Every Rose Has It's Thorns (Patrick Kane)

Blessings

Patrick

After Maddie gets better we fly out to Tokyo to wrap up the Asian leg of the tour before we finish the world tour off in the down under in places like Sydney and Brazil and other amazing cities. But we had one more special show out here as Maddie's parents came to watch her.

Although they were a big part of her career, they weren't a big part of her life. They came to the shows in Chicago and LA but other than that all I hear from them is a weekly phone call to see how the tour is going. To me family doesn't mean just saying that you have a mom and dad, it's being there when you need them the most. It's knowing that no matter what I have to say they'll listen and try their best to help me. But with Maddie that's not really how it goes. Her mom is more like a girlfriend and her dad is more like a manager than a member of their family. So it's been a struggle for her to be living such a life and have no part of her family around, even when her parents finally showed up. But she'll never let them know this bothered her, she will always put a smile on her face and keep pushing foreword no matter how much baggage is in front of her.

So we pick her parents up at the airport and bring them back to the hotel. Maddie's mom takes off with Titan because she loved that dog more than anything and Maddie went with them on a walk. That left her dad behind with me which isn't as bad as it used to be, but still not the most comfortable situation.

"So Patrick, how has the tour life been treating you" he wonders as we sit down at the mini bar in the hotel room. Not once did we stay at a hotel that was less than five stars. I'm pretty sure this one has six.

"It's been incredible. Night in and night out I get to have new experiences and get to watch Maddie live the dream. I get to meet people who see her the same way I do, like she's the best thing to ever walk this planet. And I get to do it over and over and over again and I never get tired of it. I could watch her do what she loves the rest of my life" I admit.

"That's good to hear. I'm sorry to say it's almost over" he nods.

"The tour is, but we're not. You know? After this we already have plans to go back to Chicago and she's going to rest after traveling the world and performing almost every night. She wants to song write and do some collabs and try some new things she's picked up along the way on this tour. Then I get back to hockey and we support each other all the way. While I'm sad that the tour is almost over I'm happy we're not" I insist.

"You planning to be around for a while" he wonders. 

"Forever actually" I say.

"That's a long time" he assures me.

"Not nearly long enough. I would have spent my whole life with Maddie given the choice, but the rest of my life is just going to have to do" I shrug.

"Are you planning to marry her eventually" he asks.

"I was hoping to ask for your permission... today" I say and he stops messing with the glass of scotch he poured himself. He looks up at me as I try to read him. But he was hard to read, that's why he's so good at what he does. But that's also why he struggles to be close with his daughter.

"You don't need my permission" he tells me and I laugh.

"I know. If Maddie really wants something not a damn thing will stop her. But I was raised in a family where family is everything. And if and when I go through with this you'll be a part of my family, I don't want anything to come between us and making Maddie happy. She's the most important thing to me and I know that even though she resents a lot of things you do she still loves you too. And I know she will want your blessing" I explain.

"She's so young, I can't imagine giving her away already" he claims and I nod.

"I get it. I really do. She has so much of her life left for her, why hurry up and get married? But Maddie, she's special. And not special in the way that the rules of life don't apply to her, I think they apply more to her than anyone else. But at the same time she can't wait around for life to happen to her. She doesn't want to. Life's happening now and she wants to take it by its horns and not be stuck by them" I explain.

"Did she say she wanted to get married" he wonders. 

"She's said that and so many other wonderful things. Things that she controls more than I ever could. But this one thing I can do, I can help and make her really happy. That is... if you're okay with it" I say. He sends me a smile for probably the first time in the nearly year that Maddie and I have been together.

"I don't like to admit I'm wrong, but I was wrong about you Patrick. I forgot how human-like people can be given a chance at love. I would love for you to be a part of our family and for you to keep making my daughter happy" he admits and I smile back.

"Thank you Mr. Richardson" I nod.

"You can call me Conner" he claims.

"Well thank you, Conner" I smile.

After a while Maddie and her mom return and we head over to the venue. This place held 90,000 people and it was sold out. It had been since a week after the tour went on sale. So we all walk out on the stage and look out. My eyes go big as I look around trying to see what's going on. It was incredible, like when we played the penguins in the winter classic at Wrigley, but even bigger. So we take a bunch of before pictures before watching Maddie do sound check and hanging out. I wrap my arm around her as I pull her close.

"You and my dad seem to be awfully chummy today" she mentions and I smile.

"We're making it work" I tease as she giggles.

"That's good to hear" she admits.