Chapter Twenty: It's Okay

                                    

                                          
Shakira grinned sitting next to Katania, it was the last match before Christmas and she was thrilled to see that Lionel had invited Katania and Sophie; it would be a good boost for him since he’d had a lot on his mind recently. 
                          
“Don’t look so nervous,” Shakira teased settling Milan next to her, she couldn’t sit her son on her lap since her bump was in the way; she brushed her fingers through her son’s hair. 
                          
Katania nodded her head, she knew people were watching her and she wasn’t used to it; she tried to stay out of the lime-light since she didn’t want people watching her or Sophie. 
                          
“She looks adorable,” Shakira mused admiring Sophie in her baby kit, she looked so cute and there was no doubt that Lionel would be so happy when he saw her in it. 
                          
Katania nodded her head, she had thought that it would cheer Lionel up since there was trouble brewing within the club; she didn’t know what was going on but she knew it was bad.
                          
“Papa,” Sophie squealed spotting Lionel warming up with the rest of the team, she clapped her hands and held them up wanting Lionel to hold her. 
                          
Shakira and a couple of the other spouses who had heard cooed knowing that they hadn’t been expecting Sophie to call Lionel her father and it was so cute.
                          
Katania cuddled Sophie, it was something that Lionel and her were still getting used to the fact that she called them mama and papa; it was always going to take some getting used to. 
                          
“Papa,” Sophie whined frowning when Lionel didn’t come to her, she turned to Katania pouting wanting Lionel; she whimpered cuddling into the brunette who held her close. 
                          
Shakira watched Katania with Sophie, she was impressed with how Katania and Lionel were coping; she didn’t think she could have done what they were doing right now.
                          
***
                          
“How’s my girl?” Lionel cooed lifting Sophie out of Katania’s arms, he cuddled the little girl close and pressed a kiss to her cheek; he couldn’t believe how good things had been for the last few weeks. 
                          
Katania smiled watching him with Sophie, she wasn’t sure how he managed to cope with 73,000 people watching him; she doubted she would be able to do anything with that maybe people watching her. 
                          
Lionel moved away from Katania carrying Sophie in his arms, he thought that the brunette looked beautiful dressed in her Barcelona home ladies shirt and black skinny jeans paired with grey lace up pumps; she looked casual and comfortable for the match. 
                          
“Leo…” a couple of his team-mates cooed moving to fuss over Sophie, they couldn’t believe how adorable the little girl was and they wondered where Lionel had been hiding her. 
                          
Sophie peeked at the strange men, she clung to Lionel as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head; she clutched at his shirt as Gerard approached them. 
                          
“You look like a protective padre,” Gerard teased knowing how Lionel felt about Sophie, he wanted his friend to relax into the idea since that was what he was right now. 
                          
Lionel had confessed his fears to Gerard, he didn’t want to relax Sergio in Sophie’s life and he felt a little ill whenever Sophie called him papa; it was something that he had yet to get used to. 
                          
Katania had tried to reassure him, she felt the same when Sophie called her mama but they would have to get used to it; Sophie needed them to be her parents now. 
                          
“Relax,” Gerard murmured gently, he was trying to help his best friend and he knew that Lionel was just going to have to adjust.
                          
Lionel nodded his head as he moved to stand with their team-mates, he wasn’t the only player that had brought a child onto the pitch; most of the starting eleven had their children with them.