insist.

"I have a idea. I can see it in your eyes, you love playing so much and you want to do good. But sometimes the best thing to do is nothing, just let things happen and realize some things just aren't meant to be no matter how hard you try" she insists. Was she talking about hockey or something else?

"I'm so lucky to have you" I insist and I hear her laugh dryly.

"Is that so" she asks.

"Yeah. I might not tell you all the time or show it as much as I should, but it doesn't make it any less true" I explain.

"Well thank you Crawford, that is very sweet of you to say" she says.

"Any time."