How to Save A Life (Anthony Rizzo)

35- You and Me

Anthony

After the season ended it was obvious that Clara and I needed to get away. She was excited about her paintings doing so well but she needed a break and I wanted to be as far away from baseball as I possibly could be, so we went to Mexico. Doesn't really make that much sense for me because baseball was still big down there, but we would be far away from TVs carrying the World Series or a canvas and a paint brush. So for a little over a week it would be just me and my girlfriend and whatever adventure we can find ourselves on. 

So not too long after I played my last game we were on our way to get away. I told my parents I probably wouldn't have contact with them and they said that as long as I bring them something back from the resort that was okay. And since Clara doesn't have family to worry about we turn off our phones and leave them behind. No interviews and no portrait requests. Just her and me and this love we share, which will always be more than enough.

We get to Mexico early in the morning and check into our hotel. Since we were just south the time change wasn't a problem for us, it was the same as being back home in Florida. So that means we didn't need to catch up on sleep and could start with the exploring right away. We ended up in a resort called Xcaret which was in the Riveria Maya. It had a lot of water attractions and historic tours and things to do so that you're never bored. There was a garden here for Clara to get lost in and even a underground river to swim in. We could be in our own little paradise until it was time to be home for the holidays, but that wasn't for a while.

So until then we were going to be at this nice hotel trying new things and enjoying each other's company. The first thing we decided to do was to go to the beach. I know, it's the most predictable thing we could do, but after a long day of traveling and not having any plans quite yet, it was the best we could do.

So I change into some swim trunks and put on sun screen before grabbing a towel. Clara tells me to go ahead and go to the beach and she'll meet me there. The resort was on a beach so she could look out the window of our hotel room and easily find me. This way I can go set out our blankets and umbrella in the sand and it will all be ready for when she gets there.

I find a nice spot where we can easily get to the water but not get wet when the waves crash against the sand. I set out one big blanket for us to lay upon and get the umbrella set up right beside it. I lay down and close my eyes for a little as the Mexico heat meets my skin.

I lay there for a while until something blocks my sun. Someone I could only imagine was my girlfriend.

"You make a better door than a window" I tease and I hear a little giggle.

"Pardon me for joining my boyfriend on vacation" Clara scoffs as she sits next to me. I lift my sunglasses and take a good look at my girlfriend. And I mean a good hard look at her.

She had on a white strapless bikini top that had a light blue and Coral design on it. Her bottoms were the coral color from the top held together by tiny pieces of string. Her long light brown hair was wavy and pouring down her sides as the sunglasses pushed to the top of her head keeps her hair out of the way. Not a speck of makeup on her face letting her freckles shine free as her brilliant turquoise eyes look down at me.

"What" she asks.

"I'm just waiting to cuddle with my girlfriend" I inform her and she smiles. She sets her things down before joining me on the blanket. I wrap my hands around her little waist as I pull her body against mine. She rests her head on my shoulder as we sit there and watch the waves hit the beach.

"I'm really happy we could do this" I admit.

"Me too. I already feel more relaxed" she admits. 

"Good" I smile before placing a quick kiss on her lips.

We sit there for a while and we don't say anything. Well, not with our mouths at least. We say it with the beating of our hearts as we watch life pass us by.

"Doesn't it kind of seem like we're just wasting time out here" I ask.

"Yeah. But wasting time with you isn't time wasted" she smiles and I nod.

"I like that" I admit.

"Can I ask you something. It's kind of dark" she admits and I see her eyes turn a stormy color.

"Sure" I say sounding a lot more assure of myself than I really was.

"Why didn't you just leave me after you called 911 when you found me" she asks.

"You shouldn't be thinking about stuff like that. It's not good for you" I warn.

"I know. But it's just that I would never have thought I would be somewhere like this with someone like you using money from my painting that I was able to sell to people who were begging for it. I want to know how I ended up here and I know it's because of you. But I want to know why" she insists.

"I helped because you needed it" I claim.

"Yes, but you kept helping me. You rode to the hospital with me, you stayed there even though you had better places to be than in the hospital with a stranger. Then when you finally left you came back... why" she asks.

"There's no apparent reason. No straight forward answer or list of reasons why I did what I did. I felt like I needed to be with you. I felt like you could help me just as much as I could help you. I felt like you needed help, but not as much help as you looked like. And I felt like I could be the thing that could get you to where you want to be. I couldn't undo what he did to you, I couldn't fix you or be what you needed. But I could be what you wanted. I could be that sparkle in your eyes, give you a reason to want to keep living instead of just existing" I explain.

"If that was someone else you found, would you have done the same thing" she asks.

"Probably not" I admit.

"Why not" she wonders.

"You're different than everyone else. You're the type of person everyone needs in their lives. I could tell by just being around you, the way you made me feel. I needed you just as much as you needed me" I insist.

"I wouldn't say that much" she teases.

"I don't know. You've taught me so much already. I can't wait to see what the rest of our lives will teach me" I sigh.

"Can you promise me that you'll be by my side forever" she asks.

"I promise baby, it's you and me."