Whatever It Takes

“Yes Patrick, I didn’t forget them. They’re already packed safely in my bag” Arianna assured her boyfriend for the tenth time. She held the phone to her ear with one hand, as she went through her closet looking for some last minute additions to her luggage. She had a flight to Chicago in less than 4 hours and she still was not done packing. Lisa would not be happy if she made them late for their flight.

“Ari, you don’t understand. I need you to bring me more Smarties. You got me addicted to them when I came to see you last time. This is your fault,” he explained to her again.

“Keep up the attitude and I’ll make sure to forget them at the check-in counter” she teased as she walked over to her dresser. She opened the draws contemplating what outfits she would need. Would they be going out? What would they do? What kind of attire was needed? A thousand thoughts filled her head as she tried to find outfits that would be suitable for any occasion or setting.

“No! Don’t do that, I’m sorry,” Patrick apologized nervously, unsure if she meant her threat or not. She laughed at his panic, feeling butterflies tingle inside as she realized she would soon be in his arms. She needed to see him now more than ever, especially considering how rough Saturday night had been with her confrontation with Jordan.

As far as Arianna was concerned, Patrick didn’t need to know about her talk with Jordan. Yet he knew there was something going on she wasn’t saying. So he did the only thing he knew he could do to make her feel better: get her to come visit him in Chicago.

It really couldn’t have worked out better. Her teacher had cancelled her Thursday class giving her the ability to fly out on Wednesday after her morning period. This would mean she would be able to see the Hawks play at home that night and spend a few days there and see them play again on Friday. Saturday morning she was catching a flight back home because the boys would be playing in Toronto and spending the weekend there.

It was a little complicated and involved a lot of traveling and moving, something she wasn’t quite use to. But she didn’t care; all that mattered to her was seeing Patrick. If traveling for a whole day meant she’d get to see him for an hour; she would do it without a second thought.

It’s just part of the obstacles of being together, she thought as she grabbed a short black fitted skirt out of the drawer. She folded it neatly and placed it in her bag. She needed to make sure she looked amazing for him. Yes he had seen her a million times before, and he liked her for who she was. But this was the first time they would be together for such a long period of time, as a couple. Which was why she needed to make sure she took his breath away.
Make sure to remind him why he even bothered with this long-distance relationship.

“Ok so game plan one more time?” Patrick asked her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

“Again? I know the schedule I promise,” she told him, as she lifted a black lace and silk shirt out of her closet. Would that be good with some dark skinny jeans if they went out?

“You will be arriving at O’Hare airport at 5:30 your time, 4:30 Chicago time” he began, ignoring her last comment. “Then you and Lisa are going STRAIGHT to the hotel, do not stop Ari to do some shopping. No matter how tempting it is. Unpack your suitcase, take a shower, whatever you want. The game starts at 8 but go earlier to pick up your tickets at the box office. They’re under our names. After the game you come by the locker room” he finished.

“I still don’t understand why you don’t just stay here at my apartment with me…I have plenty of room” he told her. She sighed, “I’ve already explained this. My parents have no idea we are dating. So how should I explain to them that I’m going to Chicago but im not booked at a hotel? They’re already suspicious about why I come down there so often. Thank god I have Lisa as an excuse,” she told him.

“Still, I want you here. I want to be able to have you all to myself” he whined like a 5 year old.

“Pat, im still going to be there. Just because I have a room doesn’t mean I need to use it all the time. But it’s also good for us. We’ve only been dating for 2-3 weeks. We shouldn’t be in a living together situation just yet, with all my stuff mixing up with yours…we’re suppose to be taking things slow,” she finished.

“Whatever,” he mumbled, clearly upset but knowing she had a point. “Aw, Patty cakes is all upset,” she joked, “anything else I need to know?” she added as she packed her last few remainders. “Actually…” he began slowly, his voice trailing off as her hands froze mid-air holding a shirt she was folding.

“Patrick, what are you not telling me?” she questioned, her throat suddenly growing dry. She knew that tone from a mile away; it was the sound of him avoiding telling her something very important.

“It’s no big deal Ari, it’s just my cousin James might be here as well these next few days…so you’ll have a chance to meet some of my family,” he said quickly, stopping abruptly at the end.

She felt her eyes widen in panic as she glanced back down at her luggage. She began throwing the sexy newest additions of clothing out of her luggage. There was no way she was looking like a slut when meeting his family for the first time.

“What? Pat how could you not tell me this sooner? And you wanted me to stay at your house? With him there as well? Are you crazy?” she started to yell, her mouth and brain working at a thousand thoughts per second.

“Calm down, he’ll love you,” he assured her. “Patrick…I didn’t even know your family knew about me,” she told him as she sat down on her bed. “They don’t, not really at least. I just told my sisters and cousin about you a bit, not everything in detail though. They knew something was up with me, apparently I’ve been different,” he explained to her.

“You’ve been different? How different?” she asked him, her interest suddenly growing. “No clue…I think that’s just some bullshit they used to get me to say what they want” he told her, as he chuckled lightly.

She shook her head and sighed; there really was no way out of this. She felt the nerves hit her like a ton of bricks. She was so confused as to why she felt this way. Why was it so important to her to make such a good impression? She was never this much of a nervous wreck when meeting new people. Maybe it had something to do though with how Patrick had grown to be so important to her. She cursed him silently in her head, annoyed that he had so much power over her.

