Long gone were the days of a select fanbase attending the women's game, the underfunded grounds, and the lack of support for players.
Long gone.
Today was the third Saturday of the month, which meant it was Aoife day. The first Saturday was Finn day, the second Theo day, the fourth Leah and Alex day, but today was all about Aoife. It was to be expected that we would do something football related, but Aoife didn't expect that it would be this.
Flashback:
"Got the sweets!" Aoife shouted as she entered the living room, her England shirt proudly worn.
"There's something wrong with the broadcast." Leah sighed.
"What? Can you fix it?"
"I'm not sure, mate. It just keeps fuzzing, Grandma says hers is the same."
"They won't start the game until it's fixed, right?" Aoife said, her face dropping.
"They have to. They have to start the game at the scheduled time."
I couldn't speak. I would blow the entire thing.
"Okay. That's okay." Aoife sighed.
"Maybe one of the places closer to town will be showing it from a different broadcast. There's still a while until kick off, will we try that?"
"Are we allowed?"
"Yeah. Al, that okay with you?"
Nod and smile, Alex. Nod and smile.
By the time we arrived at Wembley, both of us were shocked that Aoife was still none the wiser, giving each other questioning glances as to why she hadn't yet clicked on. We swarmed through the crowds of people, getting closer and closer to the VIP entrance of the stadium.
"Oh, we're literally at the stadium. We may as well just go in, Aoifs? Watch it live?" Leah smiled, raising her eyebrows.
"What - no - don't kid me right now, can we? That's so not funny if it's a joke!" Aoife scoffed, preparing herself for let down.
"I don't know... I think we would be better finding somewhere quieter to watch it." I chirped in.
"Mum!" Aoife groaned.
"Will we take a vote?"
"Yes!"
"All those in favour of going in..."
All three hands went into the air, even mine.
"You're sneaky!" Aoife chuckled.
"You're silly, I can't believe you didn't realise." I chuckled back.
"It's really rude to keep secrets from me on Aoife day, you know. It's Aoife day. You know, the day that is all about me." Aoife grinned.
"You are so sassy." Leah chuckled.
— — — —
It was the final of the Arnold Clark cup, which had almost quadrupled in size since the years that Leah had played. England were clear favourites until that red card happened in the 59th minute, Leah and Aoife both shouting from the top of their lungs as they disagreed with the referee. The game went downhill from there, an equaliser coming soon after the card, and the winning goal from Germany coming just after the 80th minute. Aoife was upset by the loss but a few quick words from Leah turned her upset into something more useful - a lesson.
"All part of the game, you'll have these moments too. Moments when you wish, more than anything, that things had gone differently. That you hadn't picked up that card, that you hadn't made that pass, that you'd been in a different position, or that you'd trained that little bit harder. That's football, Aoifs. The best game in the world, but the biggest heartbreak."
"Will they be sad now?" Aoife gulped.
"For a little while, yeah. It'll sting. You know the best thing about stings though?"
"What?"
"They remind you to work extra hard next time to make sure it doesn't happen again. I had a sting once, and then we won the Euros." Leah smiled, her eyes showing her memories coming flooding back.
"What was your sting?"
"The 2019 World Cup, I thought if I'd been more developed, more vocal, if I'd shown my ability more. Would I have got minutes? Could I have been the difference? So when it came to the Euros, I left myself with no questions. I gave everything, every last part of me."
"Is that why you have 2022 tattooed on your shoulder?"
"No." Leah smiled, her face reddening slightly.
"Why then?"
"That's the year I met your Mum." Leah smiled, her eyes finding mine amongst the tender moment.
"You two are gross." Aoife rolled her eyes.
Once we were home, Aoife spent the rest of the day practicing outside, eating her dinner alongside us and then disappearing upstairs. A common theme since the dreaded day that had taken place just three months ago.
Flashback:
"No, I said no! You aren't going. You have school tomorrow." I said sternly.
"But Jasmine is going. Her mum is letting her go, Chloe's mum is letting her go. I'm the only person not allowed to go." She began to sob.
"You aren't the only person, Aoife. Even if you were, you aren't going."
"Why?" She sobbed harder.
"Aoife, I said no. Why're you crying?" I said, more softly than before.
"Because - I - I - I - just want - want - to - to - go with my f - f - f - friends."
"You can go next time, not when you have school. Okay?" I sighed.
"I hate you! I hate this whole family!" She screamed through more tears.
"Jesus." I whispered under my breath as I heard the kitchen door slam behind Aoife.
Just over half an hour later, Aoife arrived downstairs in a hurry, her feet barely carrying her as she thundered into the kitchen to Leah and I.
"Whats wrong?" Leah blurted out.
"I - I - spilled my juice. Em - kitchen roll. I need kitchen roll and sellotape."
"Sellotape? For juice?" Leah screwed her face up.
"Why do you question everything!" Aoife grunted.
"Aoife! Go back out that door and come back in here with a new attitude." I interrupted.
"Doesn't even matter. I'll sort it out myself."
This girl.
"God - I can't with her right now." I groaned.
"How long do we let this go on?"
"No idea, Le. One day she's great, next day she's shouting. Earlier she was sobbing - and I mean sobbing - because I said no to something." I chuckled.
