Cold Hearted (Kris Bryant)

I Promise

Kris

I sit on the bus with my head against the cold glass window as my head bounces against it. My eyes watch as the rain steadily falls from the sky while the bus cuts through the storm trying not to get stuck in it. Our baseball game had just got rained out and we we're heading back to the hotel for the rest of the night. I was really looking forward to playing to get my mind off some things. But I guess god has other plans for me. So it was a double header tomorrow and loneliness and deep thoughts tonight. 

"Why do you look like you're in a early 2000's r and b music video? I feel like you're about to stop the bus to go dance in the rain singing about a girl" one of my teammates claims and I kind of chuckle. That was pretty funny.

"I can assure you that's not going to happen" I promise him.

"That doesn't explain why you look so gloomy" he admits.

"I just miss my girlfriend, a lot, that's all" I sigh.

"You mean the one that hated you for three months" he asks and I smile.

"Yeah. That's the one."

"Well we'll be home Sunday night and you can have her all to yourself, so try not to miss her too much in the between time" he says.

"I'll try."

We all get back to the team hotel which surprisingly enough, I got a room to myself this go around. The guy I usually room with was sidelined with a injury so he was back in San Diego rehabbing so he can hopefully play next weekend leaving me to myself. So I jump onto my bed and pull out my phone. I dial Kehlanis number and she picks up on the second ring.

"Hey baby" she answers and I freeze. That was new, I liked it though.

"Hey Kay. How was your day" I wonder.

"It was the same old same old" she claims.

"You're lying" I accuse.

"What do you mean I'm lying" she questions.

"You repeat yourself when you're lying" I tell her and she scoffs.

"I don't repeat myself when I lie, I do not" she claims.

"You literally just did it" I insist.

"Alright, okay. Something pretty big did happen today but I don't want to jinx anything" she admits and I smile. I knew it.

"Spill it" I beg.

"My art professor got me into this really cool art program for next year. She showed her boss my pieces and he really liked him. So he asked if I could do this art program next semester as a intern and kinda learn the ropes of what life is like for a artist" she explains. I start to smile so hard that I thought my cheeks were going to cramp.

"Lani... that is so incredible. I'm so happy for you" I insist.

"Thanks. I really couldn't have done it without you" she admits.

"You're not going to have to leave... are you" I ask.

"Awww. Are you afraid I'm going to study abroad and find a French man and fall in love" she teases.

"No. I'm afraid you're going to find a LA guy and have to paint him naked then fall in love" I admit as she giggles.

"Well quit you're worrying, because I'm staying. I'm probably going to graduate early since I'm way beyond where I need to be, but I'm staying" she assures me.

"Good. Because I don't want to do this without you" I claim.

"I don't know why you're so worried, I'm not the one that's going to be leaving" she reminds me. Shit... forgot all about that.

"Won't you come with me when this is all over" I ask.

"I want to be wherever you are. But I can't promise you anything. You're going to do great things Kris, things beyond your wildest imagination. Some baseball fandom somewhere out there is praying for a guy like you to come save their team.

And I don't know if I can share you with them. I don't know if I can take moving around everywhere if you get traded or become a free agent and want to start all over again. I did for the first 8 years of my life and I've seen what it does to people like me" she explains.

"But it's always going to be you and me. No matter where we are or where we're going, it's always going to be you and me. Every offseason we can come back to Vegas and hang out with my family. Your sister will always be welcomed with open arms. We'll keep a place there to go back to every chance we get because that will be our forever home.

And no matter where I end up you can keep doing art. Whether it be LA or St. Louis or Houston or Chicago, nothing can stop you from being a artist. You can find inspiration no matter where I go" I insist.

"And what if you end up in New York" she asks. "I swear to you I'm never going back" she promises.

"Then we can stay somewhere else. Maybe Long Island so we can have a beach house and I'll just have to drive forever to get to work" I claim.

"I don't want you to do that" she insists.

"And I don't want to have to do this without you. Because if you asked me to choose right now between you and baseball... I choose you. And I choose you every time" I explain.

"I would never make you choose. Baseball is a big part of who you are and asking you to lose baseball is like asking you to lose yourself, and I don't want that. You wouldn't be who you are without that game just as I wouldn't be" she claims.

"I love you Lani. I love you more than I love everything. I don't want to lose you" I beg.

"I'm yours" she replies.

"Can you promise me something" I ask.

"Depends on what you're asking" she admits.

"Promise that you'll never give up on me" I say and the line goes silent for a while.

"I promise to never give up on you Kris. I promise to be you biggest fan and to do everything I can to support you. I promise to always pick up the phone when you call, no matter where you are or what time it is. I promise that whatever happens in the end, that I will always love you just as I always have" she says and I smile to myself.

"You're really great. You know that" I ask.

"I'm working on it."