38. Chapter 38
Seren
I blinked my eyes open slowly, sunlight leaking through the curtains in thin strips. I heard my dad’s low voice from the living room, followed by Cai’s giggle. My mom shushed them both, whisper?scolding my dad for being too loud.
I let my head fall back into the pillow, a long breath easing out of me. They’d insisted on staying so I could rest properly after the match, and I hadn’t realized how much I needed that until now.
My ribs ached like someone had wrapped them in tight wire.
My thighs throbbed with that deep, bruised heaviness that only shows up after eighty minutes of sprinting and stepping and getting folded in half.
My shoulders felt like they’d been carved out of concrete.
And my lower back…Yeah, that was going to complain for days.
But underneath all of it was that warm, humming satisfaction after winning a game where you emptied the tank and left pieces of yourself on the pitch.
I stretched one leg out, winced, then laughed at myself.
Yep. Definitely played yesterday.
“Mommy?” Cai whispered, like he wasn’t already halfway inside my room.
I smiled, lifting my arm. “Come here, baby.”
He scrambled onto the bed, careful but excited, curling into my side. My muscles protested, but I didn’t care. This was the kind of ache I’d carry gladly.
My mom appeared next, holding a mug of tea like she’d already had it made, just in case.
“Morning, sweetheart. Thought you might need this,” she said, eyes warm with that quiet pride she never quite hid.
“Thanks, Mom,” I murmured, taking it with both hands, the heat seeping into my sore fingers.
“You were incredible yesterday,” she said. “We’re all so proud.”
My throat tightened. “I’m…really sore.”
From the living room, my dad called out, “That’s how you know you did it right!”
Cai burrowed closer.
I let my eyes close for a moment, surrounded by warmth, by family, by the quiet aftermath of something that was mine.
Until a knock sounded at the door. My mom looked up, eyebrows raised.
“I didn’t order anything,” she said. “Are you expecting someone?”
I hauled myself out of bed slowly and opened the door to find Lola, Evie, Micah, and Teddy standing there like a chaotic care package. Evie’s Band-Aid was still resting on her forehead after yesterday, Lola’s pinky was taped up, and Teddy had a blooming bruise on her cheekbone, but they were here.
Lola held up a plastic bag. “We brought supplies.”
Evie added, “And snacks. And ice packs. And the good chocolate.”
Teddy smirked. “And my MovieFlix login.”
I snorted as my eyes went glassy. “Are you telling me you all want to MovieFlix and chill with me?”
“Uh, yeah? Obviously. You think we’d let you sit here alone, all sore and tragic, watching reruns by yourself?” Lola scoffed.
Evie shoved past her, already kicking her shoes off. “I’m claiming the middle spot on the couch before Micah steals it.”
Micah held up both hands. “I’m literally here to carry snacks and rub your calves if you cramp.”
“Such a hands-on assistant coach.” Teddy walked in last, cool as ever, dropping her bag by the couch while waving at my parents. “We figured you’d be pretending you’re fine. So we’re here to make sure you really are okay.”
I blinked hard because, apparently, my body had decided soreness wasn’t enough—now I was emotional too. “You guys…seriously?”
“Don’t get mushy,” Lola warned, pointing at me like I was a flight risk. “You cry, I cry, and then Evie cries, and then Teddy pretends she’s not crying, but absolutely is.”
“I don’t cry,” Teddy told the room.
“She cried at the dog commercial last week,” Micah whispered loudly.
Teddy glared. “It was a good dog.”
I laughed—a real, full laugh—and felt something in my chest loosen. My mom beamed at them like they were her own kids, and Cai immediately ran to Lola, shoving a soft toy truck into her hands.
“Vroom!” he yelled.
Lola gasped dramatically. “Oh no! A monster truck! Someone save me!”
Cai shrieked with delight.
The whole place warmed instantly, buzzing with that wild, comforting energy only teammates bring. Mom made space for everyone, quickly folding the sofa bed away. They’d all met yesterday, so nothing here felt awkward.
