Leah's Girl - Bless the Broken Road

April 2022

In the 11th minute of the game against Manchester United, Leah Williamson has collapsed to the floor. Clutching her knee as the ground fell silent mourning an injury they had come to know to well in the women's game, even before it was confirmed. As she slowly got up from the floor throwing the captains armband wherever she could and hobbling on down to the physio room.

Leah's POV
Silence. My mind was silent. And all I felt was numb.
'Leah. Leah' Kim Little shouted pulling me out of my thoughts. 'Yes'. I replied with little to no emotion to what just unraveled on the pitch in Manchester. 'Are you okay'. This woman asking me if I'm okay. I've just done my fucking ACL the world I knew before has already changed and we haven't even finished the game yet. 'Yeah I'm fine Kim, I'm only about to miss out on months and months of training, games and the part of my life which keeps me sane, no I'm not okay Kim, I'm already tired and I haven't even done anything more yet' I shouted as a tear trickled down my face I was trying to keep myself together I hadn't even had my diagnosis yet. But I knew. My heart knew. My mind knew. And most of all everyone else did too. 'Hey you don't know what it is yet, it could just be something minor' Kim spoke as she tried to pull me out of these thoughts. 'For fuck sake Kim if you are trying to help me you aren't. Whatever happened to being honest. I know it's my ACL, you know it's my ACL, the whole footballing world knows it's my ACL, please just leave me be, I don't want you here and I don't need you here' I shouted back at her not looking at her at all during that moment. After a minute or two of looking at the ceiling I heard the door open, and then slowly close, sitting up and looking around the empty room, I sobbed and I sobbed hard. This was only the beginning and I'm already exhausted for what's to come.

The journey back to London was cold, nobody came near me, nobody said a word, people walked past sharing a sympathetic look, to which I replied with a small smile in which I never meant. The girls were my family away from family, but I can't help but feel alone, I just wanted to be alone. I couldn't fathom the next 9 months of my life without thinking of how much I don't want to go through it. I mean I know other players have but deep down inside of me I already wanted to give up, as I pulled the drawstrings of my hoodie over my face and slumped back into the seat. Trying to find the escape in sleeping.

Kim POV
After the encounter with Leah in the physio room I knew that she had taken this injury a lot harder than others. During the last 1-2 years Leah and I had become really good friends and a lot closer than before. That was since her and Jordan broke up. The last time I saw Leah that helpless was when Jordan ended the relationship between them, over the last two years Leah had grown as a person, she was calm and collected and never took anything for granted, well only football, she will say that it saved her, from the lowest of lows and she enjoyed experiencing the highest of highs with Arsenal WFC and England. In football it's easy to make friendships, but it's hard to make friends that you would class as family, however at this club we are a family. Everyone enjoys others company and most of all when times are tough for one person we pull together, and help each other through. But Leah has been distant already and this time I don't know what to do in order to help her through. As I sat across from her watching her sleeping to drown out the noise from her injury, it was clear to everyone that Leah had tore her ACL. All I could hope for was that she would be able to accept it like everyone else.

Leah's POV
As we pulled into London Colney and left the coach back to the cars we had parked here the night before, it was clear how alone I was, well apart from my mum of course. As I approached the red haired woman who done nothing but sigh and pull me into a warm hug as I let go of the rest of my tears.
'Why is it me mum ?' I asked still sobbing as she rubbed her hands up and down my back and helping me in the car. 'Leah darling, it's just your time, everything happens for a reason and be honest with yourself how much did you need the break, how much have you complained about being mentally tired so far this year, embrace this moment Leah, you don't get times where you have time off football for a long period of time so do everything you can't do when you play. Look at it from a different angle' she said as she started to drive off. I took a deep breath 'I love you Mum, you always know what to say' 'I'm your mother Leah, I know you better than you know yourself, trust me on this. I love you bubba'. As she pulled up to my apartment complex and stopped the car the weight of what's to come had exhausted me, mum helped me into my flat before leaving. Then it was just me. The same walls. The same flat. But somehow it was cold now.

As I plodded around the flat trying to figure out what the next steps were I found myself lying on the sofa flicking through TikTok, before stumbling across the Washington spirit page of them playing a questions game called getting to know. 'Ivy if you could swap lives with anyone in the world who would it be' the person behind the camera asked her 'oh 1000% the best singer in the world. Beyoncè' 'you allowed 3 people at a dinner party who are you inviting' 'Beyoncè, Luke combs, and ... Leah Williamson' 'why Leah Williamson?' ' she just seems interesting to me, she's got a great taste in music, and she's such an empowering woman, I'd like to be her friend, and if she came to my dinner party I'd be very very happy about that' 'did you see her injury ?' 'Yes, I doubt she's watching but I wish her a good recovery process I know it's difficult and it can be hard to sometimes get your head around things and why they happen but we can't stop them, she's amazing and maybe now she can sit back and let every one of her team and personal accolades sink in, she's an amazing person, and I've never met her !' I listened and smiled commenting 'thank you Ivy, oh and I would definitely accept the invitation to your dinner party' as I switched off my phone and made my way to my bedroom.
Only a couple months Leah. You got this.