Dash of Reality

Before we know it, the guys and their families are arriving. Izzy is checking on the brownies I whipped up as I welcome the people that I have come to think of as my own family. Abby and I grew up in a large family and this group reminds me a lot of my family back home in Connecticut. Abby and I are the only ones who left the state, let alone have spent serious amount of time in a foreign country.
Abby is keeping an eye on Brooklyn too. She’s a mom, so she’s automatically good and looking after kids. Adding Brooklyn to the mix isn’t hard. I am so gracious that a) she brought me into this family and b) that she helps me when I need it. I couldn’t have imagined a real future with Jon without her.
Soon enough, all of the guys are here, including the single ones. And actually, the single guys have all really taken to little Brooklyn – and they are the most adorable human beings when they hold her. They are these big, brawny bachelors swooning over a little girl. It’s different when it’s their child, but that’s not Brooklyn. However, Jon and Brooklyn together is pretty perfect and adorable too.
I move into the house with Patrick Kane, who as Godfather brought the biggest gift. He has taken this role very seriously and is even in a committed relationship now – with one of my college sorority sisters. She lives in Rockford but has come to the city quite a bit now that she’s with Pat and almost always manages to see me too. She’s here today but came separately from Pat so she’s already socializing.
I see everyone mingling as I point Pat in the direction of the present tables. I feel good when I see that everyone is enjoying themselves, even the kids. I haven’t heard a melt-down yet, but we will see when it comes time for food and presents.
I move into the kitchen to check on Izzy and the food prep process. I note that the veggie tray, cheese and crackers, chips and dip, and some other snack foods are out on the breakfast bar. I have to seriously give Izzy a raise for doing this as a guest to the party and not the employee of Jon’s. While technically she works for Jon, he has basically made what’s his is mine comments. It makes me feel great, to be in a committed relationship with a great guy, but also worries me because it is still really early in our relationship that has to be sped up because we live in the same house and are under rushed circumstances around everything with Brooklyn.
“How are we looking, Izzy? What can I do to help?” the older woman stops what she’s doing as she is whipping something up in a soufflé dish to look at me. She has that are-you-kidding-me look. It’s that one that your mom gives you when you ask a dumb question or have done something completely stupid that you regret the moment its over.
“You can get out of my kitchen and go and socialize with your guests! This is a party, you are hosting it. Go and mingle. I have got everything here under control. And don’t go to check on Mr. Toews. He has got the meat grilling right now. You don’t need to have a hand in everything for it to be just fine. Now get,” she is so serious when she tells me all of this but at the end gives me a smile to let me know that she’s serious but in a nice way. It makes me relax just a bit, but Jon has a lot of meat to get grilled so I still want to check on him. Plus, I kind of just want to see him and realize again why I am in this situation to begin with.
Having a big family growing up helped to prepare me for parties like these, but this is bigger than anything we ever had in my childhood home. My parents were each only children and so it would just be my siblings, parents, and grandparents for parties and holidays. This, 20 guys, and some with their families, is a lot more than I anticipated. Especially for a first birthday and the Winter Classic game. But I suppose that with everything Brooklyn, Jon, and I have been through, everyone just wants to show us even more support. It has been so fantastic of all the guys and their families so far, the WAGs group even threw a benefit for the American Cancer Society just before Christmas for all of those kids who are like Brooklyn but can’t afford treatment or a place for their parents to stay while they are being treated.
Everyone has really rallied around this little girl and I know how much Jon appreciates it. I love it too, knowing that this really is a family dynamic and when one is in trouble or needs some looking after, the entire team will be there. I missed this while I was between college and coming to live with Jon. I had this feeling in my sorority, but have not been able to experience it since. So I really appreciate all the wonders this team has blessed me with.
I leave the kitchen to bundle myself up in the mudroom just around the corner before letting myself out the back door following some kids. They are headed for the rink, but I am headed to Jon next to the garage’s back door. He looks cute in his old Hawks Winter Classic hat from 2015, the one he donned a year ago before leaving the game to get to see his daughter for the first time.
“Hey babe. How’s the meat looking? Do we have enough? Izzy is whipping up something in the soufflé dish that looks pretty good just to be on the safe side. But she refuses to let me help with anything. I don’t feel like I’m doing this right since I can’t be in the kitchen. That’s where my mom always hosted from while I was growing up, and it’s where Abby always is too when they have get-togethers. Am I really doing this right?” he looked over at me with his cute, rosy cheeks with a smile. Then his eyes darted between mine and the grill every few seconds.
“Em, everything is going just fine. Take a deep breath, actually, do that inside where you won’t get bronchitis from breathing in too deeply. But still, relax. You have plenty of people here willing to pitch in a hand to make this easy. We don’t have to be the hosts like your parents or even your sister. We can be unique. So, let Izzy handle the kitchen. I’ve got the meat and I think we will have plenty. Take a look around; do you see how much fun the kids are having on the ice? The moms even have a good look on their faces while they enjoy seeing their kids having fun. One day, you will be doing the same thing with our kids, Brooklyn included.” I take a small deep breath as he points out all the wonderful things that are happening around us. I close my eyes and hear the kids’ laughter and the sound of their choppy skating on the ice. I hear moms telling their kids to be safe or be nicer with their hockey stick. I also take the extra second to really digest what Jon said to end with. He said our kids. We haven’t really talked about the future, everything is so in the air. But this just makes me feel so much calmer about the afternoon. Like I could take on the world, as long as I have Jon and Brooklyn.
“Thank you. You know just the right things to say to me. I will leave you to do your cooking, but first, I need a kiss.” He chuckles but does it anyways. I expected it to be a short, peck on the lips kind of kiss, but when it isn’t, I don’t question it. I just indulge in a sweet kiss from the best guy ever.