You Raise Me Up (Artemi Panarin)

26| Something Else

Artemi

"Where are you" Valerie asks as I sit in my hotel room. I move the pillows so they're behind me comfortably. I lean against he headboard of my bed as I stare into the screen.

"I don't even know" I admit. "Somewhere hot."

"Hot? You're playing hockey" she giggles.

"Crazy, I know. But I'm pretty sure I'm somewhere south" I explain.

"That would be a good guess" she admits.

"What are you and Rafiki doing" I wonder.

"We're editing a video to upload" she explains to me.

"Is it about me" I smirk and she rolls her eyes.

"You wish" she mumbles.

"I do wish" I smile and she shakes her head.

"So what are your plans for tonight" she wonders.

"I don't know. I'll probably just chill in here" I shrug. I really don't get out much.

"Artemi... you are literally one of the most interesting people I have ever met. You can make the best of any opportunity and you get to travel around the continent for a living. It's bad enough you sit around Chicago talking to me, but you're in the south. Go get barbecue and have an affair for God's sake" she says and I laugh.

"First off, the only way I would ever have a affair is if the girl looks, acts, and sounds just like you and I'm too drunk to realize that she's not you. And if I ever get that drunk during the season I might as well head back to Russia at that point. I just lost my girl and my job so there's nothing left for me here. And second off... I am a joy to be around" I scoff.

"Then go be around someone" she says.

"Are you trying to get rid of me" I ask.

"Of course not. But you're 24 for Pete's sake, go be a kid" she insists.

"But-" I start.

"Goodbye Artemi" she waves.

"Wait" I yell but she ends the call. "I love you" I sigh as I toss my phone to the side. I sit there and try to figure out what to do before there's a knock on the door. That didn't take too long.

I get up and answer the door to see Patrick standing outside of it. He looks me up and down before finally saying something.

"Are you ready to go" he asks.

"Ready to go? What are you talking about" I question.

"I got a text from Valerie saying that you were on the phone with her when your phone died before you could ask if we could grab some lunch" he claims and I smile.

"Did she now" I ask.

"Yeah. Is that not true" he wonders.

"No. But if you're up for a lunch I would to go" I insist.

"Awesome. Grab your shit and we'll go" he says and I laugh.

"Can do."

I go inside and grab my wallet and my phone. I see I had a text from Valerie and I smile.

I love you too.

I send her a bunch of heart emojis before stuffing everything in my pocket and following Patrick out the door. We find a nice restaurant and order some food before we just start to talk.

My best friend on the team was defiantly Artem but Patrick was second. We worked together well on the ice and it kind of translated off the ice. I don't do much but when I do something, it's usually because of him.

"How are you and Valerie doing" he asks as he chomps on a burger.

"We're good. Loving life, loving each other. What about you, you ever going to pop the question" I wonder and he laughs.

"Maybe" he smirks.

"You guys are so good together. You should ask her to marry you" I insist.

"I'm not that type of guy" he claims.

"Explain" I ask.

"I don't need a ring for her to know I love her. I don't need her to change her name to know that she loves me too" he shrugs. "Do you think about marrying Val" he questions.

"It's not so much of me marrying her as much as it is of us just being together forever. There's a first time for everything and I want to show it all to her. I want to take her around the world, show her the things she hasn't been able to see. I want to one day have with kids with her and start a family. And the first step to us starting a family, for me, would be to marry her" I admit.

"Those are some strong words" he admits.

"We have some strong feelings" I counter.

"But you're 24. Do you really want this label on you" he asks.

"I've had far more labels far worse than a husband. I came here for a opportunity to play with the best athletes. I've had small, insignificant, nobody, weak, stupid and anything else that a poor scrawny Russian boy can get. And it would be a honor to be called her husband. To think the girl who wasn't supposed to have a life wants to spend the rest of it with me" I ramble.

"Isn't that scary though? The fact that you could lose her so easily" he asks.

"It's my number one greatest fear" I admit. "I know a ring on her finger wouldn't fix that either. There's nothing I can do to make her stay. But I know that I'm going to hold on to her until my knuckles turn white. I will use every precious breath of mine to remind her that I am willing to do anything for her" I explain.

"And you think marriage is something that means anything to that type of relationship" he questions.

"Probably not. But it wouldn't hurt either" I shrug.

"Isn't love enough" he asks.

"Love is more than enough" I assure him. "But to people like her where things like marriage or going on a bike ride or walking around the city is impossible, it means the world" I sigh.

"Do you hate what happened to her" he asks.

"Yes and no. Yes because she deserves better. I will always think that life is unfair to her and that she should be out here helping people. But at the same time I know that she would never be this way if it wasn't for what she has gone through and that's just as much of a let down" I insist.

"She cares about you a lot. What she did today was actually really sweet. I kinda figured your phone didn't die because you get scared when your phone is at 40% but I figured I should do what she wanted" he laughs.

"She's something else" I shake my head. "But I couldn't live without her."