Please Remember Me

I walked with Patrice’s arm wrapped tightly around me as we walked through a very cold Boston. I was complaining about how I was so nervous about holding Thanksgiving at my apartment because of how cramped it was going to be. Patrice mostly laughed at how ridiculous I was being.

“It’s thanksgiving dinner not a bar mitzvah.” Patrice Joked.

I elbowed him playfully, “It’s not funny this is gonna be a disaster!” I said exasperated.

He stopped in his tracks and caught me in his arms. Placing a long tender kiss on my lips, before he turned me around so that my back was against his chest, he let his chin rest on my shoulder as he whispered in my ear, “Thanksgiving is going to be fine, and there will be plenty of room at our house. Everyone will love your meal because you are an excellent cook, just asks my trainer.” He said laughing, “I’ve gained ten pounds since we started dating. Everyone is going to get along and be thankful, even if Thanksgiving was technically over a month ago.” He teased.

“Canadian Thanksgiving doesn’t exist.” I squealed as he tickled my sides. I laughed on the sidewalk with him until he stopped tickling me and looked me tenderly in the eyes. Wait a second… Did he say our house?... I felt anxiety rise in my chest as I looked back from the house in front of us and back at Patrice. I started to shake my head disbelief as a huge smile broke on his face. Slowly he bent down on one knee.

“Gabriella would you do me the great pleasure of moving in with me.” The love in his eyes shone brightly as he waited for my response.

“I’d love to.” I said pulling him back up to me for a passionate kiss. He lifted me off the ground and spun me around on the sidewalk before carrying me up the few steps to the front door. He held me up in one arm while he searched his pocket for the key with the other. Unlocking the door, he carried me through bridal style.

“Welcome home beautiful.” He whispered as he sat me down.

“I can’t believe this.” I said softly as I kissed him on the cheek, “I love you so much.”

“And I love you; now let me give you a tour of the house so we can go furniture shopping to get everything before Thanksgiving.”

I nodded as he took my hand and lead me throughout the house. It was simply stunning with a brick fire place in the living room and dining room. It was exactly the kind of house I had pictured living in since I was a little girl. It was located right outside Bunker Hill, with the Victorian style on the outside but a regal inside with a grand stair case leading upstairs and beautiful woodwork throughout the entire house.

“This is amazing.” I said as we were leaving with huge smiles on our faces. We both know this was the start of something much bigger than just moving in with each other, we were back to where things left off before my accident. My life was finally falling into place. Everything was the way it should be. No complications, just the love of my life and I living our life.

“Alright the tour took longer than I imagined.” Patrice said looking at his watch, “I have to get to practice, do you want to go shopping without me?” He asked smirking innocently.

“Don’t pretend to be upset about this.” I said all too aware of his scheme, “I’m sure you were seriously looking forward to go furniture shopping with me, yet conveniently the man who plans everything perfectly forgot about his 2:00 practice he has before every game.” I raised my eyebrow up at him letting him know he wasn’t getting away with this.

“I’ll make it up to you later… Trust me.” He whispered huskily in my ear making me blush.

