Spring Baby

Gabriel’s physical therapy had slowly but surely become something he did without even thinking about. The doctors had to frequently remind him that he was closer than ever to start swinging a golf club again and for once, he couldn’t wait. Next month his physical therapy time at the hospital would be cut down to once a week and his shoulder strength work would be made at the gym, but even so, he still needed to wear his sling, just in case. He let out a long sigh as he finally walked out of the building, lips pressed as he started to wonder where to next. Thankfully a voice cut through the air before he could get in too deep and an easy smile widened his lips at the sight of Camila. “Not a freaking chance in hell,” he told her with a shake of his head, “I was in Mexico with the family, got back a few days ago and was waiting for them to fit me in,” maybe he didn’t have to explain, but he did so anyway. “I wouldn’t mind that, you sure, though? I have to go by the pet store and get some dog food.”

.

Camila smiled up at Gabriel as he let her know that there was no chance he was missing out on physical training. “Good, because I need my training partner in there to keep me sane,” she chuckled as she put her hands in her pockets. The woman raised her eyebrows at the mention of Mexico. “It’s stupid but my mom has roots in Mexico… And I’ve never been there before. I really do want to go there one day. How was the time with your family?” She didn’t really hear her mother about the country she had been living in before Catalina and whenever Camila asked about it and about the family back there… The response wasn’t that great at all. “I don’t mind driving you around for a bit. It means I have something to do for the rest of the day. So I’ll be your personal driver.”

“Why temporary?” He asked, understanding the concept because he’d lived it.  He knew how unhappy it’d made him and, though he didn’t really know this woman at all, he didn’t wish that on her.  Of course, in his case, it had all been a mixed bag that brought him to where he was.  It wasn’t the worst possible outcome, because at least he had the potential to improve on past mistakes from a whole new vantage point on Catalina now.  

He pointed vaguely toward his apartment, but shrugged easily after he did so.  “I don’t mind at all.  Not that it’s particularly unsafe around here, but it’s always nice to have company anyway.” 

.

“From next spring on, I’m hopefully going back to my normal profession. So I’m only going to be working here for a year before moving on again,” Camila explained to the man standing wiht her. A temporary fix to get her physical being back to good again and then she was off for the majority of the week to Los Angeles. She hadn’t fully decided yet if she was going to move to Los Angeles or if she was going to travel with the ferry nearly every day but that was a decision that she could make later on.

Camila looked in the direction where Jason pointed at and it was indeed the same direction as the parking lot. “Thank you. It is, I mean… I would say Catalina is rather safe when it comes to burglary and such but there’s always a small chance, isn’t there.” She stayed quiet for a moment, before speaking up again. “What is it that you do for work?”

There are many parts of Cleo’s upbringing that she keeps concealed. Not for the reasons because they’re ashamed, as it’s habitually the opposite, but to secure the mirth memories that float in their conscience. One pastime reserved in the vault is the blonde’s love for soccer ─ the only bond she made with her father throughout the years. Otherwise, Arthur was hands-off just like Evelyn, as the parents threw money at the children and called it parenting. But, anytime the father and daughter went to a game, the life and animation that she longed from her father for came around for a couple of hours. It’s something she held on for dear life because maybe, just maybe, one day, her father would have a change of heart, see past the dollar signs in his hazel and love her as it’s the only thing a child could want.

Yet, nothing. Not only did it sting, but it felt like they were handed the short stick of life or doomed from the start. It was the first heartbreak Cleo endured as it made an impact on any romantic relationship that came their way. However, today’s trip to Los Angeles isn’t about the trauma, the nostalgia, and how it shaped them, it’s about an opportunity being presented to the blonde: becoming an investor for Angel City on the same day someone, or so they suspect by the influx of vehicles in the parking, got announced on the team’s roster.

Which rapidly causes them to learn it’s Camila ─ whom, in which, the blonde runs into as they arrive at the office early for their upcoming meeting, tour, and hopeful signing. Not only do their paths cross on the isle and throughout the years in high school, but they add another situation to their ongoing list. Instantly, a state of perplexity courses over their features, taking a moment to collect their composure by profusely and process the other’s words. It didn’t take long as Cleo tilts her head and softly beams, ready to withhold any valuable information. “I know someone on the board of Angel City because of our Berkeley alma mater.” A fat lie, but it doesn’t show up on her features, as she proceeds kindly: “I came to pick them up for lunch and catch up on the old times,” she explains collectively, before thinking of a way to avoid the inevitable flutter of personal questions. “Beautiful offices, huh?”

