Crazy In Love (Anthony Rizzo)

Spoiled Surprise

Anthony

Valentine's Day this year is big for me for many reasons. For one, this is the first one with my wife which is weird to think about considering that last Valentine's Day I didn't even know her and she's already my wife by this one. Two is that this is my last day in Chicago before I leave for spring training. A lot of the guys are already there but I just moved into our new home and I wanted to spend as much time there as possible. But after today I had to leave and it made my heart sad.

But for now I'm taking my girls out to a Valentine's Day lunch then we can go to Sprinkles and get chocolate covered strawberries and all the food Valentine's Day treats our hearts desire.

"I want cotton candy" Mallory claims as we sit at the lunch table.

"Baby, we're at a really nice restaurant. There's no cotton candy here" Melissa explains as Mallory starts to pout.

"Well it's obviously not that nice if they can't make cotton candy" she claims and I start to laugh. She was so sassy.

"We can get you some cotton candy when we get dessert. But right now you have to eat actual food" Melissa explains as she pushes the plate closer to her daughter.

"But I don't want to" Mallory pouts.

"You eat your dinner or I'm leaving you here with the baby sitter" Melissa threatens.

"Leave her? Where are you going" I ask and she freezes. She realizes she wasn't supposed to say that and sends a playful glare at her daughter for helping it slip.

"Well... it was supposed to be a surprise we were going to tell you when we got dessert but I might as well yell you now that Mallory got it out of me. But I got permission from the photography place I work at to let me go take pictures in Arizona for about a month and a half. Say... the next month and a half" she explains and I drop my fork. 

"I'm sorry... I couldn't hear you over the shock and excitement. What did you just say" I ask and she giggles.

"I talked to my boss and she said that I can go to Arizona with you for spring training, in fact she encouraged it. She loved my shots from vacation and when we went to Disney so she told me to take my camera with me and I can get paid for being there. And since I'm going to school online I can just bring my things with me. So if it's okay with you, Mallory and I and our baby will be joining you on the trip" she says with a big smile as she places her hand on her baby belly.

"If it's okay with me? I actually considered not going to spring training so I can stay here with you. And when I asked the organization if it was okay if I stayed they laughed at me... but I did try.

And now I don't have to worry about it because I get to have my favorite people in the world with me and it honestly makes me feel a hell of a lot better" I admit.

"Really, why" she wonders.

"I don't know, I'm just scared something will happen while we're apart and I wouldn't be here to help you get through it. I would miss out on important stuff with our baby like being able to feel it move or just rest my hand on your stomach while we talk about our future. I wouldn't have Mallory there to remind me that I'm the best daddy in the whole world. I couldn't look her in her eyes and know that everything is going to work out in the end. There was a lot of things I was worried about when I left and now I don't have to worry about it anymore" I smile.

"Well I hope you know we're staying with you" she says.

"Good. I want you to stay with me" I insist.

After many heated conversations Mallory finally agrees to eat her Mac and cheese and her greens and we enjoy a pretty nice lunch. Afterwards we head to the bakery and grab a bunch of chocolate covered strawberries and red velvet cupcakes and some cotton candy for Mallory. We take it home and enjoy the sweet desserts in the peace of our own home for the last time for a while. Now that none of us will be here I kind of feel bad for moving in so quickly but hey, why put off tomorrow what you could do yesterday?

Eventually I look around and realize something.

"What about Addison? What are we going to do with her" I wonder as the dog sits next to my feet. I couldn't feed her anything I had but I couldn't tell her that either.

"Oh, I didn't even think about that. I treat her like she's one of our kids and assumed she would be coming with us" Melissa admits.

"We can't leave Addison! If she's staying I'm staying" Mallory claims and I smile.

"No need for that. I'm gonna check to see if the hotel we're at is dog friendly and if not I can move us somewhere that is" I insist.

"Good. Because I would miss her too much" Mallory insists.

"What?! And you weren't going to miss me" I tease.

"Oh I was. No offense but your job is a lot more fun than mommy's. I like it when you bring me into work" she admits.

"What's your favorite part about going to work with me" I question.

"Playing with David and Jon and Kris and the other guys" she claims.

"Who's your favorite player" I ask.

"Easy! You" she says.

"Good girl" I smile.

After we finish the sweets I help the girls pack because they haven't started because they wanted to surprise me. So I help Mallory pick out some warmer clothes and put it in the suitcase I got her for when we went to Hawaii. I get her toys narrowed down to her five favorites before closing her suitcase so she doesn't try to stuff more in there. Once she was set I join Melissa in our bedroom as she puts one of the maternity dresses I got her in her suitcase.

"Just think, by the time you get back you're going to be just over five months along" I say as I wrap my arms around her. I rest my hands on her stomach as she places her hands on top of mine.

"Then we can see if it's a boy or a girl" she smiles.

"What do you think it is" I wonder. 

"I think it's a boy" she claims and I turn to her.

"Really" I ask.

"Yeah. I feel like this baby is a gift sent to us for losing Tim" she claims.

"That's really sweet. I would love a little boy, we can even name him after your brother" I suggest and she giggles.

"I'm sorry but I'm not naming my kid Timothy. My parents named him that because it was in the Bible and I don't go to church enough to name my kid Timothy and be okay with it" she laughs.

"Alright fair enough. Maybe it can be his middle name" I suggest.

"I can live with that."