My Girl (Jonathan Toews)

58

Alexis

After skating competitions and hockey games and school choir concerts it was finally time for Christmas break. It was Christmas Eve in the city and there were kids everywhere waiting for Santa to get here. All the presents were under the tree and the lights were lit. There's cookies and milk out for jolly old Saint Nick. People were watching Christmas movies or listening to Christmas music waiting for the kids to fall asleep. I personally loved to listen to PTXmas, but any Christmas music would do.

And although I never had money or many nice things, even during the holidays, Christmas had always been a special time for me. For once I wasn't so down on myself. I let myself enjoy the festivities and let the happiness move through me. And for the first time I actually could celebrate Christmas and have a reason to have faith and hope in the world. With Jon's parents coming down tomorrow and spending the holidays with Jon and our little clan I couldn't help but to be elated. For the first time in forever I had a family on Christmas and that made me as happy as I can be.

"You know, we have this tradition of opening up one gift on Christmas Eve" Jon explains as we chill out on the couch. Blue was passed out in her bed and Kimberly was right there with her. I don't know why we got her her own bed when she sleeps in the dog bed more. Blue wasn't big enough to jump up into Kimberly's quite yet bed but I'm sure that as soon as she can I get the honor of spending every morning getting two sassy girls out of bed instead of just one.

"Yeah" I ask and he nods.

"Yeah. I think my parents were just trying to get my brother and I off their backs because that last day before Christmas was always the longest day of the year. But I thought it was a fun tradition" he shrugs.

"Alright. Then lets each pick a gift and open it" I say and suddenly Kimberly was out of the dog bed. Maybe I should bribe her with gifts every morning that it's a school day.

She picks out a small box and I pick out a bag. Jon grabs another box and we all retreat back to the couch. Since Kimberly is the youngest and had the shortest attention span she goes first. She opens up the box and I see a ring just like mine in there. I smile really big once I realized it was a replica of mine Jon had made so we could be twins.

"Lookie! I'm just like sissy" she cheers as she shows me the ring in her little fingers and I nod.

"It looks great on you" I insist.

"Thank you Jonny. I love you" Kimberly says as she wraps Jon in a huge bear hug. He happily hugs her back and I could feel my heart melting in my chest.

"Okay. You go next" she begs and I smile. He had her gift to him and she couldn't wait for him to see it.

Once he gets the wrapping paper off he opens the box. Inside the box was a coffee cup that has a drawing that Kimberly did on it. It was of her and him playing hockey at the United Center and had a barley recognizable Indian head on it. She drew it for class and we had the option to get it printed on stuff so she wanted part of his gift to be that. I don't think I've seen him smile bigger than he did when he realized what it was.

"This is beautiful. Did you make this for me" Jon asks Kimberly and she nods her little head so her curls bounce around.

"I did! We were supposed to draw one of our happiest memories and that is one of mine" she explains.

"I love it so much, thank you sweetie" he says as he pulls her into a hug. He goes through the rest of the stuff that Kimberly had gotten him which was a phone case with a picture of all of us on it and a new headphones because she kinda let Blue destroy his last pair. So he puts his new headphones up so it doesn't become a victim too and he makes himself some hot chocolate to put in his new cup.

"Alright missy, your turn" he says sitting next to me.

"I hate opening gifts in front of people" I whine.

"This is preparing you for tomorrow because my parents will want to see you open every gift, take picture of it, then send you a scrap book of it all six to ten business days later" he jokes and I giggle.

"Well I love your parents" I defend.

"And you don't love us" he gasps.

"I do! More than anything. I just... it's awkward. I never had to do this as a kid" I insist.

"Then let Kimberly help you" he suggests.

So I call Kimberly over and have her help me. We both take out the wrapping paper which blue immediately starts to shred. As I let Kimberly feed the dog paper I look inside the bag.

I pull out a sweatshirt, but this wasn't just any sweatshirt. It had a bunch of pictures of Jon, Kimberly and I on it. The pictures spelled out "love" across the front and I try my hardest not to cry. But this sweatshirt embodies everything I ever wanted. The skating was nice, but I learned that I could live without it. I can't live without love though. That I would die without.

"Jonny..." I whisper.

"This is just part of your gift. But I figured you could wear it to Christmas dinner tomorrow... if you want" he insists.

"Out of all the medals and trophies and ribbons I won, the greatest thing I ever won was your heart. And this sweatshirt proves it" I insist.

"I figured you would like it. You take a lot of pictures you know" he asks and I smile.

"Look at my life, what's not to love" I ask.

"Picking up this mess Blue made" he claims and I laugh.

"If I get to do it with you, then it can't be too bad" I insist.

"I guess you're right" he teases.