Can I Go Where You Go? - Pablo Gavi

The Return

6 months after Arlo was born

Today is the day I never truly thought would come.

I walk into the dinning room after changing into some clothes to wear to the stadium. Gavi's leaning over the counter, holding a spoon in front of Arlo's mouth as he sits strapped into the highchair we put him in when he started eating solid food.

"Come on Ar," Pablo pouts, waving the spoon in front of our baby boy's face. Arlo keeps his lips firmly together, not letting his dad feed him.

"How much has he eaten?" I ask, taking off the table of his high chair.

"Like three bites," Gavi says with a sigh, setting the loaded spoon on the counter.

I unbuckle Arlo from his seat and pick him up. "I'll breastfeed him before we go. How much time to we have again?"

"We have to be there by one thirty," Gavi says, "and we don't want to be late for your first day back." He comes around the counter to me, smiling before kissing me on the forehead.

I smile softly, excited but more so nervous. Today's my first day back to training as a Barca player. I've been resting and taking care of Arlo for the past six months, and with Gavi's persistent encouragement I decided to give it a go. I don't have any expectations---I can't---and if it doesn't work out, well at least I tried.

That's what I'm telling myself.

I've been so nervous about it, about the prospect of failing when I could've ended on a fairly high note. I haven't played professional futbol for 15 months, what makes me think I can jump back in now?

I sit down on the couch to breast feed Arlo so hopefully he'll be good for the next couple of hours and I can train. Mikky enthusiastically agreed to watch him at the field with her two daughters.

I look down at Arlo's gentle face in my lap. Gavi and I have been trying to start feeding Arlo solid food, but it's not his favorite. He never looks pleased with the airplanes of food Gavi tries to give him.

Over in the kitchen Gavi starts scrambling to clean up. I feel bad for not helping him, but know if we don't split up we'll never get out of here in time.

"Are you ready to go?" I ask him, unsure if he's dressed in what he wants to go there in.

"Yeah," he says, "I've just got to grab my bag out of our room and then I'm good." I can see him wiping down the counter behind us. "Do you have anything else you need me to do quick?"

I think about it for a second, coming up with nothing. "No, I don't think so."

He nods. "Then I'll go throw this stuff in the car." He goes over to our shamelessly large pile of bags to bring to the field with us. Gavi and I only have a small bag each, most of the stuff is Arlo's, but you can never be too prepared.

When I'm done breastfeeding Gavi and I load Arlo up into the car before taking off. 

In the car I pull out my phone, checking my social medias since I haven't had a chance yet today.

Pretty much the first thing I see is an article about me coming back to the first team:

Isla Hernandez is set to rejoin Barcelona's first team training this week after being away on injury and pregnancy for the past 15 months. Coach Xavi Hernandez says, "She will undergo medical tests today and hopefully rejoin the first team training tomorrow. We are excited to have her back." Xavi may be excited to have her back, however many Barcelona fans were under the impression she would never return after her pregnancy and wish that was the case.