Crazy In Love (Anthony Rizzo)

Secrets

Melissa

"Great smiles" I say as I look into the camera. Everyone in the frame gives me great smiles and I snap the picture.

I guess you could say that business has been booming for me. Since I did pictures for Kris and Jess and Jake and his family, a bunch of the people from the Cubs have been asking for professional pictures, and a lot of them at Wrigley. And since the the allstar game the Cubs themselves have been asking me to come to games and events to take pictures. I never thought about being a sports photographer but I actually enjoyed it a lot. Just like I always dreamed of I was capturing moments for some amazing people, now I'm giving them something they can hold onto forever. Just like the locket that will forever rest above my heart from now on.

"Alrighty, we're almost done" I smile as David and his family play around on the ground at Wrigley and I capture the precious moments. I always enjoyed the natural moments more than the pose and smile ones, his family was really good for me to capture those special moments. They were adorable.

"Is that Anthony" David asks as someone runs over to us. As they get closer I see it is Anthony and I smile. But that smile quickly fades when I see that he was running because he had to, not because he wanted to.

"We need to go" he yells at me as he approaches and I stop.

"What... what's wrong" I ask.

"It's your brother... he passed our while making breakfast this morning and Mallory called 911. I have her with me but I need you to come" he says breathlessly.

"Oh my god" I whisper as I drop my camera. He grabs my hand and pulls me from in front of home plate and all the way to the car.

We get in and he flies over to the hospital that I've already spent too much time in. Once we get there Anthony grabs Mallory and she latches onto him for her little life. I can tell she had been crying and it broke my heart she had to see all this happen. We go inside and find out where my brother was. We get directed to the cancer section and sit in the waiting room.

Hours pass and no one says a word. Silence fills the little room we occupied as I stare at the wall. Mallory had passed out on Anthony's chest a while ago so at least she was going to have peace of mind. I feel a tear roll down my face as I sniffle it away. Anthony quickly swipes it away as I let out a long sigh.

"How could this happen, we were doing do good" I whisper.

"Actually-" he starts until the door opens causing him to stop. I continue to stare at him as someone approaches us. He was going to say something important, I just know it.

"Are you Timothy Michaels family" the doctor asks and I turn to him.

"Yes sir" I say softly as I prepare for the worst.

"I'm Dr. Phillip and I will be working with Timothy" he says and I sigh. At least he is still alive.

"What happened to him" I ask a little afraid to know the answer.

"Your brothers body is starting to shut down. With the recent diagnosis of the second cancer we were trying to attack that one but-" he explains.

"Wait wait wait, what do you mean second cancer" I ask.

"Apparently his last treatment was for colon and lung cancer" the doctor says and I turn my head to the side.

"Lung cancer... my brother doesn't have lung cancer" I try.

"I'm sorry, but he does. Stage three. He was put on a list for a lung transplant but that wouldn't happen for months, probably closer to a year" he explains.

"How long does he have" I whisper.

"I would say two months, maybe more maybe less" the doctor claims and my heart stops. That's when the tears flow out, I can't believe this is happening. I can't lose my brother, not him, not now. "I'm sorry Ms. Michael's. I know you and your brother had been fighting this thing for years, I hate that it's going to end that way. But he's requested that we stop treatment so he can live the rest of his life not in a hospital bed. If there is anything you want us to try let me know, but with his form and stage of cancers, it's a miracle he has made it this far" he insists.

"Thank you, Doctor" I sniffle and he nods. He leaves us be and I feel every inch of life leave me.

"I'm so sorry" Anthony says.

"It's not your fault" I sigh.

"I know. But I knew he had lung cancer, he didn't want me to tell you but I should have" he admits and I turn to him.

"You knew" I whisper and he nods. "Why didn't you tell me, I had to find out as my brother almost died because of it" I scoff.

"I know... I'm sorry" he insists.

"I can't believe you. You don't think that this is something I should know" I ask.

"I should have told you. I know that. But you were so happy, things were finally going your way and for the first time in a long time you were smiling for no reason. And I had the perfect reason to take that away from you and I just couldn't. You deserve to be happy, you have been nothing but amazing since I've met you. I find every excuse to hang out with you just so I can be around you, so I can watch you be this amazing person and learn from you. I knew that if I told you that it would break you. For some stupid reason the universe has it out for you and I don't want you to hate the world for what it's done to you" he explains.

"I don't give a fuck about any of that Anthony. I care about my brother and his well being" I argue.

"I care about him too. Your brother confided in me for whatever reason android that I am blessed. Because I've been through what he has but he has it way worse than I ever did. He's a hero to me, because through all this shit he sees you and Mallory as the best things to ever happen to him. And you guys are the best thing that has ever happened to me too. I understand him more than I ever wish I would have, but he is one of my best friends. He asked me not to tell you and he was right. I couldn't break your heart like that. If I knew it was this bad I probably would have said something, but I didn't. And for that I am sorry" he says.

I let my head fall as I try to wrap my head around this. I wasn't really mad at Anthony, I was just so scared. Because even if he told me there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. And he's right, I would have been a mess, kind of like I am now. But this feeling I was feeling, I've never experienced anything like this. So much hurt and so much pain.

"Two months" I whisper. "He's not even going to get another christmas, and he loves christmas" I chuckle lightly.

"I plan on giving him everything he wants. If he wants a Christmas I'm going to give it to him. If he wants to see the world I'll get him a plane. I promise you he will not be sad. I'm going to make sure of it" he insists.

"You're so kind" I smile.

"Love will make you do some crazy things."