You Found Me

“That’s was a good dinner eh?” Jonathan said, taking the jacket that his girlfriend of two years was about to take off. Spring was coming to an end and summer was taking a peek into Chicago. Sadly, the cool night breeze could still make the streets of Chitown feel like its winter.

His girlfriend shrugged.

“I guess,” she said, turning around to face him. “I don’t really know how I feel about this.”

“About what?” He asked curiously. He noticed that she was quiet through the duration of the dinner that he spent with a couple of his teammates and their wives and girlfriends. He kept taking a glance over to his right where she sat and almost said nothing the whole night. He tried to ask her about it or reach out to ask her what was wrong but he figured it would be better if he left her with her own thoughts. It was something they were working on—the communication. Ever since the day that they met, there was a huge miscommunication between them.

“This…this glamorous life that you’re living. I’m obviously not made for it.” She walked over to the couch and plopped right down on the black cushion, looking out at the gigantic windows that gave the couple the best view of the city.

“Where is this coming from, Denise?” Jonathan looked at his girlfriend and for the first time in months, he noticed that she did not look like herself anymore. From the girl who worked at the local movie theater to the girl who did nothing but stay at home as Jonathan Toews’ girlfriend. She replaced her sneakers for high heels and wore designer tops instead of her hand-me-down t-shirts. Had he changed her? Or did she do that all by herself?

Denise took a deep breath, “I don’t know anything about hockey. I don’t know half of the people on your team. I don’t fit in with any of the wives and girlfriend and I can’t keep up with whatever they’re talking about. I feel like I don’t belong.”

Jonathan sat down right beside her and pulled her close to his body. He rubbed her shoulder in comfort, feeling really shitty for not realizing that his girlfriend had felt that way. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

She shrugged his hand away and scooted away from him, “It’s not easy to openly tell you about my issues with your life, Jon. I don’t want you to feel like you have to change for me.”

“What about you? Do you feel like you’ve changed for me?” Jonathan asked, already knowing the answer. It was right in front of him. Her transformation had blindly gone over his head and he wished that he would have caught on before it was too late.

“I…I d-don’t think—“He cut her off before she could deny the fact.

“Baby, you know I never asked you to change right?” He looked at her, seeing that she was contemplating about answering his question. “The reason why we’re together is because I love the way that you are, not because you’re like the rest of the trophy wives out there.”

“But I have to be like them!” Denise blurted out, “People expect a lot from you because you’re like the prince of Chicago! Everybody has you under a microscope, closely observing everything you do and one little mistake, like having a stupid girlfriend who worked at movie theater, can make the tabloids crazy with their judgmental selves!”

She could not help but to cry. For years, she has not cried in front of anyone. If she needed to cry, she would do it on her own time where she felt safe that no one would be there to watch. She felt even more stupid for crying over something as dumb as Jonathan’s reputation as the captain of the Blackhawks. Normally she would not care but this was her life now. For two years that she has been with Jonathan, she had never felt happier than she did now. The downside to all of it is the people that surrounded them. When Jonathan finally went public about his relationship with her a couple of months ago, Denise felt overwhelmed with the amount of people that constantly followed her every move and the rumors that she would read about online.

“You don’t have to be like anyone, Denise! I just want you to be you!” Jonathan scolded as he stood up. He couldn’t take to hear the woman he was sure he wanted to spend the rest of his life with talk like she has to change her self-worth.

“Jon, please, we both know that people will give you shit if they found out that you’re with just a regular girl, not some supermodel.” Denise argued. “I’ve seen the girls that you used to date. I don’t measure to them.”

“Who cares about them?!” He exclaimed.

“I do!” She yelled back.

“Fuck this.” Jonathan mumbled, fumbling with the hidden pockets on the inside of his long coat. Denise almost fell to the floor when she saw that he had retrieved a dark velvet box from the left side pocket of his coat. “I was waiting for the right time to ask you this but clearly this would be the only for me to show you that nobody compares to you.”

“Jon…” She breathed out, speechless about what was about to happen.

Jonathan got down on his knee, right next to the couch and held the tiny box open for Denise to see. Inside it was the most exquisite piece of jewelry Denise had ever seen. From her point of view, it was a simple diamond ring but the way it sparkled screamed out its worth. Jonathan wiped his hand on his dark jeans before holding up the box again. He was strong but his knee felt like giving out from the nerves that were shaking up from inside of him.

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met,” he started, “and I am so damn happy that you’re a part of my life. The girls that came before you are all in the past. You are my present and I hope that you will be a part of my future. Denise, will you marry me?”

Denise stood in shock, palm against her open mouth. Tears started to fall from her eyes as she kneeled down right in front of him. The man, the love of her life, was in front of her asking her to marry him? It had to be a dream, she thought. Still speechless and more tears falling, she nodded her head slowly and saw him take out the ring from its box. With a shaky hand, he takes her left hand, kissed her knuckles, and slipped on the symbolism of their love on her ring finger.
Not giving up another moment, he grasped the back of her neck and pulled her towards his lips for a passionate kiss that was well needed.

“I love you so much.” Denise confessed when she pulled away for a second. It wasn’t that Jonathan did not know it but he just rarely heard those words coming from Denise’s precious lips. “You found me and I’m all yours. I love you.”

Feeling his heart swell in exuberance, Jonathan stands up and pulls Denise along with him. He grabbed her hand, squeezed it, and walked them both over to the bedroom. They both faced the bed but just stood at the end of it. Staring at each other, full of passion behind each other’s eyes, they met in the middle for another kiss. Jonathan slowly unbuttoned her top and pushed it off her shoulders, not once breaking off their kiss. He proceeded to remove her jeans as she removed her own heels.

“Wait a sec,” he ordered and walked towards the drawers where he knew he would find Denise’s clothes in. He pulled out one of her old t-shirts and a pair of pajama bottoms. He walked over to where she stood in only her bra and underwear. He proceeded to put the t-shirt over her head and helped her pull up her pajama bottoms like a child who wasn’t able to dress themselves just yet. It was a childish gesture but Denise found it endearing.

She did the same for him. She pulled off all his clothes and grabbed his regular t-shirt and boxers that he would wear to sleep. Along with another kiss, Jonathan peeled back the comforter and told Denise to get under the sheets.

It was close to midnight and the moon was the only light in the room. Jonathan and Denise stared at each other, fingers gliding over skin, and little smiles shared like secret lovers. Jonathan pulled her close and kissed her forehead. Denise closed her eyes for a second and when she opened her eyes, she found Jonathan fast asleep with a smile on his face—something that was rare to find especially after a long day.

“Goodnight, Jon.” She whispered in his ear, snuggling closer to his warm body.

“I love you.” She faintly heard him say before she fell into a deep, blissful sleep.