The things we can't control

Chapter twenty six

The stadium beamed with energy as the last minutes of the game started. If they didn't want to end the game with a penalty shootout, they'd have to shoot a goal in the next five minutes. I was exhausted and felt the last 115 minutes in my legs, but I wanted to get into the final. I knew that, after the world cup, everyone in the team was desperate to show why they were in the US Women's National Team.

I saw how Lilly received a long ball from the midfield and started to run. This could turn into a set pice we've trained a thousand times. This was our chance. If possible, Lilly would run down the right side of the field, seemingly into the corner and send a low, but fast pass to Grace, who would have to be in the perfect position to send the ball into the net.

I sprinted as fast, as my tired legs would let me and tried to find my way through defenders. I saw the ball a second before I reached a stop and got ready to shoot. I heard a satisfying smack as I hit the ball and saw how it curled, perfectly into the right top corner of the goal. No one would safe that.

The crowed roared and my nearest teammates jumped onto my back. We did it, we will stand in the final of the 'She Believes Cup 2024' and I knew that we would win. But this was only the beginning. We had an Olympic and World Cup title to ad to our collection. But firstly we had to end this game. There were still five minutes to play.

I ran back to my position and searched for the ball. One of our opponents had the possession of the ball and was ready to pass it to one of her teammates that stood near me. I wanted to steal the ball before that could happen and turned fast to reach it.

Instead of a quick run I sank to my knees as I felt my right leg give up under me. As soon as I heard the horrible plop and felt the pain, I knew that I ripped my ACL.

"Fuck!" I didn't even realise that I said it out loud but it summed up the situation, perfectly. Immediately my brain filled with images of doctor appointments, surgeries and recovery plans. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why did this had to happen right now. Just as everything seemed to work out in my life I had to overcome a knew obstacle.

Through my pain I didn't even hear the whistle and felt the hands of my teammates that tried to send me some comfort. The only persons comfort I wanted right now, was Evie's. I wanted my girlfriend, right now.

***

The team doctor didn't even need an MRI to confirm my self proclaimed ACL diagnosis. "I'm very sorry Grace, but I can already feel the tear. We will still send you to the hospital to confirm the ACL tear with an MRI." the doctor explained. I wanted to say something in the words of: Yeah, no shit dude. I can feel it too and it's not pleasant. But instead I stayed polite and asked if we could wait for my girlfriend to accompany me to the hospital. The doctor nodded and we waited for my family to reach the little medical room in the stadium.

After a short knock the door opened and my moms and Evelyn rushed into the room. "Oh, Grace. I am so sorry. How are you?" My Mom immediately started to fuss over me and Ma had to physically stop her wife from hugging me. Instead she let Evie pass who stepped next to me and tock my hand in her own. "I'm so sorry, my love." She said and kissed my cheek, ignoring the tears left there. "I know you will come back stronger." I nodded and squeezed Evie's hand.

"How bad is it?" Ma asked and I closed my eyes as I revealed the news. "ACL." Was the only thing I could say before my voice broke and new tears fell from my eyes. Evie send me a reassuring smile and whipped the new tears away. My Mom was the next one who kissed my cheek and told me that everything would be alright, even though we all knew that it would take a while for everything to be okay again.

***

"Why can't we catch a brake?" Asked Evie as she stared at her phone. It was a few days after the semi final and my injury. The surgery went well and I had posted a picture of myself in the hospital, showing my followers that I was fine and ready to start my recovery, but the only things the internet seemed to talk about, was a photo, a fan took of Evie and me, on our way to the ambulance.

It showed Evie, who held my hand as we got into the ambulance and the internet was convinced that they discovered the next 'it couple' in the sports world. Admittedly, they weren't wrong, but it didn't change the fact that this outed our relationship against our will and also revealed Evie's sexually, which was the bigger problem.

"Shit, the fan pages and comments were one thing but this is another." Evie mumbled as she went through the ESPN article. With a groan she fell back into the chair she sat on. "I can already feel my mothers call."

"I love you and we will get through this. This isn't only bad. We can start new and fresh after everything." I tried to encourage her, scared that this would set her back in her own recovery that was going very well recently.

Evie slowly nodded but kept her eyes closed. The comfortable silence was broke by the ping of Evie's phone. Her eyes shot open as she stared at her screen. Talking of the devil. Evie's breath grew faster as she looked at me with panic in her eyes.

"Come here." I said and tried to make some space in the small hospital bed. Evie hesitated briefly but after a reassuring smile from me, she sat next to me and I wrapped an arm around her. "Lets open it together." I quietly said to her and took the phone. I unlooked it and opened the massage from Astrid.

Astrid: This is a new level of disgrace Evelyn. Even for you... If you tell me that this is anything else than a joke, consider yourself an orphan. I won't have something like you as my child. People like this disgust me and you better not be like that.

Next to me I heard Evie sniffing a little. "I shouldn't even care about her opinion, but somehow I still do." She said quietly and I squeezed her a little tighter. "That's okay, she is still your mother and your only family by blood. But always remember, that you have two more Moms and other family members you chose and we will never hurt you like that. We love you for you, no matter your success or life choices."

She buried her head in my shoulder and I kissed her temple lovingly. After a short while she looked at me with watery eyes and took her phone. "I will answer her and if she decides to end all contact then that's just how it is. It's her loss." I nodded and admired how far she has come in the last few moths. This is not the scared Evelyn I met over a year ago. This is one of the strongest women I knew and I was allowed to call her mine.

This would indeed be our new beginning and hopefully everything would finally work out for us.