The Wait Is Over

Loud and Proud

Guests are arriving to Kelley and Moe's house for this morning's unofficial opening event of Love 4 All. Lindsey and Emily arrived early along with Mana Shim. The Charge contingent are the next to show up, followed by the Breakers and Pride players. The current attendees are spread out between the kitchen area and the upstairs deck. Steph Labbe asks DiDi Haracic if they could talk for a few minutes. They head down to the lower level and take up residence under the deck.

Steph: I think I need to clear the air with you about me and Shelina.

DiDi: When she was in Philly last weekend, we talked a little about the two of you and she assured me that all you are are friends with slightly more affectionate ways of showing it.

Steph: That's a pretty good description. You know how liberal She-She is when it comes to her friends. Our time together with the Canadian National Team and the Spirit has caused the two of us to be closer to each other at times than we are to our significant others. You saw it while you were with the two of us in Washington. Trust me when I say that I would NEVER try to get between you and her. She loves you, and I hear it when your name comes up in conversation.

DiDi: She told me also about your current situation. That has to be a big pile at the moment.

Steph: Yeah. Yael got the confirmation on Monday and is due at the end of November. We haven't had a chance to have a real conversation about how we'll navigate this since she found out. The break will give us a couple of days during the week where we can possibly get out of Boston to be alone and work through all the hurdles that are in the way.

DiDi: I wish you and Yael the best, and thank you for giving me an explanation about you and my girl.

Steph and DiDi give one another a loose hug and go back upstairs to join the others. A number of Charge and Storm players and staff are sitting around a table on the deck.

Carli: Julie, you ready?

Julie: I think so. This one next to me has been ready for a long time for me to do this.

Cali: You and Christen official?

Julie: Not official official, like I'm not leaving my husband for her at the moment, but I AM going to declare that we have something together.

EJ Proctor: How hard has it been juggling the two of them?

Julie: It's been exhausting, but with national team camp starting after today's game, we'll have a slower pace the next ten days or so to spend time together around people who know about us.

Sarah Troccoli: I'm a bit nervous about tonight. My family doesn't know that I'm with EJ, or that I'm even gay. Stating that is going to be a big step, but knowing that some of you are also making that big jump will hopefully help me hold my nerve enough to not back away from doing it.

Ella: When I came out publicly, it was after having taken a negative viewpoint on homosexuality, calling it unhealthy. I had to walk back those comments in order to admit that Erin changed my opinion and changed me as a person through her constant support and love. That's why I didn't hesitate to fire back at those who called me two-faced or complimented and criticized me at the same time. I can't say I love her and then not defend our relationship when it's questioned.

Ali: Ashlyn had to push me hard to finally drop my defensiveness over being out. I loved her so much and I saw how it affected her when I wouldn't confirm our relationship to the public. Eventually, I realized that for me to be able to claim her as my one and only, I had to step out and let our relationship show to others. We definitely were the worst-kept secret in women's soccer for a number of years, taking that title from Abby Wambach and Sarah Huffman, but I wasn't ready to deal with the blow back from the straight community about "wasting myself" on a woman.