Celestial Love (Anthony Rizzo)

.5. A Man Named Amanda

Anthony

Being a professional athlete had a lot of ups and downs. Of course it sucks to be gone for so long, especially in baseball. I hate that we travel everywhere all the time with little to no breaks. It's impossible to start every game and it is so expensive to stay in shape and healthy all the time when you're in places that have In-And-Out and there won't be many times that I am. Minor league players are under paid and the managing politics are absolutely awful. I'm well aware of the bad things that go on in professional sports like baseball.

But I still do my best to be a good player, for this city and this organization and for myself. We reached the ultimate goal, we won the World Series last season and I caught the last out in extra innings of game seven. It was a storybook ending. But there is still more to do. I hope I play until I'm 40 and that I will still be here in Chicago the whole time. This city has become home, I love this place more than anything and I made my life here.

But turning a blind eye to the wrongdoings that goes on just because I love this city would be wrong. That's why my situation with Celeste is so complicated for me. Because as a professional athlete I know how hard it is to be in a good relationship during all of this, let alone a bad one. And I worry about her constantly. I know it's been like two weeks since we met but besides the times I see her I don't know if she's okay or not. No one checks on her, the only one she's allowed to talk to is her mom who is a little preoccupied trying to stay alive. I wanted so bad to swoop her out of there but I know that's not how this works.

James is a god send in this town. On the same level as Derrick Rose in his prime or Walter Payton in his. He is a incredible athlete, one of the best in the NFL for the past five years. Anything he wants he can have, and he wants her. So he has her.

I sit in Cincinnati just waiting to fall asleep. Watching tv letting my body rest before our game tomorrow. We won earlier today, barley, but they don't ask how just how many. I was about to nod off until I hear my phone ringing. Not thinking anything of it I answer but I freeze almost immediately.

"Anthony" a soft voice rings out giving me chills. I look at my phone and low and behind it was Celeste.

"Hey... Callie, what's up" I wonder. We've never communicated on here, I'm sure her husband wants no part of me. But something must be happening if she was reaching out to me.

"Hey" is all she says.

"Are you okay" I wonder carefully.

The line stays silent as I wait anxiously for her answer. I wasn't around to come save her, yet another problem with being a professional athlete.

"Callie" I say softly.

"I'm here" she promises trying to get around my previous question.

"Why are you still up" I wonder.

"It's the only time I find peace around here" she whispers.

"Well, what do you want to talk about" I wonder. I figured she was calling because it's the only time she could call.

"Where are you at right now" she wonders.

"I'm in Ohio" I tell her.

"Oh. I'm sorry" is all she says as I laugh a little.