My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

36

Alexis

As our time in paradise comes to a close Jonathan had a little trick up his sleeve. When it comes to him he loves making plans to show off his more feminine side or do something romantic. And just because we were far from home doesn't mean that has changed. He had a nice little gondola ride set up for us to take a boat tour around the whole city while Kimberly enjoyed a cute little pottery class where she can make pottery and paint it however she wants along with other kids her age. Although I was skeptical about leaving her, Kimberly was about to be in first grade anyway, I couldn't shelter her forever. Plus a gondola ride sounds amazing and I'm sure this city had so much to show me.

So I put on a cute little dress I found at a local shop not too far from here. I find my good sandals I brought with me and leave my hair down since there was no wind here compared to the Windy City. After I apply a little make up and check myself out in the mirror I head out of the bathroom. I find Kimmy and Jon sitting on the couch messing around with a toy Kimberly picked up here.

"Woah" she gasps as she turns to me with a big smile. Her eyes search me over as she's probably never seen me dressed up before. I don't have a lot of nice things and usually all my more expensive clothing is for training. So if it wasn't shorts and one of Jon's t shirts it probably wasn't me.

I don't think my sister has ever seen me dress up in a dress. I never thought I would do this kind of stuff just for a date but honestly I love it. I love getting ready and wondering how he will look at me, what he'll say to me when he finally sees me. Stuff like that gets me going and keeps me going too.

"Lexi... you look absolutely stunning" Jon says softly giving me chills down my spine. I try to not blush but I really couldn't help it. He made me feel so beautiful no matter how bad I didn't want to believe it. It's hard denying him of anything.

"Thank you. I can't tell you the last time I had a tan" I admit.

"I think you look beautiful no matter what" he claims. If this is how this afternoon is going to go it's going to be a looong day for me.

Eventually we drop Kimberly off at a arts and crafts day care service and find our boat. It was a small one, nothing like what we saw in Chicago, but I loved it. It was open and small so that meant that Jon and I are going to have to sit close together.

So we cuddle up on one side of the boat and the pan handler stand on the other. We take off into the city on the water and take it all in. Music from someone's house flows into the canal and I smile to myself. Even though I had no clue what they were saying, it was still beautiful.

As we drift along the waves not really doing much of anything I think that for the first time in my whole life I was at peace. At peace with the world, with my life.

"I know I said I wanted this vacation, but i kinda hate it because it's going to be so hard to go back" Jon insists as we continue to relax.

"I know what you mean. Things here are so simple, and I don't want to complicate them again" I agree.

"You guys have troubles back home" the man asks us with a thick accent and I laugh a little.

"Not really. Jonathan just won the best trophy in the sport he plays and I'm going to be in the Olympics. It seems like everything we wanted we had... it's just-" I start.

"It's not all that you thought it would be" he finishes for me.

"Pretty much. I mean on paper I should be the happiest woman in the world. I have the best sister and a relationship people would kill for. I've been given a second chance to become everything I'm supposed to be. But I'm scared. I don't want to let anyone down, and I don't want to let myself down" I sigh. I see Jon look down at me with those eyes, those eyes he has every time he knows what I'm gonna say before I even say it. While he knew all these things I've never said them before. And defiantly not to a total stranger.

"We have a saying here" the man starts and both Jon and I turn to him. "We say that every day might not be a good day but there's good in every day. And sometimes it's hard to see, like clouds in your sky. But the suns still there, even if you can't see it. Just as there's good in every day, even though you don't feel it.

Don't let your clouds let you think that there isn't good. You're going to the Olympics and he just won something millions dream of winning. And those things are good. But it's the little things that made you get to those moments, the cracks where the sun peaks through in the clouds that makes it all worth while" he explains.

I smile big as I turn to Jon. He was already staring down at me smiling like me too.

"I'm lucky. I got a sun that never sets" I say as I place my hand on his chest.

"How long have you guys been together" the man wonders.

"Eight months" Jon says and the man stops rowing. He turns to us as he looks us up and down.

"I would have thought you've been together years, the way you look at each other" he claims and I shrug.

"We've been through so much. A lot of ups and a lot of downs. And I would do it all again just to make it to this moment in our lives" I admit.

"What you guys have, it's special. I've seen a lot of couples on these rides and they sit there and they look around. They're on their phones taking pictures and uploading, never actually in this moment and they'll never get it back. But you guys just move closer together, never trying to get on your phones. You guys are here and happy to be, that never seems to happen anymore. It's hard for people to be quiet and listen to their heart for once" he explains.

"I can never get mine to shut up" I chuckle.

"As long as you listen to it and not anything else that's going on back at wherever you guys are from then you guys should be just fine" he says.