Wildflower (Kris Bryant)

67 Photogentic

Kris

After what felt like spending forever out in Arizona we arrive back in Chicago and we're ready to hit the ground running. Our first few games were on the road but I had a few days before flying out.

So we get the dogs situated and puts up all the crap Serenity bought while in Arizona. I get packed to head to LA for opening day and Serenity prepares here for her book dropping and she even had a book signing. Unfortunately both of our dreams were headed in different directions with hers keeping her here and mine taking me out to LA. But I know she will be watching and even though I already have a copy of her book I'll buy another one when I can.

But before I was gone and we embark on these incredible journeys I convince Serenity to do a engagement photo shoot with me. It took me a while and I might of had to bribe her with cupcakes from sprinkles but she eventually agreed to it. Luckily her love for me is more powerful than her hatred for taking pictures and I get her out to the botanical gardens. She wore the white dress she got for the bachelorette party and I find a nice tux I had laying around. We meet the photographer and get started on the pictures. I could tell Serenity wasn't feeling comfortable so I pull her close and press a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I'm no good at this stuff" she claims as she lets out a sigh.

"I don't get why, you're beautiful" I insist.

"Not a lot of people wanted to take pictures or give attention to the sick kid who if she turned to the side she disappeared" she smirks.

"Well that's their loss, because they deprived themselves of getting to know the best woman there ever was" I insist.

"And who is that, because it certainly isn't me" she scoffs.

"You are amazing and I don't care how many times I need to tell you that before you believe me. I will use my last breath for you to see that you are an incredible woman who means the world to everyone who knows her.

I mean you wrote a book. And not just any book, an amazing book filled with love and adventure and a great path to find yourself even if you're afraid of what you might find. You took a guy like me who thought there was nothing more to life than baseball and made him want to throw it all away to be with you. You've defied the odds more times than anyone should just to be here with me today.

And the beauty that you exemplify deserves to be caught on camera. I love having these to look at on the road and remind me why I need to come home. I like having them up in my locker so I remember who I play for. I know you don't see it because you have moral standards that don't allow you to look in the mirror and see what I see but it's there. It's all there" I promise.

"It's hard for me to do these kinds of things because I never went out with friends and took a bunch of pictures at the mall. Never got to go to a concert and pick out a cute concert outfit. Never had a reason to have my pictures taken unless it was to send off to some doctor across the country to show them just how small my pills were making me.

Then I met you and I stop at every photo booth in the mall. I got to go to concerts and see my favorite artists and sing on top of my lungs. I get to have engagement pictures done. Most things I do with you is for the first time. I might not of had a childhood and there are still a million and one things I won't be able to do.

But thanks to you I am living and I'm happy I am. I don't mind not being able to do a lot before because getting to do them with you now is better than anything that could happen back then" she explains.

I pull her into a long kiss as she arches her back. I pull her as close as I can not really ready to have to leave her for 6 days.

"Alright, I think we go the pictures" the photographer says and I break apart.

"Oh wow, really forgot he was here" Serenity giggles and I smile.

"I didn't" I admit making her roll her eyes. She playfully pushes me but I just laugh knowing I said that just to make her smile and she did.

"You're the worst" she accuses.

"You're the one that agrees to marry me" I remind her.

She just smiles up at me and I swear I see a sparkle in her eyes. Everything she wanted me to know I knew and not in what she told me but how she looked at me. How she couldn't look away. And that's the kind of love that makes you marry a girl you met a year ago. "I can't wait to marry you" she claims.

"Good, because it's 2 short weeks from now we're saying I do and actually having to dance in front of people instead of the dogs" I remind her.

She giggles as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't remind me. Maybe we should have taken a class" she admits.

"Maybe. But I kinda want the dancing to be bad so everything else will seem that much better" I admit.

"Alright" she nods, "Fair enough."