Through Thick and Thin (Anthony Rizzo)

Long Distance

Anthony

Being on the road is a tall task. For a while I didn't mind because there wasn't anything in Chicago worth coming back to. But now I know that there's a girl who loves me more than I deserve working her ass off for other people just waiting. Wishing I was back home with her.

I'm where she feels most safe, and I hate knowing that because leaving is that much harder. But it also makes coming home so sweet.

"What are you doing" I ask into the phone as I lay in bed. I know the nighttime is where she struggles the most and she doesn't like face time because I always take screen shots of how cute she is. So we talk on the phone until I fall asleep every night I am away.

"I'm in a phone fight with the VA. I want to stay where I am for a little while longer but they're not into paying for a few more months of one of the most expensive apartments in Chicago" she explains.

"Why don't you just move in with me" I suggest.

The line falls silent and I check to make sure she's still there. "Hello" I ask.

"Anthony that's a huge decision. Not something you just casually ask late one night over the phone" she insists.

"No, I know. I've thought it through already and I was actually planning on asking you to move in anyway" I insist.

"And when were you planning on telling me that you were thinking about this" she questions.

"Now is a good time" I tease as she starts to giggle.

"I don't know Anthony" she sighs.

"Isn't it like people in the army to move into these kind of life decisions quickly" I joke.

"It is" she admits. "That's why when Mathew proposed to me after two months I said no. Then I was stuck with him for a few more months and after a year I said yes" she says.

"You don't have a year to figure this out. You have like 3 weeks" I remind her.

"I know. But this is something that isn't easily undone if I have to go somewhere else" she tries.

"Are you planning to break up" I question.

"Of course not" she tries. "But what about nights like this where I'm in your apartment and you're not here. When everything I see reminds me of you and you're not around? Or what if I get sick and I can't be with you and jeopardize the team" she lists of.

"It would work because you wouldn't be living at my place, your would be in our place.

It's not me or you, it's us. And I whole heartedly believe it's us until the end of time. Through thick and thin it's you I want by my side. It's going to suck being apart, I hate the thought of you being in our home we made together all alone. But I will always come home, to you. And it would make a lot of sense if home for the both of us was in one location" I explain.

She lets out a soft sigh and I knew she was biting her lip as she thinks real hard. "You have some good points" she admits.

"I have a lot more, would you like to hear them" I offer.

"How many more can there be" she laughs.

"Lets see, we can spend every night looking out over the city making up stories about the people in Chicago. You can bring your workout equipment and we can work out all the time. I'll let you decorate however you want. My kitchen has barley even been touched so you can make a lot of food in there" I list off.

"Alright" she laughs. "I think you've convinced me. Let me call the VA back tomorrow and tell them my plans" she insists.

"Perfect" I smile.

We talk until about midnight where she insists I get some sleep for the day game tomorrow. But I couldn't really sleep so I decide to go to Manager Rossys quarters. He lets me in and offers a drink but I insist I'm good, just wanted some company.

"Are you okay? You're not usually up this late" he notices.

"This season I am" I admit. "Jazz has trouble sleeping so I try to stay up and keep her company" I explain.

"Is it from fighting" he guesses.

"Yeah, you can see so much death and war before it gets to your head. And it doesn't leave" I insist.

"That's rough. How is she doing" he asks.

"She's good" I smile. "Part of me believed she was meant for the national guard. She is helping people and she can actually see the difference she's making. She loves this country and she's doing her best to make it proud. And we are, she's just too close to the action to see it" I say.

"Well I know everyone who's talked about her has said nothing but the greatest things. I know that if she's got you on your knees like this she's something special" he teases.

"She's the greatest thing I know. And I know a lot of things" I smirk.

"Not as much as you think you do" he jokes. "But I'm sure she'll teach you the rest. She sounds like a smart girl."

"I want the world with her, I just hope she wants the same with me" I sigh.

"What do you mean" he questions.

"I offered for her to move in with me and she seemed stand offish, like she didn't want to. I mean, she admitted to it being a good idea in the end. But I feel like I'm forcing her to move in with me and I feel bad" I shake my head.

"So that's why you're really here" he accuses. I silently nod my head as he finally puts his wine down to lean over to me. "You would say your girlfriend is pretty timid, right" he asks.

"In a way, yes. Not when it comes to standing up for what's right and letting it be known when something happens and it shouldn't be. But when it comes to things you and I do in a every day basis, easy life skills, yeah. She can be stand offish" I admit.

"So you can see how asking her to move in is something she would want to think about first. She's not you Anthony, she's not taking life by the horns. Life has fucked her over so many times she isn't sure what to think anymore.

Put yourself in her shoes. She just got done for fighting for what, over ten years? She hasn't been around American civilians for years. She was a war weapon, not even human, and now she's forced to live in a world where she doesn't have to be so scared of life. But she is because this is all so new to her.

Moving in is new, and it's scary. She's not from around here, now she's supposed to rely on you along with her for a bunch of things. She doesn't have to do everything by herself but that takes time. She's independent but she loves you, it's going to take some getting used to" he insists.

"I guess you're right. I just want her to be happy, not feel like she has to be happy" I insist.

"Well she agreed to move in. A girl like that doesn't do a damn thing she doesn't want to" he assures me.

"Don't I know it. I watched her walk into the National guard office and tell her boss she wasn't going to stop the protestors. She never backed down or wavered. She's stronger than she realizes" I explain.

"And that's why I have every reason to believe that you two will be more than okay" he says.