We returned to Antoine's parents house after 4:00 and it wasn't until we were going up the stairs that we felt how tired we actually were. But of course that Antonella wasn't going to make it easy for us, as soon as we lied down she cried.
Alain and Isabelle stayed longer at the hospital and as soon as Theo heard Antonella cry, he rushed to the room and he was surprised to see us. He asked us many questions as we fed Antonella, we told him everything, except the name, Maude made us promise to not tell him.
That day was very tiring, around 9:00 after we managed to get some sleep and Antoine's parents came back, we headed to the hospital to visit.
Maude looked so much better, Guillaume was the one looking like he was the one that gave birth. He barely talked while we were there and he was close to falling asleep. Today I even had the chance to carry Geoffrey.
I even got a bit melancholic, remembering when Antonella was that small. She was turning four months in just two days and she was getting bigger and bigger, she would start to sit on her own soon and probably teething and eventually say her first word.
Right now it was hard to tell who Geoffrey looked more like but I saw a glimpse of his eyes and they were a crystal blue, like Guillaume's but I was betting he was going to look more like his mum.
"I can't wait to see Ella and Geoffrey playing together," Antoine said as he held him in his arms. "I know I will have to wait a while for that, though."
Antoine had called earlier and excused himself from training, which was going to be very light anyway. He was going to join them for a talk later though, so they can discuss strategies and stuff but that was after lunch.
We stayed at the hospital for an hour. Then Antoine gave his sister a very big hug because we weren't going to see her for at least two days. We had to drive back to Saint-Denis later and the match was tomorrow, so the sooner we could get back here was on Monday, the day after the match.
Maude said she was very sorry for missing the final match but promised to watch it on TV, maybe by then she was back home, at least she hoped that.
Then, we had agreed with Alain and Isabelle to meet at a cafe, they were going to bring Antonella, Theo and Enrique. It wasn't far from the hospital so it took us about five minutes to get there.
Now that the baby was born, everyone had changed the plans. Alain and Isabelle weren't coming to Saint-Denis today but until tomorrow so they can spend some time with Maude. Theo wasn't coming with us anymore, he still hadn't gone seen her to the hospital and he was going to after this meeting.
Antoine took Antonella in his arms for a few minutes until he let his dad hold her, he almost didn't have a chance to hold her these last few days with Isabelle and my own parents around.
What was supposed to be only a quick gathering to drink some coffee because we all needed some, became a lunch. I ordered a sandwich while Antoine got a hamburger with French fries, he was supposed to eat healthy but he claimed he was craving that for days. The coach wasn't here so I let him cheat.
After that, we went back to the house and got the few stuff we had brought, the rest was back at the hotel in Saint-Denis. We hugged Antoine's parents and Theo good-bye and let them hug and kiss Antonella too, who was getting a bit cranky at the moment.
"I'll miss you," Isabelle told Antonella as she kissed the top of her head and then she gave her to me.
I put Antonella in the car seat while Antoine got our things in the trunk. He was so exhausted and knowing he really needed the rest so he can be his best for the match tomorrow I took the car keys from him and got in the driver seat. Antoine didn't protest like I expected, he just went to sit next to me without saying a single word.
In the back seat Enrique tended to Antonella for the first twenty minutes of the ride, after that she fell asleep, so he just put a blanket over her and we continued the ride in silence. She and Antoine were now sleeping and I didn't want to disturb them, especially Antoine.
When we got back to the hotel, Antoine went straight to bed, he only had two more hours until he had to meet with his teammates and coach. I took Antonella to the pool so we could give Antoine some time in piece.
Once he left, I tried to keep busy, I didn't want to fall asleep and then wake up around 19:00, and then have a hard time falling asleep. So, I went to visit my parents, who arrived today.
I told them the good news about Maude and her baby while they told me they took a tour earlier and went to some great places.
Natalia seemed to be in a better mood with me today, she actually was playing with me. Last time she was avoiding me. It really amazed me how similar she was to Nikki, even when she was blonde. She was without doubt a mini Nikki but with a much wicked personality.
Later, once Antoine was dismissed we went out for dinner with my parents and siblings, even Uncle Gianluigi joined. This time Antoine chose something healthy, he couldn't get sick the night before of the big game.
The next day, Antoine was very relaxed. He played with Antonella almost all morning, he was in a good mood and it seemed like he was well rested. Luckily that gave me an extra couple of hours of sleep.
The hours passed quickly though, lunch time passed and the time of the match was getting closer. Isabelle and Alain had gotten here just around 16:15, giving them enough time to spend with Antoine and wish him luck.
