You, Me and Our Family

“Damn you look rough” Ricky said as Cristiano yawned carrying Junior into the kitchen. “Thanks just what I want to hear Ricky. Glad you’ve come to visit” Cristiano said to his friend as he placed Junior into his highchair. “Long night with this little rascal I take it” Ricky said smiling and tickling Junior. “I gave up counting how many times he woke up after the fourth time” Cristiano said heading towards the fridge. “You should let everyone help you Cris. What about that girl who’s helping you during the day?” Ricky asked. “Lola is already doing enough to help. Everyone is. He’s teething and restless. And he’s missing Molly” Cristiano sighed.

“You are too” Ricky replied. “I get to see her at the hospital I guess” Cristiano said. “But” Ricky said. “This place isn’t the same without her” Cristiano said. “Same without who?” Nuno asked jogging into the kitchen. “Molly” Ricky said. “Ah right. Ya it’s not. What time are you going to the hospital today? I can go while you rest” Nuno offered. “Thanks but I want to go” Cristiano replied. “Why don’t I get Junior’s breakfast while you go lay down?” Nuno asked. “I won’t be able to sleep. But thanks. Anyway you stink you should go shower” Cristiano said.

“I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to go exercise this morning” Nuno said taking a drink of water. “Molly’s dad phoned me last night” Cristiano said. “Ah he wants you to get her to see them” Nuno said. “Ya and I hate having to tell him that she’s not ready. Like I don’t even want to bring them up. Seeing how she reacted after seeing Junior, I’m afraid to even mention them” he said. “I’m sure he understands” Ricky said. “If will get easier” Nuno said. “When? When will it get easier? Cos I’m really tired of this. I hate that she doesn’t remember us. I hate that she feels like she’s failing cos she doesn’t remember. I hate that she’s stuck in that hospital when she hates them. I hate it all” Cristiano snapped. “I know you hate it. We all hate it. But she’s alive. She’s talking to you. And to others. It’s just going to take time” Nuno said. “Ya I know. It just sucks” Cristiano said.

“It does but we are all here for you and her. And Junior. So let us help” Nuno said. “He’s right” Ricky told Cristiano. “He’s spent a lot of time with Molly that he’s starting to talk like her now” Cristiano said. “You mean I’m getting good at telling you what to do” Nuno joked. “Yes that’s it” Cristiano smiled. “But the sooner its Molly bossing you around the better” Ricky said. “Amen to that” Cristiano said holding his glass of orange juice in the air.

“One more time Molly” Annabelle the physio said. “You said that five minutes ago” Molly groaned as she lifted her shoulder slowly into the air. “Well you were doing so well it seemed a shame to stop” Annabelle smiled at her earning another groan from Molly. A knock came at the door and Cristiano popped his head into the room. “Hi” he smiled. “Oh thank God you are here” Molly said. “Why? What’s wrong? What’s happened?” Cristiano asked panicked moving into the room. “She’s trying to kill me with this physio” Molly said as Annabelle helped her take a seat on the bed.

“Oh that’s all” he sighed with relief. “Urgh I forgot you are probably a gym addict” Molly said. “I kind have to be a friend with the gym given my profession” he smiled at her. “I’m Annabelle. I’m Molly’s lucky physio” the woman said holding her hand out towards Cristiano. “Nice to meet you” he said shaking the woman’s hand. “She hates being told what to do. Good luck” he smiled. “Urgh why are you here again?” Molly asked. “I’ll go so and leave you and Annabelle work away” Cristiano said. “Or you could stay and interrupt this torture instead” Molly smiled at him. “We are finished for the day anyway Molly” Annabelle smiled at her. “Lovely now I’ll just spend the rest of the day in pain” Molly groaned moving her hands to her ribs. “It’s a good pain remember” her physio told her. “Ya ya I know. It just hurts” Molly sighed. “Before you know it, you’ll be back swimming. And doing Zumba and Pilates again” Cristiano told her. “Me doing Pilates” she asked. “Yes really. You actually like working out” he told her.

“Are you sure I hadn’t a head injury before I met you?” Molly asked. “Positive. Well I hope anyway” he laughed which made Molly laugh before she started to cough. “Easy easy. Here. Take small sips” Annabelle said holding a glass of water out towards Molly. “Those lung exercises are tough but we need to make them stronger” Annabelle told Molly. “Rest up and I’ll see you in a couple of days” Annabelle smiled at Molly before she headed towards the door. “Thanks Annabelle” Molly said. “We’ll have you back to full health before you know it” Annabelle told her before leaving the room. “Wonder when I’ll be back to full mind?” Molly asked outload.

