Smile (Kris Bryant)

Chapter Forty Two| Sooner Than Later

Kris

"Ohhh that's so cute" I smile walking into the living room and finding my fiancé and baby chilling out on the couch.

Bennett has made it through his first week and he's been super easy so far. Only cries when he's tired or needs his diaper changed or wants food, kind of like me. We never have a problem getting him to sleep or to feed or anything. He loves all the little things to look at around the house. He can sit there for hours just taking it all in.

It's late May and the team has been doing great. After starting 24-6 we continued to dominate. Lately we've started to dip a little and I like to joke that it because Alex is gone. Usually she only works with infielders but upon request Joe had her work with everyone this season. Joe had seen a lot of improvement in guys like me and Anthony and Javy and Addie and we all said it was because of the same thing, she works the hell out of us. But it was true. She is very hard core and very strict but she's smart. She knows what we need and how to get it. It helps elevate whatever aspect of the game you need to focus on. So this season she's worked with everyone personally. I still get my me time with her and she still kills me but I honestly love it. Now guys like Jason Heyward and Rossy get a whooping too. But you can see the difference in our play. We feel stronger and look better so obviously she's doing something right.

She won't go back for another two months so that's going to be a struggle for us. Kyle will miss her the most because after he got hurt and had surgery on his knee she agreed to help with the recovery. He was doing really good and he's upset she won't be there but I'm sure she'll find a way to help him. But until she was back I was spending as much time with her and the baby as possible.

That brings us to now, where I find Alex passed out on the couch and Ben asleep on her chest. Both of them just snoozing away. It was about 8 am and I think this is the latest he's still been asleep since he was born. I take some pictures of them because it was too cute to not to and fix us some coffee. I read today's line up and stats and stuff trying to keep myself preoccupied. Since I didn't have a trainer anymore I didn't have any place to be until 4 when I head to the park.

"Hey, how long have you been up" a sweet voice asks. I see Alex at the dining room table putting Ben in a seat next to her. She straps him in as he continues to sleep.

"Not too long ago. When did you come out here" I wonder.

"4 am. He was crying and I knew you had a big game today so I wanted you to sleep in" she explains.

"Thank you for that, but being a dad comes before being a baseball player. I don't mind getting up to help" I say handing her a cup of coffee. She smiles at me and my heart flutters. I sit across from her at the table as Ben sits at the end still sleeping. We stare at him as he gently squirms in his seat.

"You know, I really do feel so blessed" she starts.

"I know exactly what you mean" I sigh. She grabs my hand that rested on the table and starts rubbing her thumb on the back of my hand. It reassured me that I am exactly where I need to be.

"He's perfect" I smile as I turn my attention back to our baby. He was in a dark green onesie just snoozing away.

"He is. And I'm so happy he has your eyes" she smiles.

"I hope he has your strength. Not so much as physical as mental" I admit.

"I hope he doesn't live a second of my life that I had to in order to get there" she clarifies.

"He won't. Because I'm going to protect him. I'm going to make sure he is set for life. And I'm not talking about money or material things. But I showed you how to love and I hope we can show him too" I admit. She squeezes my hand assuring me that she understands and we just watch our baby exist.

"So when do you want to get married" I finally ask.

"I don't know, what did you have in mind" she wonders.

"I don't want it during the season since we both work, so I was thinking about the fall or winter" I shrug.

"It would be so stressful to do it during season. Plus I happen to know that the fall is your favorite season so we can do that" she suggests. She isn't wrong, I love the fall.

"Okay. So how about November" I question.

"November of this year" she asks.

"Why not? I play for the Cubs but the whole waiting for stuff to happen, it isn't me. 108 years is a long time and the drought can't go on forever. If I learned anything from this relationship it is that time is best spent appreciating the things you love. And I love you, so much. And I don't want to wait forever to get married. I don't want to wait longer than I have to to call you my wife... that is if you're okay with that" I clairfy. I knew she is sensitive of the topic of engagement but I want her to know we're granger because I want to marry her, not to keep her around and tease her. She sits there silent, just staring at me. I don't blame her, that was a lot to take in.

"I had no idea you felt that way" she whispers.

"Honestly neither did I. But I meant every word. I love you Alex, and I want to marry you as soon as possible" I admit.

"I would love to be Mrs. Alexandria Bryant by the end of this year, but I'm not sure how to pull it off with everything that's going on" she shrugs.

"Well figure it out. We always do. It doesn't have to be some huge extravagant wedding. Just close friends and family. It can be intimate and meaningful and be done before the end of this year" I explain.

"That sounds great" she smiles. I feel my heart skip as I realize how lucky I am to have her. She never asks for much, she just wants to know that I'm happy. She asks every chance she gets. And that answer is always yes, I am happy because she is in my life.

Bennett wakes up crying and she lets out a groan.

"I got this" I insist standing up and walking over to him. I could smell him from here. "I'm going to go change him" I announce and she nods.

"I'll set out the weight room for some home workouts" she says making me laugh.

"Someone misses her abs" I tease.

"Maybe" she smirks. I get Ben changed and put him in his crib letting me and Alex work out some. We spend the morning messing around in the basement and getting really sweaty like always. And although I was tired and had so much on my plate to handle I could enjoy this morning with my family because it was times like this I realize how truly blessed I am.