Seeing Double

62

Astrid's POV

"You ready for this?" Christen asks as we walk into the stadium.

"I just hope today goes better than the my last game in the NWSL." I say.

US Soccer decided to give me a retirement ceremony so I'm playing my last ever game today and for some reason we're playing at Stanford Stadium so that's kinda cool that I get to play at my alma mater. I'm also the last off the retirees to have their retirement game. Becky's was at the St.Louis MLS stadium, Carli's was at Red Bull Arena, Pinoe's was in Levi's Stadium, Ali's was at Audi Field, and Ash's was at Exploria Stadium.

My retirement games was going to be in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but I hate turf so they arranged it for Stanford.

"I still find this odd since I'm only on 39 caps." I say.

"Well this'll be forty." Kelley says.

"This is one of the days when I wished I would've accepted a call up earlier." I admit.

"When was your first offer?" Mal asks.

"September of '08." I say.

"Do you think you could've beat out Hope for the number one spot?" Alex asks.

"Yes." I say instantly.

"Well then." Kelley says.

"I always had faith that I was the best in the world." I say as we get to the locker room. "That's how I was able to play 336 games for Wolfsburg......and we lost very few of those."

"That would've been cool to see though." Alex says. "You and Hope going at it."

"It'd still be entertaining now." Kelley says. "Okay now I wanna see you two battle it out."

"I find it funny your wife and your twin are two of the best keepers ever." Mal says as I set my stuff in my locker.

"Yep." Kelley says as I put my necklace and wedding ring in a safe place. "And they're both Keepers."

"Oh my god." I say and facepalm. "That may have been the worst pun ever."

"Jerk." Kelley mumbles as I put on my hoodie and head phones.

After I've put on my hoodie and head phones I head out to the field then I stand in the center circle and look around the stadium while Good Thing by Zedd & Kehlani plays in my headphones. When the song ends I head back into the locker room and put on my purple undershirt, my warm up top, and my game shorts then I sit in my locker and tape up my hands.

"You nervous?" I ask the young left back next to me.

"Even though it's my second cap I am a little." Tegan McGrady says and chuckles. "That's normal right."

"It is." I say as I finish taping my hands. "But you've got me behind you and Tierna next to you so you'll be good."

A couple seconds later Kelley comes over and sits down in my lap so I run my fingers through her hair for a minute then put her red hair into a pony tail. I then put my hands on my twins thighs as she searches for the nail polish she wants to use.

"What color today?" Christen asks from across the room.

"Cardinal red and White." Kelley says then I rest my head on Kelley's back.

I tune out the talking in the room and listen to my twins heartbeat.

"You know our heartbeats are in sync." I mumble. "That's kinda cool."

"I mean we are twins." Kelley says with a giggle.

A few seconds later Kelley finishes my nails so I wrap my arms around her and tightly hug her.