Gentleman (Jonathan Toews)

Halloween

Jonathan

This year we had nothing to do for Halloween so Payton found a place to volunteer at. A bunch of kids from her sisters school was at a event downtown for underprivileged kids and we signed up to help. We would each have a kid to take trick or treating because their parents were working and couldn't make it.

I grab Payton's hand as we walk into the gym of the school and check in. They give us a name tag with numbers on it and we go to find our kids.

"There" Payton smiles pointing to a little boy and a girl talking in the corner. The boy had my number and the girl had Payton's. At least they already knew each other.

We walk over and I tap the boy on his shoulder.

"Excuse me, I think we're your chaperones for the night" I explain. He looks up to me and his eyes go big.

"No way" he whispers and I smile when he reveals he was going as a hockey player fo Halloween. A Blackhawks player to be exact.

"Hello... Jacob" I read off his name tag.

"Hi Jonny" he smiles and that makes me feel good.

"My girlfriend and I are going to be taking you around" I explain and he lights up.

"That awesome! Oh, this is the beast day ever" he cheers.

"Who do we have here" I ask bending down to see the little girl he was talking to before we walked over.

"Oh, where are my manners? This is my little sister Caroline. Shes four and I'm six" Jacob explains.

Caroline was dressed as Merida from Brave. She had curly red hair and a homemade bow and arrow, she was so cute.

"Hey, Caroline. Can I say that you make a lovely princess" Payton says and the girl smiles up to her.

"Thanks. So do you" the girl says causing Payton to smile.

"So which player are you this Halloween" I ask Jacob.

"I'm you! I mean... I'm supposed to be. My sister and I are in a group home so we couldn't afford to get your jersey. But look! I drew a c" he says pointing to it.

"That's really cool, I'm honored" I smile. "A group home... is that like a foster care" I ask.

"Yeah, kind of. We were being fostered but got sent to the group home. They couldn't afford to take care of us but I refused to be separated from my sister" he explains.

"I'm sorry to hear that" I admit.

"It's okay, I still have Caro and that's pretty cool" he shrugs.

"Are you guys ready" I ask and he grabs my hand. As his little one rests in mine it made me feel good. Not like I'm volunteering so I should automatically feel good about myself, but like I'm making a difference in someone's life good.

I turn to see Caroline on Payton's hip as they talked away. I smiled at the sight of Payton's eyes lighting up, it was the same way she looked at me.

"I think we're ready" the boy replies.

Payton and I take them to houses around the school. Jacob holds Caroline's hand as they move a few feet in front of us.

"I've never seen such a responsible six year old" I admit.

"He's a great kid. He's stronger than most adults I know" she claims.

"What do you mean" I ask.

"I mean those kids were ripped from their mother not too long ago. Moved from foster to foster until they got put in a group home. I looked through the papers that came with them and it's hard. And that home they're at... I can't imagine it. There's thirteen kids there of all ages those parents are trying to help. But Caroline just wants to hear that someone loves her" she explains.