What The Heart Wants

A Huge Gamble

No delays happened on the trip to Las Vegas. Ali and Shelina caught a shuttle from the airport to the Mandalay Bay, where tonight's party would start and where the merrymakers were staying. The two took their bags up to their respective rooms before Ali decided a cat nap might be a good idea before things began for the evening. She woke up from her nap around 4:30, giving her 90 minutes to get ready before meeting everyone up in the Vista Suite at 6:00 for pre-gaming. Shelina called Ali around 5:50 to find out if she was ready so the two of them could go up to the suite together. They met at the elevator and took it up to their first destination.

Shelina knocked on the door, which was answered by Karina Leblanc, everyone's favorite videographer and Carpool Karaoke leader. KK hugged her and Ali and then made way for them to come in the door. When they got to the bar, they noticed that Carm Moscato was slinging drinks behind it. Ali reached over to try and hug her, which didn't work out so well, so Carm came out from behind it and embraced her friend and college teammate, then looked her over.

Carm: What's the special occasion?! Is Ashlyn around somewhere and looking to show you off?

Ali: No. She's back in Orlando cooling her jets before going to National Team camp next week.

Carm: So why the "look at me" dress and the extra height?

Ali: I guess I felt like being pretty for this and enjoying the freedom I'll have tonight.

Carm: I wouldn't call that a pretty look. More like a sexy look. You're lucky most of our fellow partiers are taken or you might get an offer or two for somethin' somethin'.

Ali punched Carm in the arm at her suggestion that she was looking for some action. Meanwhile, Shelina made her way over to the birthday girl and placed a loving kiss on her lips.

Steph: Mmmmmm. So, what else do you have in store for me tonight, O Captain My Captain?

Shelina: You're going to have to wait and see. Now let's get you out there so you can see who else arrives.

Shelina grabbed Steph's hand and drug her out to the bar area, where Carm and Ali were still commiserating.

Steph: Ali! I wasn't expecting you. So glad you came. Sorry about Saturday.

Ali gave Steph a warm hug and a peck on the cheek. "What's done is done. I don't know if I could have done any better myself than I did. The Thorns are just too loaded this year. Getting Tobin back right before the playoffs just added another weapon to their arsenal, and now that Lindsey and Emily have gained some confidence, they are developing into really good players. How was your time away from the Spirit?"

Steph: Refreshing, fulfilling, necessary. I had hit a mental wall about midway through this season. As you saw, I rode the high from the medal in Rio through the end of last season and into the off-season without thinking about how that one accomplishment would change my perspective on the game as well as others' view of my ability. When Kelsey got hurt in Australia, I entered preseason with no competition for the starting job, which was good in that I could focus 100% on being the best keeper possible, but it was bad in that I didn't have another player pushing me in training or with whom I could exchange ideas or tactics on the field on a daily basis.

Ali: When Ash went down with her injury, everyone on the back line stepped up to help Aubrey manage her inexperience. Only those who live with keepers, love keepers, or are keepers get what it's like in your world.

Steph: That's why I was glad to have you in DC last year. You knew how to keep me up when I would get down, especially going into the Olympics when I knew I was going to be backstopping Canada for the first time in a competition that mattered. Yeah, I played in the 2015 Pan Am Games for them, but the squad was young and it was more about blooding some players and getting me games than the results. Rio was important to the CSA and getting back on the podium would mark a major turn in the game for our country, with a chance to finally chase down the US, Germany, France, Brazil, and the other big-time nations at the top of the world rankings. Erin and Karina had handled every other major game we had had since John came and I definitely doubted if I had the ability to play at their level.

Ali: And you proved yourself able to do so. Your first couple of months this season also proved to those around the league that Rio wasn't just a two-week, keeper-getting-hot moment.

Steph: I wish I could say that I was back to my old self, but I feel relieved by accepting my limitations and coming to terms with how much I can reasonably handle as an athlete on the mental side of the game. Physically, I've gotten into the best shape of my life, which I hope helps me next year.

Ali: Then you must be super-human, because I've always known you to be one of the fittest, buffest, dare I say sexiest female soccer players in the game.

Steph blushed at Ali's flattery. "Did Carm put you up to that?"

Ali: No, but that would be such a Carm thing to do, right?

The two former teammates and friends shared a laugh at that thought and the mutual acknowledgment of their friend's sense of humor.

While Steph and Ali were talking, others came into the suite, including Diana Matheson, Kristie Mewis and Steph McCaffrey, Ella and Erin McLeod, and Janine Beckie. Kristie came over to Steph and hugged her, then introduced her formally to her girlfriend. The two had played against each other a couple of times in the NWSL, but never really talked before or after games.

Kristie: Steph, this is Steph. Steph, Steph.

Both Stephs laughed at Kristie's little play on words.

Steph: Please to meet you officially, Hoodrat. Excuse me if I'm being too informal with that.

Stephy Mac: So Kristie told you my nickname. I guess I'm going to have to teach her not to do that in the future. *wink*

Steph: Seems like you and I have the same kind of dark-but-non-threatening sense of humor.

Stephy Mac: Speak for yourself. I am personally intimidated by you on the field. You could break me in two if you wanted to.

Steph: Why does everyone think I have this superhuman strength that could tear apart a car one piece at a time?!

Stephy Mac: You looked in a mirror lately?! You are absolutely ripped, and the tats make your muscles look scarier than normal.

Shelina got everyone's attention and announced that they would be leaving for the Hard Rock Hotel in a few minutes to start the REAL partying. Before they left, Carm led the group in a chorus of "Happy Birthday" for the now 31-year-old goalkeeper.