When the Stars Align (Anthony Rizzo)

66| One Year

Anthony

One year ago today I was a nervous wreck. I had been pursuing this girl for a little while and after a lot of convincing she finally agreed to come on a date with me and take a chance on her future to build one with me. I was sweating through the outfit I had picked out for some time and I just wanted that night to be perfect. I spent a lot of time planning and making phone calls to make sure I didn't screw this up. Then I grabbed the prettiest bouquet of flowers and headed over to Kelsey's place. Back when her and her dad and Tatiana still lived there and it was a bit crazy in their apartment. I remember so vividly, walking up to her place and my hands were shaking I was so nervous. I wanted so bad for that date to go well, I wanted for her to see me as who I was and she did. She really did. She made a simple dinner so beautiful and that's a day that will forever be sketched in my brain.

And now here we are, a year later from that date going stronger than ever. We had no signs of slowing down and I don't think we ever will. There is so much we want to do together, so many things we want to see and forever just won't be long enough. But I'm willing to give her the rest of my life to figure it out.

So for our one year anniversary Kelsey was coming out for a Day game. Although it's been over a year since we first met that awfully beautiful day, we still wanted to come back to the place we met even though we technically started dating a few weeks after I hit her outside of her head with a ball. But Wrigley still held a dear place in our hearts and that's where we were going to start our little celebration together.

After we finish the game this late May afternoon I do what I'm supposed to before finding Kelsey by the friends and family room. I take her and we go out to the bleachers and just sit down and talk. We get a few Chicago style hot dogs and enjoy them as we watch the clouds roll by. Nothing really special happening, but there was a real special feelings.

"I got something for you" I tell her. She gives me a mean side eye as I dig into my baseball bag for her gift. I pull out a little ball in a glass case and hand it to her.

"Is this what I think it is" she questions.

"You mean the ball that hit you with" I ask and she giggles.

"Yeah, that one" she nods.

"I got it from your brother as a gift and I wanted to give it to you. While most things that are so precious and valuable can't be held in our hands, this can be. This ball brings me joy because I brought us together. If it wasn't for this little thing there's no one year anniversary out here in the bleachers today. I don't think we would have ever met and I wouldn't be this happy and that's a shame. I'm really thankful this ball picked you" I insist.

"This is actually so sweet. I think I'm going to hang it up next to our star. Two of the most important things in my whole life can be up in the living room to remind me of how blessed I am" she claims.

"Or cursed. I mean I did hit you in the head with a baseball" I remind her.

"And I would go through it all again just to be with you" she promises.

We continue to sit here and watch the day pass us by before we decide to do something else. So we go to the park and take some couple pictures. I don't post a lot of pictures and Kelsey doesn't have social media but I like having the photos to look back on. My lock screen is always her so I can see her as much as I want. Being away from her is hard and I like having this stuff to remember her by when closing my eyes and imagining her there with me isn't enough. So I take as many pictures of her and of us and I can so I'll never be alone.

Once the sun sets we throw it back to our first date. We lay across the front of my car on top of a blanket and just look up at the sky. I rest my hand on her stomach as we dance among the stars. It's not often we get to do this, not like we used to at least. With the spot on the roof now we don't usually go to my car. But I think coming here on this night like we did a year ago is special. This was the exact moment I knew that she was the one for me. I could have spent the whole night out there holding her hand in mine listening to her tell me about the stars. I could have painted so many pictures of her and I within them if I would. But I didn't know it yet. I didn't realize just how much my life was changing that night. I know now just how special she is and how special what we have is. And I'll never forget it.

"Did you imagine us at this point in our lives a year after our first date" I wonder.

"Absolutely not" she admits. "But I couldn't be happier than I am right now. Although this is just the first year it's been a incredible year so far. My most favorite year of my life and I'm so thankful that you never let me shy away. You never let my fears stop you from loving me and being loved by me. I know it's not always easy to be with me. I can be cryptic in my talks about the stars and life. But I know one thing for sure, and that's that I love you and that I want you to be by my side for the rest of my life."

The next second I feel her stomach move and I pop up on the hood of my car. I quickly turn to her as she smiles at me.

"Did the baby just kick" I ask and she nods.

"Yeah, she's been doing that a lot lately. She only really does it when you're around. That's the hardest she's kick she's done though" she admits.

"That's so cool. She's already enjoying the stars with us" I tease.

"She is her mother's daughter" she smirks.