From Barcelona To...

Chapter 106 - We've Got You

Leah's P.O.V

"Bubs" Mum says softly, but I can sense a concerned tone, as I spin around. I was right about the concerned tone as her face matches it

"What?"

Mum hands me her phone. At first I roll my eyes, instantly noticing its a online tabloid site. But then I read the headline.

BREAKING NEWS Arsenal and England superstar Ellie Jones set to MISS the birth of baby with her pregnant girlfriend Leah Williamson

"What. The. Fuck" my eyes working overtime as I read every single word of the article.

"This is bullshit. How do they get away with writing this" I'm angry. Very fucking angry. I'm 8 months pregnant, hormonal, emotional, tired and very fucking fed up. This is not what I need right now. It's not what we need. The anger inside of me is burning, the tears bursting out of my eyes

"Oh bubs" Mum stands up and wraps her arms around me.

News articles aren't new to us these days, since we announced the pregnancy, its fair to say both Ellie and I have had a lot more media attention than normal. And unfortunately, it hasn't always been focused on football. Although we have been pushed more into the spotlight since the euros win, we still had an element of privacy in the fact papers weren't ever really interested in our private lives, that was until we announced we were having a baby. Some of them quite positive but majority weren't of anything particularly personal, they were mainly just ignorant. Ignorant of the fact that this baby is both mine and Ellies. They used to upset me at the beginning, but with Ellies support I stopped caring, she didn't seem to care what they said, although I do think deep down she was affected by it. But we stuck together and did our best to try to not let it get to us and to try and keep our private life as private as possible, despite the increase in paps now wanting to catch a glimpse of us in the street, or at the clinic or to find out any sort of gossip they could, only really publishing old photos of me with past relationships or Ellie with, well, quite a few people but nothing of anything that ever mattered. But this? This is too far.

"Leah, sit down and take a breath" Mum says, as I pace the kitchen, ranting and raving but decide to take her advice, take a minute. Just breathe Leah.

"Leah..." Mum says softly, reaching her hand out and placing it on mine "I love Ellie but..."

"Mum, don't even..."

"Listen. I love Ellie, you know I do. But I wouldn't be doing my job as a mother, or as a soon to be Grandmother, if I didn't ask if any of it is..."

"True?"

"Yeah?" Mum says, I can see the guilt in her eyes at the fact she is even asking. And as much as it makes me angry that she is, I can sort of get why too.

"No, Mum, it's not. Do we have the odd argument? Of course we do. But we don't have blazing rows. Ellie has not spent one night away from me since we found out I was pregnant, apart from if it was for football. Not because of any fucking arguments"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Who's decision was it for you to carry the baby?"

"You've got to be fucking kidding"

Mum doesn't say anything.

"You know all this Mum. Ellie and I spoke to you, to the family, to Ellies family about all of this. Yes Ellie made it clear she wasn't ready to take a break from football, but she didn't refuse or force me to carry. It was me. Ellie told us to wait until we both retired or look more into surrogacy. But it was me who wanted to carry the baby, it was my decision to carry. You know this Mum and its one thing the fucking tabloids ripping Ellie to shreds but its another thing you doing it"