Painted Love-Matisse Thybulle

Chapter 11: My Love's For Real

You make me feel the way
A woman is supposed to feel
Let me show you
Show you that my love's for realI'll be the rain in your summer
The chill in your fall
I'll be watcha want
Anything at all
I've got a love for all seasons
A love for all time
I'll be the fire in your winter
The sun in your spring
I'll do what you want
Give ya everything
I've got a love for all seasons
A love for all time

A few days later/Matisse POV:

*Whistle blows* "Bring it in boys! Great practice today. Tomorrow, we're playing for either a Gold or Silver medal! Well done. Please get some rest and remember to enjoy this moment regardless of the outcome. This is the best we've done at the Olympics ever and you all have a lot to be proud of. Let's go out there and kick some ass! Boomers on three! One-Two-Three-BOOMERS!" The entire team Australia whooped and hollered as they made their ways to grab their stuff. Tomorrow was the final game in the Olympic tournament. Matisse was excited because he was going to walk away with a medal. Even though he wanted to win Gold, going against team USA was going to be a challenge. He was happy either way. After the frustrating bounce out of the playoffs, this is exactly what he needed. Matisse was scoring more points than he had in the past two seasons and he felt he had redeemed himself on defense. Playing in the Olympics was smart and he was glad he went through with it. The experience had been worth it. He tapped his phone to see if he had any text but had to remember it was still early in the morning back in America. Casey had gone home a few days prior and was taking a medical leave of absence from work. Matisse cried when he had to say goodbye to her. He knew that it was for her own good but he wished Casey could have finished out the Olympics. He was feeling a little nervous about the game tomorrow and she always knew the right words to say. The pair talked every day but he missed her presence. His bed felt lonely without her and he missed going to the different events because she knew all the rules to the different events. Tisse wished that her last few days hadn't been spent fighting with her but she didn't seem upset with him. After a few phone calls with her, the sting of her going home early lessened. He was relieved that she sounded much better. Casey had a therapy appointment yesterday but he hadn't talked to her since then and he was eager to hear how it had gone. Just as Matisse was putting his phone in his pocket, a text from his beautiful girlfriend popped up.

        Casey: Hi Baby Cakes! I got up to watch the sunrise, do my morning devotions, and some Yoga on the balcony before I need to take my new medications. My therapist and psychiatrist prescribed me something for my anxiety and something to help with the nightmares so I can sleep. I feel so much more like myself again. I miss you so much! I know your in practice but i'm counting down the days until you come home. 

Matisse smiled at his phone, his mind at ease. So it seems like the appointment had gone well. Matisse had talked with a therapist a few times after his mom died but it felt strange to him. But it was going to work out for her and that's all that mattered to him. He had his Casey back and it made him beam with joy. He sent a text before grabbing his camera and heading off to shower. 

                              Matisse: Hi Baby! You sound like yourself and that makes me so happy. I miss you more baby! Just a few more days and i'll be in your arms again. Practice is over finally. Facetime me so we can do yoga together? I miss seeing your face beautiful! 

Casey POV:

Casey hung up her facetime call with Tisse and rolled up her yoga mat before sitting on her outdoor couch. It had been so nice seeing his gorgeous smile and hearing his laugh as they did yoga together. She really missed him but was glad she ended up coming home. For once, Casey was confronting her past instead of hiding away from it. Hearing from her grandmother a few weeks back had sent her on this downward spiral. ESPN pointed her in the direction of a good therapist and thankfully she was great. She missed her last therapist in Louisville but was relieved to have someone in her new home to talk to. Casey felt like she was in great hands with her. She had been the one to suggest doing yoga, reconnecting with her spiritual beliefs and journaling. Between the new schedule and her medication, Casey really felt like herself again. Casey pulled out her journal and sat down to write. She had specific writing prompts she was suppose to do each day. They were so therapeutic and Casey felt more at peace after each one. Writing everything down on paper was intimidating at first, but the more she did it, the easier it got. Just as she finished, her phone went off with a call from her best friend Aaliyah. Aaliyah and Casey cheered together in college. They got super close as freshman and ended up becoming roommates their last two years at Louisville. They had talked every so often since Casey moved, but she hadn't had a serious catch up chat with her best friend yet.They told each other everything. She missed her cheer sisters something serious. "LEE! What up girly?" "CaseCase! I miss the shit out of you girl! Nothing much going on here. The Ville is the Ville. Not ready to go back to work again." "Awww Lee! You're not ready to see more 8th graders?" "Girl...I need another month of summer break first! But let's talk about you. I saw you on the Shaderoom this morning. Why didn't you tell me your dating that cutie from the 76ers?!?!" Casey's eyes grew wide. Shaderoom? Why would she be posted on there?  Maybe she heard her best friend wrong. "Wha..what are you talking about?""Girl! They posted photos of you two at the Olympics looking booed up. You didn't see? I'm not mad. I figured you'd tell me eventually." Casey switched her phone to speaker and opened her Instagram app to the shaderoom page. Sure enough, their were a bunch of candid photos of her and Matisse cuddled up together watching a few of the Olympic Events. There was one of them laughing and another with Matisse's arm around Casey. The last one was a photo of them kissing. Yep, she couldn't deny it was them even if she wanted too. The photos were crystal clear. Thankfully, Casey wasn't wearing any ESPN gear even though the company already knew the couple were together. She was stunned. "Fuckkkkk Lee! Matisse and I were trying to be lowkey. They roasted the hell out of Ben when he showed up with Maya at Wimbledon." "Girl, it's not a big deal. Y'all are cute as fuck though. Tell me about him! He seems like such a sweetheart. And you look so happy in those photos. I've never seen you glow like that!" Casey looked at the photos of her and Matisse again. She did look super happy in them. Casey closed the app and opened up her messages to send Tisse a heads up text. He was showering or napping so she wasn't expecting a quick response from him. Finally, she gathered up her items and went inside. It had been a while since she had a man she could gush over. "Lee, sweetheart doesn't even begin to cover it!"