My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

43

Jonathan

It was the beginning of October now and it finally comes time for the first game of the season. Although I don't think anything will top last season, I couldn't wait to try. My family was in town for the big night and we had the banner raising to tend to.

So I pull on my best suit ready to walk the red carpet. I expect a lot of pictures and I know half of them will make me look bad because I can never take a good candid photo. I'm not half as photogenic as I hoped I was. So I check myself in the mirror one more time to make sure my bad side wasn't too bad.

"Well hey there handsome man" Alexis smiles as she appears in the mirror with me. She wraps her arms around my waist and I couldn't help but smile when I see her bright and beautiful eyes stare at me in our reflection.

"Hey baby. How was Kimberly's play date" I wonder as I turn around in her arms so her hands were around my back. She giggles as she just shakes her head about to tell me the story.

"It was pretty good. I think I finally found someone who says more words in a day than Kimberly" she claims and I laugh.

"So they talked a lot" I connect.

"Literally the whole two hours. Remind me to not have the next play date in a library. Not that I think we're allowed back in there any time soon" she mumbles.

"Wow, sounds like you had a lot of fun today" I tease.

"Let's just say I'm ready to be in the United Center wearing your jersey cheering you on" she claims and I smile.

"Thank you" I say and she looks at me weird.

"For what" she asks.

"For always cheering me on and believing in me. I have a lot of fans but you, you're my favorite one. I love how excited you get to do things with the Blackhawks and always participate in things with the other wives and girlfriends. Even when you were a ice girl you loved this organization and had the best things to say about it and the players and the families. Everyone in and around the organization loves you like you're their own and although you didn't even get to do a lot with them last season they couldn't imagine doing this without you, just like me.

I know that being with me isn't easy. I owe a lot to this city as its captain and you feel like you have to share me with millions of people every other night. I'm sure you hear what people say, I know they're not happy I'm in a relationship or that it's with you. But you're always there for me no matter how hard life was for you or how hard it is to be with me.

I just want to thank you for never giving up on me. For always supporting me and being so strong all the time" I explain.

"Baby, I love everything about you. The good and the bad. The easy and the hard. I love every part of you and this city and this team is a big part of you. I know that you're not just mine, but you were never meant to be just mine. It was supposed to be me and you and the world and I'm okay with that" she insists.

"God you're so incredible" I sigh. "I can't wait to spend the rest my life with you" I claim as she raised her eyebrow at me.

"Careful with those words. Those are marrying words" she teases.

"I'm well aware" I assure her.

"As long as you know" she smiles.

"I wanted you yesterday, I wanted you today, I'll want you tomorrow, and I want you every day after that" I say. She pulls me into a deep kiss as she stands up on her tippy toes. I hold her chin so she can't break the kiss, not that I thought she wanted to.

"Hey" I little voice yells and we finally break apart. I turn and see Kimberly standing in the doorway with her jersey on backwards and one shoe halfway on with no pants. She was cute, but more like a beautiful disaster. "You were supposed to help me" she pouts as she stares her sister down.

"Why? You look so good" Alexis giggles as she tries not to laugh at her sister.

"I kinda lost my pants" Kimberly replies bashfully and I start to chuckle.

"Alright motor mouth, lets get you fixed up" Lexi says as she finally lets me go. I reluctantly let her go too before shamelessly watching her leave.

After making sure I was all set I let the girls get their crisis figured out. I head on over to the United Center where the fun was going to start. People have been working so hard to make tonight special and I know it will be. Not every season you get to start with raising banners to the raptors and to try and defend your title. I'm lucky we had two times to try and start a dynasty, and we were just getting started.

Once I get there I take pictures and sign some things. I get down to the locker room where people were getting ready for the big night. So I change and sit in my stall and space out like usual. I think about what all it took to get here and smile because I was the luckiest man alive.

"Oh no. He's smiling. Someone must have died" someone chirps and I look up to see Patrick Sharp standing there waiting to get a response from me. I look over and see his stall was next to mine. Whoever did that thinks they're really funny.

"The only thing that's died is my admiration for you" I claim.

"Ohhh. Someone's sassy today" he accuses.

"Only for you" I promise.

"Aww, I feel so special" he jokes.

"You're something alright."

Once everyone is ready and the lights were off it was time to watch the banner get raised to the ceiling. We watch the tribute video and bring all the trophies out for the fans to see. Finally we all send the banners up to the sky. I couldn't get the smile off my face as we closed the chapter on this part of my life. It was some of the best times I've ever had and I know I can't live in the past, I have a whole season ahead of me. But I'm glad I got to make history last season and defy all the odds that faced me. We won and we did it pretty handily, I'll never be able to forget that season and all it brought to me.