I smiled seductively, “We’ll see…” I said before getting into the cab before he could steal a kiss. I waved from the window as he walked in the direction of the car waving back at me.

~~~~

I rushed into the Garden after shopping at Ikea for almost five hours. I was mentally exhausted and ready to sit down with my girls and relax while I cheered my man on. I found our usual seats and snuck in next to Brittany. The first period was about to start as I took my seat.

“What are you doing here?!?” Brittany exclaimed with horror in her voice that sent shivers down my spine.

“What do you mean?” I asked feeling nauseas before the words even left my mouth.

“Shouldn’t you be at your new house getting things put together?” She asked.

Instantly I felt the anxiety leave my body everything was okay. “I just left Ikea so I figured this would be a good break.” I said smiling.

“Understood.” Brittany said taking a sip of her beer as we watched the first puck drop.

The first two periods went by uneventful, we were playing the Canadiens, which meant a lot of bitching from them, and the guys were starting to get heated. So far no one had scored, which was sure to change when the puck dropped. The fans were being their usual selves ready to jump the ice and take on the other team all on their own. This rivalry was in our veins we as Bostonians grew up learning to hate them no matter what. If the boys lost this game, it was going to be a long one. The Canadiens had started playing dirty towards the end of the second getting the fans even more riled up. If the refs didn’t do their job soon we were going to have a full out brawl the security was posted everywhere just waiting for the mob to start.

Here we go; the puck was just about to drop kicking off the third period. Puck drops Patrice wins the draw cleanly and passes it off to Marchand, Marchand takes it skating up the ice and sends it to Loui Eriksson who then makes one last pass to Bergeron. Berg takes the puck and with a quick flick sends it to the back of the net.

I jump up out of my seat spilling my beer and getting it spilled on me by another fan as we all cheer and scream for my favorite Bruin.

Within seconds of scoring the goal, Subban comes out of nowhere and hits Patrice upending his body. I watch helplessly as his body lays there limp. Chara finds Subban on the ice before he can make it to his bench, and starts to beat him senselessly. Subban tries to go to the ice but Chara holds him firmly on his skates while he connects blow after blow until the refs tear them apart and eject them both from the game. Still my eyes are fixed on Patrice as men scurry onto the ice to check on his condition. I feel hot tears start to pool down my cheeks as a medic team makes its way to the ice.

Brittany wraps an arm around me as I scream bloody murder on the inside to afraid to make a noise much like the rest of the now silent TD Garden. I continue look on as my boyfriend is braced and then lifted onto a gurney and skated off the ice. I immediately rush from my seat and out of the Garden to meet him at the ambulance. I rush out the back exit to see that I missed the ambulance by a few mere seconds. I rush to his car, starting it up with my set of keys and follow the ambulance to Mass General.

Rushing in to the hospital, I ask the woman at the desk which room he is in. She looks me up and down and shakes her head at me.

Impatiently I raise my voice, “Where’s his room.”

“Let me look for you.” She says full of attitude.

I resist the urge to jump the desk and strangle her while I wait for her response, “Only relatives are permitted to know his location.

“I’m his girlfriend.” I say expecting her to tell me his room.

“Miss I highly doubt a girl like you is the girlfriend of Patrice Bergeron. I can’t allow you to see him you aren’t on the list.”

“Let me see this fucking so called list.” I say completely losing my cool, “My boyfriend just got taken out on the ice by some piece of shit and you’re gonna try to keep me from getting to him? I don’t think you understand the fact that if you don’t let me see him, I’m gonna go find the asshole coward who did this and make him cut his own balls off!” I said hollering at the woman.

A soft touch to my shoulder is all that stopped me from continuing my tirade. I turned to see Zdeno hovering over me with a huge grin on his face.

“Ma’am what room is he in?” He asked her calmly.

“Oh um, 389 Mr. Chara.” She said bashfully.

“Thank you for being so helpful in a time like this.” He said as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and led me towards Patrice’s location.

“That was quite the blowout there.” He said laughing.

I couldn’t help but be slightly embarrassed by how I acted, justified or not. I just smiled at him knowing that I looked like a complete mental case a few short moments ago.

“Thank you for your help Z.” I said once in the elevator. The silence of the elevator ride allowed my anger to subside and my fear sink in. Tears started to trickle down my cheeks as my mind went over every possible outcome.

“He’s gonna be alright.” Zdeno said reassuringly.

Big Z and I hadn’t ever really talked both of us being the quiet type, but when we did, his words seemed to have such an impact. Within the four words he said to me I was able to find the strength to pull myself together just in time for the elevator doors to open. We walked down the hall together until we saw the room numbered 389.

“Go ahead in first.” Z instructed softly.

“Thanks.” I said timidly walking through the door.