.

Maybe it was a coincidence after all that Camila had bumped into the blonde woman in front of her, even though she wasn’t so sure about it yet. She tried to remember which of the people on the board she had just met would be able to go on a lunch with Cleo but she was failing miserably. The brunette looked around her to take a look at the offices surrounding them. In one of them she had just signed that contract that had tied her to this club. She could tell Cleo but she stopped herself from doing so.

“They are indeed very beautiful. But beautiful or not, I would still go insane if it meant that I would have to sit here from nine to five for a deskjob.” That was definitely not for her. She needed to stay busy, sitting still was not an option for her. “I’m sure that you must have seen your fair share of beautiful offices in your life so far?” What the hell were they doing… Talking about business spaces? Camila wasn’t sure but she couldn’t tell her real reasoning behind why she was here.

May 3rd 2021 - The following paper is delivered to the people on Catalina Island the day after the announcement went worldwide.

Note 1: A small cameo was made by @jackadler on the front page

Note 2: Camila was very embarrassed to see herself on the front page of the paper

It wasn’t the first time that Camila had accepted a package for her neighbour and it was definitely not going to be the last time. She had a feeling that the same was the case for Avi, however, because at the moment she was on her way to pick up her own package with his in her hands, just as a box of donuts. She would train a little harder later on to get rid of those extra calories. She was happy to have Avi as a neighbour, he was kind. She was happy that he wasn’t the kind of neighbour who would be like; screw you, you’re not getting your package, it annoys me that it gets delivered here. Because unfortunately, Camila knew that those existed as well. She walked up to the house next door and rang the doorbell, waiting for the man to open up the door. Once he did, she held up the two boxes in her hand. “I’m here to exchange boxes, but I also brought donuts because I thought we deserved some.”

When Camila had signed the contract just a few minutes ago with a lot of cameras on her, she knew that a lot of publicity was going to be drawn to that the moment it was brought out in the open. It would happen near the end of the new month, but they were preparing everything already. Even though no one could know it yet, she was officially the first player of Angel City FC as of this very moment. She had gotten a tour of the offices, a transfer to the training grounds which were still in development but the stadium that they were going to share with another sportsteam was completely ready and she had gotten a look at that one as well. The grand tour was over and they had travelled back to the offices to do the signing and the promotion that came along with it. It had been a very long morning and Camila was glad that she could get out of there. Unfortunately for her, her trip to the Angel City offices would not go completely unnoticed due to the fact that when Camila rounded the corner, she bumped into a very familiar blonde face. A blonde one who had only been a year up higher during high school and one that she recognized from that reality show from the island that her mother had been hung up about. What the hell was Cleo Halliwell doing at this exact location? Camila’s eyes widened at the woman in front of her, raising her eyebrows as well. “Cleo, hi. You are the last person that I expected to wander these hallways, what are you doing here?”

Jason offered her a soft smile.  “My dad is a law professor, so things look a bit different when I need to eat, even when I was living closer to my parents.  My mom on the other hand…. ask her for a sandwich and you end up with meals for a week.”  He shrugged then, trying to point out without words that he didn’t really do that much.  He was a grown man, after all, had children and a big-time job.  It would’ve been a little ridiculous in his situation to ask his mother to cook for him.  Her situation, however, seemed way different and quite possibly better.  “Do you like working with your father?” 

He shook his head.  “No, just headed home for the evening.  I’m Jason.” 

.

Camila smiled at the description of his mother. That was something that her grandmother would do. Or so she was told. She had never met the one on her father’s side, since she had passed before she was born. Her other grandma was still in Mexico but her mother had no contact with anyone on that side of the family anymore so that was a no go either. The woman nodded at his question. “I do, yes. He has been working here for years now, even before the new owners and name changed to Can Baix. I know this is only going to be temporary for me to work here, but I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can.” Okay, how much did you want to call it temporary if it meant that you were working there for a full year, but she knew that there was going to be an end date by the end of the year due to resuming work and training for the football team. A lot of promotion would need to be done. “Heading home? In which direction? I have to go that way to get to my car, if you don’t mind me walking along of course.”

