Corey Crawford has always kept to himself and struggled on his own, but when his problems start to effect those around him the Blackhawks decide that he either had to change or get out. They turn to a last chance desperate situation and hire a life...
It's been been over a year that I've known Jessica, slowly falling in love with her and learning from the greatest mind in the world. It wasn't easy getting to understand why she was so important to me, it never is when you have to listen to someone tell you the things you've been avoiding your whole adult life. But she made it easy for me. She's the only reason I can live a life that I am proud of and for that I am thankful.
And the next big step of my life would be to get married, and after talking to her family the other day I realized that I was ready for this. They gave me their blessings and the ring and it was my turn to hold up on my end of the deal. So I set up my plans around the tulip garden they have in the botanical gardens here in Chicago that was vibrant with colors and a water spout right when the sun was setting on this beautiful day. I had a camera man there to capture it al and I was so excited. Like always she looks really good and all dressed up in a beautiful dress. It was nice for this warm November day and she always wanted to go out when the weather was like this. Now all I have to do is actually get down on one knee without falling over.
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"This place is amazing" she claims as we walk around hand in hand. I hand the ring in my other hand trying to work up the courage to actually propose but now I'm not sure this is good enough. I'm not sure anything will ever be good enough.
"Why do you like flowers so much" I ask even though I already knew. I wanted to hear it from her.
"When I was a little girl I always wanted a garden but my mom said it was too much work. She didn't want to keep up with it and no matter how beautiful it could be she just didn't want to put in the effort.
But my elderly neighbors had a garden, it looked like it was straight out of the movies it was so beautiful. The man and his wife would go out every day and tend to the garden, they didn't work so they had time to do these things. But when the wife died the garden started to fall off for the man could only take care of the garden so much by himself.
One day I went over and introduced myself. I explained how I lost my father too and I knew what he felt like. He told me he missed his wife and the way he kept her memory alive was by keeping the garden alive, so I promised to help him out. I went over every day that summer and I helped him. We cleaned up the weeds and planted new flowers. The garden grew to new heights and it made the man so happy. He said it made his heart happy because he felt like his wife was still next to him when he was in the garden because he was surrounded with so much beauty like he was when she was there.
Eventually he died too and they sold the house to another family who didn't care much for the garden. I finally convinced my mom to grow one and now we have one in dads memory. I learned so much about life helping the old man with that garden. It meant the world to me to be able to do that" she explains and I smile.
"So what does being here mean to you" I wonder.
"It means a lot, to see how much someone had to come and care for these flowers. It's how I wish we treated one another, with such care and gentleness. Look at how beautiful life could be if we did" she says as she looks around.
"What about relationships? Can we make our relationship like a garden" I question trying to lead into the proposal.
"Yeah, but I like our garden how it is. Everything it vibrant and healthy and growing like us. I don't want flowers from another garden and I don't need more water or soil or sun. I love our garden just the way it is" she claims and I smile.
I stop walking the paved path and eventually she stops too. We were in between the water and the flowers as the sun sets behind us. I couldn't keep the smile off my face as I looked down at her. I squeeze her hand tight so she won't be able to go anywhere, not that I thought she would.
Finally I get down on one knee and I successfully don't fall on my face. She quickly figures out what's going on and lets out a small gasp as she covers her face with her free hand. I keep her other hand in mine as I get the ring into my fingers. When I finally do I hold the ring up to her even though she was still covering her face with her hand.
"Jessica Davidson" I start.
"Yes" she sniffles making laugh.
"Will you help me get our garden, and our relationship, to grow to new heights and agree to marry me" I ask her and she takes her hand down away from her face. I see tears in her eyes as her lips pull tighter. She quickly nods as she wipes a tear away with the back of her hand.
"Yes" she whispers and I felt like I could fly in that moment.
I slip the ring on her little finger and much to my surprise it fit perfectly. After all those years of her stealing her moms ring and it finally fit.
She leans over and quickly pulls me into a kiss. I stand up so I can kiss her properly and she grabs my face softly. It felt like the first time we kissed all over again, my heart pounding against my chest and my mind all jumbled.
We slowly break apart and she looks at me. She looks at the ring that now sat on her hand and then looked a little closer.
"Is this my mothers ring" she questions.
"It is. She insisted you had it since you loved it so much when you were a kid. I said no at first but she said she wanted you to have it" I explain.
"She knows about this" she asks.
"Yeah, your brother too. This was actually his idea" I laugh.
"Of course. He tells everyone that story" she admits.
"Did I pull it off alright" I ask and she smiles brighter than ever before.
