Never Look Back

“Why again was this a good idea?” Jon sighed as he watched Jordyn pose with Dylan. She stood with her back to him and her hands on his that rested on her hips. Jordyn was all done up in an emerald satin dress and a white rose corsage on her wrist.

“Hush, it’s sweet.” Amy insisted, “enough from the peanut gallery.” She insisted, snapping more and more photos. The dress was short, too short for Jon’s liking and she had cleavage. Patrick and Jon stood far away from all the primped up teenage girls and their dates that ran rampant all over their scenic background. Jordyn had volunteered her house for photos before the winter Snow Ball at MPA.

“This isn’t a good idea.” Patrick shook his head. “Nothing good can come from this.” He added, thinking back to the last time he found out Dylan and Jordyn were left unsupervised together.

“You think I don’t know that? It’s not like I can yank her out of there and make her stay home.” Jon sighed.

“Definitely not happening.” Amy commented, joining them near the back as a mother with a professional camera lined them up for group shots before they loaded onto their party bus.

“I never went to one of these, but they can’t be good.” Patrick shook his head continuously. “That’s why my sisters went to all-girl schools.” And just like that, Jon’s head snapped to Amy, lips open and poised before she could shut him down.

“No, not happening, Jonathan. Jordyn loves her school and her friends and you would be her enemy forever if you made her go to an all-girl’s school at this age.” Amy quickly dismissed the idea.

“Daddy!” Jordyn called, her smile a brilliant white as she waved him over with her recently manicured fingers. Jon plastered on a smile and was happy to box Dylan out of her reach as he posed with her for some photos. “Thank you for everything. The dress, the shoes, hair, nails…” She said, resting her head against his shoulder. “It really means a lot to me.” She insisted. “And please, don’t worry about me, okay?” She insisted, grabbing his chin to make sure he would listen. “I won’t do anything at the after party that would make you think any less of me, okay? I’ll always make you proud. I know you’ll worry anyways, but just try to relax.” She said, leaning up to kiss his cheek, one of the mother’s catching the moment on film before all the kids were swept onto the bus and away to dinner before the dance.

“Breathe, Papa.” Amy said, fixing the lapels of his button down shirts. “She’s going to be just fine. You’re going to have to deal with a lot of these in the future, so just take it step by step.” She advised.

“We.” Jon insisted. “We’re going to have to deal with these for a long time.” He added. “I mean, if you don’t mind sticking around.” He smiled as Patrick made his way towards his car as the other parents slowly filtered away.

“I guess I could manage.” She blushed before he could press his lips to hers. “Now… a whole night and morning to ourselves…” She trailed, looking up to the sky and feigning innocence. “Whatever can we do with this time?” She sighed, tracing a finger down Jon’s hard chest, staring at her freshly painted pink nails.

“I can balance my checkbook!” Jon smiled excitedly before breaking into a laugh. “Just kidding. Once you get the rest of the strangers off my lawn, I’m sure we can find something to do to preoccupy our time.” He grinned, watching as she took off across the grass to usher the families back to their cars.

Later that night and on the other side of town, Jordyn was having the time of her life.

“Oh gosh, I’m full.” She laughed, palming her nonexistent stomach over her dress as Dylan held her free hand with his too-large jacket hanging over her shoulders to keep the crisp early-winter air from her exposed skin.

“Are you going to be able to dance with me?” Dylan asked with a grin at his date that was just a little taller in her heels.

“I sure hope so.” She said as he leaned down to kiss her temple sweetly, holding open the door to the ballroom where the dance was being held that night. Jordyn stuffed her cold hands into the pockets of the jacket, feeling something crinkly in her hand; she pulled out a foil package with a ring in the middle from within the package. Condoms.

“Uh…” Dylan’s eyes flashed down to the object in her hand.

“Um…” She replied just as intelligently. She stopped walking, people from their group passing her to the dance floor. “I am not having sex with you tonight. So if that’s what you’re thinking is going to happen, you’re going to have to find a different date.” She stated firmly, knowing she was doing the right thing by standing up for herself.

“I swear, Jordyn, I didn’t put those in there. It must have been one of my idiot brothers. Please, please believe me. They always do shit like this to me, they think it’s hilarious.” He plead. “I swear to God they’re not mine.” He looked genuinely panicked. Jordyn studied his features for a few moments before she nodded, tossing the offensive object down onto the floor before taking his hand again so that he could lead her to the photo booth set up in the back of the room.

The group had decided as a consensus to stay at the Snow Ball for two and a half hours before heading back to Terri’s where a lot of the group, but not all, would be staying for the night.

“I’m exhausted.” Jordyn sighed, brushing out her up-do and piling her pony on top of her head after changing into a pair of pajama pants and a fitted tee.

“Tell me about it.” Terri agreed, adjusting her bra under her tank top.

“You’re sleeping with your bra on?” Jordyn asked. “Owie.”

“No, but I want my boobs to look good.” Terri shrugged. “Hey by the way, if you and Dylan need some alone time, my brother is out for the weekend, so his room is open.” She informed her like she was doing her friend a favor.

“Um no, I plan on sticking with everyone else.” Jordyn frowned softly. “Are you… y’know with Ben tonight?” She asked, worried that her best friend was ditching her for the night. Ben was a teammate of Dylan’s and Terri had been dating him for a while.

“I don’t think so, but we’ll probably do something, you know?” She shrugged.

