The Secret

USWNT camp is just around the corner however the nwsl is still going on. The Chicago Red Stars were facing the Houston Dash at Houston. Erin had invited Julie and Christen to come over and stay in guest room instead of staying at the hotel with the team. The couple was excited to be spending some time with their goddaughter already spoiling Eli.

Erin: “Just on time guys Eli just woke up from her nap want to feed her? “

CP: “YES hand her over my precious goddaughter over “

JJ: “You feed her then I rock her to sleep”

CP: “Deal babe”
Ella: “What’s with this bear?”

JJ: “Oh yeah it’s a gift for Eli but it’s not ready yet let me go get it ready while Chris feeds Eli”

Julie goes into the the guest room opening up her suitcase to a pick up a little bag filled with items for the bear. She dresses the bear into a cute little outfit before heading down back to the living room. The bear is dressed in a USWNT blue kit with the number 30 on the back with Press-Johnston on the back with little cleats on the bear’s feet.

Erin: “Oh no that’s got to go not cute …”

JJ: “Wait you haven’t seen it all” ( She turns the bear around to show the #30 and the last name)

Ella: “How cute I love it”

CP: “Babe she finished her bottle let me go grab the other half of the gift”

Christen goes into the room and grabs a box with the gift. She comes back to the living room handing Ella the box. Ella carefully opens the box to see another USWNT blue kit like the one from the bear.

Erin: “Really guys you guys could of got her a Canadian one ?”

JJ: “Yes we could have however her mom plays already for Canada so I'm sure you have a little kit already for her and plus she got to support her godmothers during the World Cup”

Ella: “ As long as you guys aren't playing Canada she will wear the jersey”

Erin makes Julie and Christen’s Favorite pre game dinner meanwhile they argue over baby Eli. Eli didn’t like being held by anyone else but her mothers however she loved the embrace of Julie and Christen. Eli cried her lungs out when Ella trying to take her away to go get ready for bed.

Ella: “What did you guys do to my daughter ? She’s usually happy to come back into my arms.”

JJ: “Nothing but let us put her to sleep please”

CP: “ Yeah please we can put her to sleep babies love us”

Erin: “Fine but not too late you guys need sleep and she needs her crib “

In the guest room Julie sets up the pillows just the way Christen likes them right before a game while Christen held Eli then they switched off and Chris grabs her laptop to set up their show. They somehow manage to put Eli in their cuddle that they were both carrying her eventually Eli ends up on Christen’s chest and Julie’s arm across the baby's back and her head on Christen’s shoulder. Ella gets up to check her daughter's crib like usual however this time her daughter wasn't in the crib. She goes into the guest room next only to find a big cuddle as sleepy as she was she pulls out her phone and snaps a picture. Ella creepys up to take Eli but Christens grip was so tight but not tight enough to hurt the child.

Ella: “Guys i’m here to take my daughter back”

JJ: “Let me sleep”

Ella begins to remove Julie’s arm the hardest part was yet to come how to move Christens hands from the Eli’s back. She managed to remove the arms and get Eli without waking anyone up and set Eli in her room.

The next morning Chris and JJ wake up looking for crazy for Eli thinking they lost her in the middle of the night. Erin walks into the guest room “Looking for this little one? Ella came to get her during the middle of the night you guys looked a bit uncomfortable with a baby in arms”

They met down at at the table for breakfast however JJ and Chris had to skip breakfast to meet up with their team for team breakfast.

CP: “See you guys at the game”

JJ: Bye Eli”

~~~~~~~

Erin and Ella walk into the stadium with their 2 month old baby Eli in her little home dash kit. Since Ella was sit out for a couple more months since was on some type of athletic maternity leave. She and Eli were allowed to sit on the bench with team as long as Eli didn’t throw a fit that would distracted the team or make Erin want to run off the field to comfort the baby.

The game was pretty quiet until it came to the second half when the game was 0-0. Christen had gotten several breakaways however did not end with goal she she wasn't running full speed. The dash was attacking but they weren’t able to finish their shots. Julie sent a perfect ball towards Christen she saw the play before it happened as she jumps up to head the ball into goal when she collapses in Erin's goal. Everyone thought that she had twisted or stepped wrong for reason she wasn’t getting up. Erin is the first to run to Chris to check on she rolls her on to her back and begins to talk to her “Chris can you get up?” no reply then Erin realizes that there's no movement she’s motions for the trainers to come onto field. Julie sprints across the field faster than ever to her girlfriend. “Babe wake up babe” no response again.

Trainer: “Step away guys let's give her some room” examining Christen before calling the ambulance over on the side of the field. Ella put Eli in the car seat to leave when the ambulance left towards Christen. Julie tried to leave the game to be with her girlfriend however the coach did not allow her to leave. For the rest of the game J was off her game just thinking about what was wrong with her girlfriend. The final whistle blew she ran to the locker room got her stuff out of the locker and headed to find Erin for a ride to the hospital.

JJ: “How is she Ella?”

Ella: “She collapsed due to the lack of oxygen her oxygen levels were extremely low and they think she might have exercised induced asthma”

JJ: “Can I see her?”

Ella nodded and point to J what room her girlfriend was in. Ella stayed outside with her wife and daughter to give the couple some privacy.

JJ: “Dont ever scare me like that Press”

CP: “Babe i’m okay now see”

JJ: “Still do you know how it felt to see my girlfriend collapse out of the blue and not get up nor response it looked like you weren’t breathing !”

CP: “Babe come here look I’m okay look at my oxygen levels they are perfectly fine getting better so stop worrying and come kiss me”

JJ: “I didnt even change out of my uniform let alone take off my cleats so im very smelly at the moment”

Christen was cleared to play again just that now she had to use an inhaler before any type of exercise. Instead of heading back to Chicago they decided to go to Arizona with Julie's family before having to go to camp. It worked out perfectly for Julie since s he was preparing another amazing surprise for Christen for the summer.