The Power Of Love (Patrick Kane)

27

January 12th 2013

Chicago Illinois

8:13 am

Patrick

I walk the familiar streets of Chicago early this Thursday morning. I haven't been back this way since I moved into a place of my own after we won the cup in 2010, but something told me to walk this way.

My feet hit the pavement as this dreary overcast morning sky hangs over my head. I had been in Switzerland playing hockey there since there was a lockout in the NHL that started at the beginning of the 2012-2013 season. But the lockout was over and we had 48 games to get into the playoffs. I never took a day off so I knew I was ready, but there was still a lot of work to do.

As I continue to stroll around I come across a place I once knew. A small little cafe between my old apartment and the United Center. I walk up to the windows and notice how bright the place was considering how gloomy the morning had been.
I decide to stop in front of the glass and look inside, it hadn't changed much. It was still it's old style cafe but with new things. Some of the same couples sit in their usual seats like they did all the years back. They read the newspaper and it had the words "hockey's back" in all caps on the front. I look to see who wrote the article and I swear it was a name I knew. At least a name I used to know.

I start to walk again until I noticed there was someone occupying the booth Rebecca and I used to share. This girl had her back to the window as she drinks something, it looked like tea.

I move in closer out of pure curiosity and notice something familiar, something very familiar. It was long black wavy hair under a hat. Strong waves that would knock the strongest surfers off their boards. Her hair the color of a unfathomed hockey puck right out of the box.

I walk around the side of the building to the front to see if I can get a look inside. And when I do I feel the air get sucked out of my lungs.

"Rebecca" I whisper as I squint my eyes. I see a pair of bright green glass balls looking around the cafe as she smiles. That same smile that could brighten up the darkest of days.

"Rebecca" I practically shout and she stops looking around and starts looking for something. "Becca" I scream and she turns around. Those beautiful green eyes meet mine and my hearts starts beating so fast. It was really her.

It's been years since I felt this invincible, this light on my feet. It's been years since my eyes lit up like this, since they have captured something so beautiful in them. It's been years since I could feel my skin tingle from just a glance.

I run through the door of the cafe sending the bell into a tizzy. I run up to the booth and stand face to face with the one that got away.

"Hi" I say and she giggles as we remember the first time we met here all those years ago. How I couldn't find anything to say and all I could say was hi.

"Hi" she replies and her voice gives me chills. I stand there and look her up and down. It was really her. "It's been a while huh?"

"916 days... but who's counting" I smirk.

"Apparently you were" she chuckles. Such a beautiful sound.

She still looked amazing, maybe even better if possible. She was curvier and her face looked older, but still like a work of art. She had some more muscle and was super fit from what I could see, probably from chasing after her brother everywhere.

"Please, sit down" she insists and I slide into the booth across from her. I stare at her to make sure my mind wasn't playing some sick trick on me. She starts to giggle making me smile as big as ever.

"Why are you laughing" I question.

"I guess I just forgot what it felt like to be caught under your stare. I forgot how great your stare made me feel" she claims.

"What are you doing back here" I finally ask. I wasn't planning on playing games this time around.

"I'm back" she claims and I smile.

"What does that mean" I ask.

"It means that I live in Chicago now. Well me and Oliver" she claims.

"Oly is here" I gasp.

"Yeah. We live in the same apartment complex but not the same apartment. He claims he's too good for me now" she laughs.

"How is he doing?"

"He's doing great. He is actually is into writing too, turns out he is brilliant. All these things our mother fed me about Oliver was a lie, she had him trapped by so many things and it turns out my brother is a artist of literary types. He had his own column back in New York about what sports is like through the eyes of someone's brain who isn't like everyone else's" she explains.

"I know. My dad has a lot of your guys' stuff" I admit.

"How is he, your whole family" she asks.

"Annoying as usual. My mom came with me to Switzerland when I played there during the lockout, she was amazing as always. And my sisters told me not to come back unless I got them something" I laugh.

"Did you" she wonders.

"Of course I did" I nod.

"I'm glad to see somethings never change" she smiles.

"So you said you're back, are you working here" I ask.

"Yeah. I got a offer to come back to the Tribune and to work as a journalist for the Hawks. Things back home was starting to fall apart and I needed to leave. I wasn't so sure about coming back at first, then they offered to give Oliver his own part here too and I was sold" she explains.

"What about your dad, your dreams" I ask.

"I did it Patrick, I told my stories to one of the greatest cities in the world. I told people what they wanted to hear without hurting anyone. I reported what was there and what it meant to that city and I did so with my dad watching over me. I made him proud, I know I did.

But then I realized that what made my dad happy was not me being like him, it was me being the best me possible. And I knew I could only do that if I was here" she explains.

"You're really not leaving again" I ask.

"No. Because New York doesn't have what I need, it doesn't have you" she says and I freeze.

I look down and see she still had the promise ring on her finger. I pick up her hand and study the ring, I remember what it said in the inside. And how I still feel that way.

"I hope you know that I never stoped loving you" I insist.

"I never stopped loving you either. In fact I think I love you more now that I had to live without you" she claims.

"You know. I came down here to today to find some answers to my questions. Questions about who I am and what I've been missing. And I just found them" I say as I softly cup her face.

"I'm so sorry for leaving" she whispers.

"It's okay" I insist.

"It's not okay. I did a terrible thing to you. And now I want things to be like they used to be and I know they can't be" she rambles.

"I don't care about what happened. All I know is that those nearly ten months were the best of my life and I would do anything to get them back. And since I can't do that, the next best thing is to pick up where we left off" I claim.

"I would like that" she smiles.

"How about we meet here again tomorrow" I ask.

"8:15" she smiles.

"8:15."