Paris / Ted Lasso

22. Dani Rojas

"Dani Rojas here yet?" Poppy questioned. 

"Doc's checking on his knee." Higgins agreed. 

"I wanted to pop in- oh I already ran through our reports and... Becca," Poppy took a step forward. "I sent you the report... it's not good but not, not good int he way you want, I dont think." Rebecca was quick to open her laptop as Poppy headed out. "Come on Birdie." she reached out a hand and Birdie jumped up running to her mother. 

"Not the game. We're talking about practice, with your team. With your teammates. The only place we get to play together, we got control over. Rest of the time it's us 11 against those 11. We're talking about practice, man! I'm talking about practice!" Ted shouted. 

Poppy had never heard Ted raise his voice, angry Ted was kind of sexy, Poppy decided. Jamie wasnt in uniform and being moody, Poppy reasoned that was why Ted was upset. 

She headed back on her way to the med room. Knocking on the door, a bright smile greeted her. 

"Hi, Dani? We are the welcoming committee." Poppy remarked. 

"Hello!" Dani declared grabbing her hand and giving it a firm shake. "I'm Dani Rojas, thank you for having me!" 

"I'm Poppy Welton, this is Birdie, we are glad to have you, how are you feeling?" 

"I'm great, boss." Dani assured. 

"You think you can get out to training today?" Poppy questioned. 

"Oh yes, of course, I'm ready." Dani agreed. 

"The new kid, what's his... Dani what?"

"Rojas." Beard answered.

" Rojas, yeah. Is he any good?" Ted questioned.

"Came here in the summer transfer window, was immediately injured," Beard offered. "so no one's really seen him play."

"That's okay. You know, 'cause once Jamie sees someone else playing his position, you know... I mean, it's gonna hurt his soul."

"They are already out there, you want me to introduce you?" POppy questioned. 

"I would like to make an entrance Ms Poppy." Dani corrected. 

"Then you make an entrance, Dani." Poppy agreed. "I will be rooting for you." 

"Thank you, Ms Poppy!"  Dani declared. 

"Okay, let's be sure to help Dani get acclimated, all right? First time in this league can be very overwhelming." Ted offered. 

"Dani Rojas, Rojas! Dani Rojas! Rojas, Dani Rojas! Rojas, Rojas, Rojas!" Dani cheered out. "Hey! Hello, coaches. Thank you for the opportunity".

"Yeah. You are a spirited fella, Dani." Ted remarked. "Just go on out there, and get the striker spot for us, okay?"

"Yes! Just like back in Guadalajara, you say it, I do it, Coach." Dani agreed. "Football is life!"

"I like him." Ted decided.

"Jamie doesn't." Poppy countered with a laugh. Ted smiled back at her.  

"FOOTBALL IS LIFE!" Dani shouted receiving a pass from Sam and sending it beautifully into the goal.

"I used to be able to move like that." Poppy whispered.

"I'm sure you still can." Ted offered. "Practice and a lot of stretching, that always looks painful." 

"It is but its worth it if you score." Poppy assured. "Landing wrong though, thats dangerous. Dani did good though." her phone dinged and she cursed under her breath running off. Ted opened his mouth to talk to her but she was gone. 

"Damnit Rupert," POppy murmured kicking off her heels as she ran up to Rebeccas office. 

"Are we having a race?" Birdie questioned chasing after her. 

"Yes, to aunt beccas office." Poppy agreed. 

"I'm really glad to see that you're laughing." Keeley remarked. "I just came by to see if you're okay, really."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Rebecca countered.

"Oh, Christ. Have you not seen the news yet?" Keeley questioned. "I really wanted to be the one to comfort you, not to break it to you." Rebecca stared back at her confused. "So, you remember that stunning girl, Bex?"

"The one that Rupert left with the night of the gala?" Rebecca countered.

"Do you really want me to pretend that she wasn't mad fit?" Keeley countered.

"I'd appreciate it." Rebecca agreed.

"Okay, well. That hideous cow, whose name's Bex, which is actually short for..."

"Rebecca." Rebecca muttered. Poppy pushed open the door. 

"Yep, which is also your name, as you know. So the press is calling her..."

""New Rebecca. Shit." Rebecca muttered.

"Shit you saw." Poppy murmured. 

"No." Rebecca countered. "Keeley just informed me." 

"Nope. The press is calling her "Rebecca," and you're..." Keeley hesitated. "Old Rebecca." she whispered. 

" What?"

"Keeley you couldnt just keep your mouth shut?" Poppy begged.

"Old Rebecca." Keeley declared. 

"Old Rebecca?" Rebecca demanded.

"Don't worry about it. You've got this. And if you ever have a moment, or if you don't got this, then you just call me, right?" Keeley offered. 

"Thank you Keeley." Rebecca said robotically. 

"I'm so sorry, I got the alert and I ran right here, I wanted to- I dont know what." Poppy admitted. 

"Old Rebecca?" SHe repeated stiffly. 

"That girl is young enough to be his daughter, its disgusting." Poppy assured. 

"I mean, Jamie is an ace, right?"

"You know, whose attitude turned him into a seven of clubs... So then we bring in another fella to help turn him back into an ace and then that fella ends up being an ace himself. And so now we got two aces." Ted remarked. "Aces. Aces. Oh, heck. I did it again. I'm stuck. Aces. That's the word, yeah?"

"Aces. Aces. Ace." Beard repeated. "Aces? Oh, now I'm in there."

"Poppy say Aces." Ted requested. 

"Aces."

"Slower." Ted countered. 

"Ace...s?" Poppy agreed confused.  

"See? Okay, good. Aces? Aces. I hope it's not contagious." Ted murmured. 

"I dont know how you make me smile so easily." Poppy remarked. "But I hope that never changes."