Back to us | Alexia Putellas

Fine.

Ale and I hadn't spoken much since the night that we landed back home. She'd tried, but I wasn't ready to talk, not yet anyway. She'd come over to see Jordi every day and we kept it civil for his sake, but she was still staying at Eli's.

I had a meeting with Jonatan today about my return to training, it had been something that Ale and I had discussed when we were pregnant with Jordi. I was due in February and with the season ending in May, it made sense to me to return for pre-season after the World Cup. Jordi would be seven months old and I'd be fully recovered ready to start the season with the team, but with everything that had gone on in the last week, those plans had completely slipped my mind until the reminder went off on my phone this morning.

I didn't have anyone to look after Jordi. Ale wasn't answering her phone, Alba was away with work and Eli had a last-minute appointment that she couldn't get out of, so once again I was left alone to look after him on my own. I had no choice but to take him to the training center with me and hope that he would nap during our meeting. Which didn't happen thanks to the three teeth that were pushing their way through his gums and his new hatred for the car that he had picked up in the last few days.

Ona was the only person in the locker room when I arrived carrying a crying Jordi in his car seat with a flustered look on my face.

"Is Ale here?" I quickly asked, setting the car seat on the floor before unbuckling Jordi and taking him into my arms.

"She's doing fitness tests in the gym, is everything ok?" She asked, taking a step closer to me concern spreading across her face as she looked at her godson screaming in my arms.

"I've got my meeting with Jonatan today about coming back. Eli's busy, Alba's away, Ale's not answering her phone and I can't take him into the meeting like this" I said while bouncing Jordi up and down on my hip trying to calm him down.

"I'll take him, Ale should be done soon anyway" Ona kindly offered, reaching her arms out to take her godson.

"Thank's On, but I'm going to take him to Ale. She's his Mama and it's about time she took some of the responsibility that came with that" I spat, the anger and frustration that had been building for the last week getting the better of me as I marched out of the locker room and towards the gym.

Ale was standing at the side of the room talking to one of the physios when I walked in, the room was already loud with the sound of the rest of the team working out, and that only became louder when a crying baby was added to the situation. Ale immediately turned in our direction before taking a few steps towards us.

"What are you doing here? Is he ok?" she asked as she looked down at Jordi who was whinging restlessly in my arms.

"I've got my meeting with Jonatan and he's teething"

"I thought Mama was having him?" She asked, confusion on her face as I passed Jordi to her.

"She's busy, you'd know that if you answered your phone. I've been calling you all morning"

The gym was much quieter now, all of our teammates seemed to have stopped what they were doing and were focused on the drama that was happening between us. Ale must have noticed as she briefly glanced around and lowered her voice.

"I'm sorry"

"I'm going to be late" I mumbled, kissing the top of Jordi's head before quickly leaving the room and heading down the hall to Jonatan's office.

The meeting went well, the team had been so supportive when it came to the pregnancy and that didn't change at all after Jordi was born. They didn't try to rush me back and were supportive of me returning whenever I felt ready. We decided on a phased return, I'll start by working on my fitness in the gym for a few weeks before gradually returning to full-time training. I was apprehensive about returning, especially with everything that was going on at home, but I knew I needed it. I needed to get back to some sort of normality even if that was just at work.