The Burden Of Love (Jonathan Toews)

Eyes .38

Jonathan

There's never quite anything like coming back to where it all started. In professional sports a lot of what we do is for the people who helped us get to where we are. The home town hero if you will. I make it my mission to come home and thank the people who made me. Say hi to old friends and reconnect with ourselves. I always enjoyed coming back to Canada. And bringing the Stanley cup home isn't such a bad way to come back either.

So Emilia and I grab our kids, get their passports a little more decorated as we head to the mother land. My parents immediately start to spoil them giving Emilia and I some alone time before the day with the cup festivities begin. We start off at the skating rink I grew up in so I showed her around. She sees the Stanley cup and smiles real big.

"It's pretty cool isn't it" I ask.

"There's so much history in this one pile of metal. Hoisted by the greatest players, representing the best this storied league has to offer. And now your name is on here twice, that's actually crazy" she shakes her head.

"It is. This is what I dreamed of since I was a little kid in this very rink practicing my ass off. All of it just to have my day with the cup. To come back here and see how far I've come. Never imagined it would feel this good" I sigh.

"Well I know it doesn't make much of a difference at this point in your career but I'm proud of you. Not for just being one of the best hockey players but being one of the best men this sport has seen" she says as she wraps her arms around my neck.

"For what it's worth, your words mean more to me than any of this. Because I know you really mean it and there's hundreds of names on that hunk of metal. But only one name in your heart" I smirk.

"You're darn right" she smirks.

I place my lips on hers as I pull her close. I feel the wall behind me as she stands up on her toes.

"Alright kids, show hasn't started yet" my dads voice rings out as we separate.

"How long have you been there" I question as Emmy buries her face into my chest.

"Not that long" he promises. "But mom and the kids are about to come in for pictures before everything starts so game faces."

"I don't have a game face" Emilia mumbles into my chest and I chuckle.

"You're good. You can show your face now" I assure her. She finally lifts her head and honestly I liked it better when she was snuggled into my chest.

"Just when I think we're finally alone" she giggles.

"We'll have our time. I just have to share this trophy with hundreds of my closest friends first" I tell her.

"That simple huh" she asks.

"That simple" I promise.

Eventually the people flood in and I meet all the kids who are exactly where I was when I was I kid. Growing up in this rink dreaming of the cup. Only they get to see it, touch it, see that it is something that can come back to little old Winnipeg. I'm hoping that inspiration won't run dry, that I'm the first of many to bring the cup back to the little community center. It goes to show that big things can come from little things if you give it the time and effort. I hope one day this place will be running around with Stanley cup champions.

After spending the morning at the community center we head to the children's hospital. The first time I won this thing we went to the fire station then held a parade. I wasn't so sure what to do with this thing but now I know. This trophy can bring a lot of joy to a lot of people. I wanted to show it to people who needed a little pick me up.

So I bring my family with me as we take the cup around. It didn't take too long before I realized I lost Emmy on the pediatrics floor. She couldn't pass up kids who needed help, that's why I thought coming here would be a good way to spend my time. If only I knew where she ran off to.

"Hey mom, do you know where Emmy snuck off to" I wonder.

"She promised one of the kids she would read to them last I heard. But I'm sure she's still trying to put a smile on the kids face" she admits.

"If I know my girlfriend she's still there" I shake my head. And I know my girlfriend pretty well.

After searching for a while I hear the sweet sound of her voice as I smile to myself. I follow it until I find Emilia in a hospital bed with a little girl. She sat in her arms all cuddled up and Em had a book in her hands. She reads to her softly but still with passion and conviction. The words she speaks always seems to sound important when she says them. I don't know how she does it.

Eventually she notices me admiring from the doorway and finishes up with her reading. The little girl looks up at her and smiles.

"Thank you for reading to me. That's my favorite book and mom works a lot so she hasn't been able to read to me" she says sadly.

"Your momma loves you so much. So much. And when you get well again she can read to you every night" Emmy says.

"Really" the little girl gasps.

"Really" Emmy smiles.

We let her be and go find out where the trophy is. I hold Emilia's hand in mine as we walk step forward step.

"So how did you end up in there" I wonder.

"We brought the trophy and she nearly passed out. I offered to take her picture since her parents weren't there and that's when she informed me her dad dipped out before she got sick and her mom works over time to pay for her medical bills. So I took her pictures and got her moms number. Before I left I noticed the book on her nightstand, it was my favorite book when I was her age. She asked me to read some of it and I couldn't turn her down. Did you see those eyes" she asks me as I chuckle.

"Yeah, those things are dangerous" I agree.

"But I had a good time. That Stanley cup brings a lot of people joy, and it brings us together" she smirks.

"That it does" I nod.