Hold Me Close

tell them your truth

"Congratulations, Fleur!" the interviewer shouts above the noise, holding the microphone to my face. "How does it feel to be named the player of the match?"

We haven't stopped dancing and singing, basking in the win while they set up the medal stand, the trophy gleaming in the sunlight. My voice hoarse and legs aching, I can't think of much else to say other than, "it feels unreal."

She smiles. "In light of the recent news, do you think it is–"

Patri and Lucy crash the interview, throwing golden confetti over me, and running off. I only glance at the interviewer, curious about what the end of her sentence could have been, before chasing after them, the wind picking the bits of confetti out of my hair.

They stop by the stands, Lucy getting passed her nephew to bring onto the pitch. I scan the stands for my own family, finding them a few metres from where I am, waving at me.

Everyone is here. Opa, Oma, my aunts and uncles, my cousins. Papa. Jaimie.

I rush towards them, glad that the first they will see me in person for ages is in a good mood. It would have been terrible to lose for so many reasons.

The first to hug me is Jaimie, who looks apprehensive when I pull back, grinning. I think back to the interview and the unfinished question, but I don't let that consume me just yet, too happy; too in-the-moment.

"You're here?" I ask her once I have gotten through the rest of my family, hair significantly messier than it was before, cheeks red from being pinched by Oma. "I thought the French wasn't conveniently timed. I thought you couldn't come."

"Well, you're hardly ever right, Flootzy," she replies with a smirk. The babies of the family, my cousins' children, are all being hoisted over the barrier, the youngest handed straight to me. Beatrix is six, and holds onto Noa's hand, keeping the three-year-old from running off just yet. "I need to talk to you about something, but celebrate first. Noa wants to meet Alexia. She's her third favourite player."

It's spoken to provoke me, but it doesn't. "Let's make her dreams come true then. Has she seen Leah yet?"

I've heard about Noa's growing collection of Arsenal shirts. "Flootz, Leah has just met our whole family." Maybe that explains Jaimie's unease. "Go, go. The babies are getting impatient."

Making sure Tess is secure in my arms, and Beatrix is following me with Noa, I lead them to where the team has gathered for the medal ceremony. Mapi is quick to snatch the baby from me, causing a fit of giggles between the two of them, happy to teach Tess a bit of Spanish.

"I want to play with him," Beatrix tells me as I crouch beside them, watching my teammates continue to celebrate. She points to Lucy's nephew with her free hand, Noa still clutching the other as though she is scared she will be swept away in a sea of her idols. "Noa, stay with Fleur." She takes off, her adorable sense of responsibility forgotten as she joins in with their game.

"Do you want to meet Alexia Putellas?" I ask Noa, picking her up so that I can focus on actually locating my captain without having to worry about losing my cousin's only child. She nods enthusiastically, slinging her arms around my neck, the number 11 plastered on her back on full display.

I thought they were all going to wear my shirt, but alright.

Alexia stops talking to the physio when I approach her, conversation ending with how her lips part in surprise. We won this together, so I'm not sure why she is taken aback. I'm proud of her. I know this means a lot.

"Hola," Alexia says as I put Noa down. The toddler hugs my leg shyly, hiding her face until Alexia comes closer, reaching her hand out. "My name is Alexia. What's yours?"