The Last Goodbye

1 year later

Champions league final: Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund at Old Trafford

“You can do this man. Just focus on your game and forget about everything else” Mats advised me as we stood in the tunnel waiting for kickoff.

It had been a long and difficult year in both my personal and professional life but after much sweat and tears I finally found myself taking part in the biggest cup competition in the world and ready to prove myself as the worlds best player.

With us being so close to achieving glory all I could think of was her. Knowing that after everything was done and the winners were named, I would be able to see her.

“Okay boys go out there and prove you are champions” Klopp encouraged the team one last time before walking towards his bench.

I took a deep breathe as I grabbed my mascots hand and walked towards the pitch.

I looked to my left, where I knew she was sitting but she was too preoccupied with her phone to notice me looking at her. I shook that off as I focused on the task ahead. Dortmund and I stood 90 minutes away from glory.

~

Half time in the game

“Melisa are you ok?” Thomas asked as I moved around my seat for what felt like the hundredth time since we got here.

I brushed his concerns off before rubbing my expanded belly and turning my attention back to the action on the pitch.

My eyes had been mesmerised by Marco’s play during the first half and from the kicking my unborn son was doing in my belly, it seemed like I wasn’t the only one who was in awe of his skills.

“Did he tell you where we should meet him after the game?” Thomas questioned as I nodded my head.

“The player lounge two doors down. You know where it is right? You’ve been here enough times in the past not too” I informed him as he nodded his head.

He tried to give me a quick peck on the cheek but I pulled away. I didn’t need his affection distracting me right now.

I needed all my attention to be on Marco. I needed him to know that despite everything, I was still someone he could depend on.

~

The referee blew the whistle and I watched as the Madrid team broke down in tears as their dreams of an 11th continental crown slipped away. Despite taking the lead, they had lost 3-1 to Dortmund, with him scoring all three goals.

While a part of me couldn’t help but be proud of him for finally living up to all that potential, I had to have some sympathy for Madrid, I was their employee after all.

“I’m going back to the dressing room, I can’t watch them lift what technically belongs to us” Sergio Ramos spat as his teammates followed behind him.

It had taken them all less than a minute to disappear from the pitch as I stood alone by the bench, watching my fellow countrymen lift up the trophy.

I was so caught up in the scene in front of me that it had taken me a few seconds to realise there was someone standing next to me.

“Hi Ela” he smiled as I bit my lip.

It had been a year since I had seen him and I didn’t know how to react to him after all this time.

“Hi Marco” I breathed as I looked into the eyes I had fallen in love with all those years ago. “Congratulations on the win” I finally managed to chock out after a few minutes of silence.

“Uhm yeah thanks” he nodded as he scratched his neck. “You look good…really good” he blushed as I laughed.

“Yeah the Madrid uniform apparently brings out my eyes” I teased as he joined in.

We stood awkwardly as both struggled to say something after the joke.

“Ela there’s something I need to tell you” Marco finally spoke up as he held on to my shoulders and forced me to look at him. “I probably should have told you this before the wedding but you know what they say, it’s better late than never” he began as I bit my lip.

I said a silent prayer in the hope the he would say the words I had for so long hoped to hear from him.

“Ela I’m still in love with you. I have never stopped. I know I screwed up when I slept with Melisa and began a relationship with her. I tried to make things work with her because I knew that there was no way you would forgive me, let alone get back with me, after what happened. But no matter what I did, I could never get over you. I convinced myself that if I married her then my feelings for you would die but the more I got caught up in the wedding the more I realised that you were the only one I wanted and that’s why I couldn’t go ahead and marry her”

Flashback

“What do you mean you can’t marry me today?…” Melisa screeched as he stood up from her seat.

I shook my head as I realised what I was about to do but I knew it had to be done. I could not live this lie any longer.

“I’m sorry Mel. I tried, I really tried but I can’t marry you because I’m not in love with you. I tried to convince myself that I could forget about Daniela and carry on as if nothing happened but now I just realise that I can’t. I’m still in love with her. I always have been and I always will be. While there’s not guarantee that me and her will get back together, I would be denying you and I a true chance at happiness if I married you and built a life based on lies” I confessed as her face turned red.

“No. Just no. You are marrying me today. I don’t care if you don’t love me but you are marrying me” she stated as if the choice was that simple.

I just shook my head no, as I stood up from the couch and walked to the door.

“I’m going out there and tell them the wedding is off. You don’t have to worry about me trying to hook up with your sister because I need some time to figure things out” I confessed as I opened the door.

I gave her one last look before speaking again.

“I just want you to know that no matter what I didn’t mean to hurt you. You really are an amazing girl” I ended before walking out and closing the door behind me.

End of flashback

“I didn’t mean to cancel the wedding and not tell you what I was dealing with but I needed some time to work out what I wanted. I also think I needed sometime to sort myself out so I could be good enough for you” he admitted as I bit my lip.

My heart wanted to burst out with pride at his confession while there was so much I wanted to say after his confession but rather than speak, I acted on an instinct I had held in for the longest time.

I leaned in towards him as I attached my lips to his to give him a kiss I had been craving for over 30 months, not that I had been counting.

Marco was shocked in the beginning but as he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer, I realised he had miss the warmth of my lips as much as I had missed his.

We were practically panting when we pulled apart but we couldn't hide the flush of our cheeks as we realised what we had done.

“I love you too Marco” I whispered before giving him one final kiss on the cheek and telling him to meet me in the players lounge after they were done with their on field celebrations.

~

2 years later

“… and I promise to never eat from you plate because I have suffered the consequences of you never wanting to share you food” I teased as I continued to say my vows to Daniela.

After all the drama we had suffered through, I had finally manned up and stepped up to the plate and made an honest woman out of her.

Of course the fact that she was carrying my baby, and my mother’s tears every time she thought about how her grandson would be born a bastard, had pushed me towards the right direction.

“Well then, with the power vested in me I now pronounce you man and wife. Marco Reus you may kiss the bride” Father Pastore announced as I held on to the waist of my new bride and gave her a kiss.

`

“Congratulations you two” Melissa smiled as she walked towards us with her son tugging along.

Daniela smiled as he enveloped her sister in a hug before holding the hand of her nephew.

“I just wanted to say it’s about damn time. I don’t think there are two better suited people than the two of you. Trust me I speak from experience” she teased as I rubbed my neck in awkwardness.

“Well thanks and who knows. Maybe you and Thomas can be the next ones to walk down the isle” Ela offered as Melisa rolled her eyes.

Despite her having giving him a son and currently being pregnant with their second child, Melisa and her chattered accountant boyfriend Thomas didn’t look like they were any closer to getting married than the day they met.

My thoughts about my ex-girlfriend were interrupted as Daniela tried to walk away from me to go speak to Sebastian.

I stop her movements as I tugged her arm, pulling her closer to me.

“Where do you think you are going?” I mocked as I ghosted my lips over hers.

“I just wanted to speak to Seb and I thought you’d want to speak to your friends without me cramping your style” she explained but I shook my head no as I wrapped my arms around her waist.

“You would never cramp my style baby because I want to spend all my time with you and loving you. I don’t ever want to say goodbye” she laughed at my neediness before giving me a kiss, assuring me that she wasn’t going anywhere and from the kick to her belly that accompanied that statement, I had no doubt that Daniela and I were going to be together for the long haul this time.

We were going to be together forever.