“Ari? You’re not mad at me are you?” he asked sweetly as his voice wavered slightly. “Of course not Pat,” she sighed as she got up and zipper her bag. “I’ll see you soon ok?” she told him. “Perfect. Have a safe flight and let me know when you land babe”.

***

“Are you sure we’re allowed to be back here?” Lisa whispered from beside her, as they walked past security. “Of course silly, stop worrying” Arianna assured her again, as they reached the family room beside the boys locker room. As they walked in Arianna was greeted with a warm wave of hello’s and hi’s. Quite a difference from the last time she was in here.

Guess Patrick spread the word we’re dating, she thought cautiously as she smiled back at the people around her.

“I still cannot believe we are backstage, next to the Hawks locker room. And I am going to meet the players. And that my cousin is dating Patrick Kane!” Lisa hissed in her ear, her smile growing wider with every statement. Arianna laughed and shook her head at her cousin, “calm down or else I’m not introducing you to anyone”.

Suddenly some of the guys started to pour in from the adjacent door, each one going to great their family members that were present there. She caught Sharpie’s eye as he spoke to his wife and smiled. He gave her one of his dazzling smiles and nodded with his head to the door, indicating that Patrick would be out shortly.

Just as she gazed back at the door, she saw him. He walked through the door, his eyes hungrily scanning the room to find the face he so anxiously craved to see. She felt her insides tingle as her heart beat faster. She scanned him from head to toe, taking in his dark grey suit and black dress shirt. Even the way his hair fell messily from underneath his black hat made her body want to jump him.

Her brown eyes finally connected with his bright blue ones, and instantly the rest of the room vanished. She couldn’t hear a word her cousin said, or see anyone but him. A warm smile broke across his face as he pushed through the crowd to get to her.

She snapped out of her trance, “don’t tell him we stopped to do some shopping before coming here,” she told Lisa quickly as Patrick appeared in front of them.

Before Lisa could ask why, Arianna felt her feet lift off the ground as Patrick picked her up in his arms into a tight hug. He buried his face into her long wavy hair, taking in the scent of warm vanilla that her hair always smelt like. She placed her face in the crook of his neck, overwhelmed with so many emotions at once.

He placed her back down on her feet, his hands still firmly placed around her waist. He leaned down and gave her a soft quick kiss on the lips, his face lingering near hers before pulling away.

They finally snapped out of their moment, Arianna remembering they were in a room full of people and her cousin was there. They turned to face Lisa, who was now starring at them with sparks in her eyes.

“Lisa, this is Patrick. I don’t think you guys ever officially met,” Arianna said as she stood beside Patrick with her arm around him and his around her. “Hey! It’s so nice to finally meet you,” Patrick said as he reached out his hand to shake hers. “Oh god, you guys are so cute” Lisa said, her smile permanently stuck on her face.

Arianna blushed at her cousin’s comment, glancing at Patrick to see him smiling bright. Just as she went to tell her cousin to stop, Arianna felt another set of male arms wrap around her waist and pick her up.

“I am so happy you are here!” Jon told her as he put her down and turned her to face him. She giggled and leaned over to give her friend a hug, having missed him since their last encounter. “Hi Johnny!” she cried as he put her back down on her feet, her body naturally gravitating back towards Patrick’s.

Arianna did a quick introduction between Lisa and Jon, watching as both their eyes light up as they said hi to one another. She felt herself tense up as she noticed the spark between them but shock it off; Lisa was married after all to her cousin.

Patrick swung his arm around her shoulders and began to lead them all out the door. They walked through the white wall concrete hallway, her head resting against his arm. She reached up and intertwined her fingers with his as they hung off her shoulder.

“So will just go back to my house so I can change and then will go to the bar ok?” he told her quietly as he pulled her in closer to him. “Sounds good baby,” she said, suddenly remembering a very important missing factor.

“Where’s your cousin?” she asked him as she turned to look up at him. “He’s meeting us at my house since he has a key. He was only able to catch a late flight,” he explained to her as he gazed down to look at her. “You’re sure you feel comfortable meeting him?” he asked her one last time. “Yes, I promise,” she said as they stopped walking, standing still in front of the doors that would lead them out to where all the fans stood waiting for autographs.

“Did I ever tell you how beautiful you looked tonight?” he asked her in a soft whisper, as he leaned his face down closer to hers. “Nope,” she said as a smile broke out across her face. She got up on her tiptoes and put her hands on his jaw, pulling his face into hers’ for a warm embrace.

He smiled as they broke apart, his hands loosening off her waist. “Ready for this?” he asked her, his hands grazing hers. She simply nodded as Jon and Lisa finally caught up behind them.

Patrick gave her an encouraging smile as he pushed the metal doors open. He walked out before her, engulfed in the screams and flashes of cameras going off. Jon smiled as he walked past both girls and followed Patrick, his serious face back on.

Lisa came and stood beside her, giving her a light squeeze on the shoulder. Arianna gave her a brief smile and then took a deep breath. She then turned and walked out the door that Jon and Patrick had just gone out of. This was it; she was going to see what it was really like to be with Patrick Kane.