Ireland had two home games during a 10 day international break. Australia did not have any games during this stretch allowing Caitlin to stay in London. They talked about Caitlin joining her in Ireland but when it came down to it Katie would barely have any free time.
There had been a couple of international games since Katie and Ruesha broke up. The first couple were awkward. The team trying to figure out where the ex couple stood, trying not to choose sides but it being inevitable. Lately Katie has felt like a lot of the team was really siding with Ruesha. She was funny and loud always down for a joke. Not that Katie wasn't, but as captain she couldn't act like that all the time. This break in particular two of Katie's closest friends on the team, Denise O'Sullivan and Grace Moloney weren't available due to small injuries. Although she was sad about not seeing them she didn't think it would effect her as much as it did.
The first practice things just felt different. Katie felt out of place. She didn't even feel this awkward during her first call up. She tried talking to some of the newer players, which was friendly, but they thought she was just trying to be a good captain and welcome them to the team. Little did they know she was really just trying to find someone to talk to.
Katie thought maybe it was just an off day for her. She'd get a good night sleep and try again tomorrow. I mean this was her team. She was usually her happiest here. Unfortunately for Katie day 2 was more of the same and it was really starting to affect her. She didn't know how to change it feeling like if she brought it up it would seem like she's just complaining for someone to hangout with her. She didn't want to seem needy.
That night while on the phone with Caitlin in her hotel room she was listening to Caitlin's day while scrolling on social media. She saw one of her teammates posted a story and opened it up. She felt tears brimming her eyes as she saw about 8 people from her team posing for a picture with ice cream in hand. They didn't invite her. Katie thought about bringing it up to Caitlin but she couldn't help but feel like a little kid on the playground getting left out. She felt ridiculous and embarrassed. Instead she continued listening to Caitlin talk putting on her best performance of asking like nothing is wrong.
Day 3 was more of the same but Katie put on a brave face and just decided to focus on practice. Instead of going back to the hotel she ended up going to her families house which wasn't too far away from where the hotel was. Katie acted again like nothing was wrong and that she just wanted to come say hi. But her mum knew better. This wasn't anywhere near Katie's first year on the senior team and she had never come home on a day that was designated an off day. But it really didn't set off any alarms until the next day when Katie came home again. After their first game. A game that they won and Katie had played well in. Her mum knew her daughter enjoyed celebrating a good game and coming home to lay on her childhood bed was not her usual form of celebration. Initially she thought maybe something had happened between her and Caitlin which deeply saddened her. She quite liked the Aussie and her daughter together, but that thought was proven wrong when she casually brought Caitlin up in conversation and saw her daughters face light up. Seeing a smile for the first time since she's been home.
The next day when Katie left to go to practice her youngest sister Lauren found her mum in the morning.
"Hey mum do you think somethings up with Katie?"
"Yes I do hun but she hasn't mentioned anything to me."
"I tried to ask her if she was okay last night. She said she was fine and then just got annoyed when I asked again. I was thinking of messaging Caitlin just to see if she mentioned anything to Her about what's going on. Do you think Katie would be made at me if I did?"
"My baby you are so sweet. Go ahead and message Caitlin and if your sister gets mad tell her to talk to me."
"Okay I will" Lauren said pulling out her phone. She had gotten Caitlin's number a little while ago when she went to visit Katie in London.
Lauryn: hey Caitlin
Caitlin: Hi Lauryn! What's up, missing your favorite Aussie?
Lauryn: ha. Ha. Very funny. No actually I was wondering if you had noticed anything about Katie or if she has talked to you recently. She's been coming home every night which is really weird for her. She seems sad but won't tell me or mum what's going on. I just wanted to see if she was talking to someone.
Caitlin: oh Katie ☹️ no she hasn't told me anything. She's been a little distant actually I just figured she's been busy.
Lauryn: maybe you can ask her about it?
Caitlin: I'll do one better. Can you get someone to pick me up at the airport tomorrow at 10 am?
