As I entered the stadium, it felt as if everyone had their eyes on me. Especially ever since the news broke out that Cristiano and I have a child.
After training, it was supposedly that everyone has gone home. It was almost 9pm and I was about to leave the office.
"Isabella, hold up," a voice from behind me spoke.
I turned around to face Sergio.
"Sergio! How can I help you?" I asked, trying to hold a grip of the files I had to carry home.
"Let me help you with that," Sergio says, lending me a hand.
"Thank you. I didn't know anyone else was still around," I said, as we slowly walked towards the parking lot which was located quite a distance away from where we were.
"Ah, I had an interview earlier. Why are you still around?" Sergio turned the question back to me.
"I had to finish some work from yesterday," I replied.
"Oh, right. You went on a date with Cristiano right?" he chuckled.
"He told you?" my eyes widened.
"He told everyone! He seemed to really have a good time yesterday that he even let others score during today's training," Sergio joked, causing the both of us to laugh.
We all know that when it comes to passing the ball, Cristiano isn't too fond of that.
"Well, that seemed like he really had a good time," I smiled as I opened the trunk of my car.
"Listen.." Sergio started, handing me my files as I kept them one by one.
"I would consider myself a close friend of his," he says. I closed the trunk and faced him.
"And I've never seen him happier. I mean, I know he has alot of ladies but you're different. You really make him happy," Sergio smiled and patted my shoulder.
"And he told me what happened before. And you have every rights to hate him still but listen, I've never seen him this happy and I just hope you won't take this away from my sight," Sergio says, following me to the door of my car.
"Look, thank you for the concern. But I'm not one to decide what will happen to us," I said, getting in the car.
"But you could try," Sergio's last words before I drove off replayed in my mind.
What is a thought but a screenplay in invisible space, a safe place to experiment with ideas before we speak? It is a ballroom for unseen dances, a race track for cars that speed without worry for the next turn. It is freedom to roam without the fear of getting lost, for all it takes is the bark of a dog to bring us home.
"Mama!" Junior exclaimed and leaped to fall into my arms as I swayed him around, gently.
"What's all this?" I asked, looking around the colourful decorated house.
"Happy birthday! How could you have forgotten?" Judie asks, pulling me into a hug.
"Well you see, I don't actually keep up with my own birthday," I giggled.
It was the truth. It wasn't like I tend to forgot but it was simply because I grew up in a family which does not celebrate these kind of occasions. Well at least, it was seemed as 'unnecessary'. But even after my parent's death, I still hadn't had the interest to celebrate it. I was left with nobody, until I met Judie.
"We kept up," Cristiano's voice arrived from behind me.
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, gently rubbing my arm. Despite the heaviness in my stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of my body pressed against his. I sunk into the warmth of his side, appreciative of the simple gesture. His touch made the room warmer somehow, my future within the walls seeming a little less bleak.
"Happy birthday beautiful," he continued as he pressed his lips against mine, making Judie and Junior jeer.
"We have a kid here!" Judie exclaimed,
I giggled a little, as I sat on the couch to open up my presents. I didn't have any choice either. Junior had his eyes fixed on me, persuading me to open his first.
"I wonder what it is," I said in a soft tone as I received an oddly shaped, wrapped gift.
It didn't took me long before I realise what it was, just by it's shape.
"And... It's a teddy bear!" I smiled, looking over to my six year old child who was already grinning from ear to ear.
"It's mine," he chuckled, putting his arm around me.
"Let me guess, you've given it to me so that I will always think of you when I sleep?" I giggled.
"Exactly!"
I pecked a small kiss on his forehead, acknowledging his sweet, adorable gesture.
"This is from me," Judie says, handing me a big paper bag.
"Oh wow!" I stood up as I held up the beautiful black dress Judie had bought for me.
"Thank you," I exclaimed, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Now, this is from the bottom of my heart," Carter says, handing me a brand new laptop.
"Carter I-"
"Don't sweat it. I've noticed that your old laptop is in really bad condition. The least I could do is to get you a new one. And don't worry, I've transferred everything for you," he says.
"Thank you!" I hugged him, before I turned to face Cristiano who was ready to give me my present.
"Here," he says, pulling out an envelope.
"I've got us a one week trip to Hawaii," he chuckled as he saw the shocked expression drawn on my face.
"But Cris, I couldn't leave Junior-"
"You won't be. He's coming with us," Cristiano says, pointing his head to Junior's direction.
I got on my knees to hug Junior as I was so excited and knowing him, he was excited as me as we had never went on a holiday. I felt Cristiano's hand around my shoulder as he pulled Junior and I closer to him.
"We'll go together," he says.
"As a family."