Crazy In Love (Anthony Rizzo)

Moving On

Anthony

After we put Tim in the ground it finally sets in that he's really gone. He won't be there with a cup of coffee in the morning or to add a punch line at the right time to make everyone smile. No one will give me a hard time about a at bat then tell me that he's still proud to be my friend. Although we didn't know each other all that long, I knew him better than I knew my own teammates. He really was one of my favorite people in the world and it sucks that he's gone. Watching him go into the ground was like watching something you care about be ripped away from you and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it. This place is a better place when he's here, there's no other way to put it. His family and a lot of the guys on the team came to say goodbye to him before heading their separate ways.

After we get home from the funeral Mallory goes and she takes a nap and I follow Melissa into Tim's room. She had his things boxed up and his parents were going to take them home with them once they left. I can tell it was killing her to be here and I hate it. Everything reminded her of him and it made it hard to feel anything besides sadness and darkness in here.

"I don't know what I'm going to do" she whispers as she holds one of his boxes in her arms.

"What do you mean" I ask.

"I needed him as much as he needed me. Who's going to watch Mallory while I'm at work? How am I supposed to live here and he not be with us" she asks.

"Why don't you take a step back and let things fall into place. I'm here for you until I have to leave for spring training so from now until February I can watch Mallory. I'm not Tim but I'll hang out and do whatever it is she needs. And as for a living arrangement... I have more than enough room at my place for you guys. I would love to have you with me" I say.

"I mean we are married" she teases and I laugh.

"Yeah. I kinda forget about that from time to time. But I think we should go on our honeymoon, just for a few days. Just to get away for a while and try and be happy instead of being here and being sad" I explain.

"Where would we go for the honeymoon" she asks.

"I don't know. Are you still on the fence about Disney for Mallory's birthday" I ask and she smirks at me.

"I don't think I have room to say no at this point" she says lifting up her left ring finger.

"Alright, then let's go somewhere warm, somewhere nice and nothing like anything we know" I suggest.

"What about four seasons in Hawaii? Everyone says that place is the best. We can get a beach house and just stay there the whole time, letting go of everything that's weighing us down" she says and I smile.

"I can't believe how open to this you are" I insist.

"I promised Tim I wouldn't sit here and wallow once's he's gone. Plus I really want to get out of Chicago for a while, enjoy being married for the first time" she claims.

"I think that sounds great" I admit.

We go online and get a flight and book a place at the resort to stay in. We were right on the beach and had plenty of places to eat around there. Mallory was super excited to be coming on our honeymoon with us and insisted she needed to go get a new swim suit so I offer to take her shopping. Melissa starts on dinner and makes calls into the bar and the photography agency that she'll be gone a little longer than she intended but they understand that she got married and lost her brother all within a few days and needed a vacation in the worst way.

So I grab my daughter and we go out to look for a swim suit. She tries on a bunch of different ones and to my despise she loved them all, so I got her all of them. After looking for more things for the trip we find her a suitcase and other things she'll need before I get stopped by a fan.

"Hey Anthony! Can I get a picture with you" the little boy asks and I smile.

"Of course" I assure him and his parents excitedly take their phones out. We take the picture and the little boy turns to Mallory who was waiting for me by the cart.

"Is that your daughter" the boy asks and I smile.

"Yeah, it is" I admit.

"She's really pretty" he claims and I laugh.

"She is. And don't even think about it" I tease

His parents thank me for the picture and let's us be. I pay for all of the things I got for our trip and head on home. When I do I find Melissa setting up the dinner table. I drag in all of Mallory's stuff behind me and she laughs when I set it all down with a huff.

"I thought she was going to get a swim suit" Melissa asks me.

"She got one. And another one and another one and another and sandals and a hat and a suit case and some other things too" I go on.

"You didn't have to do that" Melissa giggles.

"She broke me down. She could have asked for a dog and I would have given it to her" I admit.

"She's pretty dangerous" she admits.

I get Mallory's things into her room and help her pack. I still had to pack and so did Melissa but getting Mallory packed was going to be harder than doing it ourselves. Once she was squared away we join Melissa in the dining room and sit down for dinner. It was pretty quiet because this is usually the time where Tim would make up some crazy story to tell us and he's not here to do it anymore.

"Why are we going on vacation" Mallory asks us as Melissa and I just look at each other.

"Because you're supposed to go somewhere nice after you get married" I explain.

"When can I get married" she asks and I nearly choke on my food.

"Never" I say.

"What about the boy from the store" she asks.

"There's a boy" Melissa questions.

"He was a fan I took a picture with. And he said you were cute but I told him it wasn't going to happen" I tell her.

"But he was cute" she whines.

"And you're never going to get married" I insist.