And soon, Antoine had to go meet with the team. He kissed me on the lips and I wished him luck. He smiled at me before he kissed Antonella.
I had dressed Antonella in her blue France jersey and white tights quite early so Antoine could see her. Then after dinner, I dressed too.
My parents and Antoine's parents and our siblings, except for Maude, joined me in the lobby, we got into two cars to go to the stadium. My whole family was going to the match but I hadn't seen any of them.
This time my seat was on the very first row, Riccardo was on my right and Henriette on my left. While my parents and Nikki were a row behind me with Enrique, and Antoine's family were behind them.
After about twenty minutes, the players finally walked out to the field, everyone cheered and shouted out of the excitement. Antonella was oblivious to all this noise thanks to the earmuffs, she was in her own little world playing with her toy in my lap.
I wanted to jump and shout too when I saw Antoine but with Antonella sat on me, I just clapped and contained myself.
Today France was playing against Portugal. Based on how they played, I'd have never imagined them here in the final. I had bet for a better team, like Germany or even Spain.
It wasn't a secret to anyone that Antoine hated Cristiano Ronaldo, he had actually told him that face to face. And as they shook hands, I could actually see the way Antoine looked at Cristiano. In that aspect, Antoine was very blunt and he didn't care what Cristiano thought or did.
Soon, the match started. The atmosphere was crazy but amazing. People kept cheering at their teams and things just got louder when one of the team was close to the other's goal. Riccardo next to me kept clapping at Antoine and the team, I guess he wasn't as nervous, Italy wasn't playing anymore. Uncle Gianluigi, who now was next to my mum, exactly behind me, was acting calm but he jumped from his seat on some occasions, showing how anxious he really was.
The first half ended only with a few scares but no goals. None of the players had smiles on their faces, it was obvious how stressed they were. Everyone wanted to win of course.
Antonella had fallen asleep now and was in my dad's arms, giving me some rest. My own arms were getting numb even when she wasn't heavy yet.
The players ran back into the field and the second half started. This time I did stand up and cheer on my boyfriend like I should have.
Then around the minute sixty-nine the referee gave Portugal a penalty, all France complaint, even me. I was ninety percent sure it wasn't a penalty but there was nothing I could do.
Cristiano Ronaldo put the ball on the ground and took some steps back, he took a deep breath as he stared at the goal and the goalkeeper. Hugo was also one hundred percent focused, he looked intensively at the ball and his opponent.
Cristiano then ran forward and kicked the ball, sending it to a corner of the goal but Hugo guessed right and jumped in that direction, he barely could stop the ball from going inside but the danger wasn't over yet. Another Portuguese player ran to the ball and without thinking he kicked it and it went inside.
Portugal cheered, fans and players. While the French team just grabbed the ball and took it to the middle to resume the match. I wasn't nervous before but I was now. I started biting my nails and fidgeting in my seat.
For five eternal minutes, Portugal seemed like they desperately wanted a second goal but soon their energy and perseverance decreased and now it was French players the ones trying hard to score. The goalkeeper stopped three shots that I was sure would end up at the end of the goal but it wasn't like that. Time was running out and still France was losing 1-0.
Then Antoine managed to find a space and managed to run past Portugal's defence. Three ran after him and only one could catch up with him but still Antoine had the ball. Then he lifted his gaze and in a second he had to choose what to do now. He did as he was going to run forward, past the defence, but he didn't, instead he passed the ball to Kingsley, who was alone, and as soon as the ball was close enough, he kicked and the goalkeeper didn't even know what happened, Kingsley scored.
France tied the game just on time, on the eighty-ninth minute. The next three minutes were a torture for everyone but no one scored, so that meant we would have thirty more minutes of football.
The players only had a brief time to drink water and talk about strategy before they were playing again. Antonella was awake again, I had her for a while until Riccardo took her from me. It wasn't her usual time to be awake but as I said, this trip messed her schedule.
Even when one hundred minutes had passed the players were playing as if they had just started, and the fans were just as excited, everyone kept cheering and cheering.
The first half ended and the second started right away. If someone didn't score during these last fifteen minutes, they would go to penalties. France only had two opportunities in the first half and Portugal had five. Actually, it was good that Riccardo had Antonella I was too stressed right now.
I held Henriette's hand very hard without noticing as Cristiano took a shot but luckily it went too high. Henriette was also nervous so she held my own hand just as hard as I was.
