Crazy In Love (Anthony Rizzo)

Favorite Part

Anthony

After a great four days at Disney we finally return home with a new dog and a growing baby bump. Melissa was a little over two months and she was still pretty small, but now I'm seeing where the baby is and it makes my heart beat so hard. I love laying in bed with her and resting my hand over her stomach. And she's been such a champ with the morning sickness and all the other symptoms that comes with carrying a baby around. But she's strong and always takes her mommy vitamins and puts on a smile. I do everything I can to make sure she's happy and healthy, even if that means getting ice cream at 2 o'clock in the morning.

The only downside of this is that New Years isn't as fun without my drinking buddy. So instead we decide to spend the day inside as a family, eat a bunch of food that isn't good for us then watch our football games, and I try not to get jealous watching Alabama play in the playoffs while Florida was left in just a regular bowl game.

I watch as Melissa sits on the couch with her feet tucked under her like always. She had on the sweatshirt I got her for Christmas and her neckless that matches her daughters, neither of them ever take it off. Mallory was wrapped up in a blanket sitting in Melisas lap as she had her arms wrapped around her child. I smile to myself like I do every time I see them because just knowing that they're both mine and that makes me so happy. I know this year hasn't been all that we wanted it to be, but it was still pretty great.

I go over and sit down next to Melissa and she moves in closer to me bringing Mallory with her. She rests her head on my shoulder as I squeeze her side tight so she knows I have her and I was never going to let her go.

"What was you favorite part of this year" I randomly ask her and she smiles up at me.

"That's an impossible question" she claims.

"Alright, then what's your favorite parts of this year" I wonder.

"There's so many things that changed my life that's happened just since we first met in April. There's faking in love with you, watching what you did for my brother, what you've done for me and Mallory, getting married and reconnecting with my family, going to Florida to meet your family and going to Disney. You really made this the best year ever. And I know we had issues with Brady and Tim passed away, but Brady is out of my mind forever now and Tim was never meant to make it for as long as he did, you made it so he could live again, even if it was for a few moments. Through the bad you were right there beside me making sure I was okay, making sure that I knew I was stronger than anything life threw at me. And now look at us... we're having a baby and started a family. How amazing is that" she asks.

"It's the greatest thing I've ever known, our family" I admit.

"This year wasn't easy, if it was up to me Brady would be the one gone and Tim would be here. But at least I know he's not hurting anymore. He was holding on when he needed to let go, but I wouldn't let him let go. And although I miss him like hell, I'm happy that he's not suffering anymore. He was so worried about leaving behind something that we would want to remember him by, little did he know that everything he was is what we remember. His sense of humor and his love for family. He was amazing to me when I didn't deserve it and I will never forget that" she explains.

"That's all he ever wanted" I tell her. "What about you kiddo, what was your favorite part of this year" I ask Mallory.

"I met Elsa" she cheers and I laugh. Of course that's her thing. That's all she's going to talk about until the baby gets here.

"What about you" Melissa asks.

"Easy. Meeting you was the best thing that's happened to me not only this year... but ever" I explain and I can see her cheeks turn a shade of red.

"You're lying" she accuses.

"I'm not! Think about it, before you I never loved anyone in the way I love you. And this love we share is the greatest thing I've ever known. You introduced me to Tim who was my best friend from one of the first times we ever talked. You gave me a daughter who I would happily take a bullet for. You made a life that made me realize that baseball is a lot of things, but it's not everything. You... you're everything to me" I say softly as I cup her chin. She gives me that million dollar smile like from the first night we met in that dark bar. She lit up the whole room with that thing.

I pull her into a soft kiss that turns into a hard one. We reluctantly break apart because Mallory was literally right there and will say something if the kiss lasts any longer. She always did.

We spend the rest of the day watching football and listening to Melissa's horrible yet creative insults to the game. To many peoples surprise Alabama lost to Ohio State who was on their third string quarterback and wouldn't play in the national championship game. I would have given her shit but Florida wasn't even in the playoffs and she knows way too much about football for me to start a argument with her and win.

So instead we try and keep Mallory up until midnight to ring in the new year together. I got us all some sparkling apple juice since two of the three of us can't drink and I didn't want to be left out.

When the clock strikes midnight we pop the party popper while scaring the crap out of poor Addison. But once she realized we were partying she calms down and joins us in celebrating by barking which I'm sure the neighbors loved.

"Here's to the new year. May it be the best one of our lives" I say.

"To the new year" Melissa says as she clinks her drink to mine. I pull her into a kiss and finally I felt like I was on top of the world.