Like a Damaged Nerve

“Jonny, look who’s ready for the game tonight!” I beamed as I came out of Aubrey’s nursery… after I had put her little Toews jersey on.

Jonathan glanced in my direction and his face quickly spread out into a smile. Patrick happened to be in the living room with him as well and he chuckled.

“We have to get her an Uncle Patrick jersey…” he muttered.

“No, no, no, only daddy’s,” Jonny grinned and quickly came over to taker her. Once she was in his arms, she squealed loudly and clapped her pudgy hands together. It was so cute. I had to bring my phone out and snap a picture… and post it straight to my Instagram. It joined the hundred other pictures that I post of her and Jonathan on a daily basis.

Her new favorite thing to do is babble the word hockey over and over again. She always says the hock and then her voice will get a little higher when she finished the second syllable. This is what she was doing now… and Jonathan and Patrick always have a chuckle when she does this.

“She’s gonna be our little hockey player,” I spoke and joined the two boys in the living room.

“Or not,” Jonny was quick to butt in.

“It would be cute…” I tried to press.

“She’s going to be smart like her momma and help people,” he smiled down at her, gently poking her stomach to make her giggle loudly.

“But if she wants, she can play hockey…” I corrected him.

“No,” he was quick to shoot it down… and I knew this was going to be an overprotective daddy issue. But since our little one wasn’t walking yet, I let the issue slide. Patrick just sat there, shaking his head, trying not to smile or laugh at our bickering.

Once silence fell over us, the muffled sound of a phone ringing echoed against the walls. Patrick scrambled to reach into his pocket to pull it out. After glancing to see who it was, his brow knitted together, but he still pressed it to ear. After he greeted the other person, his eyes grew the biggest that I have ever seen them.

“It’s Katie!” he nearly gasped.

“What?!” was the reaction from both Jonny and I.

With shaking hands, he brought the phone from his ear and pushed the speaker button. After informing the person on the other end that everyone was all here, I heard… my sister’s voice.

“Hey guys…” she spoke so softly. I tried so hard to smile, but tears just came streaming down my face.

“Where the hell have you been?!” Patrick was the one taking the lead.

“Oh, ya know… around,” she tried to keep her sense of humor, but it just caused everyone to roll their eyes. “It’s a long a story. I’ll explain it to you when I see all of you guys,” she went.

“When are you coming home?” I managed to ask while wiping at my eyes.

“Probably this week,” she answered and I was so stunned.

I had no idea what to say. My mind just went from complete opposite ends of the spectrum. I had convinced myself that she was… gone and now here she is… talking to everyone.

Throughout the conversation, Patrick did most of the talking. He really needed this. I was fine now knowing she was ok. Even if I wanted to say something to her, my brain wouldn’t allow words to come out. Now all we had to do was wait for her to come home, which is way better than sitting here not knowing where she was… or if she was even alive.