“How is your head?” Cristiano asked her as she sat on the edge of the bed. “Sore. My ribs hurt. My eyes are sore. My whole body is sore” she sighed. “I’m sorry” he told her. “It’s not your fault. I just hate this. I hate being stuck in this room” she said standing from the bed. “Careful” he told her as she winced. “I’m fine to walk” she told him moving around the bed and past him. “Sarah stopped by this morning” she told him as she walked towards the window. “She said she would whilst I was at training” he yawned. “Training tire you?” she asked. “Something like that. Anyway how was Sarah?” he asked. “Still pausing her life whilst I’m in here” Molly replied.

“She wouldn’t be here if she didn’t care. She’s your friend. She’s like you. She has a good heart” he told her moving to sit on her bed. “She brought a friend” Molly told him. “Who?” he asked nervously. “Anderia” Molly told him. “Oh right” he said. “Is that not a good thing?” she asked as he moved to sit against the headboard. “Depends how you felt about seeing her” he said. “She’s nice” Molly replied looking out the window and watching the people walking around below. “She is. Her husband is a good friend of mine” he said. “It’s just weird” she told him. “Ha everything about you and me is weird” he told her. “You and I not you and me” she told him.

“Oh sorry Miss English girl” he said. “Sorry. I had an old English teacher who always corrected people when they said that. Guess she rubbed off on me” she said. “What were you like in school?” he asked. “Quiet. Shy” she replied. “Really?” he asked surprised. “Yes really” she said. “Ok maybe at first. But your you” he said. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked. “You could talk to a wall and get a reply. You make everyone feel welcome. Ya maybe you are shy at first. But around your friends your, well your Molly” he told her. “I didn’t have many friends at school” she told him.

“Why not?” he asked. “Didn’t want people around my house and parents for starters. I don’t know. I guess kids didn’t really like me much, It wasn’t until I met Sarah and we became friend that I started to like being around lots of people” she said. “You were too busy with your head in a book to have fun” he said. “Hey there’s nothing wrong with an education” she said. “I admire it. You even managed to finish your course even with everything that happened” he said. “”What do you mean with everything that happened?” she asked confused. “Huh” he mumbled.

“You said I managed to finish my course even with everything that happened. What did you mean?” she asked. He looked at her as his brain tried to think of what to say. He couldn’t tell her about the IVF. About the doctor trying to rape her. About the loan shark. “Meeting me. You know it’s well known that I distract women” he smirked and she rolled her eyes. “I bet you annoy me more than distract me” she said. “It’s something we are both alike” he smiled. “It’s nice out” he told her. “I would hope so since we are in Spain. Dad always said it was the one good thing about Spain” she said. “They asked about you” he told her. “Nice of them to care” she muttered.

“Molly” he said. “You know for my 16th birthday, they promised we would go to the Costa Del Sol during the school break. And guess what happened. My Dad spent the week working off the debt my mother got them in after she betted away the money they had saved for the holiday and more” she said. “They’ve changed. And I know it doesn’t make up for the past. But they are changing for you. They want to be better for you. I’m not going to make you see them. I just wanted you to know that they care. “It feels such a long time ago when I used to wrap myself in one of my Dad’s shirts when he used to be away working for weeks on end” she sighed staring out the window. “I’m really tired of being stuck in here” she said a while later and she turned around to find him asleep on the bed. She laughed quietly and smiled before turning back around to stare out the window.

“I’m pretty sure it’s you who should be resting in bed not him” Dr. Vicente said as the doctor entered the room a while later. “He hasn’t being asleep for long” Molly told her placing the drawing pad onto her lap. “So much for having someone keeping you company” Dr. Vicente said. “I don’t mind” Molly smiled looking at Cristiano. “I just came to see how you are” the doctor said. “Tired. Sore. Still no full memory. You know the usual” Molly replied. “Soon Molly. Soon” Dr. Vicente said smiling at her before leaving the room.

Molly heard a cough and a groan and found Cristiano beginning to wake up. “Hello sleepy head” she said. “Shit. Sorry sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep” he said sitting up in the bed. “It’s ok” she told him as he stood from the bed. “Though I didn’t know I was that boring to be around” she said. “Trust me with you around my life is never boring” he smiled at her. “I just didn’t get much sleep. Junior….Shit I really should go” he said looking at his watch. “I’ll be back tomorrow at some point. Jorge wants to talk in the morning and I have training” he said. “You don’t have to stop by every day” she told him.

“But I want to” he told her as he mobile began to ring. “That will be Maé. I said I’d be back by now to watch Junior. I’ll see you later. Get some rest” he told her before bending his head down and placing a kiss on her cheek something which made Molly jump in surprise. “Ahm….Bye” he stammered realised what he had just done before he walked as quickly as he could out of the room.

