Celestial Love (Anthony Rizzo)

.62. Sticks And Stones

Anthony

There is good and bad that comes with living in the public eye. There is more good than the bad, thanks to social media I can reach more people for donations for my foundation. I can spread the word farther and faster because of this and for that I am thankful. I can share journeys and pictures with fans who can't make it to Chicago and be connected to people who look up to me even if they're across the globe.

And for all the good you can do through the Internet, it's the bad that always seems to effect us the most. For every five good comments there will be one bad one and it can ruin everything. Someone who is jealous or just naturally pessimistic. It can be people from your own fan base who can be the most cruel. Crazy how we try our best and it'll never be enough for some people.

I try to block it all out, don't get on social media all that much and don't listen to the rumors. If I did I would have been traded three times by now. And while it's easy for me to brush off articles about my play or my integrity, it wasn't until I was with Celeste did these thing really get to me.

The whole "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" ideal is complete bull shit. I would rather break every bone than have to see the awful things written about me and Celeste. And I try to ignore it but there's a point where it goes too far.

My mom sent me a link this morning to some article a wives and girlfriends blogger from Chicago wrote about Celeste. It basically said that she was a crazy girlfriend who is unfaithful and money hungry and had no morals. Because she has been with two of the more famous athletes in the city people assume it's just because she's drop dead beautiful. And while she is stunningly beautiful, that was about the only truth they said in that article. They said she tricked me into staying with her after she and James broke up and that I'm trapped in this relationship. They said that she is the reason James lost it and ended up in jail. They even went as far to say that she was kicked out of the Bears organization because no one liked her even though she was with them when they won the super bowl and even was invited to the parade and everything.

I mean the shit in this article was obviously unfounded. Someone was upset she ended up in two celebrity relationships and can't come to terms with the fact that maybe I love this girl because of her morals and her dreams outside of what people say about her. I mean I couldn't name a better woman, besides my mom of course.

This article was causing me a great deal of angst. I wanted to let it go, to move on and ignore it. But this blogger had a big following and they had something against Celeste from what I can tell, didn't have many nice things to say about her from the start. I'm not sure who is feeding these lies or who will eat it but I didn't want Celeste to know.

So I send a message over to the PR team with the Cubs. They send a warning to the blogger to take it down before they have to address it publicly. They had a few hours to respond before the Cubs came after them. I know the Bears never did much to protect the significant others but the Cubs weren't like that. They don't want to cover up awful truths but they also don't want lies to spread. I can voice that Celeste has never been unfaithful and that our relationship was as real as it gets. Not a damn thing they accused was real and not even James would admit it was.

Now I pray Callie doesn't see it before it's taken down.

"Morning beautiful" I say softly as she sits up in bed. She smiles as she pats the spot next to her for me to take. I sit down and pull her into my arms as she wraps her around me too. I loved her hugs more than anything.

"Why are you up already" she mumbles.

"I had to... to take care of some buisness" I try as she raises a eyebrow at me. Not a lot gets past her but I didn't want to tell her about the article either.

"What kind of business" she wondered.

"Important... business" I try as she giggles at my sad attempt to save my ass. "You're not buying it are you" I ask making her shake her head.

"Not at all" she assures me.

A long sigh passes my lips as my head hangs. Celeste squeezes me tight assuring me that she's got me just like I got her. "There's this blog going around saying that you're some crazy athlete chaser who is unfaithful and manipulative and a gold digger. I was going to let it go but for some reason I couldn't. When they talk about me I can stomach it. They can say what they want about me but when I read these lies, when I saw what this person was trying to do to you, I couldn't take it. Something in me snapped and I did everything I could to get this post taken down.

So I contacted the PR propel and they're handling it. Either the writers are taking it down or the Cubs are having it taken down. They know you and they know me so they know this was all a lie. Some kind of ruse to hurt you and me. I don't know why people write these kinds of things. No proof or facts, just sick fantasies about who we are" I explain.

She cups my cheek as she turns my face so I'm looking at her. She softly pulls me closer to me until I get lost in those ocean eyes.

"You did that for me" she whispers.

"Of course. I know I can't control everything out there but I couldn't let people put dirt on your name like that. You never asked anything from me besides my love and my time and my attention. And we share those things and so much more and I know they will never truly understand that. But to stand by while people spread poison letting it affect everyone isn't how I operate" I assure her.

"Thank you" is all she says and I smile a little. She placed a soft kiss on my cheek and it did make me feel better.

"You're not upset" I ask.

"How can I be sad when I have you" she claims making me smile.

"You're probably used to it huh" I ask.

"There once was a rumor that I was a leader of a cult of women trapping professional athletes. This is nothing" she claims making me laugh.

"They thought you started a cult" I gasp.

"I think they over estimated me a little on that one" she teases.

"Well I'm happy you're not in a cult... right" I ask.

"No Anthony I'm not in a cult" she giggles. "I run it."

My eyes get big before I realize she was just messing with me. I playfully squeeze her side as I pull her in closer. "But seriously, are you okay" I ask.

"I'm just fine" she assures me.