What The Heart Wants

Letting The Guard Down

Ali and Steph had everything ready to go and were waiting for the other couples to arrive. On the couch, the two recapped a bit of what happened while they were apart.

Ali: I came home last Monday and Ashlyn wasn't here. She thought it better for us to have "that talk" when both of us were reasonably alert and not stressed by one another, so she stayed somewhere else that night. When she came back the next morning, we sat down and the words just came out from both of us, that things weren't working and that something had gotten in the way of that happening. I admitted to her what I saw when she and Alex were on the field during the post-game in San Jose and what Orlandini insinuated following Alex's separation filing. She noticed in my pics from Philly how happy I looked and how the two of us looked together in the picture at Franklin Fountain. It wasn't the kind of break-up where you want to throw knives at one another. It was the type where you both admit fault for how things fizzled out and that the life span of the relationship had come to an end. I think we're still close friends and will be, but now she is free to love Alex at a deeper level than she was able to when we were together and to get the public affirmation from her that I couldn't provide. As for me, it gives me a chance to fall in love with someone who connects with me in heart, mind, body, and soul.

Steph: I hope that you already have a strong contender for that position.

Ali: I do, but I'm not going to go forward on that until I know she is free to give me those things.

Steph: Well, Georgia and I had a talk via Skype on Wednesday, early afternoon for me, night for her being in Switzerland. I told her that I didn't think it was fair to either of us to be trying to have the kind of all-in relationship we both want with us half a world apart most of the time, that her Olympic pursuit along with my joining the Hearts meant that we just didn't have the time to spend on maintaining that type of relationship. As for Shelina, that is going to be a harder nut to crack since she REALLY wants my heart and I know she can't deal with everything in it. She will definitely be hurt when I tell her that I need to move on to find someone who I can love mind, body, heart, and soul. Playing for the Hearts will put some needed distance into the equation, and if I'm able to make a connection with someone in the areas where I've been relying on her as well as the parts that come more naturally for me, it will help me to cross that bridge and be free to give myself to just one person.

Ali: I think you gave me a satisfactory enough answer that I can think about not having you sleep on the couch tonight.

Steph: I was hoping that I wouldn't be resigned to that, but I didn't want to push at all, not knowing you that well in that way yet.

Ali scooted closer to Steph and decided to take the opportunity to move the needle a little further than they were able to yesterday, since there was no expectation of anyone showing up for a half hour or so. She pressed her up against the armrest and slithered in to place a kiss on the underside of her jaw, then moved up and took her bottom lip fully in between hers, softly suckling while kissing it tenderly. Steph responded by wrapping her arms around Ali and pressing her lips full onto hers. Neither one pushed any further, just enjoying the connection of their two selves through their lips. After a few minutes of this, they were interrupted by the doorbell.

Ali: Argh. At least you'll still be here after everyone is gone and hopefully we won't get interrupted then.

Ali gave Steph a light peck and then got up to answer the door. Morgan and Sammy Jo entered and brought a bottle of wine with them. Ali asked Steph to pull out glasses from the cupboard for the four of them. After Sammy Jo poured everyone a fair serving, as well as glasses for late arrivals Savannah and Sarah, who JUST turned 21, the six of them stood around the kitchen island and began sharing their "how did you get together" stories.