Let Me Love You | Toni Kroos

Chapter 14 - The Good, the Bad, and the Uncalled For

Toni's POV

The Munich sky was still dark purple as I boarded a taxi at the airport on my way to surprise Gabi. I'd told her I was going to be back a day later, but I'd managed to get an earlier flight. It was barely 7 in the morning when I landed.

I stood outside my house for a long while, just staring at it, taking in the familiar surroundings. I looked across at Gabi's room, but obviously she wasn't awake yet. When I finally dragged my bags up the driveway and to my front door, I saw a pair of Gabi's slippers sitting there beside the welcome mat.

I couldn't help but smile at the image in my head of her buried under my covers, sleeping peacefully. I opened the door as softly as I could, putting my things down without making a sound. I tiptoed up the stairs and opened my room door softly, only to see her curled up in a ball, facing away from me and towards the window, the jersey with my name on it peeking out from under the sheets.

Trying my hardest not to shake the bed, I climbed in beside her and lay there silently, watching her shoulders rise and fall, listening to her heavy breathing. Even though she was asleep and all I could see was her back, it was so mesmerising. I completely lost track of time as I lay there and watched her.

The sun was already shining brightly through the window when she suddenly rolled over, her eyes still closed. She stretched out her arm and accidentally smacked me in the face.

"Oh, sorry," she grunted, without opening her eyes. And then she just lay there, facing the ceiling.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open, and her head spun around in my direction. A look of complete surprise, disbelief and confusion took over her face as she sat upright, stared at me some more, and then pounced on me, pushing me over and knocking us both off the bed.

"TONI!!!" she screamed so loudly I was sure she woke up the entire neighbourhood.

"Hey, baby," I laughed as she continued to stare at me, grabbing my face with both hands, her legs straddling my body. I looked straight into her beautiful blue eyes, just savouring the view, the beautiful view of her almost transparent, yet glowing, eyes – still filled with the deepest look of disbelief I'd ever seen. Her hands moved softly across my face, the look of confusion never going away, as if she couldn't believe that I was really there.

"Are you really here?" she whispered. "Is this really you? Am I dreaming?"

"Yeah, it's me," I whispered back. Her hair had fallen over her face, so I reached over and put it behind her ear, leaving my hand on her cheek. "I've missed you so much."

"Oh, my God," she stuck her face in my neck. "Me too. Me too, Toni. I...oh, Toni."

"Shhhhh, just...just let me hold you."

I wrapped my arms around her, and the both of us just lay there without moving, although the floor was cold and hard. She rested her lips gently on my collarbones, kissing them so softly I could barely feel it.

Gabriele, oh my Gabriele. I was so happy to have her in my arms once again. I never wanted to let her go. Not a single night passed in Leverkusen when she didn't cross my mind. I knew she hesitated to call me because she didn't want to disturb me, but I couldn't bear to not hear her voice.

Only half a year had passed. There was still an entire year of my loan to go. But I didn't want to think about it. I had Gabi in my arms once again, and it was all I'd been wanting for the past few months.

I finally lifted Gabi's head off me only to see tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. "What's wrong?" I asked, sitting up and using my thumbs to dry her tears. "Gabi, don't cry, please. I love you so much."