Gentleman (Jonathan Toews)

Locked Out

Jonathan

"You should probably answer that" Payton says as my phone goes off for the twenty third time since we started watching the movie. Hercules was my favorite but I couldn't tell her that.

"Will you pause the movie" I ask sheepishly and she giggles.

"Yeah, if you get that thing to shut the hell up" she laughs.

I finally pick it up and see a bunch of guys from the team blowing up my phone. Only one message from outside the group message that just said "call me". That was from Stan and I swallow hard.

"Is everything okay" she asks.

"I don't know. But I intend on finding out" I assure her.

I call Stan and he picks up in the second ring.

"Hey big guy... we need to talk" he starts and I let out a sigh. Well this doesn't sound good. I go into the office and sit in Payton's chair.

"What's going on" I ask.

"Bettman and the owners declared lockout late last night and it upheld. As of right now the nhl and nhlpa is in a battle over contracts and it's going to cost" he starts.

"Cost what" dare I ask.

"A few months, maybe the whole season" he explains.

"So until everyone stops being so stuck in their ways and letting money rule this great game, we can't play" I ask.

"Essentially, yes. The owners wanted the players to have less profit from revenues and player friendly contracts and players want to be paid for their efforts and name. It's a sticky situation and at this point it doesn't look like either side will budge. I mean, you're in the NHLPA, you know how these things work" he insists.

"I know. But what I know best is hockey, what am I supposed to do without it" I ask.

"Fight. You're the most outspoken leader of our sport. And people listen to you, they always listen. Use your voice" he encourages.

"What am I supposed to say? Stop being penny pinching bitches and let us play? That's not going to get us very far" I sigh.

"No. But they'll listen" he explains. "Don't put this on yourself. You're not going to single handedly going to fix this. That's not a reality. Listen to what's being said and figure out the best way to go about this. Get some of your nhlpa members together and talk it through. I know you'll figure something out. You always do" he says.

"Okay. I'll see what I can do. Thanks for calling me" I sigh.

"Of course. Best of luck Jon" he replies.

I hang up and set my phone on her desk. I throw my face in my hands and let out a scream which did make me feel a little better. What am I going to do? I don't even know where to start. All I know is we have to have hockey back.

A few minutes later the door to the office opens and I hear little feet walk in. I look up with so much hurt in my eyes and I instantly calm when her green ones meet mine.

"What's happening" she asks oh so softly. Although I think it's incredibly hot when she's outspoken and loud and in my face, this is my favorite side of her. The part of her that will always be there for me, through the toughest times. She will always ask what's wrong even though it can affect her happiness and that's her most prized possession.

"Everything" I sigh. She straddles my lap and grabs my face. I grab her butt and hold on so she doesn't slide off.

"Tell me" she insists.

I tell her everything I knew. From working with the nhlpa to the call I just got. She was a extremely intelligent girl, she understood what I was saying. She listens so incredibly close and it made me feel like I wasn't alone. She wouldn't let me do this alone.

And that's when I realized I have more than a girlfriend with me. Because as I poured my heart out about my fear of losing my team and sport she kept her hands on my cheeks. She was feeling what I was feeling and that's bigger than a girlfriend. That's a partner for life. That's my girl who is the biggest part of me. This is my one day wife and as soon as this shit is cleared up I'm going to make sure that happens.

"Stay here" she says sliding off my lap and going to her little closet in the office. She pulls out a camera and comes back to my side. "Here, this is for you" she claims.

"I know nothing about photography" I insist.

"You don't need to know anything about photography for this. In fact sometimes the less you know the better.

I'm giving you this to take a picture of something that makes you happy each day. It did wonders for me. Because in the darkest times of my life I was forced to the light and it was then I truly appreciated what I had.

So I want you to do the same. I know this sucks for you and it's going to be hard to find something that makes you happy but I know you can do it" she explains. I take the camera and try to familiarize myself with it.

I put the camera up to my eye and look at her through it. She gives me a cheesy smile making me laugh and I snap a picture. I look at it on the camera and it looked like she had a halo around her head. I'm sure there was a easy way to keep that from happening but since I didn't know how to prevent it that happened. But I'm happy it did because she really is a angel.

"Look, day one is already taken care of" I say showing her the picture.

"So you're going to be good" she asks.

"I'm going to try. But I'm not getting mad or upset, I've already made that mistake and I learned from it" I admit.

"Good, because I couldn't live forgetting about you again" she insists.

"You know what I just realized" I ask.

"What" she wonders.

"It's been almost a year since we started going out" I remember.

"It has been. That's pretty exciting" she admits. "It feels like forever."

"It does. And even though it hasn't always been easy and it won't always be easy, it'll be pretty amazing. Most things are with you" I admit.

"I love you so much Jonny" she sigh.

"Love you most."