The Pursuit of Happiness (Patrick Kane)

|Thirty-Four|

Patrick

Growing up in New York I've gotten to learn a lot of American history. My dad was all about teaching us about Buffalo, New York and how this city was a part of creating this country. The culture and the way that there's so many different backgrounds in this city makes it one of the premier cities, kind of like Chicago. There's so many places to see and go and even though it's not NYC, it's still pretty great. I wasn't home a lot growing up but I always felt like I was home when I came back. I knew New York was a special place to be able to live there and to have my family come from there. I imagine that's how Kayleigh felt about growing up in Virgina.

And being one of the few American born players who are doing well in a predominantly Canadian sport it means a lot to be from the states and find the success I have. Though team USA hasn't had a lot of luck in the international department. There was teams like the Hawks and guys like me making the way for American hockey. Getting more kids in the states interested in the game. In Chicago alone there were a bunch of kids who could be the next Patrick Kane making history for this country in the best way possible.

And as an American boy I've always wanted to visit the capital, I thought it was pretty cool knowing the history and seeing it first hand. In school we got to go to the twin towers before they were gone and other places in New York but never made it out of the state. With Kayleigh being from Alexandria which is a short 20 minute drive from the capital she promised to take me while we were on vacation.

So we land in Alexandria and are met by her dads. They help us find the hotel we got for the week and we get settled in. I wanted time where it was just her and I, but I also to see some cool things with her dads. Since we just arrived I wasn't much in a mood for alone time anyway with us leaving Chicago so early and both of us being tired. So we were going to get the visit to the capitol over with first before the extra curricular a came into play.

Andy drives us over and we find a place to park. We end up in front of the White House and I insist we take lots and lots of pictures.

"You've been here before, haven't you" Mark asks me and I nod.

"Once, back in 2010 after we won our first Stanley cup. But that was all business and I didn't really get to enjoy it" I explain.

"Did you get to meet the Obama's" Kayleigh ask with the most excitement I've heard in her voice since we got here.

"I met the First Lady, but I didn't get to meet the rest of her family" I admit.

"The Obama's were a big reason I wanted to go to Chicago. That's where Michelle is from and where Barrak went to cease opportunities. I figured if it was good enough for the president it would be good enough for me too. They saw a lot of what I see there, how great that city could really be, how it should be. They knew if they make a difference there then places like this aren't so scary" she explains.

"This actually makes a lot of sense" I admit as she laughs.

"Well she's had her whole life planned out since she was a kid. She just wasn't sure where to go" Mark explains.

"Part of me feels like Chicago called to me" she says.

"Because you're a democrat" I question.

"I'm not a democrat, I'm not a republican either" she claims.

"So a liberal" I say.

"If we were to label these things then yes, technically I would fall under the liberal category. But my main goal is getting back to what America originally was all about" she says.

"Taking stuff that isn't ours and claiming it as ours" Andy asks making me laugh.

"No" she rolls her eyes. "I'm talking about life... liberty... and the pursuit of happiness."

"Does anyone know what that even means" I ask.

"Life and liberty, yeah. It's your right to having a life here in America and making it whatever you want it to be. It's your right to liberty and to live under a government that doesn't control you" she says.

"Then what about the pursuit of happiness" I wonder. "What does that mean?"

She just turns to me with the biggest smile on her face. Her bright grey eyes sparkling in the summer sun. "It means whatever we want it to mean. And that was the ideal when we were building this nation. To make happiness, to pursue it and never question what it means. People are afraid to admit that what makes others happy isn't enough to make them happy, that's why we use these ideals to tear each other down instead of building each other up.

Now I might not be the biggest fan of the way history went down, but when we started it was about helping each other. We wouldn't be here without the help of so many people outside of this country. We're built up of people of different backgrounds but we're not taught to celebrate our differences. We're told to shame things we don't understand, knowing that we will live in fear of those things we will never know. At least in the beginning we were so open to things outside of this place, because we couldn't build a country without them. I mean the Statue of Liberty is French for petes sake" she laughs. "I just wanted people to have something that makes them happy, then have the courage to pursue it like I did" she explains.

"Like I did" I agree.

She wraps her arm around my arm before her fingers lace in mine. "It's the American Dream" she claims.

"It was. But I got a new one" I claim.

"Oh yeah" she smirks. "And what is that?"

"You" I claim.

"Ohhhh" Mark jokes as Kayleigh just rolls her eyes. She buries her face in my chest and I hold her tighter. It was warm outside but it wasn't going to stop me from showing her my love.

Kayleigh takes Andy to go take some more pictures and I pull Mark to the side. We hang out and let them share their creative thoughts and catch up since they were last out in Chicago for Kayleigh's graduation. We sit on the curb and just talk, he was the most laid back man I have ever met. He loves his boyfriend, and his kids, and nothing else really matters to him.

"How long have you and Kayleigh been together now" he asks.

"About five months" I smile real big.

"You really love her, huh" he questions.

"More than I could ever say with words. More than I ever could show with actions" I admit.

"I was in a marriage with someone I didn't love for almost 20 years. Now don't get me wrong, I did enjoy Kayleigh's mom and I love my children. But just because something makes the most sense, causes the least amount of damage, doesn't mean it's the right choice" he tells me.

"No offense sir, but if I wanted to be with someone who is 100% compatible with me and causes the least amount of damage... your daughter isn't it" I tease as she laughs.

"Yeah, I don't know where she gets that fire from. But not a lot of people fuel her fire, you do though" he assures me.

"I had never been in love before, so I didn't know what to do or say. Luckily she saw in me what she was looking for, whatever that may be. She never gave up on me and I will never give up on her either" I promise.

"That's what I like to hear" he smiles.