The Greatest Assist (Patrick Kane)

28| This I Promise You

Patrick

The few days after Christmas were spent taking down decorations and storing them away. I had a few games between the holidays but New Year's Eve and New Year's Day was wide open and that meant I could do whatever I wanted.

With Chelsea still not ready to be out in a bar drinking quite yet I decide to ring in the new year with her in a controlled environment. So I come over to her place and she makes a bunch of food. I didn't even know she knew how to cook to be honest with you. I knew her better than anyone and I still feel like there's so much I don't know about her.

"When did you learn how to cook" I wonder as I watch her. I knew my place and knew it didn't involve being in a kitchen. So I don't inhibit her but I keep her company on the mean time.

"When I was in college was the first time I actually got to try these things out for myself. I had a nanny from the time I was a newborn to when I graduated high school. My parents weren't big into being parents but still wanted kids so Michelle practically raised us on her own. And when our parents weren't around she would secretly teach me things that she knew I was going to need once I moved out.

So when I moved to UCLA I started to apply what I learned about how to cook, clean, all that good stuff. Thanks to Michelle I was able to survive on my own and start to cut my ties to my parents. Where my siblings spent their college years doing classes my parents paid for I did it all my own. My parents hated Michelle after they learned what happened but she was my number one for as long as I could remember" she explains.

"I've never heard you talk about her before, she sounds important to you" I admit.

"She passed away my sophomore year in college. I never felt so lonely in my life than when she died. My sister was somewhere overseas and my friends were doing their own thing. Michelle was kinda like my paid best friend and I lost her. She made the biggest difference in my life and I wasn't sure how to survive with without her. It was hard letting go so I don't like to bring it up" she sighs.

"I'm sorry for your loss. I couldn't imagine losing someone like that. That's why I didn't want to lose you" I explain.

She smiles over to me and I smile back. We don't say anything yet I knew that if she was to say something, I know exactly what it would be.

She finishes up with the food and we move the party to the living room. We listen to music on the radio and get a little work in. These next few months were big and she wanted to make sure we were prepared. She was nothing if very thorough in her work, something I could use in my life.

Eventually the song changes as a smile come up on her face. I can tell she knew this song and she enjoyed it. So I stand up and hold out my hand as she looks at me questionably.

"Dance with me" I insist.

"I don't dance, and neither do you. We've been over this" she reminds me.

"Everyone can dance" I argue.

"Have you ever slow danced with someone before" she asks me.

"Well... no" I admit. "But you have taught me so much, this should be one of the easier lessons" I insist.

"I'm not dancing with you" she demands.

So I grab her notebook and move it to the side. I grab her hands and I pull her up off the couch. She tries not to smile but it cracks through letting me know she wanted to do this even if she didn't know she did.

"When the visions around you
Bring tears to your eyes
And all that surrounds you
Are secrets and lies