Update 2 ☺️
Lucy's POV:
Once we pulled into the stadium, Charlie who had been asleep, cuddled into my side, started to wake up and looked around, rubbing her eyes to wake herself up. A frown appeared when she saw where we were. She looked up at me and quietly said "mum I don't like all the cheering, I know that the fans want to meet you and Kei and everything, but you're just my mum to me". I pulled her closer to me till she was almost sitting on my lap and said "I know you don't particularly like this part of football, and I know Ellie hates it even more, but it's a part of football, and I'll be right beside you the whole time, and once it's done, we can both enjoy the game", Charlie nodded her head and grabbed my hand, and holding it tight. I gave her hand a squeeze just as the bus stopped and the doors opened, allowing for the noise of the fans cheering and shouting our names be heard on the bus.
I let a bunch of the players off the bus before I saw Keira approaching me with Ellie in her arms, cuddled up in her blanket and her ear defenders on already. "I figured we could give the ear defenders a go", Keira told me as she lifted Ellie slightly in her arms and then asked me "could you carry my bag for me ?", "of course I can", I replied with a smile. Just before we got off the bus, I secured a mask on Keira's face, and handed one to Charlie as I put on my own. We had all decided as a team along with the coaching staff that it was better safe than sorry, especially with Sarina having tested positive for Covid. Keira quickly got off the bus, covering Ellie's face with a hand, as she moved quickly into the stadium. I looked down at Charlie who was clutching one of my hands tightly. "Let's go", I told her, leading her down the stairs. I quickly got us into the stadium and met Keira in the corridor with Ellie, who for the first time didn't have tear stains. "Those ear defenders obviously worked", I said to Keira as we walked to the changing room. Keira smiled and nodded her head.
We did a quick pitch inspection before it was time to get changed for warm ups. Keira was trying to put Ellie down in order to put on her shirt, but Ellie seemed to be having none of it and kept crying. I hurried over and gently took Ellie in my arms as Keira got her jersey on as quick as she could before taking Ellie back in her arms. "Who's waiting for the girls ?", Keira asked me, just as Charlie came over with her backpack. "Mum and Soph", I replied before turning to Charlie. "Me and Ellie need to get our shirts on now", I grinned before turning to Keira, who looked down at Ellie in her arms and then turned to Charlie. "I think just this once , I'm gonna need to know who's jersey Ellie's wearing, because if I let her go, she might scream the stadium down, sorry Charlie", Charlie nodded and grabbed Keira's hand, leading her out of the changing room. They all came back quite quickly, with Ellie and Charlie wearing hoodies. "Because Kei knows, can I not know ?", I asked Charlie smiling hopefully. Charlie giggled and shook her head. I sighed and then grabbed her backpack. I led Charlie out of the changing room with Keira behind with Ellie in her arms who was clutching onto Keira's jersey, as we walked to where our families were sat, just behind the subs bench. I lifted Charlie over and whispered to my Mum "Charlie's just got her period, so there's some medicine in her bag for her", Mum smiled and nodded her head. Keira said a swift goodbye to Ellie, who started crying loudly at the loss of contact from Keira. I tried to settle her but to no avail, so I grabbed the dummy out, while I passed her to Mum and apologised. Mum waved my apology away and wished me good luck as I raced over to the warm ups. Once warm ups were finished we all started to head inside to get ready. I glanced over at my Mum who was rocking Ellie in her arms, who was visibly upset still. As I entered the changing room I thought to myself how upsetting it was to see my baby girl so upset and not be able to comfort her because football is my job and sometimes it happened that Ellie or Charlie were having a bad day, but me and Keira couldn't help because we had a game. That is when I'd be most thankful for our families who were always there to support us and to help look after the girls. I sat down in my cubby getting as much energy into me as I could. As we lined up Keira turned around and held up her hand with her pinky pointing out. I wrapped my pinky in hers and then gave her a kiss. "I'm proud of you", she whispered. "I'm proud of you too and I love you", I replied smiling back at her, as Leah began leading us out to the pitch and Keira turned around following the line.
