The Presidents Daughter

Game One

Aaliyah

The playoffs start today and I have to admit, I was pretty excited. I haven't gotten all dolled up for a game since Patrick got hurt so this was the first time in a long time. I pull on one of the special made jacket I had and curl my hair so it looked nice. I put in a little make up because I'm sure someone's gonna try to take some pictures of us. I get Bella ready as I pull her into a little Patrick Kane jersey and put a pretty red bow in her hair. She did love red after all. Once she was all set up with a fresh diaper and a all Blackhawks outfit we were ready to go.

We drive over from our hotel in Nashville where it was already packed. The playoffs is such a great time to be in the city if you're a Blackhawks fan. And in any city at that because even here in Nashville there was a lot of red and black. Chicago backed its sports teams heavily and no one was better represented than the Blackhawks. Everything in Chicago was red and black as we cheer on our favorite boys, even MAC was all Blackhawks themed right now. And a big reason everyone was so excited to see them was because Patrick was finally going to play a game again.

Once we get there I make sure there's some security around me as I walk around. Nothing's worse than being the presidents daughter walking around Nashville in a Blackhawks jacket. With it being the playoffs I wanted to experience it all but it doesn't take much for me to get myself in trouble. But I take some pictures with some people who know me from just being around or my dad or even Patrick. Everyone was super sweet no matter who they root for and Bella just let people admire her for the cute little kid she is.

Eventually it comes time for warmups and I take her down to the ice. There was a few other Blackhawks babies down there so I join their parents. I set Bella against the glass and she loved it. She hit her little hands on there with the biggest smile on her face. I make her take a bunch of pictures because it was honestly the cutest thing ever. She was so excited to be here and it was her first game, I wanted to remember this forever.

"Look! Daddy's coming" I tell her. She whips her little head around and Patrick stops so he snows the window. Bella lets out a loud laugh as Patrick wipes the snow off the glass so he could see her. He taps the glass and she hits it back making him smile bigger than I've seen him smile since he got hurt.

"Hi baby" he says and she lights up like a Christmas tree.

"Dada" she replies and I stop.

"Holy shit" I gasp.

"Did she just talk" Patrick questions me trying to hear from the other side of the glass.

"She most certainly did" I assure him as pull my phone out. I have Lindsey hold her up as we try to get her to say it again. Eventually she does and I swear Patrick was going to cry right there on the ice.

"What a way to say your first words" I shake my head.

"You know you're never going to hear the end of this" Lindsey teases.

"Unfortunately" I mumble.

After I pry my baby from the glass we head on up to the boxes. I find my usual spot mid rink and make Bella a bottle. Once she's burped and changed she was ready to roll. Now I just hope the boys are too.

But they come in a bit off. They let up three of the weakest goals I've ever seen in my life and I haven't missed a Hawks game in about 7 years. So to say I was upset with the sense of urgency and care in the first period was a understatement. Even Bella was getting fussy and she never was.

"I think you and your daughter spend too much time together. Look, she's scolding just like you" Bryan's wife Amanda teases.

"Oh no... she can't get my resting bitch face" I groan.

"No... the real trouble is if she gets that mouth of yours" she teases and I blush.

"I've been pretty bad tonight huh" I ask.

"Yeah. But it's more entertaining than this game has been so far" she insists.

"On the bright side it can't get worse" I shrug.

"This is hockey... it can always get worse" Lindsey reminds me. Damn... she's so right.

So we sit down for the second period and I was still a little uneasy. We had a change in goalies but that doesn't fix soft defense and a broken offense. But all it takes is one little thing to swing the momentum, and that's exactly what happened. Less than two minutes in we get on the board thanks to the Hammer and then not too long after that Sharpy scores. All of the sudden we were back in this and let me tell you, they were flying. Next thing you know Jonny scores and we were tied. What was a 3-0 deficit is now a 3-3 game and this place was jumping. It felt like we were back at home with house loud the crowd is.

Eventually the normal 60 minutes were up and the score was still 3-3. So this means in the first game of the post season we were already in over time. And this is where legends are made. There's so many guys on this team who had it in them to be a hero it really a question of who and when.

"What a first game for Bella" Lindsey insists. I hold her close as she tries to get her fingers tangled in my hair.

"She won't even remember it" I laugh.

"You took enough pictures that she just might" she teases.

"I can't help it. This reminds me of when I came to games with my mom. I obviously don't remember this at her age but I remember a lot of it. And I love looking at the pictures with the same wonder in my eyes as she has. It's wonderful, honestly. Being able to share this with her, because even though she won't remember it, I'll never forget it" I smile.

"Damn, maybe you really are that child's mom" Amanda insists.

"No one can tell me different" I promise.

We end up winning in over time thanks to one Duncan Keith who got to keep all his teeth this time around. After celebrating with the families upstairs I decide to try and get back to the hotel. Once I do I put Bella in her crib to get some sleep and I make Patrick and I some tea.

He finally gets in and comes right over to the couch where I was waiting for him. He pulls me into a big kiss and I smile.

"Someone's happy" I notice.

"My first game back in two months and that's what I get? Damn right I'm happy" he assures me. "And you want to know the best part of this whole night was" he wonders.

"What" I ask.

"Seeing you and Bella behind the glass. Seeing my whole world come together for the first time" he claims.

"Aww, that's so sweet" I insist.

"You're sweet" he claims as his kisses move from my lips to my neck. My fingers get tangled in his hair as he puts some of his weight on me.

"What's your game Kane" I ask.

"Even though I only got two assists tonight I figured I still have a chance to score" he says making me shake my head.

"That was awful" I insist.

"I thought it was good" he defends.

"Less talking, more kissing" I demand.