Once Upon A Dream (Kris Bryant)

51- Anniversary

Kris

April 17th isn't a holiday or a birthday or anything like that. But it is pretty important to me, for this was the day I first moved to Chicago and the rest of my life officially started.

Sure, it means it's been a year that I have been a major leaguer, a year since I started my life here in Chicago and a year since I started to write my name in the history books. And that stuff is nice and all, it's what I came here to do after all, but it's not what matters. Because while this date marks the start of my career, that's just the start. What I have done will never be as important as what I will do. I don't like to look back and have regrets or be satisfied. There's still so much I want to do so I don't want this date to be some representation of what's in the past or be used as a measuring stick in my career. I want to play for thirty years so I'm happing I'll have more good years.

But April 17th is still a special date to me, because that was the day I met Jayden, and my life really did begin.

I can still remember it like it was yesterday, sitting in Anthony's doorway at a loss for words. I remember my mind going a mile a minute as I tried to comprehend how beautiful she is and how soft her voice was. I started falling for her in the instant I laid eyes on her and I never did land. Not a doubt in my mind that she wasn't going to mean something to me, and as the story unfolds she quickly meant everything to me.

And here we are, a year later, taking over the world. The team is doing amazing and her career is already one of the best and she's barley even started. And through it all and the ups and downs we found each other. We found comfort and love and a home in one another and that's something more valuable than a diamond record or rookie of the year. Sure it's only been a year, but after what we have gone through, to get back to April 17th and still be going as strong as we are, well that's something to celebrate.

Early this beautiful morning I sneak out of bed and go into the kitchen. I try my hand in cooking but the pancakes didn't cook enough and the eggs cooked too much. So I decide to call in a favor and have Manny bring me Jayden's favorite breakfast from ihop since he knows that order by heart now. I thank him a million times and he goes back to bed. I find a big plate and put everything on there. I separate her food so it isn't touching and pour a glass of orange juice.

I slowly and carefully take the plate into our bedroom. Jayden laid there still sound asleep with her hair in a bun on top of her head. Her chest rises and falls slowly as the sun tries to shine in. I set the food down on my end table and open the blinds. It was a picture perfect day today and I couldn't wait to enjoy it with my girlfriend.

I crawl into bed and pull Jayden into my chest. She slowly wakes up and I feel everything stop when those amber eyes find me. She smiles once her sight realigns and she can focus in on me. She brings her hand up and lightly touches my cheek making me feel like every nerve in my body was going to explode.

"Good morning sweetheart" she says softly before giving me that famous smile.

"Good morning baby, how did you sleep" I wonder.

"Great" she insists. "Something smells really good" she says.

"I made you breakfast" I say and she gasps. "Then when that fell flat I asked Manny to get you your favorite from ihop which he happily did" I say placing the food on her lap as she laughs at me.

"That's so sweet of you... and Manny" she giggles.

"I wanted to start our anniversary off right" I insist.

"It's the seventeenth already" she asks.

"Yeah, crazy isn't it" I nod.

"I can't believe how much my life changed in one year. And that through it all you were always by my side" she smiles up to me. I place a soft kiss on her lips and she lets them linger there a little longer than usual.

"I love you" I say.

"Love you most."

After we finished breakfast it was time to head to the field. The game was at 12:10 today which works for me because that means I can make dinner plans.

I change into my uniform and find some guys as we stretch out. There was a few clouds in the sky providing the momentary shade which was perfect weather for baseball. The wind was blowing out as we get ready for the game.

"What a beautiful day" I sigh and Anthony feels around my forehead.

"Are you okay" he asks and I swat his hand away.

"I'm doing pretty great actually, thanks for your concern though" I reply.

"Oh he's sassy, something is happening" Anthony claims as guys gather around.

"Can't I just be happy and not want to be bothered" I ask.

"You don't really show a spectrum of emotions like this, so no" he claims.

"If you must know I have big plans after the game tonight" I explain.

"Are you purposing" Addi asks and I nearly choke.

"What? No! It's our one year anniversary, we were just going to go on a boat ride and see the city" I say.

"Good. Because I would have objected" Anthony claims.

"You can't object a proposal, only a marriage" I laugh.

"He's right you know" David chimes in.

"And I thought you were over interjecting in our relationship anymore" I say.

"Im not. I heard proposal and it was kind of a habit" he shrugs and I roll my eyes. Idiot.

Like we had many times before this season we won that game with good pitching and good hitting. I myself had a home run and a double and was felling pretty great.

I drive home after the game and change as quick as I could. I drive back out to the pier and find Manny talking to the boat driver. I sent him and Jayden ahead of me to get everything ready so we could catch the sunset.

"You're a lifesaver Manny" I sigh.

"It's kinda my job" he smirks and I laugh. I'm glad to see he's warmed up a lot. We had a lot of fun on tour and I would like to think we would have ended up as friends even if he wasn't my girlfriends body guard.

I get on the boat and I find Jayden on the other side. She stood there under the setting sun looking like a goddess in a white dress. The wind whipping through her hair as she leans over the railings and looks over the city. The sky different colors of pink and purple and blue. A beautiful arrangement of clouds accompanying the sun as it sets on this beautiful day. And still that beauty had nothing on her.

I walk over and wrap my arms around her. She smiles up at me as I look down into her eyes.

"Hello beautiful" I start.

"There's my handsome man" she replies and I smile big. "You were great out there. Like always, I'm super proud" she claims.

"Thanks. I had a little extra motivation" I admit.

We head off shore and drop anchor not too far out. You can't see the little details of the city but you can still see the buildings. As the sun disappears I realize we were closer to the next day of our forever together. And while it's hard for me to give up days like this, I know that if one year was this much fun imagine what forever is going to be like.