My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

28

Alexis

Yesterday I turned in my ice girl I uniform and my letter of resignation. I couldn't really turn in a two weeks because I never knew when the season was going to end, so my long and storied career as a ice girl comes to a end after just five short months. While it was a fun job, I don't need it anymore. I am thankful for what it did for me and the opportunity to be a part of such a incredible organization like the Blackhawks. But it was time for me to move foreword and it'll be easier if I didn't have to pick up hats and scrap ice every ten or so minutes. Kimberly was healthy and we were well taken care of, so what's the point of keeping the job, you know?

But before the chapter on this season was closed, we had a championship parade to celebrate what is one of the most unlikely of seasons. So we pack the buses and take to the streets of Chicago. Roads were shut down and people called off work just to see the guys and the trophy. There was a literal sea of red everywhere you looked and it sounded like the UC out here.

"Can you believe this? All of this" Jonathan questions.

"Absolutely not. I mean there's millions of people here and they're all here because of what you and your team was able to do. That's crazy" I admit.

"This is nothing compared to what you're going to see in the Olympics. All these people will be rooting for you, watching you're every move and there's millions more out there" he claims.

"Let's not make today about me. Because there's a lot of people here to watch you drink beer out of a 35 pound piece of metal" I insist and he laughs.

"It's kinda weird to think about when you say it out loud" he admits.

"You're not wrong" I agree.

We finish the parade and head to the park for the rally. I join the other families and Kimmy as we stand among the fans. The boys all take the stage and drunkenly yell into the microphone. I know I'm going to hear Kimberly walking round yelling "fucking right chicagoooooo" for the next few days so that's going to be fun. Eventually Jon walks up to the stage and looks out. The crowd gets even louder as their faithful leader takes center stage. I see him start to look around until he finds Kimberly and I. He smiles when his eyes meet mine and it makes my heart beat faster.

"I'm going to have to ask you guys to bare with me for I am very hung over and very tired. But most importantly I'm very excited to be here with you guys celebrating another championship" he explains. The crowd roars because he could have said anything and they would have. It was actually pretty cool that so many people loved him, if only they knew the half of it. "I want to tell you guys a little story about why this season was one for the ages.

January of this year was such a wild ride for me. We got hockey back and we were off to a great start. But most importantly I met the most important person in my life. And I'm not gonna sit here and tell you guys how I fell in love or how my life has changed since the beginning of this year. But I am going to tell you how I was inspired to be someone better than I ever thought I could be.

Every player that you look up to was once a little girl or boy sitting at home watching their favorite player on tv. They say "I want to be just like them when they get older" and that's where it all starts. Just a moment of inspiration. I found that earlier this month when I was babysitting my girlfriends little sister. She wasn't my girlfriend yet, I didn't know anything about her. I just knew that I wanted to be a part of her life. Little did I know I was about to find my inspiration again.

Her sister showed me this video of a young girl who has more talent in her pinky finger than most have in their whole family. I've never seen anything like her before, I was in shock when her sister sat there and made me watch this video. I didn't know anything about her but I knew this much, she was going to be one of the best people to ever take the ice.

For the first time in a really long time I felt inspired. After losing my love for the ice I found it again, but I found it in someone else. But it's the same thing I can do for all the other people out there who watches me play. Who says that I belong on this team doing what I do. Who believes in me no matter what anyone says. I felt that feeling when I watched her and to know that I can do the same for boys and girls out there, well that's better than any hunk of metal. And I told my girlfriend I wouldn't talk about her because today was supposed to be about me and this team. But without people like her people like me don't exist. Theres inspiration everywhere and I found mine. I hope I can be the same to others" he says.

The crowd erupts as he tips his cap to him. He usually won't talk about himself, but he always broke his own rules for me.

The parade comes to a close and everyone exists. We load the bus back up and head to the United Center to get home. Kimberly passes out in Jonny's arm as we sit rooftop strolling through this incredible city. I stare at Jonny as he lets the wind blow through his scruffy playoff beard. He had this smile on his face that made me feel like all was right in the world.

"What you said today, that was pretty incredible" I tell him as he turns his attention from the city to me.

"That wasn't even the beginning" he claims and I feel a smile spread on my face. He has that effect on me.

"So what are you going to be doing now that your not making millions of people proud" I ask and he smiles back.

"I'm gonna take care of the people I love the most. My girls."