The Wait Is Over

Blessed and Cursed at the Same Time

Steph: Whoa. Wow.

Yael: Yeah.

Steph: This explains some of what's been going on the past few weeks.

Yael: I don't know what to tell you. I can't ask you to stay with me under these circumstances.

Steph: We can get through this. Besides, nothing can be confirmed until we get back to Boston.

Yael: I don't want you to feel tied-down if you're not ready for that.

Steph: And I don't want to be without you.

Yael: I'm scared.

Steph: I understand. This is a difficult thing to see come up on you when you weren't expecting it.

Yael: I DEFINITELY didn't think this would happen.

Steph: We've got a game today. Are you well enough to be there?

Yael: I think so.

Steph: I'll tell John that we're going to Boyds early so I can get some extra work in before the rest of the players arrive. I still know how to get there from here, and with a rental car, we can stay after the game if we want to. I need to work off the range of emotions that are flowing through me, and we can talk about this a bit on the way over, where the proof isn't staring at us.

Yael: How did I get so lucky to find such a level-headed person when this news should have caused at least one of us to have a conniption?

Steph: I think I'm the lucky one. Sure, it will be an adjustment if turns out to be true, but we can handle it. We've both wanted this in our own ways. Just wasn't expecting it would be like this.

***

The Lifetime Game of the Week was in Orlando today for the match-up between the Pride and the Portland Thorns. Lindsey Horan's first-half goal was answered in the 81st minute by Daphne Corboz and Orlando dropped its first points of the season in a 1-1 draw.

***

The Boston Breakers took the opening kickoff and began showing off their possession game, working the ball around the midfield and into the back line, where Meagan Stassi was getting her second consecutive start in place of Allysha Chapman on the left side, with Jenni Santacaterina returning to the first XI in the middle alongside Megan Oyster, and Julie King on the right.

In the 26th minute, the Breakers breached the Spirit's back line with a pass from Jessie Fleming to Rose Lavelle, who put the ball past Abby Smith inside the far post. The Breakers scored again in the 49th minute when a Morgan Andrews corner kick found the head of Sam Mewis for her fourth goal of the season. Late-game substitutions nearly cost Steph Labbe her second shutout of the season as Devin Schiller committed a dangerous foul on Mallory Pugh on the edge of the box, resulting in a near-goal from Meggie Dougherty Howard's free kick. In the end, Boston kept the clean sheet to win 2-0 and picked up three important points to move into a first-place tie in the Eastern Conference with Orlando, with Atlanta able to join the party with a win tomorrow at Sky Blue FC.

Following the match, Mallory Pugh and Jessie Fleming exchanged pleasantries and walked around the field hand-in-hand, trying to stir up some reactions from their teammates.

Jaelene: Awww, those two look so cuuuuuute together.

Steph: Jessie, you better not be giving away any of our secrets.

Shelina: Baby Canada got herself a Baby Nat? Who said she had no game?!

Sam: Mal pal, you might not want to be that close to her. No idea what Becky will do to you when she sees this.