I Hope You Dance (Artemi Panarin)

Growing Flower Theory

Artemi

"How about these flowers sir" the man at the flower shop asks while pointing to a bouquet.

"I don't know... do you have any bigger ones" I ask.

"No, but we can put multiple bouquets together if that helps" he claims.

"Okay. I'll take that one... that one... and that one" I say pointing to the three biggest ones I can find.

"Are you sure? That's like $100 right there" he informs me.

"Positive" I assure him.

He gets them all into a vase, barley, and I pay him for the flowers. They were so pretty and so worth it so see that beautiful smile.

I drive to a Walgreens and find a red sparkly card. I wrote what I want on the inside and finally head over to Gabriella's place. I knock and not too long after hear shuffling behind the door. It opens up and I hear her gasp. I couldn't see much over the flowers but I can practically feel her excitement.

"Artemi" she whispers.

"Can I please set this down somewhere" I beg. My arms were getting tired and the flowers were making my arm itchy.

"Yes, of course. Come in" she encourages.

I find my way inside and set my things down. As soon as the flowers leave my hands there was a ball of fur in it. I pat Hank as he barks letting me know he missed me too. After he climbs off I see Gabby admiring the flowers.

"What did you do" she asks.

"I bought you flowers" I insist.

"I can see that. But this is all too much for me" she starts.

"There isn't enough things in this world money could by that could properly express my love for you. That can capture how pretty you are. This... this is nothing. This is just scratching the surface" I claim.

"I don't deserve you" she smiles.

"I think it's the other way around" I reply. I pull her into a kiss and she cups my face. My grip on her waist gets tighter as her fingers dig into my hair.

"The flowers are lovely, thank you" she whispers on my lips.

"Happy Valentine's Day" I smile causing her to smile back. She pecks my lips one more time and I was sure my legs were going to give out right there.

She cooks us some breakfast and I mess around with Hank in the living room. We play tug of war until he ultimately takes the toy away from me shaking his head viciously. For a service dog her sure was going to town on that poor toy.

"Food is ready" Gabriella yells and both the dog and I stop to spring to our feet and run to the kitchen. She sets the food on the island and I smile bright.

"How did you make heart shape pancakes" I ask looking at the red heart in a stack on the plate.

"Magic" she teases and I roll my eyes.

"You know, you never cease to amaze me" I admit taking a few pancakes and setting them on my plate.

"How so" she wonders.

"You're so different. And I know I keep saying that and I know you know you're different. But I'm not taking about your past that makes you different, I'm talking about the present and the future. I have never met a person so strong, and I play in the nhl. But you're doing all this stuff for the first time and you're doing great. I know nothing about what you went through, and I see what you go through now and it just shocks me. I look at you and you give me that smile and I have this overwhelming feeling that everything is going to be okay. Despite what I know, I feel like you are going to take life in your own two hands and mold it into whatever you believe is best. It's just... refreshing. Watching you learn and adapt and overcome everything you've been through. And where you're going... it's a beautiful place. Even though you stop to smell the roses you're still well on your way to being the person you want to be. Not the person you feel like you have to be or staying the same person you were. You've blossomed much like a flower and no matter how many times life tries to pick you, you stay grounded. It's just... refreshing" I explain.

"I've waited so long for someone like you to come along. To understand me. And it's no ones fault that they didn't, I didn't let them in. Yuila and Andrew tried to understand me but the best thing I got was a plutonic relationship. But not you. Something in me told me that you were going to be everything I have ever wanted and needed. It wasn't easy, I still can't sleep when you're not around and I have troubles relating to the other wives and girlfriends in the organization, but I'm happy and I'm in love. I never planned on my future because I knew I would be stupid to do so. It's important to set goals, but it's idiotic to set unrealistic expectations like how or who or when you'll fall in love. But somehow someway you perfectly fit into my life and I couldn't be happier. I didn't want you to come in my life and take away my anxiety and make me forget my past. My past is important to me and although anxiety is a pain in the ass it's the only way I know how to function. Instead you gave me a reason to get up in the morning, you gave me places to be instead of rotting in my apartment. Yes, I was scared to a lot of things at first, but you always assured me that you weren't going to let me down. You never have. And you're human and you're not perfect, I don't expect you to be my Prince Charming who never make mistakes. I might be in love but I'm not stupid. I'm going to make my mistakes too. But there's nothing that tells me that we can't get through anything that happens together" she claims.

"Do you think we're going to last forever" I wonder.

"Of course I do. I wouldn't be with you if I didn't" she insists.

"Good" I smile.

"Why did you ask" she wonders.

"Look in the flowers" I say and she does as she is told. She pulls out a ring box and gasps. She opens the box revealing a gold band with the words "Because You Loved Me" etched on the inside and our initials on the outside. I know she didn't wear rings usually and she didn't like wearing jewelry unless it was for work but it held more meaning than a diamond ever could.

"What is it" she asks.

"It's not so much a promise ring. I know that wouldn't mean that much to you. You're not asking for anything so me making a bunch of empty promises won't mean that much to you. That ring is a thank you ring. It's my thanks to you for loving me. Because of your love I feel like I can do anything. I know I'm gone a lot and when I'm here I'm still preoccupied with hockey but you never complain. You learned to love the game the same way I did and I know it's not easy. Don't think I don't know that this was never easy for you, I know it's not. But the nights you're asleep in my arms I look down at your resting face, so beautiful and stunning, I know I want to feel like that forever. And I only feel like that with you. So thank you" I smile.

"You're welcome" she smirks.

I put the ring on her hand, and like most things with us, it fit perfectly.