The Pursuit of Happiness (Patrick Kane)

|Forty-Five|

Kayleigh

With the Blackhawks season right around the corner I get to meet up with the head of charity operations and set some things up through them for the whole season. Say what you will about the checkered past of the Blackhawks and their handling of things within the city, but they are trying to help their community out whatever way possible. Not just the players but the front office is always ready to lend a hand when the city needs it the most.

Being a social worker I can actually help with their relations with the city. They do a lot of things in this community that I can get my hands on so I have a feeling we will have a good relationship going forward.

So we sit down and talk while the boys worked out on the ice. They were in training camp and I guess I was too. But while their work came on the ice mine came off of it. We have a very good discussion and I felt pretty good about the relationship between the Hawks and the city. We were looking for the Hawks to donate some money for PE equipment as a part of their want to get the kids around here active. They were also going to hold a 50/50 raffle where half goes to a winner and half goes to the schools for what ever they need. They also wanted donation bins out for school supplies for the kids and teachers.

I believe that this was going to be something that will actually work. Because policies work, but they take a while to recognize and be put into action. As a government social worker I can get polices passed but that comes usually when it's too late. These people need help now wand while this doesn't fix everything it certainly helps a lot.

"Can I ask you how old you are" the lady asks me and I laugh. I get this a lot in my line of work.

"I'm 25" I tell her and her eyes get big.

"I didn't even know that people your age does these kinds of jobs" she admits.

"Well this is my first year. And I worked really hard in school. Didn't take many summers off, took many classes that were optional but helped me out in the long run. I had been volunteering and running organizations since I was a freshman so when I graduated earlier this year I was ready to be the person I wanted to be.

And it hasn't been easy. Being this young, and a woman, I know I will face many challenges from here on out. I know that people will look at me and say I can't do it. I've heard it my whole life. But I've always known that I could help people. I always knew I had the power and the presence to make changes people think can't happen because they're too much. I'm not scared of being told no because no isn't the end, it just means find another way. And I will continue finding all the ways I can to help this city" I explain.

"Incredible" she shakes her head. "The only time I hear people talk like that is these athletes and that's because they've been bred for this their whole lives" she insists.

"I guess that's why I'm dating one of them" I chuckles.

"Really" she gasps.

"Yeah. And it's crazy because a lot of athletes don't have morals or ambitions outside of the game. And as someone who relies souly on my morals and my empathy and ambitions it doesn't make a lot of sense for me to fall in love with a hockey player.

But not so deep down we're all the same. We work with others and for others. We aspire to be something people say isn't really possible. And we do what we do with all our hearts, not a crumb left of it to spare.

When you fall in love with everything someone is, and not something they aren't, when you celebrate their flaws and their ability to grow, then you see them for everything that they are. I was lucky because he didn't show himself to a lot of people. But he knew that I would never judge him for who they say he is but who he shows me he is. And it was someone that anyone would love, given the chance. I was just lucky enough that he decided he wanted to show that love to me" I smile.

"He sounds like the lucky one" she claims and my cheeks get hot.

"We're both really happy. We live in some hard times, this city give us everything we need to do what we need to do in our respective fields. Now we just gotta do it" I shrug.

"That's the hard part" she teases.

"Don't gotta tell me twice" I scoff.

After we talk a little more we were done for the day. There was still so much work to do but you can't finish a project you never start. So I at least had that going for me.

I wait for Patrick outside to get done with practice. They were about to head to south bend Indians for the rest of their training camp and I wasn't ready to send him off all over the continent. But there was a lot of excited things coming up with the holidays and trying to find somewhere to move really quickly.

We've narrowed it down to three different places and I think Patrick has his mind made up. We were about to get a walk through of the place he wanted so I know he will be first off the ice maybe for the first time ever.

Right at 3 pm he darts out of the doors and to his car we took. Before he even gets in he pulls me into a long kiss and I couldn't help but smile.

"What's with you" I ask him.

"I'm just really excited about going to see this apartment. I have a really good feeling about it" he insists.

"Is it because you can have a gaming section of the living room" I accuse as he smirks.

"That's part of it. Plus it's in the middle of the city and has a incredible view. And there's a porch for Annie to use the restroom so we don't have to take her down the elevator to use the restroom every single time. And if and when we're ready to start a family, we'll have the space" he claims.

I pause for a second before my lips pull tighter. "A family" I say softly.

"Well, yeah" he says nervously. "We might not have kids now but if and when we do it will be nice to have the space ready" he admits.

"I think that's a wonderful idea" I assure him making him smile.

I pull him into a soft kiss and now it was his turn to smile. "You ready to see the future" he asks me.

"As ready as I'll ever be" I admit.