The Greatest Assist (Patrick Kane)

79| Christmas Miracle

Chelsea

The 2012-2013 season started off pretty rough. As in it wasn't starting at all...

Like all things, wherever there is good there is a little bit of bad too. For years there was a threat of a lockout but no one over stepped their boundaries, until this summer where all hell broke lose and hockey never came by the time September rolled around. Then October came and if anything the negotions were going backwards. It was hard to watch, people who came together because of this sport is now being torn apart. There was nothing they could do, it took two to tango and a dance solo wasn't going to work this time around.

And even though the players get to play the game that's they love day in and day out they still have to pay the price. This is a business at the end of the day and the players want to be treated right just as much as the owners wanted money. So until a settlement is decided there will be no hockey played. Again. This happened in this very business not too long ago and were supposed to learn from history. We're supposed to grow. And when we don't things like this happen again and again until we can figure it out.

So Patrick decided to go over seas because that's where the hockey was and that's where his heart is. And I had a decision to make to go with him or stay with my clients. Derrick was still here and I also picked up a few other little jobs for some athletes in the Chicago area. But I was still working with Patrick too so I had to figure it out.

And my solution was to try and do both. Do a few weeks in Switzerland with Patrick and a few weeks at home in Chicago. I would bring Patrick things he missed from the states and bring my sister things from over seas. It was working for a while but it's the holidays now and I miss Patrick. I would go back for the first two weeks of the new year but it was important to me to be in Chicago with my sister and in my home for Christmas.

So I stayed and I Skyped with Patrick every second I was awake and he was and not playing. His mom and sister Jess was there with him so he wasn't alone. But it wasn't the same without him, I missed him like hell and I hated that other people's problems have become mine. But that's life I guess, and with each person I welcome into my life things just get more and more complicated. It's just a lot easier to muscle through the complications when Patrick's here with me.

Christmas morning I roll over in bed to Clark laying next to me. I pull him into my chest as he provides every bit of comfort he can give me. As I laid there I realized two weird things. One is I didn't wake up to a text from Patrick like I do every morning and two the whole house smelled like coffee. So I check my phone to make sure I didn't just miss it but when I see it's blank I decide to roll out of bed. I brush my teeth and throw my hair up before walking out of the bedroom.

I see the lights own downstairs and I become even more confused. My sister and Jon were coming over but that wasn't for hours. I walk down the stairs and it's like I walked into a winter wonderland. There were Christmas lights and a tree and tons of gifts under it. I hadn't decorated because I've been here and there and everywhere in between and didn't have the time. But it looked like Christmas threw up in here.

"What in the hell" I gasp as I get down there. I look around and see stockings over the fireplace and decorations everywhere.

I turn around and see Patrick standing by the tree. He was dressed all nice and even did his hair. I could see how tired her was, the time change between Switzerland and Illinois was awful but I was getting used to it. He just looked plain tired.

But he was here and that meant the world to me. That he would put his mind and body through all of this just to be here with me on Christmas.

So I run over to him and jump into his arms, he grabs me tight and I grab him back. My face nuzzles into the crook of his neck as I try not to cry, but this is just what I wanted for Christmas.

"Hey Princess" he whispers in my ear.

"Why are you here" I ask him.

"I had to come give you your present personally" he claims.

I climb down but I don't let him go, I keep him right in front of me. He moves a piece of hair that fell out when I jumped up and down. He smiles so big as he looks into my eyes, like he hasn't seen me in years but in reality it's been a week and a half.

"So what did you get me" I tease as my fingers get tangled in his sweat shirt.

"I'm so glad you asked" he smiles.

He grabs something before prying me off him. I reluctantly let him go as he lets out a long sigh. He seemed nervous which was weird because he wasn't a second ago. Then he drops down to one knee and I connect the dots. Why he did all of this, why he was all of the sudden was acting so weird and why he insisted on being here Christmas morning no matter how tired he was.

"Oh my god" I gasp as he just smiles up at me. He pulls out a ring box to reveal a beautiful ring and the tears were in my eyes were instant. I try to find some words but they don't come.

"Don't you get quiet on me now" he teases.

"I don't know what to say" I sniffle.

"Well you have two option, yes or no. But there's only one right answer" he jokes.

"Yes" I laugh as I shake my head. "Yes I would love to marry you."

He slips the ring on my finger in place of the crown ring and as soon as it's on I pull him into a kiss. He stands up as his arms wrap around me. I felt like a mess in my pj's and my hair thrown up not even in the shower yet. But I've also never felt more beautiful.

"Merry Christmas Princess" he whispers on my lips.