"She's so dramatic." Leah chuckled.
The following day, Aoife returned from school and refused to sit on the sofa, the dining room chairs, or anywhere for that matter.
"Aoife, I've asked you to sit with us. Now sit down." Leah said sternly.
"I don't want to."
"Aoife - sit!"
"No."
"Why not?" Leah said, frustration in her voice.
"I don't think I'm very well, Mum." Aoife said, her voice trembling.
"Huh?" I spun around.
"I can't say." She widened her eyes in the direction of Theo, Leah quickly asking him to go upstairs.
"Are you bleeding, Aoifs?" Leah asked softly.
"Yep." She cried.
"Hey, come here you."
Three way cuddle time.
"How long for?" I asked.
"Since yesterday. It's really sore."
"You should've told us, we could've helped. We both had to go through this too, you know. We still do."
"I thought I was dying. I taped some kitchen roll to my underwear." Aoife chuckled lightly.
"It feels like that sometimes, doesn't it?"
"Yep. It really hurts."
Leah made her way to the shop, returning with everything Aoife could possibly need, from sanitary products to chocolate. A sense of fear could be seen in her eyes as she made her way back downstairs after sorting Aoife out, showing her exactly what she needed to do.
"She's okay, Le. She's okay now." I smiled, taking Leah into my arms.
"Al, you don't think..."
"Think what?"
"Aoife."
"Aoife what?" I questioned.
"She said it's really sore." Leah sighed.
"That doesn't mean she has endo, Le."
"I'll never forgive myself if she does."
— — — —
Once it became apparent that Aoife wasn't coming back downstairs that night, Leah and I made our way to bed. We popped our head in to say night to Aoife, who was no longer our little girl, and instead turning into a young woman - something we struggled with.
"Night Aoifs." Leah whispered.
"Night, love you both." Aoife smiled.
"Want the light left on?" I asked.
"No, I'm not four." Aoife rolled her eyes playfully.
The following morning, Leah and I woke to a persistent noise from both our phones. Neither of us fully awake yet.
"Jesus." I groaned as I saw my lock screen filled with notifications.
"Mines the same."
"What - it's about Aoife." I shot up in the bed, opening the first link I had been sent.
Singer's daughter stuns in a viral video posted last night.
The daughter of Alex Ryan-Williamson and Leah Williamson has stunned fans as she traded football boots for vocal chords. In a video posted on her social media last night, Aoife could be heard singing along to a song she described as 'perfect for today.'
Aoife discussed the loss that the Lionesses suffered at the final, urging the girls to use the sting to win in future, advice she told them had come from Leah Williamson, her mother.
"When we have sad days in our house, Mummy will play Mum's song. It's one she didn't ever release, because she wrote it just for us. She wanted us to know that she was always there saying it would okay, just like her mum told her when she was little. I hope some of the players see it and they know that we are proud of them, and that my Mum said don't give up."
Video below, lyrics attached⬇️⬇️⬇️
Mama said don't worry
Where the sun is gone
You can't see it shining
When everything feels wrong
Don't you know your darkest hour's only sixty minutes long
And tomorrow's on its way
Mama said don't give up today
I know this night is weighing heavy on your heart
You're beaten and broken, and the world seems so dark
You never thought that you could ever fall so hard
You're not alone as you think you are
Mama said don't worry
Where the sun is gone
You can't see it shining
When everything feels wrong
Don't you know your darkest hour's only sixty minutes long
And tomorrow's on its way
Mama said don't give up today
I know you're lost
Can't see the light
But the brightest stars need the darkest night
This storm will pass if you hold on tight
New day is waiting on the other side
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh
Don't you know the darkest hour's coming just before the dawn
And tomorrow's already on its way
Mama said don't give up today
Sometimes it's hard to see any way out
The weight of this world keeps on dragging you down
So tired and lonely you can't carry that load
But there's a light inside that's gonna carry you home
Mama said don't worry
Where the sun is gone
You can't see it shining
When everything feels wrong
Don't you know your darkest hour's only sixty minutes long
And tomorrow is on its way
Mama said don't worry (don't you worry)
Where the sun is gone
You can't see it shining
When everything feels wrong
Don't you know your darkest hour's only sixty minutes long
And tomorrow is on its way
There is purpose in your pain
Mama said don't give up today
"Oh my god." Leah smiled, tears filling her eyes.
"She's perfect." I said through my own tears.
"Am I in trouble?" Aoife said quietly, appearing in the doorway.
"What - no! Why would you be in trouble? Come get in beside us." Leah said softly, pulling the covers back.
"I thought you might be angry that I shared your song, I didn't think it would get so many likes." Aoife mumbled.
"I'm not angry, baby. I'm so proud of you. If you weren't so good at football, I'd be bringing you to the studio." I chuckled.
"Is it okay that I enjoy singing but I want football to be my job?"
"Anything that makes you happy is okay with me." I whispered.
"And me." Leah whispered, stroking her fingers through Aoife's hair.
"Me three." Aoife chuckled.
— — — —
A/N
Had a really difficult week this week with work (nothing bad, just stressful) and this song has really gotten me through it. Wanted to share it with you guys and what better way to do it than to do it through the Williamsons!