Second Chance (Anthony Rizzo)

(36) Big News

Jessica

This season for the Chicago Cubs has been pretty good. With a new manager and new kids on the block no one was expecting them to come right out of the gates and bring success with them. But here they are in the NLCS after defeating the central division champs in the Cardinals. Now they are met with a great rotation and good hitters much like themselves.

The series starts out in New York so I let Anthony go on his own and I decide to stay home for a little. Josephine was in town and I was excited to see her little ones, it's been a while and now that I'm a little more understanding of what I've missed I don't feel so bad.

"Morning Jess" my dad says as I walk in the door.

"Aunt Jessie" a little voice rings out and I perk up. I hear the patter of bare feet on the tile floor as a flash of blonde hair comes running towards me.

I pick up my little nephew who had just turned three. He was getting so big, and he had his mommas beautiful blue eyes too. "How's my favorite little man" I ask as I fix up his Cubs shirt. He was a big fan but from what I've been able to pick up he's been to a lot of games in his young life. His dad was a huge fan and that got passed down to Tucker here.

"Happy" he cheers and I raise my eyebrow.

"Happy! Why are you happy" I wonder.

"Mommy has big news" he claims.

"Big news" I gasp.

"Huge news" he cheers.

So I bring him into the kitchen where Josephine was talking with mom. I assume the other little one is off with dad and her husband Felix out back enjoying the fall weather that is finding us here in October.

"Jessie" my sister squeals as Tucker covers his ears.

"Loud mommy" he shuns as I laugh.

I set him down and Jo pulls me into a tight hug. She was like a second mother to me even though she's only four years older than me. But she has every right to treat me the way she does, and I love that she loves me so much.

"Hey sissy" I smile as I hug her back.

"My god you look absolutely amazing. I feel like I haven't seen you in forever" she accuses.

"So it's my fault you moved to Michigan" I accuse and she laughs. I didn't even know she moved until I left the hospital and she had to drive three hours to come see me.

"Felix got a job there, we didn't really have much of a choice. But we still rep the Cubs and the Bears in enemy territory and that should count for something" she tries.

"It does help" I smile.

She grabs my hands as she looks me over once again. I couldn't help but smile at her touch. "This is the best version of you. I hope you know that" she claims.

"I'm working on it" I admit. "But I want to hear about you. Tucker said you have exciting news."

"I do" she smiles big. "I'm actually over here because I need to talk to you guys about something" she claims.

"And what's that" my mom wonders.

"I'm... I'm pregnant" she claims and my eyes get big. I shake my head for a second before it finally sets in.

"Oh my god, you're gonna have another baby" I say on the verge of crying. I love babies.

"I am. I'm only two months and not even showing yet so you guys are the first people we told. Now that Tucker is 3 and Joey is 2 we were gonna try for another. Didn't have to try that hard" she admits making me giggle.

"Well that's so exciting. I'm hoping it's a girl this time" I insist.

"Not me" Tucker pouts.

"Oh come on. Can't mommy have one girl" Jo asks him.

"No girls" he chants making me laugh.

"I'm a girl" I remind him.

"No... you're my aunt" he says making me smile.

"That I am. But I'm also a girl" I tell him.

"Really!? For how long" he questions.

"For a while" I laugh.

We sit and talk for a little while longer before it was time for the kids' nap. They were only in town for a few days before Felix had to get back to work. Anthony will be back in a day so we would all go out for dinner. The kids loved him and I was excited for Anthony to be home so it's a win win situation.

I decide I overstayed my welcome at the house so I head on back to the apartment. I had some work to do on the laptop for the foundation and I wanted to upload some pictures I took today with my sisters and the kids. Pictures mean a lot to me now because that's how I remember things, I take as many pictures as possible so I couldn't possibly forget again.

As I get the videos up my phone starts to ring and I see it's Anthony. I quickly answer it and prop my phone up on my laptop.

"Hi baby" he smiles big and I smile back.

"Hey babe. How is the big Apple treating you" I question as he sighs.

"Well a win would be nice" he admits.

"That would be. But you know it's not the end of the world if you don't win, right" I ask him.

"Isn't it though" he teases as I roll my eyes.

"No. It's not. The fact you guys made it this far is awesome. You guys are doing things no Cubs team has done in a really long time. I know you guys want to break the curse but not everything will fall into place. You only know success after failure" I remind him.

"Is 107 years of failure not enough for you" he jokes.

"It's more than enough but you know as well as I that the universe has place for us that might not be what we want but we need in order to end up where we need the most" I explain.

"I know. But losing isn't fun, it sucks" he sighs.

"That it does. But growth doesn't come from winning all the time. And losing doesn't mean you fail. Quitting means you failed. Use the loss as motivation, another reason to want to win. It shouldn't become a part of you but instead something you can use to get to where you want to be" I claim.

"That's very insightful" he noticed.

"I've lost a lot. But I'm still here" I assure him.

"I wish you were here, with me" he sighs.

"I do too. But you'll be home soon and you can play with my nephews, and maybe someday soon a niece" I hope.

"Jo is pregnant again" he gasps.

"That she is. She's only two months but she and the baby are doing good" I explain.

"That's awesome. I can't wait until it's us" he insists and I smile big.

"Me neither" I insist.