Happily Ever After

Eight~ Horse Shoe

Kris

The Chicago Cubs is a first class organization with first class players. Everyone is professional on the field and off it too and has one goal in mind, and that's winning it all.

But in order to have a successful team that has that much success we have to work as one. Think as one and win as one. So there are a lot of non-baseball events the Cubs put together for us guys and the people we chose to invite to hang out at. Sometimes it's lunches or charity events where we're not just baseball players, but a part of this community.

My favorite thing they do is after most Sunday afternoon games we have family days. They have blow ups for the kids and some games of bags and horse shoe for us older folk spread out on the field. They make us food and let us be human for a little while. We can still hang out with each other but not worry about hitting and all of that stuff.

So I pick up Jenna and Mary from their apartment and bring them to the ball park after todays game. They were going to come to the game originally but Jenna had work today and couldn't make it. They really wanted to, Mary more than anyone. But I know that we will get them out for some innings here pretty soon. For now we can just focus on getting them comfortable in this whole new world.

"Are you nervous" I ask as we pull up to the ball park.

"About meeting your baseball friends? No, not at all. Am I nervous about Mary taking all the cupcakes into the jump house and gettin' around like a mouse in a snake cage. Yeah, I am" she claims and I laugh.

"I'm a good girl" Mary argues.

"You're lyin' right now. God is watching you lie" she says to her niece.

Mary covers her mouth with both hands and I just smile. I might have my hands full with these two, but nothing has ever fit in there better than them.

We get out of the car and make it to the field without any problems. I introduce everyone to Jenna and try to introduce Mary too, but Jenna was right. She was a bit wild with a little bit of sugar in her. But she makes some friends and locks herself in the bouncy house with them just having the time of her life. I sit there with Jenna under my arm making sure she was comfortable and having a good time.

"Is Mary your daughter" Farrah, Jon Lester's wife, asks Jenna.

"No Ma'am. She's my sisters daughter. But my sister passed away and since we lived together I decided to keep Mary with me" she explains.

"Well that's so sweet" Farrah insists.

"It wasn't at first. I'm no natural born momma, that's for sure. She was barley two when Frannie passed so she was still learning her way in this world and so was I. I was just 21 years old and trying to figure things out. But she's like my little best friend that constantly keeps me out of trouble. Reminds me that life isn't what happens to us but we make of it. We haven't had a lot of luck in the life department, but things have been looking up recently" she claims as she turns to look at me. I feel my cheeks burn as I try to hide a smile. But when it comes to her it's not much of a fight at all.

"Where are you from? Because I love your accent" Anthony admits. I knew he would love her, I told him all about her. I don't know what I'm going to do when they get going together.

"I'm from the heart of Texas, born and raised" she says tipping her imaginary cap.

"How did you end up in Chicago, it's far from the life you knew there" Dexter claims.

"That was kinda the point" she laughs.

"Well welcome to the team" Dexters wife Aliya says. Jenna smiles big as she lets out a soft sigh.

"It's good to be here" she admits.

We talk for a little while as some of the guys drink. In fact I think Jen and I were the only ones not drinking. But I don't mind, it was never something that I wanted to do. Plus I'll remember this and they won't so at least one of us will be able to keep us straight for the game tomorrow.

"Who wants in on some horse shoes" Jon Lester announces as he finally sets his beer down.

"Oh! Me! Pick me" Jenna cheers as she jumps out of my lap.

"I'm in" John Lackey insists.

"I guess I'll join too" I say not really wanting Jenna to leave me quite yet. I didn't want to be a hover boyfriend but I also didn't want someone to say something Jen doesn't like but she would never tell me because she wants my friends to like her and wants to like my friends.

So we all walk over to the horse shoe game. There was washers and bags too, but Jenna was most excited for horse. 

Jen picks up a horse shoe and tosses it around in her hand a little bit. She smiles as she takes one big toss and sends it sailing. It ends up on the pole easily and she smirks.

"Woah. Okay what" Jon asks.

"Darlin' I was raised in the south. There wasn't diddly squat to do except watch football, go to church, drink or play shoes. And while I did all of those, I was best at shoes" she explains.

"I want to switch teams. I want to be with Texas over there" John claims pointing to Jenna standing next to me.

"No way" I argue. "You're not stealing my girlfriend" I pout.

"Don't worry boys, I can go all night" she promises.

I'll be damned if she didn't play that god forsakened game for four hours straight. None of the guys were close to her accuracy and her distance. Maybe she could have played some baseball, she's got aim and power. She could have done some damage.

So I let her play with her new friends and I find Mary sugar crashed in a inflatable. I pull her out and let her rest on my chest. Her little head stuck to my shoulder as she was dead weight in my arms. She starts to softly snore and I smile, she was so cute it hurt. I know she's a lot to handle but she's worth it. They both were.

"You better watch it. Your girlfriend might be more popular within the organization than you" David Ross teases and I smile.

"Yeah, I get it. I really do. There's a lot to like about her" I admit.

"She's a sight for sore eyes, that's for sure. You think you can have all of that under control" he questions.

"Nope. But I don't need to, she's got it all figured out. And what she hadn't figured out she will, with no help from me. I'm just here for the laughs and the smiles along the way" I say.

"That's the way to live my brother" he insists. "That's the way to live."

I let her beat every single guy on my team before pulling her away. They make her a fake championship belt made of a paper plates they wrote on and some ribbon from the balloons which I don't think she will ever take off. As it started to get dark we all get kicked out of the park so they can clean up. So I put a sleeping Mary in the car seat we put in my car and drive over to their place.

I look over and see Jenna looking out the window with this smile on her face. Not a forced one, but one that was there because there was no reason. She was just happy.

I reach over and grab her hand and she turns to me. I see a sparkle in her eyes as she looks at me.

"Did you have fun tonight" I ask.

"You got a good group of friends Kris. A lot of different personalities that seem to fit together like a puzzle. You're real lucky" she claims.

"And why is that" I wonder.

"Because you're wanted, needed in that group in order for it to be whole. Being a part of something like that, well that's real special" she insists.

"That's why I want you a part of it too" I insist.

I squeeze her hand as she smiles at me. "I'm right here" she promises.