Getting Through Life

Chapter 43: Final

Ten years later

POV: Leah

"Louis! Don't hurt your little sister!"

That's right. I have children.

Just kidding! Louis and Pauline are Felix' children. He found a girlfriend a few years ago and now they were engaged and had two beautiful children at age twenty-three. He did well for himself. He named his first son after her. It made me tear up when I heard his name.

Today was the day. Now it's exactly ten years ago. We gathered all together today to remember her. I have given it a place, mostly thanks to her letter. Everyone was really supportive, but it was actually her that got me through it. The first few weeks, I didn't leave my house again. I also couldn't step a foot in hers. I wouldn't. My mom came to live with me for those few weeks, because I couldn't even take care of myself properly. I was a vegetable.

My team was also supportive, even though I pushed them away several times. Even City helped me through it. Steph was heartbroken, but G was worse. She lost her best friend. We understood each other quite well when it concerned Louise. She was a part of her life for forever, and in my case it's obvious. Let's just say we both missed her until it physically hurt.

But she got better, and so did I.

She was right though. Louise I mean. She somewhat predicted I'd fall in love again, and I did. I denied myself to love someone for two years. I met a woman a few months after she passed, but I just thought of her as a friend. She was really nice, pretty, and she helped me to grieve. One night, she tried to kiss me, but I couldn't. I felt like I was cheating on her if I would. But she stayed anyways. She gave me the time I needed, and now I call her my wife after eight years. She understands that I'll always love Louise too, but it's a different kind of love.

I still played football, but this was my last season. I already retired from international football too. We had a beautiful service in her name before one of our international matches. It was against Spain, and every goal that was scored was dedicated to her. The Spanish team participated too, this was a universal loss. I achieved one world cup, finally. And to make matters more beautiful, it was the one from 2027. The same one that was co-hosted by the nations Germany, The Netherlands, and Belgium. I won us our trophy in her home. I did it all for her. I also won one more EURO's. I did great things, all for her.

I agreed with Jonas to play my last match in my red shirt in honor of her. I'd wear her name on my back, as well as her shirt number, 1. When it was announced on Instagram, everyone loved the idea. We even sold her jerseys. She didn't play a single minute for my- our club, but she was already loved here.

I will also become a mom this spring. My wife is pregnant, and if everything goes smoothly, we'll have two boys. Yep, we managed to expect twins. Double trouble.

I let go. I still have her letter, but I eventually sold her house after I cleaned everything. I have some boxes from her stuff left, but I gave most of it away to anyone who wanted something. We're talking about blow dryers, irons, you name it. I think most of it went to G because she didn't even have stuff like that, but also to give her reminders of their friendship.

But we've moved on. Even Alex and Lisa. Tobin too of course. I think Alex had a hard time too, but she didn't know her daughter that long, so they had a rather friendly relationship. Lisa eventually transferred to Chelsea. It would have been ironic if Lou was still alive, twins being rivals. But Lisa arranged that when Chelsea played us, we'd have a memorial before the game.

We cried like we had an endless supply of tears. We stood next to each other, and we invited Alex to the field with us. We decided only the three of us would cry on the field and not our whole family, because we still had a match to play. Lisa and I both wanted to win this match, but we both also wanted the other one to win. I never wanted to take away her opportunity to win for her twin sister, and she thought the same about me being her fiancée. That way, we were lucky that we ended in a 0-0 draw. We both gave her what she wanted, both with clean sheets. She always loved clean sheets.

Of course it hurts to lose her, but we've all placed it. Just like she wanted us to.

We can move on in peace. I'm so glad she decided to write those letters, because without them I'd still be lost. One piece of paper got me through my worst time, and look at me now. Look at us. We're still here.

We're happy. Who thought I'd ever say that after that incident. But it's okay, just like she said. We're just Getting Through Life.

______________________________

And this was it, everyone! I read a lot of stories on here too, but most of them have the same happy ending. I wanted something different (not the drama within me talking here).

I hope you liked this story, I tried my best to make it as entertaining as I could :-)

(Side note: I know Brazil will host the next world cup, but it would have been amazing if it was in Belgium for this story so I just took that possibility.)

Thank you so much everyone for reading this, you were my drive to keep it going. 

Maybe I'll write another one... Maybe not. We'll see. If you want to see anyone making an appearance in a future book, drop their names here! (I don't make any promises!)

See you around :-)