Unexpected (bayern munich)

Chapter 15

"But you'll call me when you land? I need help picking out towels," Thomas' panicked voice said over the receiver.

"Yes Thomas," Natalia said shifting the phone to her other shoulder flipping through a magazine in the terminal of the airport. Christmas break had come too soon for Thomas, and not soon enough for Natalia, "Just go with grey, blue, and green, they'll match the rest of your apartment," she said absentmindedly.

"You act like it's so easy," Thomas said mockingly, "I don't know shit about this"

"Well neither do I! I know food," Natalia said defensively, "Speaking of which how have you been eating?"

"I made fresh pesto yesterday and had it with pasta and grilled chicken and a side salad," Thomas said distracted from his interior decorating woes, "And today I made baked pesto chicken and risotto."

"Well done," Natalia said smiling, "Question."

"Answer," Thomas fired back, immediately.

"Have you seen the tabloids?" Natalia asked, eyeing the newsstand nearby, which she knew she was suddenly in.

"I've been avoiding them since the divorce," Thomas said loftily, "What are they saying now?"

"Well they have pictures of us from the Christmas dinner...," Natalia said carefully.

"And what story do they have going about us?" Thomas said easily

"Well according to a few we're dating, and that's scandalous since—"

"Since I've only been divorced for about two months," Thomas finished, "And what are they saying about you?"

"That I'm plain, and you could do better. Which is a lot nicer than anything I imagined they would say about me," Natalia joked.

"Well, I'm just glad you're not panicking," Thomas said, "You know, this is weird for a lot of people."

"Thomas, I wouldn't have taken the job if I didn't know that getting on a few tabloids wasn't part of the deal. I'm young, single, and even if I'm 'plain', I'm still surrounded by some of Germany's most well known bachelors. People are always going to talk," Natalia reasoned.

"I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to limit the time we spend together in public," Thomas suggested.

"Is that what you want?" Natalia asked, feeling her stomach drop

"No! Just if you're uncomfortable with press..."

"Thomas, I don't care what they say. Unless you don't want me around, I'm not going anywhere," Natalia said defiantly, "Listen I have to call the rest of your teammates before I board. Naomi will decapitate me if I don't check up on everyone."

"Okay Nat, have a safe flight. And for the record, you are anything but plain," Thomas said kindly, "I'll see you when you get back?"

"Definitely," said Natalia hanging up the phone.

She glanced at her watch and sighed deeply. Ok, you can do this Natalia, just call him and ask about his food.

 

She dialed the familiar number, hoping for an answering machine, but as luck would have it Manuel Neuer picked up his phone.

"Natalia?"

"Hi Manu, how are you?"

"I'm fine, just," Manuel cleared his voice, "Just watching some TV" he said, discomfort apparent in his voice.

"Okay...," Natalia said unconvinced, "I'm just calling to check up on your eating," she said simply.

"I...uh...," Manuel began to say, when Natalia heard a moan come through the receiver. She stared confusedly at the receiver for a moment before she began to connect the dots.

"I'm eating fine," Manuel said more breathlessly this time.

"Neuer, are you with someone?!" Natalia said loudly earning glares from a few people sitting nearby, to which Neuer had no response.

"Manuel Neuer, you do not answer phone calls when you are engaged in activities with someone. You don't pick up for friends, especially not a coworker, and especially not me. Happy holidays, asshole." Natalia said sharply hanging up the phone and inhaling deeply.

Okay, so he's seeing someone else. Okay. You're okay.

And oddly, she was. She felt blissfully numb when she boarded the plane, and blissfully ignorant of the whole situation when she landed, and happy when she finally saw her parents for the first time in months, and thrilled when she saw Tanya and Jamie and Marco.