Football One Shots

John Terry: Captain, Leader, Legend

Dear John,

Over the years, we've had the same dreams, hopes and wants. You've travelled off to whatever premier league match you had that weekend, or travelled across Europe and I would go and see out my career to the maximum. It seemed so perfect. You wouldn't feel bad about leaving me, and I wouldn't miss you.

I guess being a professional athlete and a female doesn't always work out too well, because I got pregnant. I was devastated at first when I thought of having to leave for over a year, but I began to love the tiny human that was growing inside of me.

When I told you about being pregnant, you had immediately jumped around and was just about as happy as when you won the Champion's League. I knew you wanted to start a family, but I didn't know you wanted to that badly.

That was the first time I doubted our relationship, because eventually I would want to work again, and I knew I couldn't. I couldn't travel the world coaching young, aspiring athletes the way I always thought I would.

But, it was okay.

I had doubts that I never voiced, but they were there for sure. When we had our child together, it was a great day. I held our son in my arms and saw you were crying. I hadn't seen you cry since 2008. The occasions aren't exactly comparable, however.

As he grew up, I thought maybe this was how life was suppose to be. Me as a mother, with a few shiny medals and awards hanging on a wall near your extensive trophy cabinet.

He played football for the Chelsea academy and you made sure he was a blue through and through. We'd go to his matches and he would score goals and make plays that would make you so proud. I realized though, even when you watched me perform, you were never near that type of proud. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of our son too, but watching you win awards and special honors, I was always proud.

As the months ticked by, I became known not as the athlete, but as 'John Terry's wife' and I don't think that's fair. I'm more than just the girl at your side.

We're both getting older, John, and I just need a few weeks separate from this suffocating life I've been living. In don't expect you to know anything about how I've been feeling, but I've been feeling like this for years. I hope to earn your forgiveness and trust back, but right now, I just need to be apart.

Love always,

Sandra.

John blinked at the piece of paper a few times before crumbling it and throwing it at the wall. Just as he was about to leave and go kick a ball around to clear his head, his son ran into the room.

"Dad, can you bring Michael and I to get some cookies and soda, so we can watch a movie?" George, his son, asked.

"Isn't it home?" John asked.

"No, mom's been keeping the house healthy so you wouldn't get tempted and eat something bad for you." George revealed.

"Alright, lets go." John sighed.

He wondered if his wife had bothered to tell George that she would be absent for a few weeks, or if she just disappeared without telling anybody.

Once in the car with his son and his friend, John plastered a fake smile and drove towards a store. Of course, the boys had gotten a lot more than just cookies and soda. Nearly half of a salary later, John was carrying a full shopping cart of groceries back into his eerily empty home.

The next day at training, John had been a complete mess. It caused many glances and stares, but nobody wanted to push their captain to tell his feelings. It was times like these that he missed Frank, Petr, and Didier. The four of them were the best of friends, and he'd do pretty much anything to go back to the good old days.

However, his long time teammate and friend, Branislav had gone to question the captain, who shrugged everything off.

A week had gone by, and it was contract renewal time. He was fairly confident that he would get renewed, but his agent had called him. A sour manager had caused John's heart to shatter. He demanded to be told face to face by the Chelsea board they would not renew his contract, and they did.

John had gone back home that day, feeling like everything he had placed any trust or love into over the years, were turning their backs on him.

When Branislav asked again if John was alright, he had broken down before any words could come out of his mouth.

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In honor of posting part twenty-six of this book, I chose captain, John Terry. Now, I was originally going to make a happy one, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't. The reality is, the chelsea board should be begging JT to sign a new contract, and they aren't. There's nothing happy in that. I just hope they'll renew his contract before the season ends. It would be a shame to end such an amazing career in a season that belongs in the trash.

Captain, Leader, Legend

John Terry