Second Chance (Anthony Rizzo)

(46) Young And In Love

Jessica

After having a wonderful time in Florida soaking up the sun and doing a lot of good things for the foundation it was time to go back to sweet home Chicago. Tiny was going to miss playing in the ocean but I think he was going to do just fine in the snow.

Tonight Anthony and I were going to enjoy the nice weather here at the end of November and do a date night. It's been a while we had a date night in the city and if you ask me we were long over due. So I pull on a nice gold dress and straighten my curly hair. After a little bit of makeup and a nice pair of earrings I was ready to go. I make Anthony take pictures with me and Tiny before we take off to the city. We end up at the Willis tower at the sky deck for dinner. The city was absolutely stunning from up here, there isn't a better view in the world. Living in this city is something different, it really is.

"I feel bad for people who play for other teams. They probably come here and don't want to leave" I joke.

"Well we play St. Louis, Milwaukee, Pittsburg and Cincinnati more than anything so yeah probably. St. Louis has the arch and Pittsburgh's park is one of the coolest but city wise... no one has anything on this city. I mean you can go to the beach in the summer and ice skating in the park in the winter. There's zoos and the aquarium and all the museums. Shopping, sports, great food, you can't go wrong" he agrees.

"If you get traded somewhere else I'm staying here" I tease.

"I am too" he jokes making me giggle.

"Of course any place would feel small compared to here but I would follow you anywhere. Even if it was Detroit" I wink.

"You must love me a lot" he smirks.

"So much I actually wrote you a love poem" I tell him.

He raises his eyebrow at me as his lips pull tight. "You write poetry now" he asks.

"It's just the one poem. As a part of my therapy writing has become important to me. A lot of times my brain struggles to process and comprehend. Writing it down so I can see it helps me retain and understand. So my thoughts and feelings often times goes down on paper. One night it kind of just came out of me and I've been hesitant to show you. But I brought it with me tonight with the hopes I had the balls to give it to you" I admit.

"Can I see it" he wonders.

I reach in my wallet and pull out a piece of paper. I see my handwriting in red pen on the yellow paper and sigh. I know he loves me and something like this isn't such a big deal. But for me this poem is my love for him. And if he doesn't like it I don't know what I would do.

"Here" I say as I try to hand it to him.

"Actually, can you read it? It's your words and I think they would mean a lot coming from you" he insists.

I swallow hard as I take the paper back. All the courage I had mustered up sits in my chest as my eyes rest on the paper. Here goes nothing.

"You had my heart right at first glance
And now I have a second chance
Another opportunity to get off the wall and dance
For our love I will always take a stance

For love is what it's all about
And when I'm with you I haven't any doubt
I'll go all in, never out
Together we can make it on any route

Now here we are after all this time
A second chance to call you mine
For you there is no mountain I wouldn't climb
I'll shout it so loud they'll hear from Anaheim.

Being with you makes me as happy as ever
And now I know that you and I'd fall never
Through space and time this bond won't sever
With you through I'll make it through whatever endeavor."

Anthony sits there with the biggest smile on his face. I could see every tooth in his mouth as his eyes start to sparkle.

"Baby, that was the most beautiful thing ever. I had no idea you wrote poems or that they're so good" he claims.

"I don't know about that" I try.

"I think it was beautiful. And every word was perfect" he claims. "Do you think I could keep it" he wonders.

"We live at the same place" I remind him.

"I know. But I want to do something special with that poem" he claims.

"Like what" I question.

"You'll see" he smirks as I roll my eyes. Always a mystery this one is.

I hand him the paper and he reads it over again. The biggest smile on his face as he lets out a sigh. "I love you so much" he claims.

"I love you too" I assure him.

We finish our meal before taking a walk downtown. It was beautiful this time of year with people putting up Christmas decorations and the city very much alive. It seems like every light is on as people work late or come home to dinner. I always admired this city, the things they built here and every little piece of this society. We always joke that Chicago isn't really a part of Illinois because you go almost anywhere else and it's farm land or domesticated suburbs. But being in the city on nights like this, well it's something to breathe in.

"How great it is to be young and in love in the city" I sigh as he pulls me closer. I rest my head on his shoulder as our steps match up perfectly.

"Only because I get to love you" he says as I just shake my head. Always the charmer.

"I'm so happy that I fell in love with you twice. If I could I would do it a third time, just for good measure" I admit.

"Please don't" he begs making me chuckle.

"I'm not going anywhere" I promise. "I'm just... thankful. For you, for your love and your time. For sharing your life with me and making sure I know that you love me too. A lot of relationships fail not because there is no love, but there is not proof of love. And nights like tonight where we don't really have plans, we just get to be together and see where it goes. These are the best nights" I say.

"I couldn't agree more" he smiles.