Five minutes to go now, time was running out again. The players had been around the middle of the field for a while, no one could find a space to go forward until Kingsley went past a Portuguese player and passed the ball to Paul. This one ran very fast towards the goal but there were already three people there waiting for him.
Paul passed it back to Kingsley and he passed it to Olivier. He attempted to shoot but there was no free space, then without even looking, he softly kicked the ball backwards, somehow he knew that one of his teammates was there.
The players were a bit confused, they had their attention on Olivier not the other player. He ran fast and just like that he kicked the ball with strength and somehow it went past between the players and it went all the way to the highest left corner of the goal. It even touched the post before going in.
Everyone, including me, jumped from our seats. Antoine had scored the second goal for his team and that was making them win for now, it was the minute one hundred and fifteen, so there wasn't much left. I kept clapping and cheering on him as I saw him running straight to me. He had such a huge smile on his face.
He embraced me tightly when he got to me and first, he kissed Antonella on her forehead, she was still in Riccardo's arms and then he turned to me and kissed me full on the lips. Everyone cheered louder, I even heard Henriette squealing next to me.
"Such a great goal," I told him when we broke the kiss.
He only smiled at me but didn't say anything, he only had a smirk on his lips and for a second I wondered what was on his mind. Then he got on his tip-toes again and I bent a bit too and I thought he was going to peck my cheek now but instead he whispered something in my ear. I leant back confused because I couldn't understand him, he noticed, so he got closer to me again.
"Veux-tu m'éxpouser?" he asked me again.
I stared at him in complete astonishment, a part of me knew what he was asking and another part of me couldn't believe it and wondered if I really could understand French or if I had deceived myself into thinking I did. But then it sort of clicked and I instantly smiled back and nodded, I had lost my ability to speak and all I could do was nod.
He smiled even more if that was possible and ran back to the field, to resume the match. My heartbeat was still racing and I was in complete shock, even when Antoine was playing the match again.
The last five minutes of the match passed by in a blur for me, Antoine's question kept repeating in my mind over and over again and I felt some weird but nice warmness inside of me.
The final whistle interrupted my thoughts, the match was over and France had won. I finally reacted and clapped, I even took Antonella from my brother and cheered with her, even when she had no idea what was going on.
The guys kept celebrating until Portugal was called to receive their medals. Then the French players walked upstairs to receive theirs, and get the trophy. Antonella was actually quite excited at all the things done here, like when they threw the confetti.
Then the players ran down to the field again and it was then when a man in a suit talked to Henriette and me and told us to follow him. We were being allowed to celebrate with them. I walked to Antoine with Antonella in my arms, as soon as he saw me he ran to me and wrapped me in a tight hug, I could only wrap an arm around him though.
He took Antonella from me then and right away Antonella grabbed with her tiny hands the golden medal that was hanging from Antoine's neck. Then we posed for a few pictures, his parents wanted one and my parents took the chance to take pictures too.
Then we joined everyone else. The kids of the players were running around the field, Olivier's daughter even had the football in her hands and some of the players were just there with their partners.
The girl then approached us, Antoine put Antonella on the ground, he kept his hands on her back because she couldn't sit on her own yet, and as softly as possible Jade pushed the ball to Antonella, who got so excited at it. Then since Ella couldn't, Antoine passed the ball to Jade again.
Soon they were joined by Dimitri's three boys and Yohan's three daughters. It was such an adorable sight, seeing all those kids playing with the ball.
Antoine then got to his feet again, carrying Antonella and stood next to me, he put his free hand around my waist and pecked my cheek.
"I'm so proud of you," I told him as I looked at him.
"Well, I couldn't have done it without you," he said. "I didn't even want to come. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't technically pushed me out the door and I'm glad you did it."
I smiled at him and then pecked his lips slightly. I was so happy, not only because Antoine and his team won, but because of everything. I had the most perfect man by my side, a beautiful, adorable daughter and our two families were here with us. At the moment I couldn't ask for more.
"Well, that's my job!" I said.
"The job of the future Mrs. Griezmann," he whispered into my ear, which sent chills up and down my back. I blushed and I bit my lip as I looked down. "I'm sorry I don't have the ring here but I..."
"Don't apologize for that!" I interrupted. "I don't care about the ring, I'm too happy and shocked and surprised to care about that, mostly happy though."
"I think it was about time, right?" he smiled just before he kissed me one more time.
________________________________________________
Hello guys!
I updated faster this time!
And please, please, tell me what you think of what just happened in this chapter! I truly want to know!