God Bless The Broken Road (Jonathan Toews)

Yours Truly, Jonathan

Maisie

"What's wrong with you mopy" Nicole chirps as I get home from class. I've been exhausted working almost every night as school during the day. Five hours of school and eight hours of work plus taking care of Jackson, it's a lot. I'm used to it, but now I have Jonathan in my life so this schedule is getting to be a lot to handle. With him being gone all the time the only time we have time to talk is after 11 at night. And as much as I know it's important to keep a set sleep schedule and not to cram things in my brain, it's all worth it to hear his voice. Even if it's for a few seconds.

"I don't know" I sigh setting my things down and falling onto the couch. The truth is that I did know what was wrong, I missed Jonathan and he had only been gone for less than a week. I didn't want to admit it because it made me feel so weak, but that's just the way it was. I didn't have time for a pity party because Jackson comes running into the living room in a power ranger onesie and jumps on my lap.

"When is dad coming home" he asks and my heart sinks. I didn't want him getting too attached because I knew this would happen. He would want him over or to see him and I just couldn't make that happen for him. Jonathan was going to be gone a lot and it's hard to explain that to a little kid. He just wanted to hang out with him and play hockey and it sucks that I couldn't give him that. But having a sporty father figure is better than none I guess.

"Jonathan has to travel and fight for the good guys, remember" I ask and he nods.

"I do. I miss him though" he says wrapping his arms around me.

"I do too baby, I do too."

After getting him ready for bed extremely early and changing myself into my work outfit I head out to my car. I sit there and stare at my phone. I wasn't sure where Jon was or if he was free but I needed to hear his voice. I quickly punch in his number and it rings twice before he picks up.

"Hi baby" he says and I smile. I missed him so much.

"Hi Jon, how is your day going" I ask messing with my steering wheel.

"Better now that I've heard your voice."

"You're cute."

"Thanks, I like to think so."

"So, what are you doing?"

"Going over game videos with Sharpy and Big Buff, what about you?"

"Just left Jackson with Nicole, about to go to work."

"Awh, I wanted to talk to him."

"I'm sorry. But I'll call tomorrow and you can talk to him then."

"Ughhhh fine" he jokes and I roll my eyes.

"Anyways. I was wondering if when you got back we could possibly talk..." I trail off. 

"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good" he says a bit nervous.

"No no no, nothing like that. I've been thinking a lot lately and I decided that you deserve the right to know what happened. Why we are the way we are. Why I'm doing what I'm doing. It's not right for you to keep going through this relationship and not understand why it has to be like this. That's not fair to you. For you to know us today you have to know what we went through all the days before this one to get here, that's how a healthy relationship is built. I don't want to be with anyone except you and I want to do this right" I explain.

"Maisie I don't want you doing this because you feel like you have to. I know it makes you uncomfortable. You really don't have to" he insists.

"I do Jonathan. If you're serious about me and Jackson then I have to tell you" I claim.

"I am. I haven't been so sure about anything since I decided I was going to be a hockey player" he says and that makes me smile. We talk for a little bit before I had to go to work. I get to the back of Chicago Cut and take off my coat before getting straight to work. I find myself to my station and start putting in orders.

"Hey Maisie, nice to see you in today" Michael says grabbing some seasoning.

"Thanks, picked up a extra shift" I shrug.

Michael was about 65, he was the owner of Chicago Cut and one of my favorite people ever. He hired me as a risk but took me under his wing and I've become quite the chef under his tutelage. I was the youngest one here by far, but we were like a family. He knows just about as much as Jonathan knows about me and Jack and always offers to help me out. He knows when I have to be home to take care of him and other things that allows me to leave if I have to.

"So how have you and Mr. Big Time been" he teases and a involuntary smile comes across my face. He's seen us eat here sometimes and always insists on waiting on us.

"Good. I miss him like crazy, Jack does too. But we're managing" I shrug.

"Well you know where to find me if you need anything" he says patting me on my back and I nod. He was great to have around. I proved I never needed parents to be brought up right, but he reminds me it's still good to have someone to talk to. After a long six hour shift I sluggishly get back to my house and see it was 12. I drag myself into my room and see a bunch of flowers in my night stand. I walk over curiously and take a good whiff of them, they smelled fresh. I pick up the card in front of the vase and read through it.

"Dearest Maisie,

Being apart is hard. These trips never seemed this long because I never had something to come back to. But knowing you and Jack are there and I'm here, I've never wanted to be back in Chicago so bad in my life. So until I'm with you again to make your world brighter I wanted to send you these flowers to add some color. I can't wait to have you in my arms again, I can't wait to see your beautiful face and that smile that makes me feel like everything is going to be okay. I miss being able to be near you and I cannot wait to be back. Try not to over work yourself and give my love to Jackson for me. I just want you to know that you're a rock, keep being you and things are going to work out, I promise.
-Yours Truly, Jonathan"

I set the note back to where I found it and smile to myself. What a guy he is. That made it so much easier for me to do what I needed to do.