Chapter 29
“How was physio babe?” Ella asked as Erin got into the car.
“Same as last time, I didn’t really make any progress since monday.” The keeper replied glumly looking straight forward
“Give it time Erin, things will start happening soon.” Ella answered softly, trying to ease Erin’s mind.
“You don’t know that.”
“Yes I d-”
“No Ella you don’t! No one does! You can’t be sure that anything will happen at all! Stop acting like you know how I’m feeling right now!” The keeper shouted much louder than intended.
Ella let out a shaky breath and fought back the tears threatening to fall. The forward faced forward and the two drove home in silence.
When they arrived back at Erin’s house Ella wordlessly helped the keeper step out of the car, before taking her bag and walking inside.
While Erin was in the beginning stages of recovery, her and Ella were staying in the guest room that was downstairs so she did not have to worry about commuting up and down the stairs to her room.
Ella walked quickly to their room and shut the door.
“Erin what happened, is Ella okay?” The keeper’s mom asked worriedly.
“Ya I’m just an idiot.”
“You’re not an idiot honey, you are going through a tough time and everyone handles these kind of things differently. You just have to try and express how you’re feeling without getting angry at the people trying to help you. You know Ella only want’s what is best for you.”
“I know she does I was frustrated and she was just there and I burst, I didn’t mean to yell at her.”
“Well maybe you should go tell her that and not me.” Sharrell spoke, moving across the room to hug the keeper.
“Thanks mom, I love you.”
“I love you too sweetie.”
Erin knocked lightly on the door of the guest room before cracking it open. “Can I come in?”
When she didn’t get an answer the keeper poked her head in the doorway to find Ella laying on the bed with headphones on reading her bible.
This was often how Erin would find the forward when she was upset or frustrated.
Ella’s eyes flashed up momentarily when the keeper sat on the edge of the bed. Then quickly went back to reading and Erin knew better than to interrupt. She waited until Ella put her bible down and took out her headphones a few minutes later.
“I’m sorry I yelled at you.” Erin spoke quietly, looking into Ella’s eyes.
“I’m not mad that you yelled Erin, you’re upset and I can handle yelling. What I’m mad about is what you said. You’re right, I don’t know exactly how you feel right now but don’t you dare try and push me away when all I want is for you to be better. I am in your corner here don’t you get that?”
“I do and I’m really sorry Ella, I didn’t mean it. I know you are just trying to help me and honestly I don’t deserve it because I’ve been a bitch to you the last three weeks and I can’t say I’m sorry enough times but I’m going to try.”
“I read something today that really spoke to me, can I share it with you?” Ella always asked the keeper before reciting anything from the bible, knowing that the keeper was not a religious person.
“Of course, you know I love when you share with me.”
Ella smiled lightly and took Erin’s hands in her own.
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
“That was beautiful… you’re beautiful, and I promise I’m going to try and start being more positive okay?”
“Thank you baby, I love you. I know you won’t be able to be positive every day and there will be days where you just want to give up but I promise to do everything I can to make this easier for you okay? We’re gonna get you back on that field kicking but in no time.”
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*2 months post surgery*
“You were looking good on the treadmill babe, how was the pain?”
“Not bad, I definitely feel improvement from last week so that’s something, I should be able to move up to a light jog within the next couple weeks, it’s typically not allowed until three months post surgery but if I keep up with this progress I might be a little ahead of schedule.”
“That’s awesome babe.” Ella smiled leaning up to give the keeper a quick kiss. “Let’s head home and get some ice on that knee.”
“I think I want to move back upstairs, I’m starting to use the stair climber at physio and the more reps on stairs I get the better.”
“Sounds good to me babe, as long as you think you can handle it we can move back up there after dinner.”
Ella was walking upstairs with her arms full of her clothes when someone knocked on the front door. Erin was already upstairs so the forward set down the clothes and went to see who was there.
Ella was met with face she had only seen in pictures when she opened the door.
“Kate?...”
“You’re still around? Where is Erin?”
“She’s upstairs, you need to leave Kate, she doesn’t want to see you I think she made that pretty clear last time you called.”
“Who the fuck are you to tell me if Erin wants to see me!”
“I’m her girlfriend and I’d appreciate it if you’d respect that.”
“Kate? What the hell are you doing in Chicago?” Erin almost shouted from the top of the stairs, as she slowly made her way down.
“Erin what happened!?” Kate gasped, looking at the brace on the keeper’s knee.
“It doesn’t matter what happened why the hell are you in Chicago and what the fuck went through your brain to think it was okay to just show up at my house like this? How did you even get my address?”
Erin had finally made it to the doorway. She took Ella’s shaking hand in her own, trying to calm her anger.
“I needed to see you, I couldn’t believe what you said when we talked, I’m not going down without a fight.”
“There is no fight Kate! I don’t love you anymore! Can’t you see that? You are fucking insane if you really thought showing up uninvited at my house was this grand idea that was going to win me back. You need to leave.”
“Come on Erin you can’t expect me to believe that you are really in love with this girl.”
Ella was fuming and she couldn’t stay quiet any longer.
“You know Kate I feel bad for you, because you let this girl go, and that was probably the stupidest thing anyone could ever do because Erin is undeniably one of the most genuine people there is in this world. But you know what that is your loss because I was given the chance to love Erin like you never could because you were too ashamed to show the world what an amazing person you were with. So you know this is where I stop feeling bad for you because you do not deserve to be with Erin, she deserves someone who could never feel ashamed for loving her, someone who isn’t afraid to hold her hand in public. So if you don’t mind you need to get the hell out of here and never come back because you had your chance and you will never get a second one because I am going to marry this girl and I don’t ever plan on letting her go.”
Erin stared at her girlfriend in awe with nothing but love and respect in her eyes; as Kate stormed away from the house.
“You-” Ella quickly cut the keeper off, kissing her passionately.
When the two finally pulled apart for air Ella leaned up to whisper in the keeper’s ear.
“You’re mine.”
“All yours baby, I love you so much my beautiful girl.”
“Let’s go to bed.” Ella husked, leading the keeper upstairs.