This chapter jumps a little bit in terms of timeframe but that's because I needed to get from December to June in a chapter. Hope you still like it.
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February - 2 months after Callie left London
Callie watched as the Latina grabbed the bedsheets as her orgasm started to kick in."Fucck yes just there!" she moaned in she was so hot! Just as Callie felt a throb between her thighs her phone started ringing. Groaning at the interruption, Callie pressed pause on the remote and answered the call.
"Hey Jess!" Callie answered in a way that she hoped sounded breezy.
"Whatcha up to?"
"Oh nothing, just watching the L word" Callie replied
"Still? Haven't you finished that yet?"
"No there are a LOT of seasons to get through and you interrupted it at a very umm important part of the storyline" Callie complained
"You mean I interrupted it at a very hot part of the episode!" Jess teased her friend "is someone feeling horny?"
Callie rolled her eyes "Oh God Jess...I'm so frigging horny. It's worse now that I know what good sex feels like. It's been two months!" Callie groaned down the phone at her friend.
"Cal, have you thought about you know...trying to meet someone else for actual physical contact and not just sitting in your room watching every gay TV/Movie ever made?"
"Hey! It's called research" Callie explained "I'm gening up on you know...gay culture!"
"Research is getting out and meeting other people, talking to other people who have had similar feelings. Not that I don't love our chats, but seriously Cal...you need to get out of that apartment!"
Callie knew her friend was right. Once her belongings had arrived back from London, Callie had moved back to Orlando and was training hard with the Pride team.
The season was starting up again soon and once her ankle had healed Callie went full whack. She was enjoying the warm weather, although weirdly she did miss sitting in front of a roaring fire, although that might have had more to do with who she was sitting next to.
"Anyway enough about my sad love life...how's things going with Sanne?"
Jess beamed down the screen at the brunette "really well."
"Great. So when do I get to meet her."
"Well you know, maybe if you hadn't fucked off back to Florida!" Jess replied with a teasing smile
"Yeah yeah ...you know why I came back Jess".
"In case the story broke and you could talk to your parents, but it didn't Cal, so you know...you could just come back….hell Spurs would take you back, they sure need your goals."
Callie thought about Jess's comment about Spurs taking her back, she had been following their results online, watching the highlights wherever she could find them, and they had lost their recent games.
She was sure Jess was right, but whilst the club might have taken her back, she knew Arizona wouldn't and that thought hurt too much.
"You know I can't go back Jess!" Callie said
"Can't or won't?"
"Oh I don't know Jess….I messed things up big time with Arizona and I'm sure she's moved on."
"Maybe. Maybe not. But if you aren't going to do anything about Arizona, then what's stopping you from dating someone else? It's like you're in limbo." her friend added.
Jess looked at Callie and saw someone who seemed confused as hell.
"Look Cal, all I'm trying to say is that if you're scared then that's natural, but you aren't alone OK?" Jess said softly.
"Thanks Jess. I'm lucky to have you as a friend".
April - 4 months after Callie left London
Callie threw all her focus and energy into her training. Baring an injury she was more or less guaranteed a place in the US Olympic team, she also knew that she probably wouldn't be starting the games.
The new teenage sensation Hope Powell was the future and Callie had finally accepted that. At the recent international friendlies the teenager had been super sweet to Callie, and in a joint interview they had done after one of the games, the teenager had gushed about how great it was to play alongside one of her idols, explaining how she had posters of Torres on her bedroom walls growing up. Callie had smiled sweetly but inside she was dying at how old she suddenly felt. At that point she knew she had to work double hard for her place and to prove that she still had something to give to the team.
One weekend Orlando Pride were playing away at Washington Spirit where a fellow US national team player played. Casey was the captain of the national team and had convinced Callie to stay the night at her house after the game. Casey was 100% out and proud lesbian and was a fantastic spokesperson for the team. Callie really admired her and looked up to her, even though she was five years younger.
After the game which had ended up a 2-2 draw Callie had showered and then met up with Casey in the carpark who had driven them back to the house she shared with her girlfriend. As much as Casey had wanted to take Callie out and show her what Washington had to offer, they had to be sensible as they couldn't risk being spotted out on the town so near to the start of the Olympics. Instead they had invited some friends around to theirs for dinner.
On the drive back Casey quizzed Callie about her time in London. It was rare they got one-on-one time and so it was good to chat.
"So tell me to mind my own business...but what's the deal with you and Woody? I know we took the piss about the Enquirer story, but you know..did something happen between you two in London, because...hey if it did then you know you can tell me."
Callie smiled over at her friend "100% nothing happened…." Callie paused before adding "...with Jess." before giving her friend a knowing look!
"Ooooh you tease!" Casey laughed "feel like sharing?"
Callie thought before she answered. It might actually be helpful to talk things through with Casey and she knew she could trust her.
"Well there isn't a huge amount to say really other than I met an amazing person whilst in London who happened to be a wom."
"I knew it!" Casey said excitedly
Callie looked over in surprise at Casey's reaction who then glanced over sheepishly before giving her friend an apologetic look "Sorry Cal...just relieved that my gaydar was right!" the American said smiling
"Your gaydar went off with me?" Callie asked surprised
"Hell yeah! Years ago, was seriously starting to get worried I was wrong...anyway...carry on" Casey said as she gave her friend and fellow teammate a wink.
