The Pursuit of Happiness (Patrick Kane)

|Forty-Six|

Kayleigh

After spending a lot of time talking and making the hard decisions, we decide that the apartment Patrick wanted the whole time was the one for us. It was three bedrooms and had a open living room allowing Patrick to hook up his gaming system in there and even have a gaming corner. There was enough space for Annie to grow and I get my own office to organize the mountain of papers I have already ammased. So as soon as Patrick signs off we will move into our new place and a new chapter in our lives will begin.

But before that it was Marissa's birthday and we were going to celebrate at her parents place. Get the old gang back together and cook out as the last of the hot days here in the city start to run away. So I grab Patrick and we head over to her place. I promised to help set up and Patrick wanted to play in the basketball court they had set up in the driveway. So he runs off and I join Marissa and her mom in setting up.

"How are you doing" I ask her carefully. She's been doing better but this is her first birthday in 16 years without her brother and it's not going to be easy.

"I'm doing better than I thought I would. I know he would want me to be happy and celebrate, I can do at least that for him. It's just... it's so hard. I know he should be here, and I know that I would be a lot happier if he was. But the bottom line is I can't change what happened" she whispers.

I knew this was going to be hard for her, she was closer with Sammy than she was with anyone. And they did everything together. Her learning how to go through life without him is going to be difficult, and I just wanted to make it a little easier for her.

"Can I give you your present before the party starts" I ask her.

"Sure" she sniffles.

I pull her out of the kitchen and into the living room. I grab the bag I brought for her and we sit down on the couch. "Before you look at the gift, open the card" I instruct.

"Fine" she huffs as she pushes the bag to the side. She was defiantly one of those girls who likes her gifts. But I think she will like what's in the card better.

After a little convincing she opens up the card and a piece of paper falls out. She picks up up before the tears return to her eyes. Her hands cover her mouth before turning to me.

"Is this what I think it is" she whispers.

"When we were talking the other day I realized that all the things we were trying to do for the schools was Sam's ideas. This is what your brother had always wanted for this community.

So this program is the Samuel James inicitave. Everything we accomplish, every kid who gets help, it'll be in his name. Any policy I have and every bill that gets passed will be in your brothers memory. So in a way, everything he wanted to do, he can now do" I explain.

She quickly wraps her arms around me and as she pulls me close. I close my eyes and hold her tight as I possibly can.

"Thank you" she cries into my shoulder.

"It is my pleasure" I assure her.

She opens her gift from Patrick and I and it was season tickets for her and her family for this upcoming season along with some cute skirts and scarfs for fall. We both collect ourselves and join the party that was going on outside.

I find Patrick shirtless with a beer in his hand and I feel like we were back celebrating the cup again. He hangs out with some of the guys he met here today and I walk over to him while they take their break from playing basketball.

Once he sees me walking over he smiles really big. He sets his beer to the side and opens his arm before pulling me into him.

"Ew! You're all sweaty" I laugh.

"I had to show these guys that I'm a force on the ice and on the basketball court" he claims as I roll my eyes.

"Yeah, all five foot ten inches" I mumble as he gasps.

"Come on! I can play basketball" he defends.

"Sure. And I can ice skate but you don't see me trying a triple axel" I giggle.

"Okay, you have a point. But I always wanted to be a basketball player" he claims.

"Maybe you'll retire from hockey and become a two sport athlete" I joke.

"Really" he gasps.

"No. But you play in the same arena as the bulls so I'm sure they would let you hoop around" I assure him.

"Wow, nothing like your girlfriend crushing your dreams" he teases.

"You know I love you" I promise as I cup his cheek. He tries to fight off a smile but he looses once I smile first.

"Yes I do" he smiles.

"Ugh, you guys are being gross again" Marissa accuses as she walks over to us.

"Only always" I smirk.

"When are we getting you a boyfriend" Patrick asks her.

"Yeah! We can do double dates and stuff" I insist.

"I would love that, but I just haven't had the time to date. I was seeing Jamal before my brother passed, he gave me some space to heal but I just haven't given him the green light yet" she explains.

"He's here isn't he" I question.

"Yeah, he was actually playing basketball with Patrick earlier" she admits.

"That's why you were hiding in the house Huh" I accuse and she tries to hide her smile.

"Guilty" she admits.

"Wasn't it you that forced me to take a chance with Patrick? Literally" I remind her.

"I'm sorry, what" Patrick asks.

"Hush, not now" I insist.

"That was different" Marissa tries.

"But it's not. I didn't think I was ready for a relationship and I didn't think I would ever fall in love. But I did and it's the best thing that has ever happened to me. You shouldn't let him continue to think you don't have feelings for him because you're scared everything will change again. No matter what you do everything will change again, at least this time you can have someone to go through it with" I explain.

"But he's so cute" she pouts and I smile.

"And so are you" I remind her making her giggle. "Go get him. It's your birthday, treat yourself" I wink.

She goes off and talks to one of the other shirtless boys running around this place. I turn back to my shirtless boy who was just staring at me.

"What" I ask.

"So what is this about Marissa forcing you to take a chance on me" he questions.

"Oh come on! It's no secret I didn't want anything to do with you at first. She literally took my phone and texted you for me. She dragged me to that bowling alley and assured me that it would be good for me. And I think it turned out pretty good" I admit.

"I think so too" he smiles.