The Presidents Daughter

Whatever It Takes

Patrick

It's Christmas time in the city and I have to admit, it's my favorite time of the year. This means my family is in town for a while and we get to do things that every family enjoys around the holidays. They come over and help me and Aaliyah decorate the apartment so it looks like a winter wonderland. They help us put the tree up and decorate it and hang stockings with all of our names on it. We enjoy having some good times together because it was so rare in this profession.

"So, what did you get Aaliyah for Christmas" my mom wonders and I smile. I look over at my girlfriend as she was preoccupied with my sisters before turning back to my mom.

"I don't want to say because what if you slip up and tell her" I ask.

"You're the only one around here who doesn't know how to function when she's around" she accuses making me smile. She had a strong point.

"Alright fine, I'll tell you. But you can't tell anyone. Not even my sisters" I insist.

"Okay, I promise" she says.

So I take her to the spare room which was pretty much empty now since Antonio stayed here for just a few days. I go in the closet and pull out a bag before setting it on our bed. My mom looks through it and lets out a gasp as she pulls out a gift.

"Are these brand new ice skates" she asks as she holds up the box and I smile.

"Yeah, they are. But that's not even the best part. Open the box" I tell her.

She opens up the box and pulls out the all red skates. Aaliyah's favorite movie was the wizard of oz and I figured with her being the presidents daughter she would appreciate the red. Then on the back of her skates it had "Little Skater" engraved into the skates down the back. Then on the tongue it had a 44 on it. They were the nicest pair of skates out there and I figured she can get some use out of them. We would be in Washington on New Years for the winter classic matchup with the Caps. So she can rock her Blackhawks red skates out in the great out doors for the family skate. Then during the summer when I'm teaching classes she can help me out too and wear these to the classes.

"Oh sweetie, these are incredible. I remember giving you your first pair of skates. I feel like she'll love hers just as much as you did" she admits.

"I sure hope so. Because those weren't cheap or easy to get done. But for her it was worth it" I say.

"How have you guys been doing" she wonders and I smile.

"We're good, we're really good. We spent the whole day together the other day so we went out and got all our Christmas decorations. She got cards to make for all the guys on the team and their families to wish them a happy holidays. We watched some Christmas movies and just cuddled the whole time. It was real nice" I admit.

"Wow... you've gone soft" she notices and I laugh.

"I got a good thing. A really good thing going for me and it doesn't take much for me to blow it. I'm so good at messing things up and giving people a excuse to give up on me. But with each mistake I've made she taught me how to be better. She doesn't give up on me and I would be a complete dumb ass to let that go. To take the kind of girl she is for granted. I've never met someone who is so kind and so brilliant in the way she is. She's truly one of a kind and I want to keep her forever. And I know that sometimes it won't be in the way I hope, but having her at a distance is better than not having her at all. I know that she loves me and she wants me as much as I want her. I can't forget that, not again at least" I sigh.

"Did you guys have a fight" she asks and I start to feel sad again.

"Yeah, we did. After being best friends for so long I didn't think we would ever fight. I didn't think it would ever get to that. But I was wrong, I was so wrong. I didn't mean to but I hurt her and I wasn't around to fix it. I felt awful, I felt like I failed her and that was exactly what I was afraid of in the first place. I just... I want to be with this girl forever. She's not just my girlfriend, she's my best friend. My soul mate. I don't want to know a life without her in it and I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep her by my side. So if it makes me soft so be it. And if I never get to touch a drink ever again, it's for the better. There isn't a thing I wouldn't do or a thing I wouldn't be for that girl" I insist.

"You've grown so much this past year. I'm proud of you. I was worried all you'll ever have is hockey and one day when it's gone you're going to move back in with me and you dad" she jokes making me laugh. "But you finally found your future. A real future that has no trophies or medals or hall of fame. Just history that can't be replicated or done ever again. Beautiful moments that you won't remember the date or the reason, just the feeling she gives you" she says.

"That's all I want from this life, a future with her" I admit.

"You're on your way son, you're on your way."

We put her skates back and join everyone in the living room. My sisters were all in the kitchen around Aaliyah watching her make some cookies for us to decorate. Aaliyah says she wanted to start a Christmas tradition with my family and I and I think this was going to be fun. So my mom and I join her and we help her make it all. We get the cookies done and then we start to decorate.

"Aw sweetie, your sweater is adorable" my mom says to me as she looks at my cookie and I laugh.

"Thanks. But I think Aaliyah is going to win" I say pointing my head to her cookie. She made a Blackhawks sweater and it looked so good. She even put my number on it.

"God, is there anything you're not good at" Erica asks and we all laugh.

"No" I say.

"Yes" Aaliyah defends. "I am awful at keeping time and I should be better at geography for this country than I am" she says.

"You're still perfect to me" I insist and she smiles.

"Thanks baby" she says.

"Of course, Little Skater."