A lucky find

Nineteen

*

"I am not taking no for an answer Claire" Rachel scowls.

"You either get your act together and fix the poor lassie's broken heart or you stay away from Molly and let her be happy again. You ruined your one shot and I'm surprised she wants another, but all I can say is yous better up your game".

Claire doesn't know what to say to this so just nods her head, clenching her hands in her lap, "do you love her?".

She looks up and is surprised to see Molly standing behind Rachel's chair.

"Do you love Caz?" she asks again and Claire shakes her head, "honestly I dinnae know Molls" she replies. "Yous lost the right tae call me that a long time ago, so Molly will do" the defender states angrily before walking away.

"I know you Claire and this isn't the Claire I knew at the World Cup. Happy to be there representing Scotland, happy to score our first goal and happy to be in love with that girl over there" Corsie nods.

The forward sighs and looks over to where Molly is laughing with Lisa, Erin and Jamielee about the recent London derby.

"Ah dinnae ken what to do Rachel. You seriously need to help me".

"I will do nothing of the sort, it's your mess to sort oot Emslie".

The Orlando player is almost in tears and Rachel suddenly feels bad for her, "okay I'll help you" she says, squeezing Claire's hand.

"Thank you" Claire replies, "but on one condition and before yous ask, it's don't stay with Caroline. She will find someone else, just like Molly will if you don't try".

*

"Lee where are you babe?".

"In here" the shout comes from the bathroom and Corsie pokes her head round the door

"Five minutes and then we're leaving" the goalkeeper nods, puts in her second earring and fixes her hair once more before walking out to see Rachel sat on the bed, fiddling with her phone.

"Remind me again why we're going oot?" she asks, "because we need tae set Molly and Claire back on track" is the reply.

"But are you sure Claire isn't in love with Caz. I mean she said she dinnae know" Lee says, "exactly, she doesn't so we can still change her mind" Rach smiles.

"You are something else you know that?".

Lee leans forward and presses her lips to Rachel's, the defender wrapping her arms around the keepers neck.

Knock knock

"Okay lovebirds, lets get going!" Mitch shouts through the door and they break apart.

"Yeh Rach, let's get going" Lee smirks as Corsie smacks her one round the head and follows her girlfriend into the corridor, where almost all the team there waiting for them.

*

"Here's tae a happy, healthy and injury free 2020 for all of yous and let's hope Scotland finally has some success" Corsie raises her glass in a toast and they all drink to her proposition.

She takes a seat and is immediately faced with the dessert Lee ordered for them to share.

"You're not going to back out now are yous?" the keeper asks as Rachel looks mournfully at the plate, "nope, I just hope that I can run it off tomorrow" she smiles.

On the other side of the table, the change of surroundings has not improved things for Molly and Claire who are sandwiched between Erin and Chloe Arthur.

The forward wants to say something but the feeling she's getting from her teammate tell her not to bother while Molly is just getting increasingly impatient. She glances across at Corsie before turning to Erin, "please will you swap with me Erin" she pleads but the Chelsea player doesn't budge.

"I'm under strict instruction tae not swap and so is Chloe. You're stuck with her until you talk".

"But I dinnae want to Er, can you not tell?".

Erin shrugs, "it's not my problem to sort, it's yous two" she says and turns to her other side, engaging in conversation with Nicola.

"We're going tae have to talk at some point" Claire says from her left, "and what if I don't want to" she replies, staring ahead at the wall behind Rachel's head.

The Orlando player sighs.

"We both know they aren't letting us out of her until we do" Claire explains, "don't care" is Molly's reply as the defender refuses to look her teammate in the eye.

"Your loss".

"I'm sorry?".

Molly turns her head to look at Claire and if looks could kill, the young forward would be very, very dead.

"I want to fix this Molly. I have been tearing myself up about it since Rachel rang me almost the second yous landed back at Heathrow and shouted at me. I'm sorry about Caz and I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Melbourne, I wasn't tae know they were going to call and discuss it at that time" Claire explains.

"Oh no, you aren't getting me back that easily" the Arsenal player laughs, "I wasn't expecting tae. I just wanted to tell you the truth".

"So tell it".

*