CHASING GOLD: The Olympics

Chapter 1

SEPTEMBER
"Tobin Powell Heath..." Alex started. She grabbed Tobin's hands gently. "The first time I was called up to camp, I saw this beautiful girl. She had the biggest smile on her face. She was megging everyone she could. She would juggle and move her feet around the ball. I think right then I fell in love with you. I don't think it ever registered that I loved you or else we might have different lives if I did." Alex said, chuckling. Tobin smiled widely. "I just knew I needed to know you. And then we met and it was like we'd known each other our whole lives. I had a boyfriend but then I had broken up with him because it didn't feel right. You helped me come out to my family. Years go by and we poured our hearts out to each other. We knew each other front and back. But then you were loaned to PSG and I was devastated. I knew you didn't have much of a say in it but it still sucked. I was offered the Orlando Pride expansion job but I knew I couldn't leave Portland. And I didn't want to leave you. And then you came back and it was like you had never left." Alex wiped her tears and continued. "When you had told me about Andy, I had never felt so angry. Angry that someone would do that to you. Why did that have to happen to you? But at that game, when we found her, I knew why it happened. Because even though what had happened was something horrible and something I never want or wanted you to go through or want anyone to go through, that was supposed to happen. Because that little girl, who isn't so little, brought us together. She's the reason we are together in a sense." Alex smiled and looked down at her feet. She looked back up at Tobin. "Tobin, I want everything with you. I want a house together. I want a dog or two together. Cats even. I want kids with you. I want a life with you. I love you, Tobin Heath." Tobin wiped her tears. "So. I know you just asked me and we are technically engaged but I want people to know not only am I engaged but so are you." Alex got down on one knee and opened the blue velvet box. "So Tobin Powell Heath, will you marry me?" Alex asked, a bright smile spreading across her face.

"Hmm. Let me think." Tobin said, taking her hand away from Alex to put her hand on her face to feign thinking. "Of course Alex. Of course, I will marry you." Alex grinned like a madman. She pulled the ring out of the box carefully and gently grabbed Tobin's hand. She slipped the ring on Tobin's finger and stood up. Tobin pulled Alex in and kissed her. The stadium around them once again erupted.

They pulled away and Andy came and hugged her moms again. "Way to go mama!" Andy yelled.

The USWNT walked around the field, taking in what happened. All of their ups and downs brought them to this moment. Without everything that happened, they may not be world champs. They might not have put four stars on their shirts.

*****

APRIL - 7 MONTHS LATER...
Thursday
The USWNT was only one month away from starting Olympic qualifiers. The players were back at their clubs and dominating the field. When Tobin, Alex, Lindsey, and Emily had gotten back to Portland, they were honored. And the players from teams that participated in the World Cup were as well.

About a month ago, Andy and Tobin signed a contract for Andy with the Portland Thorns. She was officially a Thorn. She couldn't play the first months though as she was still recovering from her ACL injury. But that would change soon...

Today was a big day. Andy woke up and got out of bed. She headed into the kitchen to see her moms talking and looking at papers, writing things down, and looking at their laptop.  She leaned up against the door frame. "Oh, babe! Check this place out! It's beautiful!" Alex said. Tobin walked up behind her and rested her front against Alex's back. She leaned one arm on the counter and studied the screen.

"It is baby girl." Tobin said. Andy smiled at her moms.

"Looking for wedding places and honeymoon destinations?" Andy said, walking into the kitchen. Her moms looked up at her and smiled.

"Hey hey hey!" Tobin said happily, pointing at Andy's brace-less knee and a mouth full of food. "Look who's walking without her brace!" Andy smiled brightly.

"Yep!" Andy said. She'd been walking without it for a few days now. And she was able to take it off more and more over the past month. She walked over to her mom's and gave them each a hug. She thought about the call she had last night with Mark Parsons. She decided to not tell her moms what she and Mark talked about. Andy grabbed a bowl of cereal and sat at the counter. She ate breakfast and put in her input about the destinations her moms were looking at whenever they asked.

With the game only 4 hours away, the little family got ready for the day. Andy put on jeans and a USWNT shirt and eyed her brace. She grabbed it just in case and put it in her game day backpack. Once she was ready, she waited in the living room for her moms. Tobin and Alex came out ready, and soon after, the three piled into the car and drove to Providence Park. The three got out and walked along the sidewalk, to the team door.

Andy felt her nerves rising quickly. She took a deep breath and headed into the stadium. The three walked towards the locker room and Andy's heart pounded. Last night, Andy received a call from Mark Parsons. He was checking in on her recovery and she said she was excelling with her physical therapy. At least, that's what the trainers told her. He suggested something to her and she agreed. She decided against telling her moms as she was nervous they'd talk her out of it.

The three walked into the locker room and sat at their places. Andy watched as her moms do their new routine together and got ready. She sat in her cubby and put on her compression shorts, game shorts, jersey, and then her warm-up. She pulled her game socks on and then slipped her untied Nike's on and breathed a sigh of relief. She knew her moms wouldn't suspect a thing as she usually got dressed even if she was only sitting on the bench. She turned around and eyed her cleats and shin guards that had been placed in her locker. I'll be seeing you later... Andy thought to herself as she stared down at the gear she's been dying to put on for 9 months now.