God Bless The Broken Road (Jonathan Toews)

Broken Home

Jonathan

We pull up to a token looking  white house with border up windows. The grass was dead and the door hung on its hinges. If it was taken care of I'm sure it would look really nice. But the lawn hadn't been attended to all summer and there was a lot of dead plants around. I wasn't positive anyone lived here, I'm not sure anyone could. I grab Maisie's hand as she leads us up to the house. She stands there in front of the broken screen door and stares at it. I give her time as she musters up the courage to knock. Eventually she does and there's a scuffle behind the door. It swings open and the smell even worse than hockey players wave over us. She doesn't flinch but I grab for my nose, man that's foul. A woman with long brown matted hair stood there in short sleeping shorts and a stained white tank top. The two look each other over before the lady flashes a smile where most of her teeth were missing.

"Little Mae, is that you" she asks, her voices torn up from cigarettes and other various drugs.

"Anna" Maisie says back, cold as ice.

"I thought I would never see you again" she starts.

"That was kind of the point. I'm not here because of the past but for the future. I need you and Brian to sign these papers" she says holding them up. She was not playing games I see.

"Why don't you come in, we can catch up" the woman insists.

"I don't think that's a good idea" Maisie replies quietly.

"I won't sign it unless you do" her mom insists and Maisie lets out a loud sigh. Her mom welcomes us in and we carefully made her way to the couch. It was torn up but the chairs were knocked over so there wasn't anywhere else both of us would fit.

"Would you guys like a drink" she asks. I wouldn't drink anything from this house.

"No, I just need you to sign this" Maisie repeats. Her mom sits across from us and sets a cigarette in a holder. I look around and it looked like a war scene in here, it was actually scary. It wasn't as bad as the smell but still, I can't see how anyone could grow up here. Everything is broken or so grotesque that it was unusable. No tv or anything for someone to be raised here. Not correctly at least. Eventually her mom takes a pen and signs where she's supposed to.

"Where is Brian" Maisie asks and he mom glares at her.

"I'll go get him" she claims and gets up. I turn to look and see Maisie staring into the kitchen. Her breathing picks up and I can see it in her face she's starting to freak out.

"Baby calm down" I say softly while rubbing her knee. She lets out a big breath and closes her eyes. Eventually her mom comes out with a man who I'm assume is her dad. He had her dark black hair and was about as tall as I was. He didn't look much better than his wife, I wasn't sure if these people knew what personal hygiene was. He plops down next to us with a beer in his hand and looks us over.

"What, you're here to take more from us" he hisses in Maisie's direction. She jumps when he starts talking and I get this terrible feeling. How did she live like this?

"I didn't take Jackson from you, I saved him from you. You cracked his head open then nearly let him bleed to death must I remind you" she snaps back.

"I don't remember that" he claims.

"Well aren't you lucky. Because every time he leaves my sight that's all I see, playing over and over in my head. But you were too drunk to remember it anyway" she claims.

"Why are you here" he asks obviously over this conversation.

"I need you to sign these papers" she tells him.

"What is it" he wonders. Her mom didn't ask and I was kinda hoping he wouldn't either. She stops in her tracks and I decide it was time for me to say something.

"I want to be Jacksons adopted dad but we need your signature of approval" I say and everyone turns to me. It was the first time I said anything this whole time but I knew it was hard for Maisie to say it, so I did. I came to help her and she obviously needs it.

"And who exactly are you" he asks squinting his eyes. I feel his stare burning through me.

"My name is Jonathan Toews. Captain to the Blackhawks, alternate captain to team Canada, boyfriend to Maisie, and father to Jackson" I clarify. He wasn't getting to me that easily.

"You're not his father, you're still a kid yourself" he laughs.

"I'm 21 sir, nothing I can't do. And although I'm young I've been taking care of kids all my life. It's a part of who I am, and Jackson is a exceptional kid. Maisie and Jackson are the most important things in the world to me and their safety and happiness is the first things on my mind. And even if you can't see it, let me tell you. You broke something that should never be broken and I'm trying everything in my power to fix it. Children aren't some marital experiment or punching bag. They deserve love and safety and since you failed to provide that or even the simplest of need I am going to. Now if you will" I say placing the papers in front of him. He stares at me but I don't budge. He might smell like a hockey player but that's about the only intimidating things about him. Sure he can beat up on a little girl or his wife, but he was no match for me. He signs the paper and Maisie quickly gets up to leave. She looks back into the kitchen and now I see what she saw, the wall was red from what I'm assuming is Jackson accident.  Blood was scattered over the white cupboards, like they didn't even try to clean it up. She runs out the house and I grab the papers before chasing after her. I find her sitting in the car with her face in her hands. She sat still as I get in the drivers side. I place the papers on the dashboard and run my fingers up and down her back.

"I'm sorry you had to see all of that" she mumbles.

"Why are you apologizing, you have done nothing wrong" I whisper trying to calm her.

"I just feel like I'm putting more on you than you need" she shrugs.

"Baby I love you and everything that comes with you. When it's five years in the future and we're a big happy family none of this will matter. I promise" I say.

"You promise" she asks.

"Yeah baby, I promise."