I'm Still Standing

20

Rachel

Even though my dad wasn't present in my life when I was growing up, hockey always was. My mom was a huge Blackhawks fan and my dad played for the team so naturally I fell in love with the game. I learned everything there is to know as a kid just watching the game. Simply being around it growing up made me have a extensive knowledge of the sport and a love for it. I didn't want to love the sport that brought me so much pain, but it's hard to deny the craft that these players perfected. It was tranquilizing to watch them fly and jump and pull off moves you didn't think was possible. While I never saw them win the cup they were still pretty entertaining to watch. Even when dad got traded we still watched the Blackhawks games from home and never missed one.

So being at the Olympics with the greatest players in the world was pretty insane. My dad used to be a part of these elite group of players, he played for the US every chance he had. But time passes and now there's new players that are taking the hockey world by storm, many of them on the Canada team with Jonny. So watching this team was something amazing and the games have been very good so far. They were about to head into the elimination games so the intensity was wracking up which made me pretty animated.

I sit next to Jons dad right behind the home goal as we watching Canada take on Russia. We were all wearing Jonnys jersey as we cheered him and his team on.

"That's a awful call" I scream as I stand up out of my seat. I feel people looking at me but most of them were repping Canada stuff too so they don't mind. A few of them join me in scrutinizing the officials.

I plop back into my seat and I see Jons dad smiling at me. "I like your spirit" he tells me and I shake my head.

"If I get out of hand just let me know and I'll try to pull it back" I insist.

"I would never tell you that" he promises. "Like how I raised Jon, if you know something is wrong the worst thing you can say is nothing. You shouldn't let the thoughts of other people keep you down.

Plus you're right, that call was probably one of the worst calls I've ever seen" he laughs.

"How did they get to call games like this, I wouldn't trust them in a college game let alone the Olympics" I scoff.

"I see you follow hockey a lot" he says.

"I love it all. I remember watching Patrick and Jonny in the 2007 world juniors, honestly the most epic world juniors I can remember" I admit.

"That was a amazing game" he smiles. "He gave me the gold medal and its hanging up in our room back home. That was the best game I've ever seen my son play. He used three different moves to score three different times in that shoot out. I don't think, as a father, I've ever been that nervous. Except for maybe draft day" he admits.

"Have you been there for everything" I wonder.

He lets out a sigh as he rubs his hands together. "As much as I can. I know hockey means the world to him and he works harder than anyone I know. I want to be there every chance I can so I can tell him myself that I'm proud of him, win or lose.

But I also know my son knows that there's more to life than hockey. He might be head strong and serious but anyone who takes the time to know him knows there's so much more to him than this game" he explains.

"You raised a wonderful son Bryan. And after hanging out with you and your wife for the past week I see where he gets it from" I insist.

"He must be something special if he got a girl like you to fall in love with him" he winks.

I just laugh as I let out a sigh. What I would have had to have a dad like Bryan. "I was scared that he would push me to the side for hockey as my father did. I thought that I would fall in my mothers footsteps and fall in love and then be stuck with these feelings and can't show them.

But from the start Jon assured me that he wanted to be with me whether we were alone or surrounded by hundreds of people. Sometimes it's like all he sees is me and that's all I wanted. To be seen" I shrug.

"We see you" he assures me as he rests his hand on my shoulder. "And we're happy your here."

I just smile at him as he looks at me like I was his own. That kind of fatherly love I always wanted, I got from a man who wasn't blood. I haven't known him but a month and he's showed me love and compassion. And the best part was that he didn't have to love me, but he did. He let me stay with him and took me in. He tells me the best stories of Jon and makes me feel like.. like I'm wanted. Something I haven't felt a lot of.

Jon and Team Canada ends up winning despite the most questionable refereeing I've ever seen. They go into the elimination games undefeated and looking for a medal.

After the game Jon joins us for some food and a little celebration. Some of the other guys from team Canada join us as we find a nice restaurant to turn upside down. I hang out with Dayna and Abby since they were here with Brent and Sharpy and meet some of the other girls I've seen around. It was nice to be around girls for once.

"Do you miss Chicago" Dayna wonders.

"I kinda do. I've never been out of the city before now so this is a lot. But Canada is pretty nice. I wouldn't mind retiring out here some day when Jon is done with hockey and I'm done cooking" I explain.

"You have a job" one of the other girlfriends asks and I laugh.

"Well, I'm in school right now but I was hoping to open my own resturant" I explain.

"Seriously? That's kind of amazing" she gasps.

"I haven't done anything yet" I insist.

"Still. That's more than most of us do" she claims.

"Well if you're food is half as good as Jon makes it seem you'll be just fine" Dayna assures me.