Thin Ice (Corey Crawford)

Lucky Shirt

Samantha

After the Winter Classic was behind us and Janurary gets close to being February I start to get my things together for Sochi. I got my USA gear all packed away and my pads and skates sent ahead of me. I was going to leave a little before Corey because he still had a few games here to finish up and I wanted to try and get acclimated to a new place before I have to try and compete there. I haven't been to Russia before and I was about to be on a brand new team so it was all going to be new to me. So I was going to try and get as comfortable as I can.

I set my dads lucky shirt on the top of my bag and I smile big. I take it with me everywhere, he wore it almost every game I played in because he thought it was lucky. Now it's my lucky shirt too. I close up my suitcase and now I was ready, physically at least, for the olympics.

I push all of that to the side and head downstairs to get my day started. I see Corey sitting on the couch watching TV. Since my mother and brother had stayed out in Switzerland for a little he had been staying with me so I wasn't alone. So I go over and sit myself in his lap. I wrap my arms around him as tight as I can as I cuddle into him.

"What's with you" he asks as he holds me back.

"I'm a little nervous for the Olympics is all" I admit.

"You've been training for months for this exact thing. Without trying you're the best athlete on that ice at any time and you will be giving it your all on top of that. You'll be fine" he insists.

"I have played in one actual game in the past almost three years. What if I'm rusty" I ask.

"Babe I watched you school 20 NHL athletes without  a single practice. You didn't even know you were playing that day" he argues.

"This is the Olympics though. The worlds best athletes all in one place trying to prove that they belong" I sigh.

"And you do" he promises.

We lay there for a little while before he had to get ready for the game tonight. So I follow him out to the car and he stops outside of it. It was pretty cool outside but I might have stolen one of Corey's sweatshirts a while back.

"So what are you doing for the rest of the night" he wonders.

"I think I'm going to go watch my boyfriend play some hockey. People say he's pretty good" I say just trying to make him smile.

"He's trying his best" he smiles.

I reach up and place my lips on his and go to pull away but he pulls me right back. I smile as I keep my hands on his face. "What was that" I giggle.

"I wasn't ready to watch you leave quite yet. I hate this part" he claims.

"I would never leave you" I promise.

"What if life has it that way" he asks and I look at him weird. "Hypothetically speaking. What if you get a call from a NHL team on the coast asking you to play for them. Or a NWHL team. Or you get to do these great things that means I can't hold you like this every chance I have" he asks.

"I've already lost one great man who has changed my life, I'm not letting another one go. Life is full of hard decisions, but when it comes to you it's not one at all. I love you Corey, and unless you hurt me that's not going to change. You are the brightest part of my future and I intend on keeping you in there. I hope you feel the same way" I admit.

"I gave you that promise ring because I wanted you by my side through it all" he says as he starts to play with it on my finger. "I'm not giving up on you. I know your life has been hard. I know what comes next isn't particularly easy either. But I know that whatever lies in front of us will be pretty cool because I have you and that's what makes my life complete" he explains.

"And what about after the Olympics, what happens then" I ask him.

"It's our life baby, we can do whatever we want with it" he promises. "As long as you're with me I will make sure of it."

He softly kisses my nose before jumping in his car. I let him go get ready and I get ready myself. My mom and brother were going to meet us in Sochi because there's no point in them coming back here then having to get used to another time zone when we get to Russia. So they're already there scoping out the area trying to learn a little Russian.

I change into a team USA jacket I was sent and head on over to the United Center. A lot of people knew who I was around here so walking around was kind of hard. The Blackhawks made my story known not only to this city but to the world. And I didn't mind, they gave me space when I needed it and I gave them quotes when they needed it. I'm not a shy kind of person but privacy is big to me. But they've never stepped over any boundaries and they let me come to as many games as I want so I think it worked out in the end. After getting through security I head up to the boxes where the families reside and I talk to the other girls who were up there.

A lot of them were going to be in Sochi and are excited to come watch me play. Sharpy, Kaner, Tazer, Hammer, Seab's, Duncs, Big Hoss and Rozy were all going to be there. That gave me some sort of comfort level heading in. I'm just hoping my team will like me.

"Well if not anything you look like you're in great shape" Hammers wife Elina says and I start to blush. I've been working so hard so it was nice to hear that the results are visible.

"Thanks. Been working my ass off and the only thing left to go is go play" I sigh.

"You nervous" Dayna asks.

"A little, yeah. It's not until I get on that ice and my reflexes kick in will I ever feel comfortable" I admit.

"Well we're all rooting for you. Even the guys in discreet" Abby insists.

"And I appreciate that so much. I'm going to need all the help I can get" I mumble.

The game gets started so I go to watch my man play. Corey was starting so naturally I keep my eye on him. See how he is in the crease and what he does. He was a very fundamentally sound goalie, wasn't flashy like Henrik or Carey, but still pretty solid if you ask me. He worked well with his defense and got shit done, that's all you can ask from your goalie.

During a break in the action I hear a bunch of cheers and I look at the big screen. I see me with my name up there and that I'm about to join the boys in the Olympics. I smile and wave as the crowd cheers even louder. I give a good "lets go Hawks" because this was my favorite team after all. Even though I'm Team USA I'm team Blackhawks too.