“Oh this one is very boring. I’m not one to use social media a lot or play games. So I would say that the phone app I use the most, is the official app of the English Premier League. It contains all the news, the scores, the fixtures and more importantly; the Fantasy Premier League. I know, kinda boring but I like it.”

Camila had to laugh at this question and then shook her head. “I am pretty sure that is not going to be the case. I would describe myself as nice, gentle, caring, perhaps. The image most people have of me, is of the person they see standing on that soccer pitch. And let me tell you; that’s not me in daily life. But if people see me off the pitch for the first time I do hope that they see that first image I described of myself.”

“Getting back on the pitch too quickly after my injury the first time around. I have definitely learned from that, it’s the reason why I’m taking so long on properly recovering this time around. I never should’ve tried to get back on the pitch as soon as possible. If I hadn’t done that, I like to think I was still in England.”

“I think this must be something that anyone has done with their parents,” Camila started before she thought back about the past and her own situation. “So yes, I definitely have but in general I’m quite open with them. I learned that the hard way, though. They keep me grounded, if I start keeping secrets for them, I know that things are going wrong in my life.”

“Well it depends,” he spoke quietly as he scooted in a little closer. In his experience, men typically broke up with him in public to avoid his dramatics. Tyson was no stranger to dinner and a breakup. “Sometimes people want a scene, sure. Other times, they may want to do it to mitigate a scene. People think that delivering bad news news in a public forum prevents them from having a dramatic outburst or responding poorly. Let me tell you, if someone is going to react poorly they’re going to react poorly audience or not.”

Camila motioned over in the direction of the two women when Tyson mentioned that people were going to react no matter the audience or not. “I would say that the two of them are definitely a good example of that,” she said with a chuckle. She thought for a moment before speaking up again. “But I think you’re right. Bad news will never have a good timing, no matter the place, time, date or situation.” When Cami had gotten into the hospital to receive the results of the MRI taken of her knee she just wanted to get it over and done with. Just rip the bandaid off in one piece, not prolong the pain that would come from it all. “I am lucky to never have had such a public display before in my personal life.”

Dining al fresco wasn’t exactly his favorite thing, but he was currently working long hours combined with his ongoing divorce.  He wasn’t exactly good, or desirable, company.  His cooking skills being what they were, exactly none, meant he was eating out a lot at a table for one or ordering a lot of takeout.  Tonight had absolutely been an eating out night, trying to squeeze in at least a small break before a looming deadline early in the next week.  It was quite likely his last meal without working and eating simultaneously for a little while and, yes, he’d enjoyed it immensely.

He’d come to a stop outside Can Boix only because his oldest son had texted him a good night wish.  Thanks to the ongoing negotiations in his divorce, he hadn’t seen Gabriel in close to two weeks, and these moments were the only ones he could exploit to feel even a little connected.  He wanted to give it his full attention.  That attention was promptly split by a passerby.  “Oh, um, it was good,” Jason agreed, not minding her approach.  “I tried something new, so I can’t say if it was as good as usual, but I enjoyed it.  I live not too far and I can’t cook to save my life, so you have definitely seen me.  I’m Jason.” 

.

It was always a surprise how people were going to react if you addressed a stranger in the streets. Some people were distant, trying to gauge the person who had just said something to them. Some people were defensive right away. But then there were people like the man in front of her who just gave a normal reaction. For a moment Camila worried if she had interrupted him with something as he had been focused on his phone quite intently. But in the end he did reply to her. Camila smiled at the words. “I get that, whenever I don’t want to cook I can always ask my dad who works in the kitchen here. He’s always happy to cook something for me.” It was probably a good thing that Cami did quite a lot of working out in physical therapy and the small bits of football she was playing again, otherwise she would become so fat with all the food she would eat. “I’m Camila,” she introduced herself before motioning over to the phone in Jason’s hands. “I hope I’m not interrupting something important?”