My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

39

Jonathan

While coming back into the city has been a lot of fun, it's also been a struggle. And not from a figure skating or from hockey stand point, but from the fact that Kimberly is in first grade now and she is  growing up right in front of our eyes.

Honestly her going to school wasn't a problem... for her. She loved meeting her new class mates and telling them who her sister is and how I was her best friend. She tells them stories of our best Stanley cup moments and her sister defying the odds and our vacation in Greece. Sometimes it seems like she was making this stuff up, but it was all true. She was like some kind of princess who now has to go to school. Like Sofia the first. She was very popular among her peers and thanks to her sister she was great with everyone. She always shared and made every kid feel like they're important. If someone was sitting alone she would join them and she made sure everyone got to play in the swings at recess. She was a leader and I would like to think I had a little bit to do with that. I can't take too much credit though, that would be a lie. Lexi made sure Kimberly was the best little kid ever, I'm just along for the ride.

But there's this time between when Lexi and I get done with training and when Kinberly is done with school that we don't really have much to do. If we go to the zoo without her she will kill us. If we go to the mall without her she will kill us. Basically we're not allowed to have fun until we were all together again.

So I decide to take Alexis out on a date. I know once hockey season starts again time won't be on our sides. I'll be on a stricter diet and won't be able to do as much. Being in season kinda sucks for a bunch of reasons, but none more than the fact that I can't do anything I would want that could possibly be bad for my career. So I wanted to make sure Lexi and I get out on a date before the word "no" gets tossed around like candy on the Fourth of July.

"Where are we going" Alexis wonders as we cruise in my car. I had the sun roof open and her hair was whipping around. I loved when she let it run wild, I loved how she didn't know what to do with her hair but the wind did.

"We're going to a place that has all old school arcade games and other stuff from the 90's and relive our childhood" I explain.

"Why would I want to do that" she teases and I laugh.

"We're going to have the childhood we wished we had" I reiterate and she nods.

"Now that sounds like fun."

We walk into the arcade and immediately I smile. I wasn't too into video games as a kid but I was still was a kid at one point. I played pack man and frogger and space invaders. I knew all about these games and how to play them, I couldn't wait to get started. Plus Kimberly won't be mad because she hates when we talk about "old things", even though it's just the 90's.

So we hit the games and for the most part it was me playing and Alexis watching.

"You want to try" I offer but she shakes her head.

"You're a lot better at this than I am" she claims.

"How do you know if you don't even try" I questions.

"You're right" she smirks as she moves me to the side. She stands in front of the PacMan machine and grabs a hold of the joy stick. I put some quarters in the game and she gets started.

Something incredible that I've learned about Alexis is that she competitive, like really freaking competitive. She's been watching me play this game for a while now and I know she's been learning what to do and what not to do. And like always she learns quickly and she started kicking ass.

"I thought you said you didn't play video games when you were younger" I say as I watch her easily beat my score.

"I didn't. I never played anything because I was always out on the ice. But I watched you play long enough to figure it out" she claims.

"Yeah for like 5 minutes" I scoff.

"And that was enough for me to learn patterns, to create a game plan and trust in my instincts" she claims.

"That's unnatural. You're like a human sponge and you just soak up everything around you. It's insane. I bet you could learn Spanish in like 3 days" I admit.

"I wish. Somethings just come natural to me. Like skating, playing games, being with you..." she trails off.

"We've has it pretty good huh" I ask and she smiles up at me.

"We have. And I didn't know it was possible to feel like this. To have such a sense of belonging with someone. I'm so thankful that you came into my life when you did. I'm so thankful you didn't take a look at me and hope that I would figure it out. I'm so thankful that even after you helped me you came back to make sure I was good. And I was only good because you helped me.

And now we're here 8 months later still going on dates even though life doesn't make it seem like we have the time. But we always find time for each other. That's one of the many things I love about us" she insists.

"And what's the rest" I wonder.

"Everything" she replies.

"Good answer."

After playing games and bowling a little we decide to get some food. We decide on sushi since Kimberly doesn't like it and we get a booth to ourselves. Alexis teaches me how to use chopsticks and I actually do pretty well. Until I dropped a sushi roll into the soy sauce making a mess everywhere. But thankfully Lexi is a angel and doesn't give me a too hard a time before helping me clean up.

"I'm happy we can still go on dates. I always have fun doing stuff with you" I admit.

"Is it because I haven't done most normal things a twenty year old has done" she quizzes. 

"That's part of it. I love seeing you do things for the first time and I love that you're good at it, no matter what we do. But I love that even though I've done these things before it feels like the first time with you because it's the first time I've done it with someone I love" I explain.

"Well aren't you the cutest" she asks.

"I try to be."