(Danielle van de Donk and Ellie Carpenter)
The sun was dipping low over the rooftops of Lyon, casting a golden hue across the neighborhood. Ellie Carpenter's training session had run long, and her legs ached as she made her way up the cobblestone path to the house she shared with her wife, Danielle van de Donk, and their three-year-old son, Max. Despite the exhaustion tugging at her, Ellie's heart lifted as she neared the front door and heard laughter drifting from the back garden.
Kicking off her boots inside the door, Ellie peeked through the glass doors that opened onto the garden. There, in the soft evening light, Danielle stood barefoot in the grass, her trademark smile as radiant as ever. Max was running circles around her, chasing after a miniature football with all the energy and determination of a child who idolized his mothers.
"Come on, Max, show me what you've got!" Danielle called, dropping into a low crouch, her arms wide open as if daring him to get past her.
Max giggled, his small foot nudging the ball forward. "I'm gonna score, Maman! Watch me!"
Ellie chuckled to herself, leaning on the doorframe for a moment to watch them. Danielle was every bit as competitive as she was on the pitch, even when playing with their toddler. She gave a mock gasp of surprise as Max dribbled the ball around her and kicked it toward the small goal they'd set up at the edge of the garden.
"Oh no!" Danielle cried dramatically as the ball rolled into the net. "You've beaten me again, Max! You're unstoppable!"
Max threw his arms up in celebration. "Goal! I'm the best!"
Ellie stepped outside, her boots crunching on the stone patio. Both Danielle and Max turned at the sound, their faces lighting up.
"Mama!" Max shrieked, abandoning the ball to run toward Ellie. She crouched just in time to scoop him up, spinning him around as he giggled wildly.
"There's my little champ," Ellie said, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I saw that goal. You're a superstar!"
"Just like you and Maman," Max said proudly, beaming.
Ellie's eyes met Danielle's over Max's shoulder. Danielle gave her a playful wink, and Ellie felt her heart squeeze with love.
"Training run late again?" Danielle asked as Ellie set Max down.
"Yeah, but I'm home now," Ellie said, stepping closer. She leaned in and kissed Danielle, slow and soft, the rest of the world fading away for a moment.
"Mama! Maman!" Max tugged at their hands impatiently, breaking the spell. "Come play football with me!"
Danielle laughed, taking Max's hand. "You heard him. No time for romance when there's football to play."
Ellie grinned, rolling up the sleeves of her shirt. "Alright then. Let's see what you've got, Max."
The three of them fell into an impromptu game, with Danielle and Ellie taking turns trying to defend against Max's relentless attacks on goal. He was a force to be reckoned with, his tiny legs pumping furiously as he darted between them, laughing with glee whenever he managed to get past their defenses.
"Where'd you learn those moves?" Ellie asked, pretending to be shocked as Max twisted away from her and scored again.
Danielle smirked, folding her arms. "Clearly, he takes after me."
"Excuse me?" Ellie said, feigning indignation. "I think you'll find he's got my pace."
"Pace doesn't mean much if you can't keep up with the ball," Danielle teased, sticking out her tongue.
Max clapped his hands. "I'm faster than both of you!"
"You know what?" Ellie said, dropping her voice into a conspiratorial whisper. "I think you're right. Maman's getting slow."
Danielle gasped, clutching her chest as if wounded. "Slow? Me? I'll show you slow!"
She lunged for Ellie, who dodged, laughing as she ran across the garden. Max shrieked with delight, joining the chase as Danielle tried to corner Ellie.
The game devolved into a chaotic free-for-all, with Max giggling uncontrollably as both his mothers collapsed onto the grass, exhausted. The three of them lay there for a while, catching their breath as the sky turned pink and orange above them.
Max crawled onto Ellie's chest, snuggling into her. "Mama, can we do this every day?"
Ellie kissed the top of his head. "Every single day, buddy."
Danielle reached over, taking Ellie's hand in hers. "We'll always make time for this," she said softly, her Dutch accent lacing the words with warmth.
Ellie squeezed her hand, her chest swelling with love for the two most important people in her life. No matter how tough training got or how demanding their careers were, moments like this reminded her of what truly mattered.
As the first stars appeared in the evening sky, Max's eyelids began to droop. Ellie carried him inside, and Danielle followed, her arm around Ellie's waist. They tucked him into bed together, Danielle humming a soft Dutch lullaby as Max drifted off to sleep.
Later, as they sat together on the couch, Danielle resting her head on Ellie's shoulder, Ellie thought about how lucky she was. She kissed Danielle's temple, whispering, "You're the best teammate I've ever had, you know that?"
Danielle smiled, her eyes sparkling with love. "We make a pretty good team, don't we?"
"The best," Ellie said, pulling her closer.
And in the quiet of their cozy home, with their son asleep upstairs and the echoes of laughter still lingering in the air, Ellie knew she wouldn't trade this life for anything.
