Smile (Kris Bryant)

Chapter Forty Seven| My Story

Alexandria

I stand on a stage in front of a good sized crowed trying not to explode under everyone's stares. Out there was my family with Kris and Bennett. My mom and dad and sister and brother were sitting with them. Along with them was some guys from the team I had gotten close with recently. Theo and Jed was there too. Then there was a bunch of reporters and cameras and recorders and cameras flashing that made it hard to focus. I fiddle with the papers I had written for this as I start to tap the stand. I feel the anxiety building up in my heart as I beats faster and faster. I take a sip of water and try to be patient but it was no use. I was a mess up there. Tom Rickets joins me at the stand to do opening statements.

"Thank you for joining us today. This is a very important news conference to us and we appreciate your cooperation with the delay.

Today is the day we stand against domestic violence. It is a silent and very damaging event that affects millions of people just in the us and millions more outside of it. We see our teams success as a chance to shine some light on the dark truth of people's reality and find it very important to raise awareness.

On top of this press conference the Cubs are holding a fundraiser tonight at the game. The wives of the players have made baskets of the players' favorite things their husbands have to auction off. 100% of the proceeds will help for the process of getting people out of abusive relationships and into a place they can call home.

I've never been in such an experience so I would be lying if I stood here and told you about domestic violence seeing I've never been in such a situation. So we have a very strong young woman here to speak for us.

Alexandria is a special member of the Cubs organization. She is a personal trainer to the players and they rave about her. Never had a bad thing to say. But I don think they truly understand how strong she is. She is also Kris Bryant's fiancé and mother to their child. And she is a survivor of domestic violence. She confided in us when she needed help the most and now she will speak of her story and why it's important we do this.

Without further ado, miss Alexandria" he announces. He gives me a hug before stepping down and I stand behind the mic.

I feel like I'm going to throw up. I might actually. I see Kris through the flashes of light and he gives me a kind smile letting me know I can do this.

"Hello everyone. As Tom said in Alexandria and I'm here to tell my story.

My story isn't one I used to tell. In fact, besides my fiancé, no one knew what went on at my old home. For three hours a day I was this happy go lucky girl who loved to work out and mess around. I could joke with the guys or smile because I can not because I had to.

But my life wasn't that simple, how I wish it were. Because as soon as I left that house I was no longer a friend or a work out buddy. I wasn't even human, I was seen as less than that.

I would go home and as soon as I walked in that door I was hit. Maybe it was the way I looked at him, maybe it was the clothes I was wearing. He never did tell me why he did it so I never could fix it. After a few years you stop keeping track how many times it happens. I had accepted that my fate in that house was to be face down on the floor praying that this injury can be covered up with makeup. There was no love in that house, no admiration or even hope. That house was where I hurt, where I got hurt, and where I lost just about everything I lived for.

I couldn't leave. If I threatened to leave I got every inch of life beaten out of me. Many days I couldn't get out of bed, everything hurt. And it wasn't from the work outs or not getting enough water. It was because the bruises were so deep it reached the bones. It's because my arm was fractured from when he flung me against a wall. It was because my pride was so hurt I didn't see the point of getting out of bed.