Amazing Grace (Jonathan Toews)

Moving Up

Gracie

After things finally settle down Jonathan and I start to look for apartments. We didn't want anything big or special, something close to the United Center and where we can host parties and other fun stuff. Preferably a house but if we can't find one that's okay. We just wanted the freedom but we were both young and in our prime so a apartment wasn't a bad idea either.

We were about to embark on a journey that would take us all over the world. Jonathan promised me he was going to show me the world and he was finally able to stay true to his words. There was a bunch of cool things to do and places for us to see, I couldn't wait. But before we left for that we needed to have a place to come home to afterwards.

So I sit on the couch at the apartment with my laptop on my lap. Patrick had headed home to New York with Veronica for the summer so it was pretty quiet around here. I have to admit, I'm going to miss him. Not as much as Jonathan will, but I'm a lot more willing to admit it than he is.

But Jon was asleep and Patrick was gone so that meant I was alone for once. I used to be alone a lot, even when I was surrounded by people I felt alone. But Jonathan never lets me feel like that. He's in my heart and will forever be with me, just like my mom.

At about 8 am Jon comes out of the room and over to the couch. He lays down on couch and puts his head in my lap. I reluctantly move the laptop away so I could focus on it but I can feel him staring up at me.

"Gracie" he starts.

"Yeah sweetie" I reply.

"I really have to tell you something" he claims and I turn him.

"And what's that" I ask.

"I kinda already found a house for us" he claims.

"What" I ask. "You found a place and you let me keep looking for somewhere to live?"

"I wanted to surprise you" he claims and I laugh.

"Well I'm surprised" I admit.

"Are you mad at me" he asks.

"No baby. Why would I be mad at you" I ask.

"Because I got us a place to live without talking to you first" he claims.

"Well I'm sure it's lovely" I insist.

"It is. It has a huge backyard, some place we can hang out with the kids at when we have them. It is close to the church and to the United Center. It's a nice neighborhood, I haven't heard a complaint about it" he insists.

"Well can we go see it" I ask.

"I get the keys at 11" he tells me and I laugh.

"Why didn't you say anything" I ask.

"I don't know. I didn't want you to stress out by buying a place and it was a house Sharpy almost got before he decided on one a few blocks over" he explains.

"Well that's great" I insist as I close the laptop. I toss it to the side as I run my fingers through Jon's growing hair. I'm happy he kept the hair but cut off the beard because that thing was just sad. But his hair... I loved the hair.

"That feels good, keep doing that" he mumbles and I laugh.

"Of course sweetie" I assure him. We continue to sit there in the silence of the morning.

We knew our time here was coming to a close and I have to admit, I was kind of sad. In retrospect, I didn't spend a lot of time in this apartment. I was only here for about six months. Not nearly as long as Patrick and Jonny lived here, but I've had such great memories. This is where I learned how to cook, this was my safe place when life was rough. Where I was able to grow as a person and even where I lost my virginity. It's true I only ended up here because I ran away from my home, but I'm happy I ended up here.

After sitting there for a while we decide to get up and work out to pass the time. After hitting the gym we take a shower and change before going to get the keys to the house that Jonathan purchased without telling me. I'm honestly not even surprised. Knowing him he just got really excited, and when Jonny wants something he's going to get it. And get it he did.

We arrive at a beautiful two story brick house. Jonathan was all about the "saving the earth carbon footprint" thing so I'm sure the house has a lot of things that will help save energy. I wasn't as into that stuff as Jonathan was, but it was still important to me too.

Jon grabs my hand and pulls me to the front door. He looks down at me with the biggest smile and I smile back.

"You're so smiley" I noticed.

"I'm excited" he admits.

"Well what are you waiting for! Show me our new home" I insist.

He unlocks the door and he lets us in. We walk in and I already felt at home. There was a very open living room which I enjoyed. For 20 years I lived in a place where it was so easy for me to live alongside someone and never see them. Everything was closed off and I felt so lonely at times. But not here, here was where you could see almost everything on the first floor from any spot and that made me happy.

Down here was the kitchen that was also open and the washer and dryer. There was a bedroom in the back that I'm sure will come into good use here pretty soon. Then there was the bathroom and a door leading to the back yard.

Upstairs was four bedrooms including the master. The master bedroom had a bathroom then there was a second bathroom up there. It was a pretty simple layout but it was fully furnished which was nice. We wouldn't move in quite yet because we have places to be over the summer, but I'm happy we had somewhere to come back to.

"So what do you think" Jon asks as he bites his lip.

"It's great Jonny, I love it" I insist.

"I wanted a place where we can have fun and eventually have a family" he admits and I smile.

"I can't wait."