Let Me In | Herophine Fic

Who's Got You Smiling?

HERO

Daylight streams in from beside my bed and quickly I come to the realisation that it's game day. Only I'm not playing at our home stadium, the London Stadium. I'm heading up north to Manchester to play Manchester United at their ground, Old Trafford. I love being a footballer, I've never wanted to do anything other than this ever since I was young and admittedly, I'm one of the lucky ones when it comes to making it through the academy and into the first team.

But with the success of being a professional footballer, comes the travelling. Which for me, means leaving Mila alone while I go to play. I love my job, really I do. But it kills me every time I leave her. It's the one bad part about playing for West Ham. If I could bring her with me every time I travel somewhere, Manchester, Liverpool, Norwich, Newcastle, Birmingham you name it, I'd bring her. No questions asked. But I can't. It's the one thing I loathe about my job. It doesn't really affect her, in all honesty, I think it affects me more than her.

I know she'll be more than fine with my family for one night. That's all it ever is, one night. She loves staying over with my parents, she gets to spend time with her auntie Mercy too and have girly nights. It's where she's learning all these rogue things, like knowing about leaving people on read. Only Mercy will have taught her that. God knows what they do on their nights together but I know she's safe and happy with them. She's their princess as much as she is mine.

The familiar pitter-patter of footsteps from down the hall quickly approaches before my bedroom door opens and Mila comes bounding in, smiling widely.

"Morning, daddy!" She jumps into my lap as I sit up to catch her. My arms wrap themselves around her back as I hug her to me.

"Morning, princess," her eyes lift to mine, no traces of sleep in them at all.

"It's game day. You're playing football today," I sigh, nodding.

"I am, sweetheart. Are you excited for your night with nana Martha, grandpa George and auntie Mercy?" She begins to nod, a soft smile spreading across her face at the mention of my family. I'm so lucky they help me the way they do. Mila's arms wrap around me tighter, clutching onto me.

"Yeah. Daddy, have you texted princess Jo this morning? Why do you sound... sad?" I hug her tighter to me, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Because I'll miss you, princess. I've not texted her yet, why?" She crawls off my lap, collects my phone from the bedside cabinet and hands it to me.

"Will you tell her I said good morning, please?" I smile down and her and unlock my phone before navigating to mine and Jo's text thread. I begin typing, eyeing the time in the corner of the screen. She won't be up yet I don't think.

Good morning, happy first day back Miss Langford. Also, Mila says good morning too x

I hit send and place my phone beside me, looking down at Mila.

"Why did you call her Miss Langford?" She sounds so confused. God love her.

"Because it's her first day back at school and that's what her class will call her. They won't call her Jo or Princess Jo,"

"But you're not in her class?" Okay, my daughter's got me on that one. In all honesty, I'm not entirely sure why I called her that. The same as I didn't intentionally call her funny girl. That's just a simplistic description of her.

"That's very true. Shall we get up?" Needing to change the subject from why I called Jo by her teacher title, I shift Mila onto my hip, grab my phone and stand out of bed, taking both of us out to the kitchen.