This changes everything

Chapter 25: Across the sea

The months soon flew by, and it was now May.  The end of the season at Arsenal, which Arsenal came third in the league again, Leah was obviously upset thinking there was more that she could do.  But at the end of the day, Chelsea and Manchester city were better, next season was definitely theirs to win.   

It also meant the end of my placement with Arsenal, but it wasn't the end of my time spent there.  Leah thought we should pull a sick joke by letting the rest of the girls believe it actually was the time of my time there.  For some reason I played along with her, and when Beth decided to surprise me with an elaborate going away party, she still wouldn't let me tell them.  Instead I pulled up to an evening knowing what was happening and told them my own surprise, that I was staying.  

Everyone was excited of course, since for the past two years I was someone who really became apart of the Arsenal family, aside from dating Leah, the girls really trusted me. 

I had the meeting for the defence of my thesis, and just like my professor said, I was set to graduate in June.  Then, I would be taking over Arsenal in August.  My professor was set to be one of the leads in research about implementing sports psychology practices in women's football, and the positive impacts it has for players, and the reductions in injury.  His goal was ultimately to see if this can reduce the amount of ACL injuries there are, because in women's football, there are far too many. 

I was set to join his team.  A team of sports psychologists stationed at every football club in the women's super league, and I got to be on it.  Oh how life was really coming together. 

Life was good for Leah and I, and now we were set to head across the sea for Alex's wedding.  First we were headed to my hometown, to visit my mum for a couple days.  She was begging for us to pay her a visit, so she didn't have to wait for until the wedding day to meet Alex.  Apparently she also had someone special for us to meet, unlike my dad, whom I still have not spoken to, she actually told me about him. 

----

It was a Monday night, and we were packing our bags, for our flight the next morning.  The red dress Alex and I had picked out for me to wear was safe with her, mostly so we could keep it a surprise for Leah, even though we weren't together back then, we would get back together in time for the wedding, and she could see me where red.  It was her favourite colour after all. 

"Wait, where's your dress for the wedding" 

"Alex has it, she's keeping it safe for me" 

"Okay good, is your mum picking us up from the airport?" 

"Yes, but apparently she has someone special doing the actual driving" 

She glanced her eyes at me, looking surprised, considering the way I acted with my dad. 

"Ab, you're okay with that?" 

"I mean yeah, she deserves to be happy" 

"You know how hypocritical you sound right now yeah?" 

"Oh shut up, my brother died, then my dad left, and then I left, she basically had no one for so long" 

"Whatever you say babe" 

"We're done talking about this now" 

She laughed and placed a soft kiss on my lips. 

---- 

We landed in Toronto the next day.  We passed through customs and baggage claim, everything made it in one piece, then we exited the terminal to find my mum and her new special someone waiting for us.