bringing lucy home

Chapter 15: The Truth Comes Out

Lucy sat miserably on the front steps of Steph's house. She had limped as far as her foot could carry her before collapsing on a nearby bench. She had called a cab and had been sitting on Steph's steps for only a bit when Steph and Keira sped down the road pulled up roughly into the drive.

Keira rushed out the car and ran to Lucy. "Lucy. I'm so sorry."

Lucy wiped her eyes, standing up. "Is that what you think of me, too?"

Keira shook her head furiously. "No. Not at all." She threw her arms around Lucy. "Georgia had no idea what she was talking about. Please, don't mind it."

"But what if she's right," Lucy said quietly, unable to keep tears sliding down her face. "I know G. She wouldn't say something she doesn't believe. And if she's thought those things, I'm sure she's not the only one."

"No, Lucy," Keira reassured her, unlocking the front door and walking into the house. "Look...I think we need to talk. "

Lucy looked down. "I think so too." Finally, she and Keira were going to have to do what Lucy had been so fiercely avoiding this whole time. She followed Keira into Keira's room at Steph's.

It was a nice room, with City blue walls with pictures covering almost every inch. Pictures of her and Lucy. Keira's old England and City shirts were hung on one wall. Lucy recognized one City shirt as her own, number 2. "Hey..." she began, but didn't finish. She stopped gaping around Keira's room and sat on Keira's bed next to her.

Keira tucked her hair behind her ear and looked into Lucy's eyes earnestly. "Lucy, when we were on the phone that day..."

"No," Lucy cut in. "Keira, I'm sorry. That was all my fault. I...I was just a jerk."

"Please, Lucy, just hear me out," Keira continued. "When I was saying that Lyon was your home, and that City wasn't good enough for you...that it was better this way...and that I was glad you were at Lyon...it wasn't because I don't miss you. It wasn't because I don't want you at City. I hate to say it, Luce, but I do miss you. I do want you at City. And if you didn't know..." she laughed with a slight tone of sadness, gesturing towards Lucy's old City shirt that she kept on her wall, "I've been wanting you to be back here at City with me since the day you left. And I'm not trying to make you feel guilty. So when I told you all that, it was because I was trying to be supportive. The last thing I wanted was for you to feel guilty about leaving. And to be honest...I've been hiding that from you and trying to make it sound like I want you to be at Lyon to support you, because I do support you. But...but..." tears filled her eyes and her voice dropped to a whisper. "I just miss you, I guess that's the bottom line. So I'm sorry if I haven't made it clear that I want you to be at Lyon. I want you to be happy"

Lucy was crying too now. "Keira, that's just it. What's been bothering me is...I'm not happy at Lyon. And I...I guess the truth I've been hiding is that I want to come back to City." Lucy watched as Keira's eyes got big and her mouth dropped open slightly in shock. Keira covered her face in her hands. "I know I've put you through a lot. And I know you want me to be happy. And I think what would make me happy is coming back to City."

Keira turned her head to the window, still taking in what Lucy had said. "Jesus, Luce..." She was at a loss for words. Again she buried her face in her hands in unbelief.

Lucy didn't understand. "Kei, whats wrong? Kei?" She took Keira's face in her hands to see that she was crying again. "Oh, Kei..."

"No, Lucy, I'm not sad," laughed Keira through her tears. "I just can't believe it. All this time I've been trying to be supportive of you going to Lyon...and all you wanted was for me to want you back here...where you want to be..."

"I'm out for 6 months, Kei," Lucy said, referencing her ankle. "I'm going to have to do recovery in France but I'm going to see...if City still want me, I'm ready to sign for next season."

Keira laughed, tears of joy and disbelief falling down her face. She took Lucy's hand in her own. "Thank God." The two footballers leaned forward, resting their foreheads on each others. It seemed finally that they could both really be happy after all.