Celestial Love (Anthony Rizzo)

.26. Motherly Love

Anthony

So many athletes want to do good and make it big just to help their parents. To pay them back for all they have given and sacrificed for us to be here. Raising a athlete is hard, it's days on end of practices and buying new gear and traveling far and wide. So many athletes have parents who has to work multiple jobs to support their dreams, far too many parents do it alone.

I was lucky, my parents made it easy for me. My dad was my coach on and off the field, never let me get over worked by. I did many sports growing up and he let me choose which one spoke to me. Never forced me to do anything I didn't want to, let my love for the game grow within me and through our relationship. And my mom? She was my rock. She never let me miss a meal or a homework assignment either. I wouldn't be here without her, especially after the cancer. She helped me more than she knows and organized the foundation to continue on helping others.

Blessed doesn't begin to explain how happy I am to have the parents I have. Like many other athletes I do everything I can to keep them happy. Buy them a new car since they always drove me around and pay off the house since they raised me the best they can there. And in return they help me run one of the most successful cancer funding foundations out there.

And as the season begins to wrap up I have them come up to Chicago for a few days. They love the city and me and my family are treated great here. There isn't a place here they go they don't just adore. I was so happy to have them with me.

"So sweetie, what's been up with you" my mom wonders as she joins me on the couch. Dad goes through my Cubs memorabilia I've collected this season and sees which jerseys and little knickknacks he can take home.

"I actually wanted to talk to you about something" I admit.

"Anything" she promises as she sets her hand on my thigh.

"Okay. But you're going to let me finish's telling you everything before you can interrupt me" I try.

"I'll do my best" she promises.

I let out a deep sigh as my eyes flutter shut. I go to my happy place making a smile come across my face.

"I think I'm in love with a girl I was never supposed to fall in love with" I start and my mom gasps.

"You didn't tell me-" she starts.

"Hey! I said no interruptions" I pout.

"I'm sorry but I didn't even know you were dating someone" she accuses.

"We're not dating... if you would have let me finish you would know that" I shun.

"Right, sorry" she smiles.

"Like I was saying...

I think I love this girl I shouldn't have ever loved in the first place. But at the same time it wasn't a accident either. A love like this isn't an accident.

She's married but she doesn't love her husband, she can't stand him. He's a huge figure in this city and therefore she has become one too. They've been together for a decade but things were slowly falling apart and now.. now she's sitting in the rubble trying to pick up the pieces but has no idea what goes where. By the time she figures it out it will all fall apart again anyway. He's made sure there's no way she could be happy with him. She's tried so hard to give him chances to prove that she means something to him. But he continues to cheat and torture her. Force her to tell everyone she is happy when she's the farthest thing from it. She's suffocating in the lies and the manipulation and the abuse.

But through her mom going through cancer and her catching him cheating and him breaking her down she has taken refuge in my arms. She was begging for someone to see her, the real her and not the her he dresses her up as. And I saw her, this star in the night sky standing out there by herself shining for me and me only. She told me things she hasn't told s gone. Shared parts of her life she had all but lost in the mess she found herself in. Through it all she wanted me to see what no one else sees because she trusted me.

And I trusted her not to hurt me. She never once took advantage of my kindness, she never used me as a excuse. While I have been doing everything I can to help her, she's helped me see things for how they are. As a professional athlete I turn a blind eye to what goes on around here simply because I can. I did it with Addison and his ex, and it was happening to her. The worlds eyes are on this girl and yet they can't see. Thanks to her I am no longer blind. I know that as a professional athlete we have power and I see what happens when that power is abused. What it can do to a really strong person.

Now I can't go a second without thinking about her. I know I shouldn't, but I think I really do love this girl. I care about her not just being okay but being better than that. I want to help her chase her dreams, I want to show her that this world isn't as ugly as it's been to her. I just don't know if I will ever have a chance" I sigh.

My mom just stares at me as she tries to take it all in. She hadn't a clue about any of this until now and honestly I haven't told anyone. Kris was the closest to finding out but he had issues of his own to take care of. He would never speak on this if I asked him not to. That makes my mom the only other person besides Celeste's mom that knows our story now. But she's never let me down before, I know she will do good by me.

"So no grandchildren yet" is all she asks as I roll my eyes.

"Mom" I whine.

"I'm just trying to get you to relax, you're really tense" she noticed.

"I'm really confused about what to do" I admit.

"Well you love this girl, that much is obvious. And it hurts to hear that she's had such a hard time. I know what it's like to watch someone you love go through cancer, and that was when I was in a good place in my life.

But I'm not you and I'm not her. If she's still married you have to respect the legality of it. But some things are bigger than a legal document. I know she wants out but freedom isn't actually free. It comes down to what has to happen for you two to be together and if you're willing to go that far" she says.

"I would do anything to be with this woman" I insist.

"What if she asked you to move far away from this place" she asks.

"Then we go and we don't look back" I insist.

"And if she wants something you don't have" she questions.

"I find a way to make it" I promise.

"Yeah, that's love alright" she claims as I sigh. Somehow that made this situation that much more difficult. "And I believe you will be together" she claims.

"How do you know" I ask.

"Because true love cannot be denied" she promises.