london nights

1.5

caitlin parts ways with beth and viv, the two going to training, while caitlin has to get her scan. the radiologist is very sweet. she talks to caitlin about how the scan would work. she takes multiple scans of her foot, all from separate angles before she tells caitlin that the results would take a while to finish. caitlin doesn't like being reduced to crutches, but the trainers insisted that she keep pressure off the foot, just in case. she wouldn't want anything to go worse, but the crutches are agonizing; something that she doesn't want to get used to, that's for sure.

"hey! are you alright? oh my god, of course you're not alright, is your foot okay?" caitlin laughs quietly, smiling at lia's worried tone.

"yeah, i'm alright, just bored. waiting for the scans to finish," caitlin says, looking around at the empty waiting room. "what are ya doing right now?"

"out with my cousin's godson right now, we're getting breakfast, would you like anything?"

"coffee? surprise me. i was also going to ask, could you pick me up? no rush, of course." caitlin asks hopefully.

"consider it done superstar. no wonder you're so short, you drink a lot of coffee?"

"i am not short, i'm pretty sure i'm taller than you. what does that say about you?"

"it says nothing because i'm way taller than you," lia says laughing. she can't see the large pout that sports caitlin's face as she tells her that, but she can really imagine what she'd think caitlin's reaction would be. they talk a lot more, mostly caitlin talking about herself, but lia wouldn't have it any other way. her cousin's godson, liam, is happy with just coloring in his coloring book, listening to the music playing in the cafe, and eating his french toast, which has been drenched in way too much syrup for lia's liking.

"oh, i've got to see the results of my scan now, i'll see you when you pick me up?" caitlin says suddenly.

"yeah, i'll be there soon, see you." lia says smiling when caitlin hangs up. liam finally looks up from his drawing, a curious look on his face. pocketing her phone, she asks, "alright, you ready to go bud?" the boy nods, finishing the last of his toast, before lia herself has to help him wipe off the syrup on his mouth and hands.

"who were you calling?" he asks, holding his hands up. lia picks him up and carries him to the car.

"my friend, i'm going to drop you off at martin's okay? i've got to pick her up." lia says putting the boy in the carseat.

"we can invite her to the next arsenal game?" liam asks hopefully. lia smiles softly at the young boy.

"sure, i'll see what i can do."

lia drops off liam at martin's house, promising that he'll get to meet caitlin one day, before driving over to london colney to pick caitlin up. as she pulls up, she sees a hunched up figure outside, talking to a man. she assumes the man is caitlin's coach, from what she had heard, jonas eidevall was a great coach, always taking responsibility for his decisions made, and somehow is still pushing for the quadruple. she pulls into a parking spot, sitting quietly in her car as she witnesses the encounter.

after a bit more of talking, caitlin eventually hugs jonas before slowly making her way over to lia's car. now it's lia's turn to be chivalrous; she walks over to the passenger side to greet caitlin. her eyes are bloodshot, but lia doesn't comment on it, instead she takes the crutches and puts them into the backseat, opening the passenger side door for caitlin.

the drive back is eerily silent, caitlin sniffles once or twice, but that's about it. she hasn't known caitlin long enough to figure out if she wants to be alone right now. if that were her, she'd want her sister to be there with her, or at least somebody.