“Come on, girls. Sit, sit. She’s been hobbling around like she’s ninety.”
“Mom,” I groaned.
“She has,” my dad agreed from his place on the futon.
“Henry, why don’t we let these lovely ladies look after Seren?”
“You got it, ladies?” Dad asked, already half up before they’d replied with their resounding yeses.
Once we’d said our goodbyes, I sank back onto the couch with a groan, my heat patch warm on my spine. Lola dumped the contents of her bag onto the coffee table—snacks, chocolate, electrolyte drinks, another heating pad, and a bottle of ibuprofen the size of my head.
Evie tossed me a blanket. “Here. You look like you need emotional support fabric.”
Micah handed me a smoothie. “Protein. Drink it before Lola steals it.”
“I don’t steal smoothies,” Lola said, already reaching for it.
My phone buzzed on the table.
Jake: She’s a runner, she’s a track star. How’s my girl?
The my girl comment had my heart picking up pace.
Jake: Tell Cai I said hi. And tell your legs I’m proud of them.
I smiled at my son laughing with Evie and Lola as my thumbs tapped quickly.
Me: Barely alive. But I’ve been invaded by teammates. They brought chocolate.
Jake: Good. Let them take care of you.
Jake: Four more days and it’s my turn.
My stomach flipped at his promise. I hadn’t realized I was grinning so wide until I looked up at the girls, who were staring at me.
“What?” I asked, wondering if I’d missed vital information because I was checking my phone.
“Girl, you got it bad,” Lola mused.
“You went all giddy and giggly just then. Was it Jake?” Evie asked innocently. Little did she know, my insides were leaping like frogs at the knowledge that Jake and I were becoming synonyms with the girls after they’d seen us together last week.
But I’d grown close with these women, and I trusted them. “Yeah, it was Jake,” I said, swallowing my nerves. Then I remembered that two of these women here were also dating guys from the Knights, Teddy with Connor and Micah with Bobby, so I had no reason to feel so off balance.
“It’s not official or anything, and I’ve got so much going on, and Cai to think of…” I looked down at my son, brushing his curls from his face. “It’s a lot to get right.”
Micah nudged her foot with mine, gaining my attention. “I can’t imagine how you’re navigating all of this, but you’ve definitely made it look damn easy.”
“Right?” Teddy laughed. “We’re all in awe of you.”
My nose tingled as my heart pounded harder in my chest. All the emotions of my first game, the fact these women were here for me, and Jake just generally capturing a part of me I thought I’d not find again…
“I should let you know, I’m a crier,” I sniffed, my eyes filling.
“And you’re all being really nice to me. ”
Lola’s expression softened. “You’re allowed to cry; we’ve all done it.”
Evie nodded, placing a hand on my knee. “I cry all the time. You’re in good company.” She shifted closer to me, leaning in for a side hug. “You’re going through a lot right now. Rugby, Cai, whatever’s happening with Jake…You’re allowed to feel anything you need to.”
“I just don’t want to mess anything up,” I admitted quietly.
“You’ve got us to lean on now,” Teddy said with absolute surety in her voice.
Brick by wobbly brick, I was building something here that felt so right. This move was a leap into the unknown and somehow my people found me in that space anyway.
Heat gathered at the base of my throat, but it wasn’t fear, it was relief, gratitude. Something was settling into place and I could sense it. “Thank you for being here,” I said to everyone.
“We’ve got you.” Teddy grabbed the remote, smiling. “Alright. What are we watching? Something comforting? Something funny? Something with hot people?”
“Hot people,” Lola said immediately.
“Trucks!” Cai shouted.
“Trucks and hot people,” Evie decided. “We can compromise. I’m sure there’s a Ryan Gosling movie with trucks, right?”
I curled deeper into the couch, surrounded by my team, my kid, all the people who made the world feel less heavy.
My body hurt, but my heart felt full.