“Don’t ditch me, okay? I don’t know enough people here.” Jordyn insisted seeing as a majority of her close friends from school went in a different group.

“I won’t ditch you, Jordy.” Terri insisted, using the nickname Jordyn hated. “But are you ever going to do anything with Dylan? I mean, guys his age don’t just wait around for anyone…” She trailed. That planted a bug in Jordyn’s mind that she just couldn’t shake the rest of the night. And as they all fell asleep hours later, her sleeping bag scooted up to where Dylan was sleeping on the floor, their hands laced together, she worried that if she didn’t make a move, he’d lose his interest.

But Jordyn really liked Dylan…

•••

“Hi.” Jordyn chirped as she hopped into the passenger’s seat after lacrosse practice that Monday after the Snow Ball.

“Hey baby girl, how was practice?” Jon asked, focusing on the road.

“It was good, I’m kind of glad it’s over until spring.” Jordyn sighed, leaning back in the chair and grabbing a sweatshirt of Jon’s from the back seat, pulling it over shoulders. It was cold out. “I just want to curl up and hibernate until winter is over.” She sighed, pulling her legs up to her chest and stretching the sweatshirt over her knees. Jon frowned at the way she was mistreating the garment but said nothing.

“Well I have a surprise for you later tonight.” Jon grinned at the way she instantly perked up. Jordyn always did love surprises.

“We can finally get Maxie a friend?!” She squealed, referring to their now hulking, seventy-five pound Rottweiler that thought he was a lap dog and slept at the end of Jordyn’s bed every night.

“No, Maxie will be just fine.” Jon insisted. He thought sometimes that the dog was too big even for the Toews oversized home. “Besides, I already worry he’s going to roll over you some time in the middle of the night and crush you to death. He’s still a lousy watch dog.” Jon insisted of Maxie who hid in the basement when the doorbell rang.

“He would be a good one if the opportunity arose.” Jordyn frowned. “Prince Maxie protects me every night!”

“Well anyways, no, we’re not getting another dog any time soon.” Jon finished. “Amy will be over around six, she’s making dinner.” He added.

“Yum.” Jordyn smiled at the idea. “Oh, question, do you think I could invite someone to the Christmas party?” She asked, referring to the big get together they were holding for the first time this year at the Toews home. Tons of people were invited, Blackhawks players, staff, friends and family alike.

“Let me guess…” Jon sighed.

“I swear, he’ll behave all night and we won’t hang up any mistletoe and we’ll never be closer than a foot apart.” She pleaded. “I just want someone else there my age. And Danny doesn’t count.” She insisted of Abby and Patrick’s son who was now a whopping six years old.

“Can I think about it?” Jon asked, knowing that as soon as the idea got back to Amy, Dylan would be getting an invitation in the air.

“Can I know by the end of the week?” Jordyn replied, making Jon give her an unamused frown.

“Yes, you’ll know by Friday.” Jon nodded. “Are you coming to the game tomorrow?” He spoke of their home game against the Washington Capitals. Ever since his almost career-ending hit by Ovechkin that had put him into a coma, the games between the Blackhawks and the Capitals had turned bitter and nasty.

“Yes, no homework and no practice. I’ll grab a jersey from the trophy room.” She insisted. At this point in her life, Jordyn had collected more jerseys than Jon, so they stashed a lot of them in the trophy room down in the basement to keep nice until she could pull one out to wear. Of course, she kept a few in her bedroom closet, a Toews in every color and style, and her gift from Sidney Crosby when she had her heart surgery, but she could flip through the ones in the basement to see which she wanted to wear to the game.

Later that night, Amy had just finished setting the table for dinner. She had made homemade baked ziti with Caesar salad, garlic bread, and even strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert – all Jordyn’s favorites. Something was definitely different about Amy, but the young teen couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

“So, Amy, any reason you’re buttering me up?” Jordyn asked, eyeing her Dad’s girlfriend suspiciously. “Do you want to borrow a top or something?” She raised her eyebrow. Even though Jordyn had been in Jon’s care for years now, and the old, rough-around-the-edges Jordyn was long gone, sometimes her street-wise attitude would show through when she went into protection mode.

“Actually, Jordyn.” Jon got up from his chair, setting his napkin on the table and walking around to stand behind Amy as she smiled endearingly at Jordyn. “We have something to tell you.” He grinned goofily. It was then that Amy rested her own hands on top of Jon’s and that’s when it caught her eye. The modest diamond ring on her ring finger, her vision zooming in on it as Jon spoke but it sounded like it was being filtered through cotton balls in her ears.

“Sorry, what?” Jordyn asked, shaking her head and looking back up and Jon.

“We’re engaged.” He smiled widely.

“Like… to each other?” She asked, blinking widely like a baby owl.

“Yes.” Amy smiled. Jordyn’s resolve disappeared quickly and she hopped up, hugging Amy tightly as a million thoughts raced through her head. Jordyn loved Amy, she was so nice and beautiful and smart… and everything she had ever wanted in a mom, but in the back of her throat, a lump began to grow. What about her and Jon? It had always been just the two of them. And now… there was Amy. The only thing that hurt worse was that Jon never asked Jordyn what she would have thought if he asked Amy to marry him.

Didn’t he want to know what she’d think about it? Did he care if she wanted that to happen?

Was she just being selfish?