After we got to the training centre and stopped to catch up with the receptionist, who's always been so lovely to me, we were now sitting in Luca's office.
"Is he still kicking?" Luca asked excitedly.
"Luca, he not trying to escape me." I laughed. "Maybe he's just... bored." I said placing my hand on my belly and rubbing it softly.
"Maybe he's practicing his football skills." Pedri chuckled.
"Probably scored like 6 goals until now." Luca said, high-fiving Pedri.
They can't be serious right now.
All of a sudden the door opens and Aiden walks in. He glances at me and walks to his desk to pick up some papers.
"I see you're collecting footballers like Pokémon cards."
"I see you haven't had your nose broken in a while." I smiled.
"That's why I'm going." Aiden said and left the office.
"Have you always been like this?" Pedri asked smiling.
"Oh, you don't want to know about that one time when she screamed into—"
I looked at Luca and frowned my eyebrows, making him shut up.
"Oh, come on." Pedri pleaded.
"If what you're asking is if I'm mean, no I'm not." I smiled. "But I do tend to lose my marbles quite fast."
A knock was heard at the door and then Lionel's head appeared with a soft smile on his face.
The person I've been waiting for.
We all greeted him and my two boys exchanged looks and left us all alone.
"Alguien me dijo que me estabas esperando." (Someone told me you have been waiting for me.) he said while taking a seat next to me and smiling.
"Sí, solo quería... erm..." (Yes, I wanted to... erm...)" I said trying to find the correct words.
I knew how stupid I'd sound if I told him I flew all the way here because I wanted to say goodbye and how much I'm going to miss him.
"Hey..." he said grabbing my hand. "Sé que las despedidas son difíciles, pero... pero sólo porque las estoy dejando, no significa que te estoy dejando también." (I know goodbyes are hard, but... but just because I'm leaving them, it doesn't mean I'm leaving you too.)
"Lo sé, pero vas hasta Miami. Sabes lo lejos que es?" (I know, but you're going all the way to Miami. Do you know how far that is?) I said and he chuckled.
"Irina, he hecho todo lo que he querido hacer. He logrado todos los objetivos que me he marcado." (Irina, I've done everything I've wanted to do. I manged to reach all the goals I've set for myself.)" he smiled. "Pero París nunca se sintió como en casa. Hubo buenos tiempos, pero también hubo muchos, aunque malos tiempos." (But Paris never felt like home. There were good times, but there were a lot if bad times too.)
I knew exactly what he meant. I knew how Parisians treated him, what they expected from him and what happened if he didn't reach those expectations. I knew he found it hard here.
And now, I felt like I was being selfish and stupid for crying about it.
"Conocerte, fue probablemente el sueño más grande que tuve. y luego me trataste tan bien, y me cuidaste y... y odio el hecho de que ahora tengo que despedirme." (Meeting you, was probably the biggest dream I had. And then you treated me so nicely, and you looked after me and... and I hate the fact that now I have to say goodbye.) I said, my vision becoming blurry. "Sé que no es una despedida despedida, pero no podré subirme a un avión y verte a ti, a Anto y a los niños como solía hacerlo. Creo que eso es lo que más me duele." (I know it's not goodbye goodbye, but I won't be able to just hop on a plane and see you and Anto and the kids like I used to. I think that's what's hurting me the most.)
