I'm Still Standing

13

Rachel

Before I knew it we were coming up on Christmas and I wasn't all that excited. It's my first Christmas since my mom passed and all the magic was kinda gone since she was. I wasn't sure what my plans were for the holiday, I couldn't afford to get anyone anything anyway. I'm a broke college student, I was in no position to be throwing money out there. I would love, more than anything to get Jeremy and his family and Jon something nice, I just don't see how.

In the meantime I was going to try to enjoy Christmas the best I can. My mom always went all out for the holidays, I'm talking we each had our own tree and stockings and lights and wreaths. It was a bit much but it was something we did together to pass all the time we were stuck inside. She always let me put the angel on top of the tree and assured me it's looking over me. And now she was my angel looking over me, you know, if I had a tree.

As for today the Blackhawks were having a family skate. In a surprising revolation Jeremey invited me to join him and his family in the family skate. And even more shockingly I turned it down because Jon already asked me and I was planning on going with him. He wanted to introduce me to his friends and their loved ones and I wanted to skate again so it all worked out in the end.

So I meet Jonny at the United Center and we find me some skates to wear. I nearly run out onto the ice and look around. I've been around here so many times before and I've never been down on the ice. This place looks so much bigger from down here. The ice was large and the stadium when it's filled with fans probably made it feel like you were one in a million down here. It was honestly so cool.

"Jonny" someone yells and we slow down a little. I see a older couple come up to us and I smile. I knew the guy as Brent Seabrook and I'm assuming that was his girlfriend with him.

"Hey Seab's, what's up" Jonny asks.

"Well you've been talking about your girlfriend for well over a month now and I wanted to meet her" he announces.

"Oh" Jon gasps, "Where are my manners? Rachel this is one of my best friends Brent and his girlfriend Dayna" he introduces.

"It's a pleasure to meet you guys" I say as I pull them into a hug. I'm a hugger.

"You too! Although I feel like I already know you" Brent teases.

I see Jons face getting red as he watches to see my reaction. I smile up at him as I return to the side. "I don't know what he's told you about me but I can almost assure you he's over selling me" I insist.

"You sound pretty cool all by yourself. He told us you're going to open a restaurant someday" Brent claims.

I just laugh because of course he did. "It's a dream I have but I'm still in college and don't have a lot of money right now" I explain.

"Isn't your dad Jeremy Roenick" Dayna wonders.

"He is, but I haven't asked him for anything. It feels weird, you know? To have your dad back in your life but you also get his wife and two kids too. Suddenly your family of one is a family of five and he has other things he's worried about" I shrug.

"I'm sorry but he owes you a lot more than a restaurant for the shit he pulled" Dayna insists. I smile because it was nice to know someone was in my corner.

"I agree. But I'm focusing on living for my mom and not in spite of him. He's late but he is still here. This is his chance and I'm not going to make things harder than they already are. I don't want people to think I showed up again because I needed his money. That's not it. I showed up because I needed some answers and I got them. And I got a boyfriend so here I stay" I giggle.

"You got a good one here. If you weren't so lucky you could have ended up with Patrick" Brent teases.

"Did someone say my name" Patrick Sharp asks as he comes over. He has a beautiful girl under his arm to and I was starting to think there's some kind of beauty protocol going on in order to be here.

"No" Brent insists. "I was talking about the other one."

"Oh... him" Patrick Sharp says making a disgusted face.

"Where is he? I wanted to introduce Rachel to him" Jon claims.

"Why would you do that? I thought you really liked her" Patrick Sharp jokes making me laugh. It was obvious that when you put these guys together for nine months out of the year they get way too comfortable with each other.

"I do! I figured if she gets past him then she's a keeper" Jon jokes.

"Excuse me but my dad is Jeremy Roenick. Egotistical yet very talented American born players are nothing I can't handle" I tease.

As if right on cue Patrick Kane skates on over and stops by Jon. He looks at me before smiling to his buddy. He nudged his side as Jon pushes him off.

"Rachel, this is the guy I'm going to be stuck with my entire career so you might as well meet him" Jon sighs.

"Nice to meet you" I smile to Patrick.

"You too. You're Jeremys kid right" he asks.

"I am" I nod.

"That's so cool. I hope I can be like him when I'm done with my career" Patrick claims.

"You could be better. He never won a cup and you guys have a good chance to do that this season. I believe in this team" I insist.

"Oh, I like this one" Patrick Sharp claims making me smile.

"I do too" Jon jokes as I run my shoulder into him.

We continue to hang out and I get to meet most everyone. I knew most of the players from watching games and it was cool to actually meet them and skate around. This team was really close, I could tell. And Jonny made sure he said hi to everyone and introduced me to them. They loved him so much and it was easy to see why.

Eventually we break off where it was just him and I skating around. I hold his hand in mine as we zip around the ice.

"What do you want for Christmas" he asks me and I freeze. I look down at the ice as I let out a sigh.

"I don't want anything" I mumble.

"But it's Christmas, everyone wants something" he claims.

"Can I be honest with you" I ask.

He stops skating so he can turn to me. "Of course" he assures me.

"I don't have a lot of money. I can't afford to get you anything and that's why I don't want you to get me anything" I say.

"Baby that's okay, I don't want anything. You give me more than anyone ever has and that's without buying a single thing. You're the greatest gift I could ask for" he says softly.

"I still feel bad. My mom and I never got each other gifts, we just made each other stuff and spent the day watching Christmas movies. And now I can't even do that so this whole Christmas thing is hard for me" I sigh.

He wraps his arms around me before pulling me into a hug. I have to admit that it did help. "I'm good with no presents. Why don't we just do cards" he asks.

"That would be nice" I admit. He softly kisses the top of my head causing a smile to find its way onto my lips. Maybe this Christmas wouldn't be that bad after all.