Love Prevails (Kris Bryant)

34| Moving Out and Moving On

McKayla

As the calendar turns from 2015 to 2016, more than the last number of the year changes. Kris and I buy the house he mentioned last year and we move our stuff in. Spring training starts next month and it's been a hassle to get everything to the new house before we leave. Finally we are able to collect the last box and I lock up the apartment one last time. I enjoyed living close to the city but I knew this was no place to raise a kid so letting go wasn't too hard.

"This is a hundred percent everything" I ask Kris.

"Wow you sound like my mom right now" he laughs. I turn around to see a older man standing behind me smiling down.

"Excuse me, do you know the girl who lives in that apartment" he asks pointing to our old place. I look at Kris skeptical but he seemed just confused as I was.

"That would be me" I reply slowly. The man smiles brighter and it actually kind of made me happy. He looked familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"I'm Tomas Jenkins, I'm your grandfather" he says. I drop my bag as my breath hitches in my throat. I look straight into his eyes, he wasn't lying.

"How... how did you find me" I ask. I never was around immediate family. Never did things for birthday or Christmas or anything so no need to. I knew my parents had parents but I never met any of them until now.

"I went to Vegas to give something to my son but he was too drunk to function. I went down a few doors for some advice as to what to do with the things I needed to give to him and there a nice couple explained that your mom was in and out all the time so they weren't sure when should be back. But they told me to contact my granddaughter and I told them I didn't have one. Paul never told me he had a kid, I thought that low life sad excuse for a man was how my last name would stand in this world. But the nice couple assured me you were real and nothing like my son. They game me this address and I wasn't able to make it out until now" he explains. I let what I was just told soak in. My grandfather was standing right in front of me and I had no clue what to do.

"I can't believe this" I whisper.

"Are you guys moving" he asks.

"Um yeah, this is my boyfriend Kris who is the nice couples son and we're moving to our new house. We're expecting a child and wanted to be in the best situation to raise it" I reply still in shock. Kris shakes his hand and gives him a smile.

"Nice to meet you son. I've heard a lot of good things about you" he says and Kris nods.

"You too sir. Would you like to join us for lunch" Kris suggests. My grandpa smiles and nods his head along.

We find a small diner and sit down to eat. I keep staring at Tomas trying to figure out what I was going to do about this.

"So fill me in since I've missed so much. I know you probably left that house the first chance you got, where did you go" he asks.

"Boston. I studied there for for years then applied to be the sports psychologist for the Cubs."

"That's cool. What made you want to do that?"

"I played baseball in high school and always loved being a part of something bigger than myself. Being able to bring out the best in people, it's a great feeling. Having the ability to make someone smile, it's a gift. I combined my love for sports and my love for happiness and ended up in this profession. Kris signed with the Cubs and that was my chance to reconnect with him so I applied here. Everything worked out and now here I am."

"It's crazy that you were a product of those two..."

"What happened? Why is he like that?"

"We had three kids, your father, his sister Amanda, and his brother John. Your dad was the funny and outgoing one where John was the shy one. But your dad looked out for him, helped him come out of his shell and make the most out of life. They were inseparable but senior year your dad started drinking. John hated it, it was a nasty habit. Your dad was driving John home from a football game one night and he flipped the car. John died on impact and your dad was arrested for drunk driving and involuntary manslaughter. He wasn't a bad guy at the time, but after that day he wasn't the same. He turned to drinking to try and forget but he always remembered. Your mom, they met before the accident but all she wanted was the guy from before to come back in her life. They ran away together and I hadn't heard from them since. Your grandmother and I, we were heartbroken. We thought that there was nothing left of the family worth putting our faith in. But then the nice couple told us about you and I had to see you for myself. Everyone we've asked has only said great things about you."

"Why didn't you come sooner? Why now?"

"There was no reason to. You don't chase after your problems do you? We found something we thought he should have and went to give it to him, that's the extent to our intentions. Maybe it could have changed him or got him to stop his horrid ways."

"What was it, if you don't mind me asking."

"A letter from John explaining why he looked up to your father. All the good qualities he saw in him. Maybe it could remind him of the better times."

"That could have been helpful about 12 years ago..."

"I'm so sorry sweetie, I really am. I know you couldn't have had a easy way to get here. But I'm happy I could find you. Give me a little more purpose in my life."

"I'm glad to see you too. Do I have any more family?"

"Well there's me and my wife. We have a daughter Amanda who lives up in Wisconsin and her family but that's about it."

Tomas and I exchange the necessities. He tells me more about my past and I tell him about my future. The whole time I see the excitement in his eyes as I'm sure he sees it in mine too. I had a family, a nice one at that. I gave him my numbers but he had to catch a flight back home. I promised to keep in touch before sending him on his way and I head to my new home.

"So that was kind of awesome" Kris says as we pull up in the drive way.

"I wonder why your parents didn't say anything" I mention.

"I'm not sure. I know they don't like to mess with your parents and their relationship but maybe they're throwing you a bone" he shrugs.

"Well I'm thankful. Looks like our family just got a little bit bigger" I smile. We get the last box inside and start undoing things. All the furniture and appliances have been here for a while so it was just personal things that needed unpacked. Our room and the spare room was done and we were still working on the nursery. But it gets late and I get tired. A lot of our stuff is still packed for spring training coming up in a few weeks so I was thankful we didn't have to unpack that. I laid in bed and stared at the ceiling as Kris joined me.

"What are you thinking about" he asks.

"How I'm a shitty person because I don't want my child anywhere near my parents" I sigh.

"That doesnt make you a shitty person. Like you grandfather said, you don't want to go out chasing after your problems. You're just being proactive" he insists.

"Still, I hate that I feel this way" I defend.

"How are you expecting to feel? What they did to you was wrong and you just want better for your kids. There nothing wrong with that" he says holing me tight.

"You're right" I admit. I fall asleep like that wondering how different my life could have been.