How to Save A Life (Anthony Rizzo)

49- Punch Line

Clara

Before we kick this season off with the Cubs Convention, which was going to be full of new faces and fun reunions, Anthony got a bunch of the guys together for his laugh off for cancer event. This one was a lot less formal than the walk off for cancer event, no auction or heart felt speeches. Basically it's a bunch of Anthony's friends and teammates doing stand up because they all think they're hilarious. And Anthony lets them make digs at him, but for a good cause.

I pull a Cubs shirt over my baby stomach and smile as the shirt starts to stretch. I slowly run my hand over the bump as I smooth the shirt out after it got bunched up. I was barley three months along but I was showing finally, and not "maybe she gained some weight" showing. Like "that girl is definitely pregnant" showing. And I was so excited to flaunt it, the excitement was hard to contain.

"Are you about ready" Anthony asks and I nod my head. I pull on a coat because it was February in Chicago and if I didn't I was crazy. I zip myself up and pull a hat on to the top of my head. Anthony grabs my hand and laces his fingers through mine giving me a new source of heat to keep me warm. He kisses my forehead lightly before we were on our way.

We get to the little party hall in downtown Chicago and make sure everything was set up properly. A lot of the guys made it out to support Anthony or just give him a hard time about something. Regardless of the reason it was going to be a good time.

I end up hanging around with Jess and Kris while Anthony went around and said hi to everyone. I would have tagged along but I was exhausted and they had chicken strips here so I was chomping on those. But eventually everyone gets in and starts to drink indicating the party had started. I happily sip on my water as I talk with Jess about weddings and babies. Eventually Anthony finds me and grabs my hands. He pulls me up and into his embrace.

"There's someone dying to see you" he insists and I raise a eyebrow.

"Who" I wonder.

"Come with me and I'll show you" he says.

He pulls me behind him and up to a table in the back of the venue. I see a little girl with big brown curly hair and I smile so big.

"Naya" I squeal and the little girl turns around. Her eyes light up when she sees me before she runs into my arms. I pick her up and place her on my hip as she plants a big kiss on my cheek. "How is my favorite little girl" I ask.

"I'm good. I missed you" she claims.

"I missed you too. And your parents, where are they" I wonder.

"They're coming over" she says pointing in any general direction. Eventually Dexter and Aliya show up and I thought I couldn't smile any harder.

"Oh my gosh, look at your little baby bump" Aliya coos as she reaches us. She sets her hand on my stomach as her daughter tries to look down and see what she was doing.

"Crazy, isn't it" I ask.

"I saw you what, a month ago? And now you've gone all sexy Mama on me" she jokes.

"I wouldn't say that" I blush.

"Hey Claire" Dexter says joining the rest of his family.

"Hey Dex, it is great to see you guys in town" I admit.

Dexter hasn't resigned with the Cubs and it didn't look like he was going to. Which was really unfortunate for me because that means I'll lose my second favorite baseball family next to Jon and Farrah and the kids.

I end up sitting with them as the show gets started. I didn't have a hand in any of this so I let the chips fall as they may. Anthony introduces guys to the mic as they present their material. Some of it was really funny and got a good laugh out of me. Some of it I didn't get because I don't drink or do most things normal human beings do so I didn't quite understand what made it so funny. But I enjoyed my time with Naya in my lap and listening to her laugh when everyone else did just because.

Eventually a very drunk Kyle Schwarber stumbles up to the stage. He was one of the youngest Cubs on the team, which isn't saying much because the whole team is young. But he was a good guy with a lot of potential. He was a little quiet and never said all that much, which made me curious as to what drunken slurs he would say tonight and regret tomorrow. Lord knows none of the guys here would let him forget it.

"Hello everyone. In case you didn't know, yes, I'm single. So if you're single too, or even if you're not, I am readily available" he says and I roll my eyes. Dear God, who gave these kids beer? "Anyways, I would like to start off by thanking Anthony. Thank you Anthony for providing the beer. It's appreciated.

Second off I wanted to reiterate that I am very single. Like I tried to pay for someone to be my date tonight and they turned me down.

If I was lucky I would be like Anthony and find someone way more attractive than me and trick her into staying" he says and my eyes go big.

I hated when people talked about me, I despised it. I hated when Anthony talked me up because I never felt like I could be that amazing girl that he perceives me as. And I sure as hell didn't want his drunk friend on stage in front of a lot of people here that I associate with talking about me either. No one understands me like Anthony does, but his friends certainly don't know about me, my friends barley do.

"Now Claire is a smart girl, but the only girl stupid enough to get out of a abusive relationship and actually downgrade to the next guy" he says and my whole world stops turning. The laughs kind of die off but Kyle couldn't tell because he was laughing too hard at his own joke. "I'm not kidding, only one person can have a misfortune worse than being in a shitty relationship and that is being with Anthony.

I mean she was living with Anthony for months and no one knew. Not even her boyfriend knew and he was a police officer. He went crazy looking for her and she was with us the whole time, isn't that crazy?But she must have been something special if her boyfriend got shot and killed during a fight over her.

Still I don't see how someone that pretty ends up with someone as repulsive as Anthony, even after all of that. But I guess if he kept her around long enough then knocked her up she didn't have much of a choice, huh" he asks.

Suddenly a very angry Anthony rips the microphone out of Kyle's hands and he throws it on the ground causing feedback to sound through the room. Anthony pushes him off the stage to god knows where as we all cover our ears.

The room remains silent and I felt everyone's eyes on me. Everyone here knew some spotty information about me, they knew I was with and Anthony and that we were in fact having a kid together. So if that's true I'm sure they think everything else Kyle just said was true too and that made me sick. I feel the tears rise as I let what just happened sink in. That a drunk guy just turned my life into a joke and told it to everyone in this room. To people who have no clue or desire to know what I've been through. To people who I owe no explanation too but now I kind of feel like I do have to explain myself.

I had just become a punch line.

"Attention everyone" someone says into the microphone. I look up and see a very upset looking Anthony up there. "This event is over. Thank you for the donations and the time you've given to help me help the kids fight cancer. I hope you all have a great night and I will see you soon" he announces.

Slowly people start to leave and I hand Naya to Aliya. She gives me those sad eyes I know all too well and I assure her I will be okay. She tells me to text her if I need anything, and I mean anything. Eventually they leave and everyone follows suit. I sit at a table by myself and stare at my hands.

I really wasn't sure what to do.