The Only Exception

Part Two - Chapter Thirty-One: Always Proud

Lucia pressed a kiss to Maia’s head as they waited for Lionel to arrive back at the hotel, they hadn’t been allowed to travel with the team; it hadn’t been easy to leave Lionel behind at the stadium.

Lucia had felt her heart breaking as they waited for the ending ceremony, it had dragged on and she had cursed the organisers for not being more prepared; it was hard on everyone who had lost that night.

“Papa will be here soon,” Lucia murmured bouncing Maia in her arms, she doubted Lionel would have been drinking instead she hoped he’d come home soon.

Lucia sat down on Lionel’s hotel bed, she doubted anyone would care if she spent the night; the tournament was over and she wanted nothing more than to comfort her husband.

Lionel had played so well but he couldn’t carry an entire team, he had done his best and Lucia was so proud of him; she was sure that this was a good sign for the team’s future.

Lucia looked up as she heard Lionel coming back, she took a deep breath knowing how devastated he had been when she had last seen him.

Lionel quietly stepped into his hotel room and blinked surprised to see Lucia, he was sure she would have gone to her own room for the night and was relieved that she hadn’t.

“Hola,” Lucia said softly, she offered him a small smile as he set down his bag; her heart ached as she watched him wishing that she could make all of this better for him.

Lionel nodded at her, he had cried some much in the locker room and he couldn’t forgive himself for losing the world cup; he was meant to be the world’s best player and he couldn’t win the tournament when it mattered most.

“Do you want to order some dinner?” Lucia asked carefully, she didn’t want to push her husband but she worried about him and wished to make things better.

***

Lionel held Maia close as he prepared to settle his little girl down to bed for the night, he pressed a kiss to her head; he still couldn’t believe that he hadn’t won the world cup, it made him wonder if there was something wrong.

Lucia watched her husband, he had insisted on putting Maia to sleep but she worried that he was trying to force himself to forget; she didn’t want him rushing when he was clearly upset.

“Lo siento,” Lionel whispered carefully setting Maia down in her cot for the night, he blinked back tears as he took a shaky breath; he had wanted to win the world cup for her.

Lucia quietly moved to wrap her arms around Lionel, she hugged him as he turned in her arms; Lionel held Lucia close, he hated how everything was playing out.

“It’s okay,” Lucia whispered as she tried to calm him, she didn’t know what to say to her husband; this wasn’t something that would be healed anytime soon.

Lucia closed her blue eyes, she couldn’t believe that the world cup had ended like this and she wished there was something that she could do to fix things.

“Lo siento,” Lionel whimpered pulling back from Lucia, he looked at her wanting to apologise when he should have played so much better; he had let everyone down and he didn’t deserve her being so nice to him.

“I wanted to win for you and Maia… I should have played better for you,” Lionel said as Lucia moved to sit him on their bed, she paused at his words and shook his head; she brushed some hair from her face before she made him sit down.

Lionel looked at her, he wanted her to shout at him and make him feel bad for letting his team and her down.

“Leo… I am so proud of you,” Lucia said moving to sit down next to her husband, she took his hand and gave him a small kiss to his cheek; she loved him and that wasn’t going to change just because he didn’t win the world cup.

Lionel looked down at their hands, he didn’t know how Lucia could be proud of him; he hadn’t won the cup and he had let so many people down by not winning.

Lucia shook her head, she lifted Lionel’s head up so that he could look at her; she didn’t want him keeping everything inside and she didn’t care about anyone else.

“So what if you didn’t win the world cup? You got to the final and you won the Golden Ball for the tournament,” Lucia said smiling, she wanted Lionel to see how well he had done; she was sure that there were more teams out there that were in more trouble than Argentina.

Lionel stared at Lucia, he didn’t know how she could be okay with all of this; he didn’t think he deserved his reward and he knew that there were better players out there right now.

Lucia took a deep breath, she loved her husband but sometimes he could be so silly; she stared him in the eye wanting to prove that she didn’t care about the world cup.

***

Lionel blinked the sleep from his eyes as he slowly woke up, it took him a moment to remember what had happened in the final before he peeked down at Lucia; he swallowed as he watched her sleeping.

Lionel took a shaky breath before he carefully climbed out of bed, he couldn’t forget that he had failed to win the world cup and he was surprised that Lucia had spent the entire evening comforting him.

Lionel didn’t deserve how nice she was being to him, he kept replaying the match in his head and how he could have played better to make sure Argentina won.

Lucia moved in the bed making him look at her, he watched her for a moment before he padded out onto the balcony; the city was alive with people partying after the world cup.

Lionel stared out over the city, he couldn’t believe that it was all over; he wished he could go back in time and change everything to make sure Argentina won.

“Leo,” Lucia murmured following her husband, she had woken up when he had climbed out of bed; she worried about him and she knew he would just keep thinking about the final.

“It’s nothing… go back to bed,” Lionel said peeking back at her, he didn’t want her to lose sleep over him, she had to think about their baby and he was sure that there were more important things right now.

Lucia sighed shaking her head, she stepped out onto the balcony and wrapped her arms around Lionel; she wished he wasn’t so stupid and hoped he would snap out of this funk.

“I love you so much,” Lucia said kissing his cheek, she would never stop loving him and she was sure that Lionel would be okay; they had so much to look forward to in the future.

Lionel smiled a little turning to look at his wife, he was glad that she wasn’t trying to shut him out or push him; he just needed her and he was grateful.

“I love you too,” Lionel said kissing her on the lips, he wasn’t going to let go of his world cup defeat just yet but he was sure that it would get better with time; Barcelona was going to do so much better this season.

Lionel rested a hand on Lucia’s small bump, he couldn’t wait for their baby to be born and he was going to be the best father possible to the baby and Maia.

Lucia looked at her husband before she took his hand and led him back to bed, she didn’t know when things would look up for them but she was sure that the future was going to be fine.

Lionel was her husband and she would stand by him no matter what happened in his career.