Serenity
This years Cubs convention seemed to be the talk of the town. Although just last year the Blackhawks won the Stanley cup, 2016 seems to belong to these Chicago Cubs. The expectations for this team was huge. They had the manager of the year, Cy Young and rookie of the year on the team and almost everyone else was pretty good in their own right. They were young but they all had one goal in mind and that's to win the World Series this year. I'm not sure many things can stop them.
All of that put together makes the Cubs convention the place to be. There was buddy cop and bromance relationships to follow and a lot of potential to be a part of something unlike we've ever seen before. Every player has a interesting story of joe they got to this team and they're all excited to be here. And I even got to be a part of it for a little as a part of the Cubs charities. They wanted to promote the library on wheels project we had going on and this was the perfect time to get the name out there.
So Kris and I set up a stand at the convention center. He hangs out with me in the few moments he wasn't doing a signing or a panel and hands out flyers with me. There was a drop box for some more books and information on heart disease and just how deadly it was. He takes pictures and signs autographs even though he wasn't on the clock right now. But he loves the fans and he loves playing here so he never minded.
"Is that your girlfriend" a little girl asks him as her parents read over the pamphlet. Her big green eyes filled with so much wonder as she talks to the guy who's jersey she was wearing.
He turns to me with a smile before he wraps his arm around me and pulls me into his side. "She's my fiancé" he tells the little girl.
"What does that mean" she questions and I laugh. She had to be about 7 so I'm not sure if they understand all the fancy words we have for about to be married.
"It means she's almost my wife. We're getting married in less than 3 months" Kris explains.
The little girls eyes grow as she looks between us before smiling big. "Woah" she gasps. "thats soon" she admits making me chuckle.
"It is" I agree. "But luckily Kris and I work together all the time so I think we can make it happen."
"Why did you want to get married" she wonders. "I mean my parents are married too. I just don't get why" she admits.
What I would do to have a child's innocence right now.
"Well we love each other a lot" Kris starts, "And we're both chasing our dreams right now, but it's a lot more fun and worth while if we do it together. We can have someone to share our favorite memories with and share this love we have for each other" he explains.
I just smile at him because he might be the sweetest man there has ever been. "I can't wait to get married" the little girl cheers and I laugh. And thus the unrealistic expectations start...
After a while Kris had to head out and I join some of the significant others and the kids in a room as we wait to head on home. I get to meet Anthony's girlfriend and catch up with Jon Lesters wife Farrah and of course David's wife Hyla. And although there were girls in here closer to my age like Javys girlfriend Irmarie and Kyle Schwarber's girlfriend Paige, I always liked the older folk. My favorite hobby is reading for petes sake, I don't have social media and my best friends are my parents. It's not like I'm the normal 22 year old. Far from it. So I often times enjoy hanging out with people who have been around longer and have a greater understanding of how this world works.
"How's the wedding coming" Hyla wonders as she carries her little girl on her side. She wipes her eyes as she rests her head on her moms shoulder. I know she had to be tired.
"It's coming along pretty great. We're doing the details now like food and cake and stuff like that. It's pretty laid back so no assigned seating or dress codes. It's been pretty smooth so far" I explain.
"I would kill to live your life" Farrah claims.
"You mean being constantly deprived by a heart condition" I ask and she laughs.
"Okay, maybe not that part. But your relationship and how easy you and Kris figure things out, it's actually insane. At that point in Jon and I's relationship we were trying to figure out how in the world this was going to work. His family is crazy and so is mine and we were in the middle of Boston trying to make things work. Then there's you two who always seem to figure it out" she explains.
"We just work I guess. It's been like that since day one. Something connected and it's been him and I ever since. He wanted someone to trust in and I wanted someone to get to know me before they decided that I wasn't worth the actual heart break" I shrug.
"You should honestly write a book about your past year because a lot of people would love to read that. It could be a movie" Hyla claims.
I just smile as I start to blush. "I might, one day. But my story is far from over. There's more battles to fight, more people to try and help, and more love to be made. Then one day, far from now, I'll look back and I'll remember how my life went from a terrible ending to a beautiful beginning in just one day" I explain.
"Well I can't wait to read it" Farrah claims.
"Me either" I admit.
Finally the boys finish up so I grab my tired fiancé and we head on home. He had a lot of fun today and he was ready for the season to start. We leave for Mesa not too long after the convention concludes tomorrow afternoon. And I was a bit nervous to be away from home for so long. If something happens it's a long road back. But I was ready to finally branch out. It only took me 23 years but I can finally have a life for myself out here. I get to spend a month and a half in a new place with new inspirations and new adventures. Although there will be new challenges that come with it I was ready to face them.