The Burden Of Love (Jonathan Toews)

Proud .59

Jonathan

Christmas comes and that means there's no hockey and no school. It's just my family and me and that's all I could ask for. Even Jasmine will join us for dinner which made my heart as happy as ever.

I wake up this morning before Emmy for once. Often times when I wake up she's already gone and I'm left in a cold bed. But this morning I wake up with her still in my arms and that in itself wasn't the best Christmas present.

We lay in bed for a while as I just admire her. Kiss her lips and just thank god that it's been nearly a year of getting to know her. Falling in love in the most beautiful way possible.

"This is the best Christmas ever" I whisper as she starts to giggle.

"Baby it's 8 am, nothing has happened yet" she reminds me.

"I have you. That's enough" I admit.

She quickly presses her lips to mine as I pull her closer. My fingers get tangled in her hair trying to make sure she stays by my side. And she does, she always did, that's one of the many things I love about her.

Eventually we do get out of bed and change for the day. Ken insisted we got matching pajamas and we wore them all day yesterday. Today we dress a little nicer for family to come over and it look like we actually put some effort into it.

My parents get here a little before lunch so my mom helps Emmy with the food and my dad and I help Ken break in his new sticks and training equipment. And before anyone says that I am over training him he asked for these things for Christmas. Which actually might be worse because he's turning out to be just like me which was the kid who did workouts for fun. But it could be worse, he could want to be a goalie and I would have no idea how to help him.

I sit there and watch him do stick handling drills with a tennis ball. I feel a hand on my back and see my dad appear at my side. "It's like watching you all over again" he claims.

"Yeah. We look like twins" I tease a she laughs.

"Got the same sense of humor too" he accuses.

"Ah, I'm rubbing off on him a little. Though I'm afraid his knowledge of cuss words came from great grandpa George" I admit.

"He's a great kid. Has a lot of people that really love him and it will get him far in life. I'm proud of you for taking him in and helping him get better" he claims.

"I wish like hell I could take responsibility for that kid but aside from his love for hockey that's all Emilia. She saved him, gave him a home, she's taught him to treat everyone with kindness and love and no judgment. I mean the kid could be president at the rate he's going" I joke.

"And you stood by and watched" my dad questions.

"Of course not. I'm there as much as I can, go to his games, his first Christmas concert at school, pick him up as much as I can and tuck him in to bed every night I'm here. Sometimes he stays up just for me to tuck him in. I'm far from the perfect dad, but he loves me and I know that I'm doing all I can to show him a life he deserves" I admit.

"And that's all that he wants. I gave him his present and you know what he told me? He wanted to go practice with his dad. We could give him the world and all he wants is to hang out with you guys. That's a good family" he says.

"We try" I smile.

Soon enough the apartment was filled. Kens mom showed up after flaking at his birthday party which was good for him. Jasmine and her mom and siblings come and I tell you, it was hot in this apartment. But it was filled with laughs, with love, and I couldn't ask for a better day.

And in the middle of it all I pull Em away to give her her Christmas present. I cover her eyes as I bring her down stairs and to the garage. We stop and I smile to myself pretty proud of this gift that defiantly wasn't making it upstairs.

I let go of her face and step back so she can figure it out. In front of her was a bright blue 2013 Chevy Cruze straight off the lot. There was a big white bow on it and I wrote "merry Christmas Emmy" on the window in that window paint that comes off.

"Jonny you didn't" she gasps.

"I know you didn't get yourself a new car because you don't like spending money on yourself but you deserves something that has working heat and can get you and whatever kids end up in our home. You need something that can drive your aspirations and this is a pretty nice car to do it in" I insist.

"This is too much" she says softly as I smile. I knew getting her to take this wasn't going to be easy.

"It isn't though. I do commercials for Chevy so they practically gave me the car. And you deserve the world, let alone a car" I insist.

"I- I don't even know what to say. This is insanely sweet and it's an amazing car. I feel silly for what I got you now" she claims.

"I'm sure it's lovely" I admit.

She goes to her old car and pull a bag out the back. I take it from her before removing the wrapping paper. Inside the bag was a beautiful piece of glass that had a picture erected in it. It was of all of us on the ice after we won the cup with it sitting in the middle. It looked three dimensional and extremely detailed. All the people I loved most forever engraved in this memory that will forever be one of my favorites.

I feel tears come up in my eyes as I admire this work of art. I've been asking for stuff to put up in the apartment and this was perfect. I knew just where to put it so I can always look at it and feel how great I did in this moment.

"Baby this is amazing" I assure her.

"It's no car" she teases.

"It's everything I hold dear in my life. Even though George and Jas aren't with us in these moments, these memories are. And there is nothing in this life I cherish more than you, and our life together. And this... this is the greatest thing I could have ever gotten. When we're old like your grandparents and sitting around this will still be hanging on the wall to remind us of just how good we have it" I insist.

She smiles as she nods her head. I carefully set the glass back in the bag before pulling her into a kiss.

"I love you Emilia" I remind her.

"I love you most" she whispers.