Queen

I finished my workout in Marco’s home gym. There’s nothing better than a hard run and a good sweat. I saw him in the kitchen on his phone. I grabbed a water from the fridge and hopped on the counter. He finally looked up from his phone. “How was your workout?” he asked.

“Gut,” I replied. I stuck a leg out and nudged him towards me. Joachim Loew was releasing the squad for the upcoming international game against Spain in a few days. I raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to show me the list.

“So impatient,” he said. Marco handed me his phone with the email of the squad list pulled up. I read down the list, Neuer, Durm, Boateng, Gotze, Muller, all expected. I got to Marco’s name and threw my hand up for a high five.

“That a boy!” I squeaked. He rolled his eyes but smiled, and grabbed my hand that was still hanging in the air.

“Don’t be cheeky, liebling.” Marco pushed himself between my dangling legs. I rubbed his stubble.

“Will you say hola to Sergio Ramos for me?” I joked. Well, kinda joked. I was still a fangirl at heart.

Marco scoffed, “I’ll make sure to say hi when I run through that defense.”

“Ok but just don’t be hard on Iker Casillas, Brazil was not kind to him,” I said, referencing the World Cup. Having realized my mistake, I smiled awkwardly, not knowing how he’d react.

“Yeah, I got a good view of it from the couch,” he pouted.

I moved my hands up to his checks. He revealed his frustration and sadness about missing the World Cup in little glimpses. I tilted my head and gave him a sad smile. I never knew quite how to respond; nurse him or give him tough love? I pushed his mouth into a smile and said, “Stop pouting and focus on actually getting a few points in the league on Sunday.” I decided to go with the tough love approach. Marco buried his face into my neck and I rubbed his back.

After a while he sighed, “You’re right,” he looked up, “but you’re a hard ass, you know that?”

I grinned. Just a few days in Dortmund and I felt so at ease with Marco. I reached forward and slapped his butt. “I’m going to take shower.”

~~~~~~

I felt around in my bag for my buzzing phone and after I found it, I saw that my brother Michael was calling. Marco and I were in the car going out to dinner so I hesitated about answering,not wanting to be rude. But Michael never really called much so I figured it had to be important if he was calling. I answered and heard a tiny voice on the other end yell, “EE!”

“Ella! Hi baby girl, why are you up so late?” I replied to my niece. I looked at the clock on the dashboard; there’s a six hour time difference Dortmund and Boston so it was around one am there.

“I couldn’t sleep so Daddy let me call you.”

“You woke up your daddy, Ella bear?”

“She said she can’t sleep because she misses you. She woke me up by stepping on my face,” I heard the gruff voice of my brother say.

“Good job Elly!” I joked. I heard a giggle on the other end. I had almost forgotten Marco was in the car when we stopped the parking lot outside the restaurant. I glanced over at him and mouthed “sorry” but he just smiled.

“She wants to know when you’re coming home.” Michael said.

“You mean you wanna know when I’m coming home, don’t you?” We had drifted apart after our father died five years ago but when Ella arrived he asked me for help and I couldn't turn him down. “I’ll be home before Thanksgiving. Now I want to talk to her again.”

“Too late, she just passed out,” he said.

I laughed. “Tell her I’ll be home soon.”

“Sarah told me why you’re there. I don’t like it Cass.”

I shifted in my seat, hoping that Marco didn't hear that.
“Bye Mike.” I hang up the phone and looked at Marco, “Let’s go.” I threw open the door to his Audi, stood up, and adjusted my dress. He came around to grab my hand and we walked into the restaurant.

"Why does your niece call you EE?" Marco asked once we were seated inside.

"She couldn't say Aunt Cassie when she first started talking so she just went with the E at the end of Cassie." I smiled; that little girl was the light of the Harris family.

His question also meant he heard why Michael said. Marco took a sip of his beer and as he was lowering the glass back to the table he said, “What was your brother saying?”

I sighed. “He’s just being protective,” I started, “I think he’s still getting used to me not being around like I was before joining Chelsea. It’s nothing, Marco.” I shrugged, not sure if he was upset or not.

“I know its kind of a weird situation but these last few days have been wonderful,” he reached for my hand, “talk to me, Cass. Is this what you want?”

Marco held my gaze until I looked away. “Marco, do we have to decide everything right now?”

“Well I didn’t know you were planning on leaving later this month.”

“Were you expecting me to just move in?” I asked.

“Well no, but eventually,” Marco said. My eyes went wide. He had just asked me to be his girlfriend a few days ago. He had winter break coming soon and I didn’t have USWNT camp until late January but after that it would be a whirlwind of games and different countries. I was unsure how often our paths would be able to cross.

“Marco,” I gasped. “I don’t know what to say.”

The waiter interrupted right in time with our meal. Marco hadn’t taken his eyes off me since I last spoke. After the waiter left Marco leaned towards me and said, “Think about it, please. I love you, Cassie and I want you all to myself but I know I can’t you ask that.” He kissed my mouth which seemed like it was frozen in the most unattractive jaw drop ever. “Just think about it.”