“Hi” Cristiano said the following day as he walked into Molly’s hospital room. “Hi” she said from where she stood beside the window. “What’s with the wheelchair?” she asked. “Hop in and you’ll find out” he told her. “What?” Molly asked. “You heard me. Let’s go. I told Jorge I had to skip the chat he wanted so I could do something with you so let’s go” he told her. “But I can’t” she told him. “Why not?” he asked. “I’m not allowed to leave the room” she told her. “I cleared it with Dr. Vicente I promise. Now hop in” he told her. “Where are we going?” she asked slowly walking towards him. “You’ll soon see” he smiled. “Or you could just tell me” she said. “Or you could just have some patience and wait” he said grabbing a dressing gown. “Here put this around you” he told her. “”Just tell me where we are going” she said. “Just wait” he said.

“People are staring” she muttered. “She ignore them” he said as he pushed her chair through the hospital corridors. “Take me back” she told him. “They just haven’t seen such a beautiful girl before” he told her. “I don’t care” Molly said trying to avoid the people who were looking at her. “We’re here now. Just stay a few minutes” he told her. “Where is here?” she asked. “You said you were tired of being stuck in doors. So now enjoy the fresh air” he told her as the doors to outside opened. “You brought me to the garden?” she asked with a smile on her face. “Thought you would like it” he told her as he pushed her near a bench.

“It’s so pretty. It smells so lovely” she said taking a deep breath in before she started to cough. “Easy” he said lowering himself down to her height. “You ok?” he asked. “I’m fine. Guess I’m not used to fresh air” she smiled. “We can only stay out for a little bit” he told her. “But it’s better than not coming out at all. Thank you” she smiled at him. “I’ll do anything to keep a smile on your face Mols” he told her before he heard his name be called out.

“Shit. I’m sorry. I thought there’s wouldn’t be many people around who would want autographs” he sighed. “I don’t think they are looking for an autograph” she said nodding over his shoulder. “Hey Ronnie” Sergio said as he, Pepe, Fabio, Xabi and Iker walked towards the pair. “What are you lot doing here?” Cristiano asked. "We thought you didn't see us enough today" Fabio said.

“We came to see you. Well we came to see Mols but we didn’t think we would but hey looks like our luck is in” Sergio said. “Hola Molly” Iker waved at her. “Hi” she replied. “We just said we’d say hello which we have. So we’ll hopefully see you again soon" Pepe said trying to get the guys to leave. He knew from Ana and Cristiano how Molly had being reacting to new things lately. "Wait how did you know they weren't fans?" Cristiano asked Molly. "I saw them on tv. Plus Ana showed me some pics" Molly replied. "It was mostly pics of me wasn't it. Go on you can tell the truth" Sergio winked at Molly which made her laugh and Cristiano glare at the footballer.

"Well since you sort of don't know us....I'm Fabio. And that's Xabi, Captain serious Iker, Pepe and Sergio" Fabio said. "Thanks for coming to visit. Sorry I don't remember you" Molly said. "Ya I don't get that" Sergio said moving to sit on the bench beside her wheelchair.

"I mean you really don't remember our hot racy affair?" he asked and all the other men wanted to smack Sergio knowing how Cristiano could be. "Ramos" Iker yelled as Molly just stared at Sergio. "Maybe we should rekindle it and see if it helps me remember" Molly suggested. "What" they all yelled. "Wait wait" Sergio said in panic looking at Cristiano. "Gotcha" Molly smirked.

"Not funny Molly. Are you trying to get me killed?" Sergio asked."You're trying that all by yourself" Pepe glared at Sergio. Molly started to cough and moved her hand to her head. "I think that's enough time outside" Cristiano said. "Ya I think I've had enough" she said. "Can we walk back with you?" Fabio asked. "Sure. You can tell me how your teammate over there manages to play football with that big head of his" Molly told him earning a laugh from the guys. As Fabio pushed Molly's chair with the others following Cristiano walked slowly behind.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I just didn't really know what to say " Sergio said to Cristiano. "K" he replied. "She looks good" Sergio said. "She's getting better" Cristiano said. "But remembers nothing about you or any of her time in Spain" Sergio said. "None of it" Cristiano said. "That's not all bad" Sergio said. "The mother of my son doesn't remember him or me and you think it's not all bad" Cristiano said angrily as he stopped walking. "What I mean is....I heard how she spoke about you the night....

"The night you made me think you were on a date with her" Cristiano said. "Forget that bit. What I'm trying to say is that I could see that she had fallen for you. So if you managed to get her to fall for you once maybe now's your chance to make her fall for you again" Sergio said.