Mini Ertz///USWNT/NWSL

Catch

When I got home, I was absolutely exhausted. 

I had gotten the numbers of some of my teammates, and Mal got Julie and I coffee in honor of my first practice. 

I sat on the front porch watching Mace and Zach have a catch with a baseball. 

"You wanna play, Brittney?" Asked Mace. "I have an extra glove if you want it." 

"Sure!" I jumped off the couch, my legs feeling like they were going to give way. 

He ran to his house and grabbed me a glove, and he tossed it at me when he got back. He smiled at me, which I think made me blush a little bit. He's really cute. 

I realized he looked the slightest bit like Tatumn. They had similar smiles and the same freckles. It made sense because he was cute and she was really pretty too. I'm just seeing things. 

We talked about practice and how I made friends with a bunch of adults and whatever. It was just really fun and relaxing. 

"Hey Britt?" Julie came walking out the front door. "We've got a problem." 

"What?" I said. 

"Well, not really a problem. More of news." 

"What is it J?" 

"Come inside with me." 

I put down my glove and excused myself from our catch, the feeling of throw up churning in my stomach. I had suspicions about what it was about. 

"Sit down."  She said, pointing to a chair across the table from her. "Listen." 

"Something about my parents, isn't it." I blurted. 

"Yeah." 

I sighed, and leaned back in my chair. 

"I don't really know how you'll take this...." 

"Julie please don't make me go back!" I pleaded, getting ready to break out the tears if I had to. 

"Well while you were out there having a catch, I got an email from your parents lawyer. He says they don't want to take care of you anymore. They want to give up custody." She said, picking at her fingernails. 

"YES!" I said happily. "This is easier than I thought!" 

"But not to us." 

That hit me hard, I was dizzy, and the tears came streaking down my face. 

"Then where...will...I go?" I sobbed. 

"They want to keep you close for some reason. They want to give custody of you to Bailey's parents."

"What? But you're family!" 

"So I talked to Bailey's mom on the phone, and we talked it over. She said it was all up to you, wherever you wanted to be. If you wanted to go home, she'd be happy to have you. But if you want to stay here in Illinois, she says that's okay too." 

"This is home, Julie! I've only been here for 2 days, but this is home. You've treated me better in these 2 days than my parents did in 16 years. As much as I love Bailey and her family and I really recognize all they did for me, practically raising me, I need to be here. With you, with Zach, with the Red Stars. Even if it was just training, I actually felt like I belonged there. I couldn't be happier than I am right now. But, I also don't want to burden you and Zach with all of this. I know you had no plans for me coming, and-" 

"Leave Zach and I out of this. This is your decision. What do you want to do? Where do you want to be? We'll fly you out to Tennessee whenever you want if you miss your friends. And if you live there, we'll fly you out here to go to you all the time. It can work either way." 

I just sat there quietly, because I knew what I wanted to do. I knew what I wanted. 

"I'll let you think about it, okay?" Julie got up and walked away, patting my shoulder as she walked away. 

I'd feel like a burden anywhere I stayed. I have no idea what's the right thing to do. 

I've always been a burden, and that's all I'm ever going to be.

----------

Obviously I couldn't say any of this to Bailey, because it's a weird situation. I didn't want to tell Nicole, because she'd just want me to come home. 

I couldn't turn to Julie, who was always one call away when I needed to talk, but this time it's not the same. 

I've got no one else, so I'm just lonely. 

I just sat on the edge of the pool with my feet in the water, splashing the water around occasionally. 

The idea of calling Tatumn or Mallory or Ella ran through my head, but I only just met them today, and they have more important things to do with their lives. 

So I've got no one, which puts me in the same lonely place I've always been, just this time it was a bit lonelier. 

I heard the backdoor slide open, and when I turned around to see who it was, it shocked me. 

"Hey." Mace said. 

"Hi." 

"I know we're not really like friends or anything yet, but I heard about your little predicament." 

"I'd consider us friends." 

"Well than I do too." 

"Did Julie tell you?" 

"Yep." He sat down next to me, kicking off his shoes and putting his feet in the pool too. 

"So what are you doing here?" I asked. 

"Honestly, I have no idea." 

"Did they put you up to this?" 

"No. I just felt bad for you. I can't imagine how hard this is." 

"It feels lonely." I said. 

"Well if we're friends now, you don't have to feel like that." He smiled his charming smile, and I completely died inside. 

"Thanks, Mace." 

"I get that this is a hard decision, but Zach said you almost never leave Julie's side. You follow her around, you love her. And you know why?" 

"Because she's a great person." 

"Of course there's that, but there's also the fact that you look up to her. And the fact that she treats you right. You love that. Right?" 

"I do. I really do love that." I smiled. "I needed to hear that so badly." 

"I know you did. So there's your answer." 

"Thanks for that." 

"I also don't want you to leave. You need me, I need you. And I can't let a pretty girl go that easily."