Moving Mountains (Patrick Kane)

Pinky Promise .26

Valerie

Something that I've learned about Patrick is that he loves his family. Usually being a mommas boy isn't a good thing because who wants a grown man still on the teet of his mother? But their relationship is healthy, she gets on him about getting groceries and doing laundry but they still talk almost every day. And he works with his dad on hockey related things like he's still in peewee. I've never heard someone so excited to talk to their dad about playing a game at this age. And don't get me started on his sisters, he treats them like queens. As he should. He holds his family high and it's not some kind of toxic personality trait, he was just raised right.

It was a unusual concept for me. Family that is. I don't even know what my siblings look like and for all I know my dad is dead. If he's not he's dead to me. So when Patrick kept pushing for me to meet his family I pushed back. Didn't really see the point. But seeing that I am too far in the meeting was inevitable. And I was curious to talk to the people who had put up with this man for almost 3 decades now.

So I pull on a long sleeved black dress that was as simple as can be. I add the sunflower brooch to compliment the necklace he also got me. Granted I never take that off. Once I curl my hair and put in contacts I head to his place.

I wasn't going to lie, I was kind of nervous. His family means a lot to him and he means a lot to me. It didn't have to go perfect but I couldn't imagine how we could continue on if they didn't like me. So I bring them all a little gift to smooth things over. Hope we can start out on the right foot.

Once I get off the elevator I walk to the door only to find Patrick already outside of it.

"Were you waiting for me" I ask. 

"I was" he smiles as he props himself off the door. His eyes look me up and down before he smiles bigger. "You look amazing, Val" he starts.

"Thank you" I blush. Damn this man.

"I just wanted to warn you about my family before you go in. They ask questions not to lead you but because they genuinely don't know when to shut up. So if they go too far give me the code word and I'll change the subject" he insists.

"I hope I won't need saving from your family" I insist.

"I don't believe you will. But with my family... nothing is for certian" he admits.

We walk through the front door together and the room falls silent. Everyone's eyes fall to me as the air in the apartment gets heavier. I throughly thought I was going to throw up everywhere. For the longest I went unnoticed in a room but something about these Kanes...

"Everyone, this is Valerie. Val, this is my mom and dad Donna and Pat Sr then my sisters Erica, Jackie, and Jess" he introduces as I points to each one.

"It's truly a pleasure to meet you all. I've heard a lot of good things about you" I admit.

"Funny because we didn't hear much about you" Erica says.

Now I'm no stranger to comments like this. People don't usually talk about me. I'm more like a one use kind of deal, people who need me have me but once they don't need me anymore, I'm gone. It's a clean break. So what is there to tell? I'm sure they don't know much about me besides the fact Patrick wanted me to meet them. And he did nothing wrong, there is no need for him to tell his family about me. It's just not that kind of relationship.

While I haven't don't anything to Erica to warrant a line like that she already has her mind made up about me, before we even met. And there isn't anything I can do about that really. Once we make up our minds it's hard to change. But I am not one to lay down and take it either.

"There's not much to me to tell, really. And what little there is worth talking about is kind of hard to explain. The lifestyle I chose isn't for everyone and that's okay. To live in darkness so others can see their light, it's not that easy. So he could have told you that I've been alone my whole life, that up until recently I couldn't tell you a single thing I enjoyed outside of cooking and sleeping. Patrick could have told you about my petrifying fear of getting attached or why I refuse to think about my needs because I didn't find them important.

He could have told you a lot of things about me I guess, but instead he is giving me the chance to tell you all myself. And I can.

My name is Valerie, I just turned 27 and I grew up not too far from here. I was raised by my grandmother who didn't know much of anything. Just kindness and looking out for each other. She did her best to teach me about the world, I like to think she did all right. Sure I'm still scared of so many things, many I will never truly understand. But I also appreciate what is.

And this me here before you isn't the same person you will see when we meet again. I am a student in this life as well as a teacher. There's always more that I won't know than I ever will and that's okay. Patrick has showed that in this life, there's always room to grow. And there's always new dreams to dream" I say.

Erica shoots me a smile before turning to the kitchen. Everyone else comes over and talks to me and I give them their gifts. It was a little goody bag to welcome them back to the Windy City. I sit with his mom and talk to her about all the jobs I've had and what it was like growing up near the city. She was sweet and funny, I see a lot of her in Patrick. She raised one hell of a son and I hope she's proud of him.

After a while I head to the kitchen to get a drink. I find Erica still there as she watches my every move. We don't say a word to each other or even exchange a look. I pour myself some water before putting it back in the fridge.

"I'm sorry if I came off harsh" she finally speaks up. I turn to her as she watched me closely. "My brother means a lot to me. To all of us. He takes care of us and we take care of him. So you can imagine the shock we had when all of the sudden he was off to Washington with this girl we never even met. He mentioned you a few times before but not enough for you guys to take off like that. And from the way he explained you it made it seem like you were here for money or status.

But I see I was wrong. He was trying to protect you from stupid people like me who speaks on things I don't truly understand, and I want to apologize for coming off like that. He's a little over a year older than me so we were close growing up. I just want him to be happy.

I can see now that you make him very happy. The way he looks at you makes me believe that there is hope for him after all. Never seen his eyes sparkle like that. That man had never been serious about a girl but you... you he can't seem to look away from" she claims.

"Thank you for that. My intentions here aren't to take him from you guys or to break his heart. I just want him to be true to himself. Stop pretending so he doesn't feel like he's living a lie. I've learned a lot about your brother, and I see that deep down he's just a kid living a dream. Didn't ask for all the shit that comes with it. I guess I just want to make sure all that shit is worth it" I say.

"Promise me you won't hurt him" she asks as she holds up her pinky.

I feel like a pinky promise is a little below us, but I imagine siblings do stuff like this all the time. So to her this probably means a lot. I look into her big blue eyes and see a lot of Patrick in there making me smile. If I trust him I can trust her.

"Pink promise" I say wrapping my pinky around hers.