Would You Fall Too?

Holding her bag close to her, Emilie allowed her blue eyes to peek around the Stade De France, a few nerves twitching in the pit of her stomach. She had been a little surprised, after a shaky start, Spain had somehow wormed their way through to the final, but Emilie had been more caught off guard by the pair of tickets which had arrived a few days previous, Sergio’s familiar scrawled handwriting on the front of the envelope. She had joked about wanting to take a trip to Paris, but she’d not anticipated that he would actually arrange for her to be there. She would have been more than content watching the final at home with her father and brother who had become immersed in the tournament as the rounds had ticked by.

“You look a little lost”

Emilie jumped at the sound of the familiar voice and turned, greeting Sergio’s father with a soft smile. “I was looking for my seat” she noted gently “I’ve never really had the best sense of direction” she added.

Jose Maria smiled. “I think you’ll find that you’re with us” he noted, taking the ticket out of her hand “You came alone?” he posed.

Emilie shook her head. “My friend, Isla, she’s just popped to the bathroom. Could we wait for her?” she posed.

“Of course” the older man replied “Are you excited for the match?” he posed, trying to make conversation with his son’s girlfriend. He liked the ginger girl, she seemed to be a far better fit for his son than any of his previous girlfriends, and he wanted to make an effort with her, even if his wife was more hesitant, Emilie was the girl that their son had asked to marry him and Jose didn’t want to cause a problem. It was clear from just one look at Sergio’s face that Emilie meant a lot to him and that wasn’t something which was going to be changed easily

“Nervous” Emilie replied “Watching him…it doesn’t make me comfortable” she noted.

Jose smiled. “It never does” he noted “I’ve watched nearly every match my son has played, and still it is able to reduce me to a wreck” he added with a warm smile.

“Do you think they could win?” Emilie posed, peeking over the older man’s shoulder towards Isla who skittered towards them.

“The Belgians are good” the older man noted “They’ve got a lot of good players, but I’d like to think they stood a chance. After the first game, they’ve looked more confident” he added.

Emilie smiled before Isla appeared at her side, her head a little tilted as she stared at the strange man. “This is Jose Maria” Emilie commented “He’s Sergio’s padre” she added.

Isla nodded. “We’re sitting with you, I take it?” she posed.

The older man nodded. “I think Sergio wants us all in one place” he noted “Have you spoken to him today, Emmy?” he posed as he moved to lead the two women towards the seats that Sergio had gotten for them.

Emilie shook her head. “He prefers that I text on match day. He’s got a little routine and I don’t want to disturb it” she noted.

Jose offered her another grin before he turned to face his wife whose stare was already fixed on the ginger girl, almost a little disappointed to see her. He knew that his wife wasn’t Emilie’s biggest fan, he’d had to listen to her complaints more than once, but he hoped that she could put aside her qualms for that day. It was about Sergio, about the team, and the last thing he wanted was for his wife to cause an issue with the girl who just wanted to be there to support her boyfriend.

~#~
“You know, you really didn’t have to come here” Paqui commented as she looked at Emilie, her eyes studying the ginger girl as she sipped on a bottle of water. It was half time, Spain had come from behind to level with Belgium, and Paqui wanted to take the chance to speak to Emilie. She didn’t like that she was there, after the way Sergio had left France for her, she didn’t like her being around her son, and with her husband and Isla having disappeared to the bathroom, she wanted to take her chance. As far as she was concerned, Emilie was no good and she wanted her to know it too.

“It’s a big deal for Sergio” Emilie replied, not looking at the other woman.

“A big deal that you almost cost him” Paqui commented “He could easily have been dropped for the whole tournament because of you” she added.

“He wasn’t” Emilie pointed out “And that’s all that matters. I know what he did was silly, but I needed him then” she added.

Paqui scoffed. “He could have messed up his career over you” she returned “Doesn’t that bother you?” she added.

Emilie shook her head. “He didn’t mess up his career” she noted “He didn’t even mess up this tournament, and I would rather you didn’t suggest what we both know you’re trying to suggest. I didn’t ask him to come back, he did that himself” she added. She knew what the older woman was getting at, she was trying to make out that Emilie saw herself as more important to Sergio than his job, but she wasn’t going to hear it. If she’d known he intended to fly back to Madrid after he’d heard about Jeremy, then she would have told him to turn around, not wanting him to get in trouble for her.

Paqui pursed her lips. “I really don’t know what he sees in you” she muttered.

Emilie sighed. “Neither do I” she admitted “There have been countless times that I have looked at your son and thought about why he could possibly want me, out of all the girls in the world, and I still draw a blank. Your son is an amazing man, Mrs Ramos, and I know that I haven’t done a lot to deserve him, but I want to work on it. I want to spend my days showing him that I love him and I can only hope that that will be enough for you in time. Your son means the world to me and whilst I will probably never understand why it is, he chose me. Can’t you at least attempt to respect that?” she posed softly.

Paqui looked at her for a moment, not missing the way her blue eyes lit up a little when she spoke of Sergio, before she sighed. “I can try” she murmured.

“That’s all I ask” Emilie noted “I know I am not perfect, I’m more aware of that than anyone, but for some reason, your son loves me” she added.

Paqui nodded. “He does” she noted “It scares me how much he does” she admitted.

Emilie tilted her.

“All he talks about is you, and the future he wants for you both. I worry, Emilie, he’s in too deep for this to fall apart” she added.

Emilie swallowed a little before she peeked at the older woman. “I won’t let it fall apart” she vowed softly.

Paqui offered her a look before she quietly nodded her head. She somehow doubted that Emilie would be able to keep that promise.