Love Prevails (Kris Bryant)

39| Year Long Retirment Party

Kris

Preseason games start and Joe doesn't want us overworked so a lot of the rookies and non-starters play most of the games. We get our feet wet but pre-season injuries cannot be the downfall of this team. He plans for us to be playing baseball for a long time, well into the fall, so we get a break now when everyone else will get a break later.

We go home in next few weeks and McKayla has a appointment where we can find out the gender once we get there. I was nervous and excited all at the same time, there's so much that can go wrong and so much that can go right. But I know better than to worry about that stuff. We will finally get stuff into the babies room and have a baby shower which I insist on running. I want to help with this pregnancy as much as possible. I'm not the one putting my body through this so the least I could do is organize a small get together. It's not much but it's something.

"Hey babe, can you come here" McKayla calls out and I find her holding up two dresses.

"Which one" she asks looking between the two. In one hand was a beautiful blue dress and the other a dark grey one.

"Hmmmm the blue one" I reply.

"Sweet, I'll look like a sexy blueberry" she comments rubbing her growing belly and I start cracking up. What a unusual sentence.

"That's quite the conclusion you came to" I comment and she shrugs. She changes into the dress and lays on the couch playing on her phone.

"Do you know what the dinner is for" she asks me.

"Nope. David just wanted us to get together and hang out I guess" I shrug joining her on the couch. I lay my head on her stomach as she runs her hand through my hair.

"That feels good" I mumble. We sit like that for a little until I feel her stomach move.

"What was that" I ask and she giggles.

"The baby or the Mexican food I had for lunch" she jokes and I roll my eyes.

"Come here" she insists taking my hand and placing it on her stomach. I feel a little movement and my eyes light up. The smile is plastered on my face as I look up to my fiancé.

"That was the baby" I ask and she nods.

"Wow... that's amazing" I gasp. That was by far one of the coolest things ever. I talk to her stomach and it keeps moving around, what a great moment in my life.

We end up at a restaurant downtown with the boys and the staff to enjoy a nice meal. I sit between David and McKayla and my side hurts from laughing so hard. This wasn't my team, this was my family. I love everyone so much it hurts. There's not one person I would trade away if my life depended on it, everyone is so special.

"Okay, okay boys. I have a announcement" David starts and we quiet down. When he talks we listen.

"What's going on grandpa" Anthony asks and he shoots him a glare.

"I've decided that this will be my last year as a player. It wasn't a easy decision but it was the best one. But I've been here for fifteen seasons which is great for a backup catcher. This is the team I want to leave with" he says. I look to him and it looked like it was so hard for him to say that.

"Then I guess we're going to have to give him a year long retirement party" Joe suggest causing the boys to hoot and holler.

"Hell yeah" Anthony cheers. I turn to David and he could tell I was upset. I haven't had to do any of this without him... he's kind of a big deal in my life. What was I supposed to do without him?

"Hey bud, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but I need time for my family. You'll understand that soon enough" he says moving his eyes to McKayla. I watch her flick a blueberry from her salad across the table and nail Jon on the forehead before falling into a fit of laughter. Baseball is cool and all, but it has nothing on her. When I get old and can't play anymore she'll still be there for me, always has been.

"I get it. I'm just really going to miss you" I sigh.

"Hey, you aren't getting rid of me that fast. We still got this season and who knows, maybe I'll come back as part of the office as later that" he winks.

"I say we get grandpa a going away present, a trophy would be nice" McKayla announces.

"You're calling me grandpa now too" he groans.

"Yes. Now I would like to make a toast. To grandpa Rossy" she cheers with water high above her head.

"To grandpa Rossy" we chant back. We finish the meal taking jabs at David and just laugh it all off. People head back to the hotel and I stay back with David.

"Why now, why didn't you leave after last season" I wonder.

"I had one more year on my contract and there's still things I want to do. This team, they're special. I couldn't leave this on the table, have a chance to be a part of something special" he admits.

"Its special because of you. This team revolves around you. We're going to win that trophy and we're going to lift you high above her heads letting everyone know that you've gone out on top" I promise. 

"I sure hope so, this team is too talented for it to end any other way" he laughs. We say our goodbyes and I return the to the hotel with McKayla. We lay in bed and I return my new normal position which is my head on her stomach.

"I'm going to miss him so much" she admits. 

"Me too. I get why he's doing it, but it still sucks" I mumble.

"I guess that just means we have to make sure this season is the best one ever. For so many reasons, but especially for Rossy" she claims.

As camp comes to a end we get the year long retirement party started. Jason bought David and his family a suit at every away game so they can enjoy this experience together. The boys got him a motorized scooter and a traveling helper just for laughs. Everyone on this team is special, but no one brings what David does. We wanted to make sure he knew he was important to us and that's what we did.