The things we can't control

Chapter sixteen

"Grace!" I heard my name, searching through the crowed of the airport for my Mom. I saw her standing and waving in the distance and nudged Lilly to follow me. We got our suitcases and made our way over to my Mom and Ma. "Come on you two, let's get you home and then you have to tell us all about camp" My Ma greeted me pulling me into a hug followed by a kiss to my cheek from my Mom. They also greeted Lilly and we heaved our luggage into the car.

On our way home Ma already started asking us questions but my Mom noticed how tiered we were and stopped her. "Laura, give them an hour to get settled and maybe take a nap. I'm sure afterwards they're happy to tell us about camp." I nodded at my Mom and closed my eyes.

Just yesterday was the final of the She Believes Cup in Orlando and honestly we're still a little hungover from the night. Lilly and I haven't gotten much playing time but it was already a huge accomplishment for both of us that we were even on the roster for the She Believes Cup, since we both thought we would just go to camp and then come back home right before the tournament. But we convinced the coaches and were announced to represent the United Sates in the She Believes Cup 2023, which also takes us one step closer to actually making the World Cup team this Year.

Once we were home Lilly and I actually took a much needed nap while my Mom prepared a delicious dinner. My Ma woke us up and I felt like a little girl again, having a sleepover with my best friend, completely exhausted from soccer, getting woken up while the whole house smelled like delicious food my Mom cooked. "It's just like old times." Is said and Lilly nodded. "Expect maybe, the hungover part." She mumbled while she massaged her temples and I had to laugh. "Well we actually did have our fair share of hangovers but not as ten year olds after a soccer match. I'll see if we have Tylenol." She gave me a hopeful look and I made my way to the bathroom, actually finding a package of the much needed medicine.

After we both took one pill, we made our way downstairs and found my mothers on the patio. My Mom still stood by the grill while my Ma already sipped a glass of white wine. "Do you girls want some?" She asked, holding the bottle up and Lilly shook her head a little fast, groaning and holding her temples. "No, thank you Miss P." She said and sat down. Ma laughed and shrugged.

Once everyone had food on their plate we, started telling stories from camp.

"It was honestly so funny once we first arrived and everyone wanted to know who the Preath girl was." Lilly said, laughing a little and I nodded. "It was insane mom. Alex Morgan came up to me, not the other way around." They smiled at each other. "Thank your mothers for one iconic last Name." Ma said and I nodded. "True, but if you ask the members of the national team I am not your child. My pet name is baby Preath and they're convinced that I'm their daughter." I teased and Lilly agreed. "It's true. Alex even called Tobin and Christen to confirm that they haven't adopted a secrete child. We even talked to them. It was surreal." Everyone laughed and my mom pulled me into a tight hug. "Nope, this is one hundred percent my baby. I have the grey hairs to prove it."

"Different topic, a little bird told us that someone was very interested in your time at camp." My Ma said and I furrowed my brow. "What are you talking about?" I asked not understanding her. "Jackson told us that Evie asked him non stop how you were doing in camp and he thought that maybe you haven't told us everything that happened in your life over the last months." My Mom explained and Lilly send me a sympathetic look. Urgh, why is my brother such a tattle. But also, why did Evelyn even care that much, she said she wasn't interested in me. Obviously a lie.

"No, we're not together if that's what your thinking and it's actually complicated, so can we just drop it." I noticed how I still felt a little sting in my heart when I remember the way Evelyn told me that she wasn't 'like me' and didn't want me. My mom send me a worried look but we changed the topic back to camp and the rest of the evening was spend with laughter and more funny stories.

***

Later that night, after everyone retired to their beds, I sat on on the patio watching the stars and smoking one of my rare cigarettes. I heard the squeaking sound of the sliding door behind me and quickly turned around. Once I saw that it was my Ma, I hasty tried to put out the cigarette and waved my hands in front of my face to loose the smoke.

"Do you honestly think that your Mom and I didn't know that you smoke now and again?" My Ma asked me with a smirk. "I thought I was subtitle." I mumbled and she laughed. "Yeah, very subtitle to smoke right under your parents window." She said pointing to the open window above our heads. Shit.

"But I also know that you only smok when there is something on your mind. So spill it Gracie bear, or I'll have to get your Mom." I smiled knowing that my Mom has always cracked my shell, even when I swore myself I wouldn't tell her anything.

"Is it about the complicated situation with Evelyn you mentioned earlier?" My ma asked, of cause knowing immediately what was bothering me. I nodded and stared back at the stars. "We had a pretty big fight before I went to camp and I'm just confused why she asked Jackson about me, when she told me, that she wasn't interested in my life or me for that matter." I explained, laying my head on my mothers shoulder, who sat down next to me.

"Obviously I don't know what exactly happened between you two, but have I ever told you the story about the first fight your mother and I had?" I shook my head and she continued. "It was quit a big one. We were already together for sometime in high school and I was pretty open about my sexuality not really caring what others thought. Your Mom wasn't quit as open and chill about the whole thing and didn't even tell her best friend about our relationship." I gasped. "Aunt Rose didn't know about your relationship from the beginning?" I asked. She is my godmother and my Mom tells her everything, or at least thats what I thought. "Nope, your Mom told no one and swore me to secrecy and being the love blind teenager I was at the time, I played along. At least until the whole school suddenly marvelled at the new it couple Cecilia and Brody." My Ma nearly spat the name 'Brody' out. "She did not." I gasped, never having guessed that my sweet mother could've done something like that. "Yep, she kissed the biggest dumbass in the whole school, just so no one could tell she was in love with a girl." I shook my head in disbelieve. "How the hell does my live exist, I could have never excused that." My mom laughed.

"You've seen the picture of us kissing on the football field for a thousand times. That was the day your mother came out to the whole school by apologising to me and finally not caring if the whole word liked her. It probably helped that she came out to her parents beforehand and they were supportive." She explained and I was baffled that I never knew the actual story behind the iconic picture in my Ma's wallet.

"What I wanted to tell you with this story, is that some people need a lot more time than you and I, to come to terms with their sexuality and sometimes they do or say stupid things in the mids of it all. Give her another chance." I nodded, knowing that she's right. We have to actually talk about things.

"Thanks, Ma. I love you." She kissed my head and replied that she loved me too.