Love In The Air

17 Years Later....

Sarah and Adam had spent the last seventeen years raising a family together and being bounced from state to state, team to team, before Adam decided to retire four years prior when the Blackhawks signed him for one final season. Adam decided it was time to stop focusing on hockey and spend more of his time with his family. That's not to say he still didn't enjoy hockey, however. He and Jonathan Toews retired a year apart and both found jobs within the Blackhawks organization.

The Burish family ended up having three sons, Declan who was their oldest at sixteen, followed by Thomas, 14, and Patrick, 10, and two years after what they thought was their last child, they welcomed little Madison, who had just the week before celebrated her eighth birthday. Adam had won a bet with Sarah and therefore chose the name of their daughter, even though she swore up and down she would never name her daughter that.

On this day, they found themselves wandering through the arena at Shattucks St Mary's with their children and the Toews family. Declan and the oldest Toews boy Ian who was nearing his seventeenth birthday, both played for Shattucks and were roommates on campus because growing up, they were so close. They stood by each other and looked out for one another all the time, which was the only reason their parents were okay with them going away during the school year.

Jon and Adam were speaking about some logistics with the team as Jon's other son, Evan, and Thomas spoke about their traveling team, since they were the same age, born just days apart. Sarah and Kelsi were walking together, keeping an eye on their youngest children. Parker James was nine years old and never left the side of the little Burish girl.

The Burish boys were the spitting image of their father, no matter how much Sarah tried to deter them from acting like their father. For the most part, they were spectacularly well behaved. However, if you messed with their pride or someone they cared about, you wouldn't hear the end of it and they would guarantee you wouldn't forget that your actions were not welcomed.

Declan proved time and time again he was a Burish. He did well in school most of the time, English courses being his downfall, and he got a lot of time on the ice, making good, hard hits. His parents couldn't be more proud of the children they had raised.

It was in the last ten minutes of the third period when it happened. Shattucks was up 3-1 over the other team and Evan had scored two of the goals, Declan with an assist and a penalty. As Evan glided down the ice with the puck at the end of his stick, he was laid out flat on the ice by an opposing player. Parker held the hand of Madison when he noticed her jump, nervous for the older Toews who everyone was quite aware the little girl had a childish crush on. It was a cheap shot and everyone knew it but the refs didn't call it.

Adam and Jon stood in the stands, the ever so typical hockey dads, yelling at the ref for being blind as their wives tried to calm them down. They were just as distraught, seeing as it was taking Evan a bit of time to shake the hit off, and if anyone knew how a simple injury could change everything, it would be those two familes. Evan made his way back to the bench as Declan was still having words with the ref and the player who laid the hit out. The ref ignored him and sent him back to the bench, where he sat seething.

When it was finally time for Declan's line to head on the ice, after a trainer had decided to send Evan to get checked out, he was not willing to put up with the other team. His hits were harder and he was more determined. Evan was like a brother to him and no one messed with the people in his life without feeling his revenge. He knew that if he were to start a fight with the player who had hit Evan, he would be done for the game and probably for a few more. His coach wouldn't tolerate it and neither would the board officials. So, he waited until the end of the game, which Shattucks won 4-2 and decided to have words with the player in the hallway after the game.

The team celebrated in the locker room and Declan made sure Evan was feeling fine. He showered quickly and waited for his coach to say what he wanted to. Then he made his way into the hallway, looking for the blonde kid from the game. When he found him heading for the parking lot, he didn't say a word. Declan just grabbed the kid by his shirt, and although the opposing person had a few inches on him, he threw his fist into his face hard and walked away.

It wasn't until Declan was back in the hallway, away from the opposing team, that he began shaking his fist to rid himself of the pain. His parents as well as his siblings were with the Toews family were there, waiting for him so they could all go to dinner before heading to their hotel that night and leaving in the morning.

Adam grinned at his son with pride and his son grinned right back, knowing his dad wouldn't be mad at him for what he had done. Sarah, noticing this, smacked Adam on the chest.

“Don't encourage him!” she chastised.

“He did the right thing!” Adam defended.

“So?!”

“We raised him right,” he told his wife with a grin, kissing her cheek. Jon and Kelsi both hugged Declan, telling him in their own way how thankful they were. Then Kelsi began fussing over Evan, making sure he was okay and that he would be okay with them leaving in the morning. Evan ignored his mother and scooped up Madison who was still a little shaken up. The little girl grinned and giggled, loving the attention, while PJ just stood there, arms crossed across his little chest, scowling at his older brother. Thomas pointed this out and while the kids and parents laughed at his face, especially for the resemblance of his father, Evan ruffled his little brothers hair and set her back down.

Sarah leaned into Adam, enjoying the scene playing out before her, tears in her eyes. “I love our weird family,” she whispered to him.

“Who would have thought this all would come from a simple flight and a conversation in the air?” he grinned, kissing her.