The Pursuit of Happiness (Patrick Kane)

|Forty-Two|

Patrick

In the blink of an eye the 2013-2014 season was drawing near. The summer was about to be over and I was going to be back on the ice with my team again. We had a short summer thanks to the lockout, but I think we will manage just fine. We could ride this excitement into the new season and maybe make some more history.

After my day with the cup Kayleigh and I return to Chicago to continue on with our lives. The 2013 season was as good as over, all we needed was the rings and to raise the banner and that is all she wrote. It was time to think up of the future we wanted and how to get there. To figure out what was expected of us and how to achieve this ever growing expectation I find myself in.

I wasn't a little kid anymore. I had responsibility as a staple of this organization and this city. And it was a lot to live up to because I didn't want to let them down. When people think of the Blackhawks I don't want them to see me and automatically think this organization made a mistake. I wanted to be worth it to these people so I was going to do everything I can to be the price of admission and win as many things as I possibly can for this incredible city.

Today Kayleigh had a bunch of important business meeting regarding her proposal for increasing funds to low income schools and starting programs there to keep kids busy and safe from the streets. She worked so hard on this proposal and I know she'll get it passed. Every time they tried to shoot her down she finds a different way to get people to help. There was no denying this woman her future.

For me I decide to hit the weight room and start to work out again. I usually don't wait this late but with the season starting a little later than usual I had the time. So I meet up with a few friends and we start to work. I had been doing a few things at home but nothing too extravagant. I enjoyed working out and working towards something, even if I'm not really sure what that is.

"Where's your partner in crime" my training buddy Darren asks and I laugh.

"She's off saving the world, just like any other Wednesday" I tease.

"How have you guys been? I feel like I haven't seen you in a while" he insists.

"We've been a little bit of everywhere. She took me home to Virginia to see where she grew up. Then I had my day with the cup back in New York so she got to meet everyone there. But now I am here and I'm ready to start this season" I insist.

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

I finish my workout and decide to have a special dinner set up for tonight. There wasn't going to be many more nights like this were we will be able to just be together and not have a million and one things to worry about. So I buy some of her favorite candles and order from Chicago Cut because if I want her to have a good night I will not be cooking. I pick up some flowers and chocolate covered strawberries for dessert just because then I return to the apartment. I spend way more time than I wanted to setting everything up, but I wanted tonight to be special, just like she is.

So I clean up the place because admittedly neither of us were picking up what we've left around the last few days. Everything we pick up Annie drags right back out anyway. Once the place looked nice I dim the lights and light the candles. Her favorite summer candle scent was dry linen and I have to admit, it smelled amazing.

I set the table with our food and I got her sparkling apple juice since she doesn't like to drink wine all that often. I set our desserts to the side and the flowers center of the table and I was all ready.

I decide last minute to change into something nice instead of what I worked out in. I even do my hair a little to top it off. As soon as I finish I hear the door open and my heart jumps a little. She still makes me so excited to see her again. Maybe even a little bit nervous, like the butterflies in my stomach come back again and I just can't wait to see her face.

I walk out of our bedroom and over to where Kayleigh was greeting the dog in the doorway. Even after a long day she looked so beautiful.

"Did you dad do all of this" she asks the dog, like she knew.

"I did" I say making both of their heads pop up. Both of my girls come over to me and jump up.

I catch Kayleigh in my arms as she presses a soft kiss to my lips. My fingers dig into her side as I hold on to her as tight as I can.

"What did you do" she whispers in my ear.

"I just wanted to do something fun and special. We're not going to have many more nights like this left, I wanted to do something that we will remember for a while" I explain.

"This is the sweetest thing ever" she claims.

"I just love you, a lot. And things are going to get harder from here. We might as well enjoy it while we can" I admit.

"Let's do it" she smiles.

So she puts her things from work away and we sit down at the dinner table. I got her the same thing she gets every time we go to Chicago Cut because she likes to have some parts of her life predictable.

As she tells me about her day I just stare at her while she sits across from me. I watch her smile as she tells me about all the plans she had for the schools in the Chicago area. I hang on to her every word, like I've never heard her speak before.

"Why are you looking at me like that" she catches me and I start to blush.

"I don't know what you mean" I try as I look away.

"Yes you do, this is the first time since we sat down you've even looked at your food" she giggles.

"I just want to take in every moment of this. It's times like these that keep me going when I'm away. Moments when I look across the table and see everything that I love is sitting right there" I explain.

"Since when we're you such a softy" she accuses.

"I guess you're rubbing off on me" I admit.