Enemy Lines (completed)

26

Inside the meal room I check with all of my accessory coaches to make sure we have the meetings later out but not overlapping.

Once everything is checked out I write down all the times and hand them to the individuals. Once all that is done I finish eating and dismiss the players. On my way out Becky pulls me aside. "Hey Ansley take Brett back to the room. I'll be up shortly."

"Okay momma." She does as told and disappears into the elevator with the 9 year old closely following.

"Hey Becky what's up?"

"It's about Kelley."

"Before you say anything else would you want this conversation to happen in private rather then public because if so we can head to the conference room?"

"Actually yes."

"Okay well then follow me." We take the stairs since it's only an extra floor above.

Once at in the conference room we take our seats and get down to business.

"What's going on with Kelley?" I question highly concerned since the first month is always the hardest since it takes 30 days to make something a habit.

"Her cravings are getting bad."

"What do you mean by bad. Is she getting angrier, mood swings, depressive thoughts?" I question trying to get the feel of where one of my defenders heads is at.

"She's been a wreck."

"Mentally, physically?"

"Physically she can hold it together for a while but when it's just me and her or when Alyssa is there she is a wreck emotionally. Kelley has never been one to cry or show unneeded emotions. But as of the past week I don't think there has been a night where she hasn't cried herself to sleep. I'm only telling you this because I'm worried."

"I know you are Becky. I would say that it gets better for both yours and Kelley's sake, but it's going to be that way for a while. Because she was Intoxicated for so long that she was never sober long enough to deal with the emotions when they happened so now she is reliving and having to deal with all the emotions she had neglected to acknowledge. I probably cried myself to sleep for the first year and a half of being sober but I had no support system and I was trying to take care of 2 young kids."

"Is there anything I can do to help ease the pain for her."

"Just be there for her. I know it's exhausting. And I can truly see just how much you care for her and how much it pains you but just be there for her to either rant about whatever even if it's because Dunkin ran out of a certain whatever, or to be a shoulder she can cry on."

Becky starts to cry. "I-I really see Kelley as like my kid. She's almost my age but I remember when she came to the team I had taken a liking to her, when Alyssa joined later she also warmed up to the defender."

"This is going to be taxing on both of you but just be glad we are still a little more then 4 months out before World Cup. Imagine if this was happening then."

"Good point."

"But all I have to say is that if you and Alyssa ever need a moment off then just call me and I'll do whatever I can to help out any of you."

"I know coach and you have no idea how much that means to all of us."

"So on a lighter note you and Alyssa?" I raise my eyebrows while keeping the conversation light and teasing.

"Yeah. 5 years."

I hold out my knuckles. "Commitment nice."

"Oh my gosh you're like a five year old." She offers up laughing while sipping the remaining tears away.

I point to myself. "And this five year old has a lot of power." I retort.

"Oh my gosh. How did you and Jill meet? I can't imagine her being friends with someone so young and non-serious."

"She and Pia scouted one of my games. I ran into her while I was high. She gave me her number I threw it away. Once the news got out that I was down with sports she came to visit and then we made plans after I got released. Turns out she was he one who found me passed out in the hallway. She saved my life so I said I would do whatever she needed, whenever she needed. And that's how I came into this job."

"Wow."

"Yeah. Her wife is really nice."

"I'll keep that in mind." Becky's phone starts to ring. She picks it up and doesn't bother to leave the room. "Hey babe what's up?"

I can't hear what's being said on the other line. "I have Bryn with me do you think you can calm her down?"

"Look I'll just take Bryn with me so she can handle it if we can't."

"Okay give me a minute. Love you too." She hangs up and motions me to follow.  "Kelley's in bad shape." Is all she says as she runs up the stairs not even going to give the elevator a chance.

We make it up to her floor soon after and run toward hers and Kelley's shared room. She uses her key card and pushes open the door to find Alyssa almost wrestling Kelley to stay in one place. All you could hear was Kelley's incoherent mumbling and the sobs raking her body.

Alyssa looks to be at the end of her rope so I offer to step in. "Let me have my try at flaming her down. Yeah?"

"Alright." She says slow long reloading her grip and rolling away from the defender. I take Alyssa's spot and clutch into the crying girl. I rub her back while whispering. "It's okay Kelley I've got you. Nobody gonna hurt you. Breathe for me. Follow my heartbeat." I keep repeating as if it's a mantra.

She slowly calms down before falling asleep from exhaustion. "Do you think I could get out from under her without waking her up?" I question in a hushed tone.

Both Becky and Alyssa shake their heads. I nod before pulling out my phone and texting Christie to see if she could let my kids have a "sleepover" with her kids. She responds with a yes so I text Ansley telling her that she and Brett would be spending the night with Christie and her kids. They were happy I think.

But I couldn't tell their expression through texts. I set my phone off to the side and kick off my shoes before making myself comfortable. This would be a long night.

Becky shuts off the light before she and Alyssa climb into the spare bed. I turn to face them. "Hey I'm still your coach." I declare.

"Yeah and bed checks aren't for another 3 hours so if it's okay with you can we watch a movie?"

"Yeah I'm just fucking with you. But please try to keep the PDA to a minimum I don't want to have to try and bleach my ears."

"Oh my lord, didn't you have a wife?"

"Yeah but at least she also wasn't home much."

"Ight well keep it pg-13 for you."

"I want G rated."

"Well then you might just have to deal with it?" Becky sassily responds but follows it up by a laugh making sure to keep everything in a joking tone.

"Whatever." I retort shifting to get comfortable as Kelley is now star-fished across my body and with her head in my neck. I keep my hand on her back rubbing small circles to keep her calm and try to go to sleep. I've missed having someone to sleep with at night. I just missed the physical touch most of all.

I pass out soon after and for the first time in a while I stay asleep. Normally it's a game of tossing and turning and waking up at least 4 times throughout the night.

====+

Oppps.

Sorry I wasn't planning on updating today but fuck it. Chapters sorta short but I was watching the UEFA women's championship all I have to say is Wolfsburg V. Glasgow city was bad. 8-1 with Harder getting 4 is devastating.

And number 21 for Bayern Munich is hot.