Better in Time

"You can stop smiling you know?!" I reprimanded Steven as he continued to give me a satisfied smirk as I continued to fix my tie.

"Oh Torres don’t get mad. I mean isn’t funny how you left Liverpool to win titles yet we won the league while Chelsea won nothing” he laughed as I rolled my eyes.

I went on to pretend as if I was listening to his mocking as I waited for Lisa and Nora to come down the stairs. Today was Nora’s Christening and with the league having ended a fortnight ago, I was not only looking forward to my baby girl’s big day but also the holiday break that would follow.

"OK we’re ready" Lisa sang as she walked down the stairs with Nora sleeping in the carrier.

"About time. I was tempted to call the Priest and tell him to postpone this for tomorrow" Steven teased as we walked to the car he would be driving us in.

"Well Steven you try getting ready while also having to breastfeed a 7 week old baby" she snapped as she buckled Nora in her car seat. He scrunched his nose at her response.

"Can we not talk about your breasts while Torres is here?" he mocked as we all laughed.

The ride to the church was fairly quick considering the notorious Madrid traffic. Yes we had decided to Christen Nora in my hometown, an idea that didn’t go down well with Lisa’s parents but they eventually agreed. Steven was here in his capacity as God father because when it really came down to it we wanted someone like him protecting our daughter should anything happens to us. And despite the ceremony being held in Spain many of my teammates from both Liverpool and Chelsea had made it, including a rather special guest who also doubled as Nora’s God mother.

"Could you guys have not picked a less cool place to have the ceremony?" Callie complained as she walked towards us with both sets of grandparents and a little boy.

"Well it’s nice to see you too cuz" Lisa stated as she kissed her cheek and handed Nora to her. "When did you arrive?"

"Last night. Our plane was delayed but Fernando’s parents where more than willing to take us in" she explained while kissing her God daughter. "She looks so beautiful… Are you sure she’s yours?" she teased as Steven approached us.

"I ask myself that question every time I see her" he added as everyone laughed.

Right then the Priest came out and told us he was ready for the ceremony to begin. We nodded in agreement before turning back to Callie and Steven to make sure they knew what they had to do. When they told us they knew me, Lisa, both sets of our parents and the little boy walked into the Church.

"Gregg?" Daniel asked as we walked in.

"Hey Daniel…long time no see" he answered before taking a seat next to him and forcing the rest of us to shift around to look for space to sit.

"What are you doing here?" Daniel asked in hushed tones as some of my family glared at him, silently telling him to stop talking.

"I’m with…" Gregg began but was interrupted when the Priest began his speech.

*

Daniel’s POV

I was slightly taken aback when I saw Gregg walk into the Church and was desperate to ask him how he got here. But the answers I badly needed were revealed to me when Nora’s God parents came walking through the doors.

There, dressed in a yellow dress and with the biggest smile I had even seen, was Callie. Walking alongside Steven and carrying Nora, she looked as beautiful as the last time I saw her almost 5 months ago. I wanted so bad to talk to her but I knew whatever I had to say would have to wait until the end of the ceremony.

"I baptize thee Nora Torres y Stevens" the Priest said as he poured water over the little girls head and ended the ceremony.

Fernando and Lisa looked so happy as they took Nora from Callie’s arms and walked towards their parents. Meanwhile Gregg quickly got of the seat and ran to Callie. I quickly followed behind him in an attempt to finally speak with her.

"We’ll leave soon. We just have to wait for Fernando and Lisa to say thanks" she told Gregg as the little boy continued to sulk.

"Hi" I whispered as I tried to get her attention.

I watched as she swallowed and held on tightly to Gregg’s hand before answering.

"Daniel Hi" she answered before an awkward silence descended over us.

"Callie" Steven yelled loudly from across the room.

"I should…excuse me" she said as she quickly walked off with a bemused Gregg following behind her.

Great Agger, that couldn’t have gone any worse.

"Just tell her that you miss her. That’s what she really wants to hear" Lisa said as she walked up to me.

"What are you talking about?" I questioned in an attempt to play stupid. She just raised an eyebrow at me before speaking.

"Don’t play dumb Daniel. I know you and her need to talk about…everything. Telling her how much you’ve missed her would be a good place to start” she offered but I shook my head in disagreement.

"No. I mean yeah I’ve missed her but I’ve just screwed things up so badly between us I doubt she’d even want to hear what I have to say"

"That is not true. Callie believes in forgiveness. Even if it means you two don’t get back together maybe you can at least find closure and move on with your lives" she advised as I turned looked back at her.

"She has a new boyfriend…" I mumbled as Lisa laughed. "What?"

"When I said that there was someone new in her life I meant Gregg. He went to Cambodia with her and has pretty much been the only man in her life" she admitted as relief washed over me.

"So I could…"

"Still have a chance?" she finished for me. "Well you’ll never know if you don’t go over there and talk to her" she concluded before looking for Fernando and walking to him.

I took a deep breath before walking to Callie and preparing myself for a heart to heart.

"Callie can we talk?" I asked with pleading eyes.

She looked at me briefly before shaking her head no.

"I’m sorry Daniel but I can’t. Not now. I’m just not ready" she cried before turning around, grabbing Gregg’s hand and walking out on me…again.

Maybe this is how things were meant to be with me and Callie. We have encountered too many obstacles to really be able to make it work.