"Well as well as being my...first" Callie said slightly embarrassed discussing her inexperience with women to someone as out as Casey
"Hey don't sweat about that honey….we all have a first! The main thing is you had one in the first place, right? I mean that's half the battle there!" Casey said smiling
"I guess"
"Was it not good?" Casey asked
"No! No it was the opposite" Callie quickly responded, maybe a little too quickly...as she felt her cheeks start to blush.
Casey chuckled "glad to hear it Torres. I'm always so sad when I hear about a bad first-time experience, not that it happens often….so all was good...so what happened?" Casey said glancing over with a confused look on her face
"Well as well as being a woman...she also happened to be a physio...my club physio!" Callie said
"Torres! I never knew you had it in you!" Casey said smiling at her friend.
"Ha! Neither did I!" Callie laughed back
"So it umm didn't work out?"
"I didn't give it a bloody chance" Callie admitted as she looked out the window "i kinda freaked out and bolted".
"Ahh OK, so now it's starting to make sense...and Jess and the Enquirer story, she was.."
"She was helping me out by taking the heat. Keeping Arizona's name out of the press, you know, to save her job!"
"Arizona…hmm interesting name. Is she American?"
"Nope. British, but she umm has spent a lot of her time in Spain and the US.
"Ohhh well travelled and an interesting name." Casey said with a smile.
It was more than just her name that was interesting Callie thought as she looked out the window.
"Sooo i'm guessing your folks don't know.."
"Fuck no!" Callie said snapping out of her Arizona daydream "they are going to freak out."
"You don't know that" Casey replied in a soft voice
"Ha! Said someone who has clearly never met my parents" Callie said smiling "its gonna crush them I know it is. That's why I'm waiting until after the Olympics to tell them."
"Well maybe, but you might be surprised. You should talk to Teresa tonight. She works with Abbey. She umm she went through something similar last year with her Catholic parents. I mean, you don't have to, but it might help."
"Yeah maybe"
—-
Teresa and Callie ended up getting on really well over the dinner and at the end of the evening they exchanged numbers. Callie had found the blonde easy to talk to and had shared with her her worries about telling her parents that she liked girls. Talking it through with someone who had gone through the very same thing as she was about to go through really helped her.
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June - six months after Callie left London
Arizona was out on a run when her phone started ringing. She checked her Fitbit to see the Caller ID.
Debbie Granger. Shit. What did she want? Arizona thought as she stopped running and plopped herself down on a wall to answer the call.
"Robbins!" Came the friendly voice "I do hope I'm not disturbing?"
Debbie Granger was the England National Women's team head coach who Arizona knew pretty well following a stint as the head physio before she joined Spurs.
"Hey Debbie" Arizona replied "sorry for the heavy breathing, I'm out for a run" Arizona explained.
"Oh sorry, I won't keep you long" Debbie started "I'm calling because we have a bit of an emergency."
"Oh right?" Arizona said as she tried to think what the emergency could be and also what it had to do with her.
"Steph Williams, unfortunately, got hit by a car, she's fine, but she busted her shoulder up pretty badly and well, obviously now can't make it to Tokyo."
Arizona's eyes widened at the mention of Tokyo where the Olympics were due to take place in four weeks.
"So I'm looking for a replacement head physio. I know you are happy at Spurs, but is there any way we can tempt you back to help out temporarily?" Debbie asked before continuing.
"You can bring in your own team if you want, although Steph's team is pretty solid, it just we both immediately thought of you as the only replacement."
Arizona's mind was racing. She had loved her two years working with the National team and whilst they weren't as talented as some of the other countries, they made up for it in team spirit.
"Poor Steph. Please wish her a speedy recovery, shit timing for her." Arizona said
"Yeah, she's pretty gutted...I know it would really cheer her up if you said yes!" Debbie said.
Arizona chuckled as Debbie tried some good old fashion emotional blackmail.
Sensing some hesitation Debbie spoke again "obviously you don't have to agree right now. Sleep on it and get back to me tomorrow. I've emailed over the players' files so you know what you are working with...you know...if you were able to help out. I, the team...the country would be forever in..."
Arizona laughed at the country reference "Alright Debbie...you can lay off the national pride. I'll take a look at the files when I'm home and get back to you tomorrow with my answer."
Debbie laughed "sorry, just you know...your nation needs you is such a strong line!"
Arizona laughed as they exchanged goodbyes and the blonde resumed her run.
As she jogged through the park near her house she thought about the offer. She had been looking forward to some time off, getting out of the city for a bit, but Covid travel restrictions were still in place so her options were pretty limited.
Maybe Tokyo would be fun. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like an appealing idea. She would need to get sign off from Spurs and she would want Sam to be part of the team.
Once home and showered Arizona went through the files Debbie had sent over to her with the players stats and injury histories. 70% of the team were the same players who Arizona had worked with whilst she had been the physio, but there were a number of new players she hadn't encountered before. It was an exciting opportunity and after a quick call to Sam to see if she was interested in joining her.
"Are you kidding me?" Sam had practically yelled down the phone when Arizona had asked if she wanted in.
Arizona laughed "is that a yes?"
"Hell it's a yes. Tokyo. The Olympics...Oh my god….when do we go?"
Arizona had then called up the Spurs manager and got the official approval from the club. It was good PR for them that out of all of the clubs, their physio's had been the ones asked to cover.
Four hours ago Arizona had set out for her daily job and now she was going to the Olympics.
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OK I know I said they would meet in the next chapter, but I needed this one to move the story along. I pinkie promise they will be reunited in the next chapter which is half written.
Next up Tokyo and the Olympic Games.