Kris
After I was feeling inspired for the Wild Card game, thanks to my special visitor, we end up winning with Jake throwing a complete game shut out and Schwarber sending baseballs into the river behind the stadium. We even almost got into a fight, it was some pretty crazy times. Then at the end it felt good to pop the bubbly and celebrate with the boys and then move on to the next game.
So we went straight from the Burg to St. Louis and came back to Chicago with the series tied at one. We get one day in between the home and away games so I decide that we needed a date night. We hadn't had one in Chicago in a while so I figured it should be special.
So we dress up and decide to go over to the botanical gardens to start off this date night because it's such a staple in our relationship. Since it was fall now the leaves on the trees were changing color and the summer flowers were replaced with autumn ones. The summer breeze is now a cool one as we walk the familiar paths with news eyes open to the world. No matter how many times we come here it never gets old, each time is special in its own way. I'll always remember these walks through the park with her hand in mine and my eyes stuck on her. Even with the beautiful sights here nothing compared to her. But it was still pretty incredible.
"You know, my parents got engaged here" Serenity mentions as we relaxed on the bench. The same place where I realized I first loved this girl.
"Really" I question.
"Yup. Right over there by the water. My parents still have that picture up in the house and I would too if I was them, it was perfect.
My dad worked three jobs to get my mom a ring with a simple diamond. My mom told him she didn't want anything crazy, just his love. But with my dad being my dad he went out and got the ring anyway. He wanted to show her that she meant the world to him and that he would do anything to make her happy. Spend everything just to see her smile. Even though he didn't have a lot of money he gave her time and love, two things money can't buy.
My moms oldest sister married a rich business man and her older sister married a lawyer so my grand parents expected my mom to marry some rich man too. Their standards were that their daughters marry a man with money so he can take care of her and her family. But she fell in love with my dad the same way Kris and I fell in love. It was unexpected and a little crazy, but oh so beautiful. And there was no telling how or why it happens, it just did and there was no turning back. He proposed after they had been dating for only 6 months and the crazier part was that she said yes. My grandparents said she was crazy, said that my dad could never make her happy and that she needed to find someone who could support her financially.
But she wanted someone who supported her dreams, who dreamed right along with her and it was my dad. So they got married despite what my grandparents said. My moms sisters has all divorced and remarried a few times and have kids with different fathers. But my family... we're going strong. Landon has a wife way out of his league and beautiful little girl who we all adore. Warren is a few short months away from moving to LA to become a big time singer and my first love turned into my only love. I think we're doing very well for ourselves" she admits.
"I'm your only love" I question.
"You're the only man that's given me the effort to realize that my life isn't about books but the stories we have that's inside of them. And you and I are writing my favorite one" she smiles.
I look down at her as she just looks up at me. She was a garden herself full of lots and lots of beautiful things. And I love watching her grow, watch her weather the storms that come her way and still be able to smile after it all. "Is the book you're writing about us" I wonder. I've always wondered but never asked until just now.
"Some parts of it, yes. I don't want to give away too much for it can spoil some things. The girl finds a love unlike any other. While this love won't change the story one way or another it's important for character development because she never knew what love was up until she met her guy. She heard about it, she saw it but she had never been in love. She never experienced it until he showed her. The story isn't about a boy and a girl. It's a bout a girl who has a voice and she's afraid to use it. She's been listening for so long she never learned how to talk. But he helps her find her voice, he helps her in finding the strength to use it" she explains.
"That honestly sounds so beautiful. I cannot wait time read it" I insist.
She lets out a chuckle as she looks out over the sea of flowers in front of us. "It's going to be a while. There's writing and editing and drafts and proof reading and all that other stuff. Even when I'm done with the story I'm not going to be done. Stories like these never end, there's always more to it. But I'm happy that you helped me realize my dream of writing and you're helping me do that by inspiring me to write about something every day. I couldn't do it without you" she claims.
"I'm just happy to be a part of your life. I'm honored to be your first and last love. I hope one day I can follow in your fathers footsteps and I can propose to you here too" I say.
She stops before she turns back to me. She had a unreadable expression on her face and I wasn't sure what she was going to say. Maybe she didn't want the same thing I did? We never talked about it so I wouldn't know. "You want to get married" she asks me.
"I want it all with you Ren. I want kids but only if you're the mom. I want to get married here in Chicago in front of our friends and family and show the world what we've created. I want to go to the book store and see a bunch of books that say "Serenity Simmons-Bryant" on them. I want it all" I promise.
"I'll give you my all" she assures me and I smile. I place a soft kiss on her forehead before leaning her against me.
"What do you say we order our dinner to go then go home and play Wii while playing with the dogs" I ask her and she smiles.
"I would say that's the best date ever."