Lauryn: omg! I can! I can't believe you just got a flight.
Caitlin: what can I say. Your sister has me wrapped around her finger.
Lauryn: whipped
Caitlin: Katie's been telling me about you and your new girlfriend. Wanna talk about who is whipped now?
Lauryn: see ya tomorrow Cait!
Katie came back that night again and basically just went straight to bed leaving her mum and sister worried.
The next day Katie went to practice and Lauryn and her mum went to pick up Caitlin at the airport. Her mum smiled at how well her youngest and Caitlin got along and their joking banter. The three caught up over lunch and then went back home to await Katie's arrival.
Lauryn and Caitlin ended up going out to the backyard to shoot on the mini goal they had out there. While the pair was out there Katie came home and gave her mum a quick hug.
"Hey mum how was your day"
"Yeah it was good. Went to lunch with your sister. How was practice dear?"
"Yeah alright." She said playing with her fingers.
"Hmm well while I finish up dinner why do you go out back and kick the ball around with Laur."
"I've been kicking a ball around all day I really don't have the energy."
Her mum shrugged her shoulders and instead just opened up the back door acting like she was just getting some fresh air in as Katie took a seat at the table and started scrolling on her phone. She could hear a ball being kicked around and then her sister yell "GOALLLLL" she laughed to herself, mentally making fun of her little sister. But her face froze when she heard an Aussie accent quickly after saying "OI NO you stepped out of bounds!"
Katie's eyes shot up and stared at her mum who was the one laughing to herself at her daughters reaction. Katie quickly got up and made her way to look outside but she remained frozen in place after seeing her girlfriend. Outside her house. How? What? When? Then Katie felt her heart melt watching her little sister and girlfriend play 1 on 1 and laughing to each other.
Ruesha had gotten along well enough with hee family, but Katie could see how much Lauryn looked up to Caitlin. Especially as Caitlin was teaching her a new skill, pausing their game to show Lauryn how to do it step by step.
Eventually she felt her legs taking her outside and running to met her girlfriend. She hadn't even realized what she was doing until her lips were on Caitlin's.
"Ew couldn't you have told me to leave first or something?" Katie heard her little sister yell
"Well can you leave then?" Katie said sarcastically until Caitlin stepped in. "Sorry babe but I got a 1v1 to win. Give me one minute gotta send one in the back of the net real quick. Katie acted annoyed, but deep down it meant everything to her that Caitlin made sure not to ignore her family.
Caitlin quickly dribbled toward Lauryn and pulled out some fancy moves to get past her and score.
"Ughh!" Lauryn yelled
"Sorry kid I had to impress my girlfriend"
Lauryn rolled her eyes and grabbed the ball heading back in the house knowing they were about to kiss again and not particularly wanting to see it.
"What are you doing here?" Katie whispered into Caitlin's shoulder as she leaned into Caitlin's hug.
"I heard you were a little down and thought maybe I could help cheer you up?"
"Who told you?"
"Your mum and Lauryn were worried and Laur messaged me."
"Really?"
"Yeah she was worried you would get mad at her. Thought she was overstepping or something."
"That was really sweet of her actually."
"Yeah. Well are you going to tell me what's going on darl?" She asked as they made their way to sit on the grass.
"It's stupid."
"I highly doubt that. Now come on let me in."
And so Katie did. They sat out there for almost 30 minutes talking about how Katie felt. How it was affecting her to feel so alone at camp. Why she didn't tell Caitlin at first.
Just talking to Caitlin about it already made her feel so much lighter. She realized she just really needed her girl this whole time and shutting her out was only worsening the pain.
"Thank you so much for coming Cait. I can't even begin to tell you how much this helped."
"Of course Katie. I'll always come help you. Just don't close me out yeah?"
"Yeah not again I promise"
"Good" Caitlin said giving her a kiss "now come on I'm starved and your mum is a great cook."
