My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

35

Alexis

Once we get all comfortable in our little home for the next few days we finally get out to the beach. Kimberly has been begging to go and I couldn't hold her off much longer. So we make some plans to go to the beach and maybe even see some dolphins, which much to Kimberly's dismay we couldn't swim with. But rumor has it if you find the right spot by the ocean you can see them.

So I sit in the bathroom and pull my bathing suit out of my luggage. I pull it on and stare at myself in the mirror as I let out a long sigh. I used to be insecure about wearing bikinis because of my muscles, people said I looked like a guy or was too muscular, but I've embraced my muscles. In fact I'm proud of them and don't care if it makes me look more like a guy. I worked so hard to be in the best shape I could be in for skating and I'm not ashamed of it, not anymore at least.

So I keep on my colorful floral bikini and find a pair of shorts and a tank top to put on top for the walk over. Once I slide on some flip flops and get a pair of sunglasses I was dressed and ready for the beach. I grab my beach bag and Kimberly's too before we take a short drive over to the beach. We find the perfect spot in the sand to set up shop. I put sun screen on Kimberly before she slips out of my fingers and into the water. I smile as she starts to splash around and play. She was part mermaid, I swear it. She loved the water and even the frozen water.

I turn to Jon and shamelessly watch as he put sunscreen all over his incredible body. If I was fit then he was a god. I promise you someone sculpted this man and let me tell you, they didn't miss a spot.

"I can't tell you the last time I was in a ocean" he claims and I tilt my head to the side.

"Really? Don't you go on nice vacations like all the time" I ask.

"By myself" he questions and I nod. Fair point. "No. I don't really go on nice vacations by myself."

"Well if I looked like you I would spend all my days at the beach" I admit as I take off my clothes so I can get my sun screen on and out into the water too.

"Look who's talking? I can hear the models wishing to be just like you right now" he claims and I start to blush.

"Yes, nothing says sexy like a gigantic knee scar" I tease.

"You're more than a scar on your knee. You're the strength it takes to overcome that scar on your knee, any super model or role model would be proud to go through what that scar represents and still look like you do" he insists.

"You think I look good" I tease.

"I don't think anyone in this world looks better" he claims. I put my hands over my face to cover up my blush and he starts to laugh at me. He grabs my hands and wraps my arms around his waist. "I love when you get all bashful" he teases and I roll my eyes.

"You're so lucky I love you" I accuse.

"Yes... yes I am" he claims.

After we get covered in sun screen we go play in the ocean with Kimberly. Jon puts her on his shoulders so she can go into the deeper parts of the water. We mess around in the sun and for once not have a worry about anything. We were like this little family that had finally found some place where the hurt can't reach us. For a while I forgot who I was, who Jon was and all I knew was who we wanted to be together. It was a beautiful little day and I am so happy that this is my life now.

After a while I sit myself on a beach towel and watch Kimberly build a sand castle a few feet over from me. She's never been to a real beach, never been close to the ocean or found a sea shell on her own. I hated that I couldn't give her this, but I'm more than happy she can do these types of things now.

"What are you thinking so hard about" Jon asks as he sits next to me. My big Canadian man was already starting to tan and that made me smile.

"Just about how much I used to want to give that little girl the world. How much of my happiness was still dependent on how that girl saw me in her eyes. But she never asked me for anything she didn't need. I was trying to give her the world and I was her whole world the whole time. And I know she doesn't need to be on a beach playing in the sand in order to be happy, but she's a kid. I know there's things she wants but she won't ask for because she doesn't know if I can get it for her. I'm just really happy she gets to build sandcastles, dream up whatever her heart dreams of and doesn't have to hear no all the time" I explain.

"You know I hate what happened to you. I hate it so much. But I love what came of it" he tells me and I sigh.

"I know what you mean. It's a fine line between hurting and learning. But I've learned so much and now I can finally sit back and just enjoy life" I admit.

He wraps his arm around me and pulls me into a little hug. I rest my hand on his chest as he rubs my arm making me feel so peaceful.

"Well I'm happy that things worked out" he claims.

"Yeah, me too" I smile.

We eventually join Kim in her sandy adventures. We help her build a castle fit for a Queen, of course with the queen being her. But I got to be the princess and Jon was the prince so I guess in the end it all worked out in the end. We spend the whole day in the sand having fun, we burry Kimmy then draw her a mermaid tail. Jon tosses her in the water before she runs back asking for him to do it again and again. A year ago I thought a life like this would never find me, that it could never happen. But here I am, defying all odds.