Through Thick and Thin (Anthony Rizzo)

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Anthony

After a long four months of quarantine my parents finally come into town to visit. The baseball season is young, being only seven games in. But we were 5-2 so far and the two loses weren't anything to lose sleep over. It's been weird playing without the fans, they certiantly made Wrigley one of the best ball parks out there. Even made some of the other stadiums feel just like home. But the boys and I are finding ways to stay engaged. We are the only team left without a covid case and we were hoping to keep it that way in order to stay on schedule. So we hang out with each other on the road and don't leave our rooms meaning we spend a lot of time together. Some guys bring games to stay preoccupied since the Cubs has some of the more strict rules when it comes to covid protocols. But it keeps us safe and it's been making us closer so I think we're doing good.

And for the first time in over four months, my parents were finally in town. They got a hotel for the weekend and we have plans for a dinner and and socially distanced hospital visits we can do.

Before all of that they were coming over to meet Jazz and see what I've done with the place. Even though we can't do much it means a lot that they're back in the city and I can see them again. I'm lucky, I have two really great parents who I've gotten to get even closer to since I've gotten older. And I'm a baby when it comes to them, but I couldn't wait to see them again.

"How do I look" Jazz asks as we sit in my room. She stands in front of the mirror looking at the dress she picked out just for today.

I smile as I pick myself up from the bed and stand behind her. I wrap my arms around her stomach as she grabs a hold of me. "Like a dream" I whisper in her ear as she smiles up at me.

"Great. Lets hope your parents think so too" she teases.

"Won't you quit your worrying!? They already love you" I assure her.

"Anthony I know for a fact you sold me for more than I'm worth. I'm more worried about living up to these expectations you have of me than anything" she defends.

"I'm sorry that in my eyes you're the greatest thing to happen to me" I tease.

"Oh, and that's not a lot of pressure to live under" she laughs.

"I guess it is. But it also means you can do a lot of bad things and I probably wouldn't have noticed" I admit.

"That's some wreckless kind of love you got there" she accuses.

"It is. And I can get hurt fairly easily. But I trust you to hold my heart in your hands and to protect it like you did this country" I insist.

"I won't let you down" she promises.

"I know" I smile.

Once my parents check into the hotel they come over to the apartment for a lunch. Jazzie insisted she made them food because it helps calm her down and it's a good way to meet the family for the first time. In that case I got a lot to learn before her brothers get into town.

There's a knock on the door and I hear Jazz gasp. So I grab her hand to assure that I got her and we head to the door. I open it up to see my parents stand there.

"Oh sweetie" my mom coos as she runs over to me. She pulls me in a big hug and I smile as all my happiest childhood memories come out.

"Hi momma" I reply. "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too" she smiles back. "And I'm assuming this beautiful young woman over here is Jazmyn" she says turning to Jazzy. I see her start to blush and it made my heart happy.

"That is" I nod. "Mom this is wonderful woman standing here with us is Comander Thomas, but most people call her Jazz these days. Jazz this is my mother Laurie and my dad John" I introduce.

"It's a pleasure to meet you" Jazz says as she pulls my mom into a hug. They were both huggers honestly.

Then Jazz turns to my dad and I see him smile. A feat, might I add, most people have yet to do. He embraced her like the daughter he never had and I just knew that I wasn't the only in this room who knew she was special.

We walk in and Jazzy heads back to the kitchen. My mom goes to help her while my dad and I are kept out so we don't stick our fingers in any bowls they don't belong in.

"You got quite a girl there" my dad notices and I smile.

"What makes you say that" I wonder.

"Well for one I felt like I was hugging a well built teddy bear" he admits as I laugh. She loved her workouts, that's for sure. "And for two, the way you looked at her said enough. It's like you haven't seen anything better" he explains.

"I haven't" I smile. "I know I talk about her like she's some kind of god, like she's this almighty being that walks among all of us. But it's not that she's perfect or unflawed. She knows better than anyone what her faults are and where her weaknesses lie. But what makes her so god like is the fact that she has a pure heart. One of the kind of hearts that has nothing but the best of intentions in mind. And she's one of the few people strong enough to execute these intentions.

She's incredible" I sigh.

"Well I can't wait to hang out with her. She's seems really great" my dad smiles.

He has no idea.

Eventually lunch is ready and my mom and Jazz join us. We sit around and just talk. This quarantine didn't give us a lot to talk about because no one was allowed to do much. Florida is a lot looser with restrictions but my parents are getting older. They shouldn't be constantly getting exposed to this disease even with the masks on. While Chicago hasn't been the best it's a lot better than most. And compared to where we started we're doing good. But my parents will still have to wear masks unless they were here or in the hotel.

"So Jazz, Anthony tells us you were quite the army soilder. Do you miss it" my mom wonders.

"Not as much as I should" she admits. "It helps to be a part of the national guard to kick the itch I have to help people, but it's not the same. Not even close. I miss traveling, I miss not being so comfortable somewhere that I wasn't afraid to leave. Though fighting was awful, it was my way of life for so long. I miss it, even the bad parts. But I'm more interested in my life outside of the wars" she insists.

"Are you staying here" my dad wonders.

Jazz smiles as she turns to me. "I'm home" she says as she places her hand on my thigh.

Home.