Fly With You

It was one of those beautiful summer mornings that was sure to lead into a beautiful summer day. The sun was just rising beyond the horizon, illuminating Jonathan Toews’ grey and white bedroom as it did. His eyelids were blinking open slowly, adjusting his dark brown eyes to the sudden light. He let out a yawn as he stretched his body out in his bed, reality almost immediately setting in. Like every morning for the past four days since Delia had shown up at his place, he slowly made his way into his guest room fearing she wouldn’t be there, but she always had been; either still sleeping or looking out the window at the view around her.

“Delia?” Jonathan called, knocking lightly on the closed door. When he received no answer, he slowly and quietly turned the doorknob, figuring she was sleeping. Pushing the door open, he frowned deeply when his eyes fell onto the empty bed, it already made, and a piece of paper sitting atop it.

‘Calm down, Jonny. I haven’t abandoned you; getting breakfast,’ was all it said, making him blush slightly in embarrassment. She knew he would jump the conclusion she had left, and it was when he looked around the room that he realized that her suitcase was still there, the fear she was gone finally leaving him.

It had been four days since she had shown up at his condo, and despite what his head was telling him and what the logical thing to do was (which was to leave her be and not get too attached), he had offered up his guest bedroom to her, instead of her continuing to stay at a hotel. He was leaving the guest bedroom when he heard a key slide into the lock on his front door, Delia – who looked beautiful and so put-together, even at just after five AM - carrying some grocery bags in with her as she stepped into the condo.

“Hey,” she smiled, walking into the kitchen and setting the bags on the counter. “Did you just get up?” she asked, an amused smile on her face as she looked at him dressed in only his boxers.

“I did; I got your note.”

“Was I right?” She asked, laughing lightly as Jonathan blushed again and nodded slightly. “You’re cute, Jonny.” She clapped her hands together. “What are you in the mood for? Pancakes? Waffles? Omelet?”

“Waffles,” he answered, helping her pull all of the stuff out of the bags and put them away in the proper place. “You know, I haven’t had this many groceries in my house since my mother was here a month ago,” he told her, making her laugh.

“There is a great fresh, organic market just a few blocks from your place. I’m so disappointed in you.”

She quickly moved onto making breakfast for the two of them, breaking out the waffle iron Jonathan owned but never used. Leaving her alone in the kitchen, he took a quick shower and got dressed, and by the time he made his way out to the kitchen, he had a plate of waffles and sausage links waiting for him.

“Do you always get up this early?” He asked.

“I feel like my day is wasted if I sleep past eight. I like to cram as much stuff as possible into a day.”

“And what are your plans for today?” Delia shrugged, as she took a bite of her food, making the wheels start turning in his head. “…We should go to Navy Pier. Have you been there yet?” She shook her head, and Jonathan grinned. “We’re going to Navy Pier. I’ve only been there once myself.”

“…Haven’t you been living and playing in Chicago since you were nineteen?”

“For what it’s worth, I’ve seen almost all of the bars the city has to offer, though.”

Delia laughed, shaking her head as they finished their breakfast, throwing the dishes into the dish washer before they left Jonathan’s condo. They were in a cab, speeding down Lake Shore Drive on their way to the lake-side attraction when they spoke again, Jonathan asking the blond girl a question he had been dying to.

“How long are you staying in Chicago?”

Delia scrunched her face up in a grimace, making Jonathan sigh and nod his head. He wasn’t sure what he was trying to accomplish with her; all he knew was that he liked her and he liked being with her. Was it so wrong that he hoped she liked being with him, too? Four days wasn’t enough to get to know someone, Jonathan knew. Especially Delia; she hadn’t opened up about nearly anything about herself. Jonathan, however, had spilled his guts to her about nearly everything about himself.

“You know I don’t like to plan things, Jonny.”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Can’t we just go with it? Not question things?”

Jonathan nodded, smiling down at Delia as he squeezed her a little closer to himself. She had told him herself that she was a free spirit, a roamer, a wanderer. The last thing he wanted to do was chase her away by trying to keep her. If he wanted her to stay in Chicago for a while, he would have to be as laidback as she was, and for someone who still had the nickname of ‘Captain Serious’ it was going to be a challenge.

