lover - leah williamson

the even bigger question

july 31st "22
wembley stadium

A familiar echo of cheers and shrieks found the stadium once more, as the team lifted their trophy, surrounded by sparkling fireworks and spraying champagne bottles. Niamh stood with her hands interlocked with her mother, as she rested her head on her shoulder and smiling widely to herself again.

"Oh Niamhy, I cannot begin to think the pride you're feeling right now." Lisa mumbled, gazing at Leah with her trophy.

"Indescribable." Was all Niamh whispered, unsure of what else to say.

"You seem distracted?" Lisa asked in a questioning tone.

"Hm?" Niamh replied, tearing her gaze away from Leah to stare at her mother with knitted brows.

"You look distracted. Obviously without the given situation, you just seem a little more distant." Lisa said, displaying a look of concern toward her daughter.

niamh's pov:

Truth be told, I had been distracted. My mind had been glued to the idea of mine and Leah's future together, where our paths would lead us, if we would fit with one another. And if I'm being one hundred percent honest, the thought of asking Leah 'the question' had been strolling through my mind quite a lot. I knew Leah was the one I was going to marry, without a doubt in my mind, but was it too soon? We've been together only seven months, yet it felt like the best forever I've ever known. Perhaps my mother's advice would be the best right now...

"Can I be honest?" I said, turning to my mum, escaping her tight grasp to face her.

"Of course, darling." She said, her concern growing.

"I've been thinking of proposing to Leah but-" I didn't even get the opportunity to finish as my mother let out a large gasp.

"Oh Niamh!" She shrieked with excitement, before I grabbed her hands to ensure she didn't cause a scene.

"Mum, mum, mum, no. Calm down. Let me finish," I began with a breath, "What I was gonna say is that I was unsure on the whole thing, I know I'll marry Leah and I know she's the one for me but we've only been together, what, seven months? Is it too soon?" I rambled, finishing on a tone of despair.

"Niamh, you listen to me." My mum began, her concerned tone now disappearing to an informal one, "Me, along with everyone who has ever met you or Leah together, know that your love will last an eternity, 'til you're both old and grey. You of all people know that, and proposing to Leah doesn't mean you want to marry her in the next hour. It shows your love, care and desire to marry her, like a promise." She finished, wisdom gripping on every word to which I was in awe of.

I paused, to allow my mum's words to really sink in within me, in which they did, and a silence hung inbetween our little bubble we had created.

"Thank you, mummy. I love you." I said, hugging her tightly.

"I won't say anymore sweetheart, you'll just know." She whispered.

3rd person pov:

Niamh was besotted with Leah and watching her achieve the lifelong dream she'd always had, was an incomparable feeling for Niamh. She found herself eternally grateful once more for finding Leah and for loving her with her whole heart. Niamh also found herself thinking back to that night in Manchester. If she hadn't made the decision to leave, none of this would be happening. She wouldn't have fallen in love with the love of her life, she wouldn't be stood on Wembley Stadium's pitch watching that special someone lift their trophy after becoming European Champions. It just baffled Niamh how one decision changed her life so much.

As music continued to blare through the stadium, the team were still celebrating on the pitch, this time with family members surrounding them, stood with drinks and cameras, capturing the moment. The two families stood with Leah, Beth, Keira and Lucy (as well as their families) discussing the game but, mostly giving hugs.

Niamh stood glued to Leah, arms wrapped around one another as if it were their last moment together. Leah gazed down into Niamh's eyes who shone brightly at her, beaming a smile into Leah's blue orbs. She smiled back, leaning down to kiss Niamh on the forehead gently and continued to rub her back.

"I can't believe you just met Prince William." Niamh said, in awe of her girlfriend.

"You and me both." Leah laughed, intertwining her hands with Niamh's.

The two stayed like that for a long period of time, as they zoned into the conversation the rest of the group were having with one another.

The thought remained prominent in Leah's head, constantly in the back of her mind, yet Leah knew she couldn't dwell on it and kept Jill's words close to her heart. However, being stood on the pitch, a European Champion, with the love of her life and family by her side, Leah needed to ponder no more. She knew exactly what she wanted to do. As she looked down at Niamh once more, to see her laughing and smiling with her friends, Leah's stomach and heart was in pieces. This was what true love felt like, and she knew in her heart that her and Niamh were forever.

"You'll know when the moment's right, Leah, you always do."

And here she was, in that moment, knowing everything was right and where it was meant to be. With a deep inhale, she reached into her pocket, breaking her contact with Niamh, and began to pull out the velvet box she'd been staring at aimlessly not even forty five minutes ago. Before Leah revealed it completely, she began to speak, gathering Niamh's attention.

"You remember how you wanted me to call you a different name other than my girlfriend, earlier?" Leah began, Niamh becoming suspicious of her aura.

"Well, I've been thinking of some things that I'd like to call you." As she finished, Leah pulled out the box, and got down on one knee.

Niamh's jaw hit the floor in a split second as she took a step back and brought her hands over her mouth in shock. The group, alongside everyone on the pitch and in a seat within the stadium, let out an excited gasp. Leah stifled a laugh at her girlfriend's reaction but began to speak once more.

"Niamh Adelaide Yates, you are the greatest person that has ever come into my life and have made me the happiest I have ever been. You are the light of my entire existance and, without you, I would never dare to dream as big as I do. You inspire me every single day to do what I love, to have ambition, desire, dreams, hope. You support me no matter what and, because of that, I cannot express my love for you. You make me smile until my face hurts and laugh until I can't breathe, even when your jokes are pretty shit." Leah began, receiving a laugh from those around her.

Amanda and Lisa were clung to one another, similar to Holly and Hattie who grabbed each other's hand in a mixture of emotions. A majority of the team had run to gather around and were silently jumping in pure happiness for Leah.

"I wanna be the person who holds your hand when it gets too dark, I wanna be the person who you can talk to about everything and anything. Most importantly, I want you to be the person who I wake up next to every morning, who irons my clothes, who makes my dinner, who watches every single game without fail. I know our relationship hasn't been as long as many others, but it has been the greatest forever I have felt in my life, and I want a true forever with you, my love. I want a life and a family with you, Niamh. I love you to the stars and back, my gorgeous girl and I hope you can make me even happier than you already do by saying one very special word." Leah finished, Niamh now in tears mirroring everybody else within the stadium.

"So, Niamhy," Leah began, finishing with a deep breath before turning to look at Niamh whose eyes were spilling tears.

She grabbed her hand and opened the velvet box with the other, "Will you marry me?"

gee speeks:
mic drop.

word count: 1414