Happily Ever After

Twenty Six~ Media Presence

Kris

Jenna gets all set up in her new office and works on getting comfortable in her professional environment. She was pretty nervous about her first few days and I was trying my best to help her out. Be there for her as much as I can and make things a little bit easier. I know how hard it can be to do what you feel like you're meant to do but it be a bit overwhelming. That's my life every day. But she's destined for things like this where she can make a impact on peoples lives just as I get to do.

So she was off at work setting up and I had Mary with me for the day. Most days I'm in town I had her with me and I loved it. It was like having a mini best friend following you around making even the most simple things seem worth while. She asks a million questions about baseball and if the weather is nice enough we play catch and I have her hit off the T like my dad did for me. As far as I was concerned Mary is my daughter and I am proud of her.

I bring her to the clubhouse with me where a few of the other kids were hanging out. There was already a media presence in the clubhouse, but we don't mind it really. With how good this team is getting it was expected that media would be around more trying to capture some of these moments this season. We were pretty open in the clubhouse and there was a time they could be here and a time they couldn't. I personally didn't like media all that much, they assume too much and don't ask enough relevant questions but what can I do about it? They're doing their job and I'm doing mine, as long as it sticks to that everyone should be happy. It's when someone over steps when there's a problem.

As it gets closer to time for the game the media leaves and so do the non player people. So I send my little mini me out with Aliya and Naya before making sure I got to where I needed to be. We get changed and stretched as we get ready for a game under the lights against the cross town rivals. We don't play the White Sox all that often with them being in the American League and us being in the National. But it's always good fun when our paths cross, especially here at Wrigley.

Once I was ready to stretch and warm up I start to head out to the field. But I get stopped by someone with a camera crew for a interview before I get out there. I figured I should propbably stop and talk or the front office won't be happy with me for blowing off yet another interview. If I win rookie of the year they want me to be someone who seems available to the fans and doesn't avoid every media presence I come to see. But I want my play to be what tells my story. My private life should remain private but I know that's not how it will be for long.

"Thank you for talking with us" the man holding a fox sports microphone says and I try to give the best smile I could.

"Of course" I insist.

"So we wanted to ask you about your play as of late. You're showing a lot of maturity and progress as a rookie. It's your first year here but you seem mighty comfortable in the system. What do you think made it this way" he wonders.

"A lot of things. This organization made me feel welcomed right from the start. They helped me find a place to stay and get around the city. This whole journey is a lot different than playing in Iowa but I'm sure a lot of the guys I played with last year will come up here in September for September call ups. The coaching staff is amazing and playing for Joe is the easiest thing ever. He makes it so we know when to turn it on and when we can relax a little so this doesn't get all to be too much. And the guys are the best teammates a rookie can ask for. They're experienced yet love to play this game with a new fire in their hearts each time they step out there. It's been a lot of fun" I explain.

"And it seems like you have your life figured out outside of the game too" he starts and I start to shuffle my feet. I try not to wear my worry on my face but I really didn't want to say something I couldn't take back. "There's a little one who is running around the clubhouse and you've taken her in as your little girl, right" he asks me.

I swallow hard as I nod. I didn't want it to happen this way but I also wasn't going to lie and make it seem like I was embarrassed of my girls. That's the farthest from the truth but I also didn't want word to get out like this. "She's actually my girlfriends niece, but she calls me dad and I introduce her as my daughter" I try.

"What's her name" he wonders.

"Mary" I say softly.

"And your girlfriend is Jenna Lewis correct" he questions. I look at him weird because I had talked about a girlfriend at points throughout the year but I've never said her name. I made sure of it so people would leave her alone and we can just be her and I, not her and I and everyone else.

"How do you know that" I wonder. I get how they could they know Mary's name because I yell at her a lot in here so anyone around he clubhouse knows who Mary is. But I'm not sure how they found out Jenna's name or what else they dug up with it.

"We saw her with you in Ohio and in vacation pictures so it wasn't hard to figure out that you two were together. Since you were called up people have spotted you two together we just didn't know who she was until recently. And to be honest it was a little shocking to see you who has the cleanest track record be with the likes of someone like her" he claims.

I clench my fist next to me as my breathing starts to pick up. I try to keep calm but this guy was testing me. "And what does that mean" I snarl.

"I mean no disrespect. It's just that she's been arrested, she was disowned by her family and is a cafe worker trying to take care of her niece. Not really baseball wife material" he tries to explain.

"You're saying that you can't see us together because she's made mistakes and you think I haven't? Or that my mistakes aren't as important as hers because I play a game for a living?

This is why I never said anything about her. Not because I'm ashamed because quite frankly I would happily tell the world just how great she really is. But because you dig up shit about her and assume you know anything about Jenny. She is the most kind and most thoughtful woman I have ever met, you can't read that in a news report. The things she has been through... you wouldn't believe the amount of strength that woman has just to be able to stand here with me today. You know what happened but not why and even if we told you, you wouldn't understand.

And she doesn't brag about everything she had to over come to end up here. She doesn't run to social media to brag about how she's been sober for two years or how she is now a practicing therapy while taking care of her late sisters kid. Mostly because she knows your option doesn't matter. Because people like you take a look at what she's done and don't care about what she's doing now. If half of her achievements were as talked about as her problems we wouldn't even be having this conversation right now.

Jenna is a respectful woman who's brains and beauty surpass anything you will ever understand. She's not my little girlfriend waiting on me hand and foot. I'm well aware she doesn't need me but I do need her" I promise.

"I'm sorry to upset you, but your fans are curious. They want to know you're happy and if she is part of the reason that you are" he defends.

"Everything my fans need to know, they know. I am happy. Because my success and happiness off the field is far greater than anything this game has ever brought me. And it's only that way because I did it on my own terms where it was just her and I. I understand it's your job to be curious, I'm okay with that. But I'm not okay with you digging up things you don't need to know or messing with things you don't understand. This is my life, our life, and we intend on living it the best way we know. While being so kept in and quiet isn't good for you it's what I need to do to support and protect the ones I love. And it will continue to be that way thanks to this" I promise.