The taxi let them out right at the entrance to the pier, Delia’s face lighting up and her body bouncing up and down as Jonathan paid the dues. She grinned up at him, telling him she was glad he had thought of it as she took his hand and pulled him through the entrance, her big, blue eyes roaming the area around them.

“I hear music,” she said quietly, looking around them to see where it was coming from.

“They usually have bands at the ‘Beer Garden’,” Jonathan answered, pulling her that way.

“They have a beer garden?” She asked, eyes wide, making him laugh and nod as they got closer to it. Delia grinned at the band playing blues music on the stage, a beer stand just next to where they stood. By the time she opened her mouth to announce she wanted a beer, Jonathan was handing her one and holding one for himself. “Thanks,” she said, grinning up at him. Jonathan only nodded and pulled her toward the water.

“I feel like I’m on the edge of the world,” she told him, as she looked to the right of them. All you could see was the water of Lake Michigan and sky in the distance. She glanced to the left again and shook her head at the vast difference; one way, nothing but the water and sky and to the other, nothing but skyscrapers and commotion. “Chicago’s really surprised me,” she said quietly, sitting down on the edge of the dock and letting her feet dangle over the water.

“Me too,” he agreed.

“Really?” She asked, genuinely curious as she sipped her beer.

“It’s a big city, obviously, with so many suburbs, but it still feels like a small town to me. Everyone is so friendly; it’s like a big city of neighbors.”

She grinned, “You’ve really surprised me, too.”

“Really?” It was his turn to ask.

She nodded, “There’s more to you than you let on. You should be yourself more often.”

Before he could ask what she meant, she was getting up and calling for him to follow her. He supposed it was true that the way he had been around her the past few days was not how he normally acted around his friends, his teammates. He opened up to her in a way he hadn’t even opened up to his family, in all honesty, but how did she know that she brought out a different side of him? Was he really that easy to read?

“I want to ride the Ferris Wheel,” she told him, looking up at the behemoth and famous Chicago attraction. Jonathan nodded, grabbing her hand in his as he went to the ticket window and bought them admission. They waited in line for only a few minutes before they were ushered into one of the compartments, Jonathan opting to sit on the same side as Delia.

There was something about the look in her eyes that comforted him, he decided. Her eyes were so blue, so intense, and so revealing of her mood. “You’re happy,” he told her, smiling at the realization.

“I am,” she agreed. “There’s something about Chicago and something about you that makes me that way.”

“I make you happy,” he said, not questioning it but just repeating it, almost as if he was trying to convince himself of her statement. He looked down as her as they approached the top of the giant Ferris Wheel, the wind getting stronger the higher they went. Jonathan turned his body toward her, his right hand cupping her cheek, his eyes locking on hers. She nodded her head ever so slightly he almost didn’t catch it, but he did. He crashed his lips down onto hers without another thought.

His hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck, holding her against him as she kissed back. He grinned into the kiss, making her laugh when she felt his lips stretch wide. She lightly pushed him away, smiling up at him as she bit her bottom lip. Jonathan didn’t say anything; he didn’t want to ruin the moment. Instead, he turned in his seat, wrapped an arm around Delia’s shoulder, and looked at the view around them.

When they got off the Ferris Wheel, Jonathan and Delia walked around the art gallery that was connected to the ‘Shakespeare Theater’, just enjoying each other’s company and the silence between them. After Delia had spent a few minutes looking at each painting, drawing, and stain glass piece, they walked inside the pavilion, filled with shops and areas to eat.

At the end of the day, when they left Navy Pier hand-in-hand, Jonathan asked if she had fun. Delia responded with a wide smile and a nod of her head. “Chicago has so many things to do,” she said. “I had no idea.”

Jonathan grinned, “You should say here until you do and see all the city has to offer.”

“I’ll never leave!” She laughed, rolling her eyes.

“That’s the idea,” he mumbled back before pressing his lips to hers in another kiss.