The Secret - Alexia Putellas

52.

Thank you Eliza!!!

It was Wednesday morning, May the 31st, 2023.

Three days prior to the grand UWCL final and one day before the Barcelona squad would travel to Eindhoven for the most important match of the season.

The last few weeks had been very stressful, and Alexia wasn't quite sure how she even managed to cope with her super busy schedule. Perhaps it was because of her wife, who had been helping her a lot.

Erin basically took care of everything she could, on top of working double shifts with the athletes, as everyone was expected to be in top form for the upcoming match against Olympique Lyon.

The therapist went grocery shopping. She took care of the household and walked Nala at least three times a day. She prepared their breakfast, cooked dinner. She handled the laundry. The blonde also supported the midfielder in managing her busy schedule, and kept track of all the appointments for Alexia to make sure the athlete didn't miss anything.

Because there were dozens of appointments.

Multiple ones a day.

Erin even started driving them to the training ground every morning, something Alexia used to do, allowing the captain to have more time to rest before everything started all over again every day.

It was the always the same. And it was getting worse and worse.

The media attention around the two-time Ballon D'Or winner was enormous. More than ever before. Every single newspaper, sports magazine, podcast, television show or whatever seemed to request a little bit of Alexia's time, which was barely existent in those last weeks before the finale.

In addition to her second full-time job of taking care of her wife, Erin was planning their much-needed time off.

So it was fair to say that the therapist was also having a stressful and busy time, but her mood was never falling. Not at all.

All the blonde wanted was for Alexia to be at ease and succeed in wrapping up this season with the best possible outcome.

The trophy.

And a healthy mental and physical condition.

The blonde gripped the steering wheel of Alexia's Cupra tightly while the sun slowly but surely set, glad that they would finally be home after another exhausting day.

The brunette was asleep in the passenger seat, a neck pillow behind her head and a blanket tucked around her.

Watching Alexia nap so peacefully, while her lips were slightly pursed as her face looked so relaxed and unconcerned, was one of Erin's favorite things in the world.

Alexia was adorable.

Erin couldn't help but smile with every soft snore her wife shared. Her cold fingers kept stroking the back of Alexia's hand for the past hour, while the captain clutched the blonde's hand tightly. Almost as if she was afraid she'd stop.

Every time Erin's movements stopped, even if only for a tiny second, Alexia shifted around in her seat. She didn't wake up, but was visibly uncomfortable whenever she sensed those relaxing strokes slowing down.

It was already dark outside by the time Erin pulled into the driveway of her house, and she knew it was time to wake up the sleeping beauty, whose comforter was tucked all the way up to her chin.

"Buenas noches, sleepyhead. Estamos en casa. We're home, love. Time to wake up", whispers the blonde as she switches off the engine, giving the captain's hand a gentle squeeze.