When 3 turns into 4

They got close.... But so did i.

Pulled her into his arms.

"I do, Lucia. I do."

She sobbed into his chest.

Eli stood back, confused. "Why are you sad?"

Ric kissed Lucy's temple, then gently let go. "I'm sorry."

He turned to leave.

And then—

"WAIT!"

Eli ran after him. Grabbed his hand.

"You have to come back."

Ric turned slowly, voice breaking. "I'm trying."

⸻

Back in the training room — Elenora's POV

My phone buzzed.

One message.

From Francesca:

The kids saw Ric in the café. Lucia cried. He hugged her. Eli chased him when he tried to leave. Just wanted you to know.

I stared at the screen, throat tight.

Because I'd been trying so hard to shut the door.

And they just... opened it for me.

Arsenal Women's Strategy Room, Friday

"Okay," Renee was saying at the whiteboard, marker in hand, "West Ham like to isolate the wide channels. We press from the outside in and keep the centrebacks compact—"

The door slammed open.

I didn't look up at first. None of us did — training rooms got interruptions all the time.

Until we heard it.

"MUMMY!"

Lucia's voice — broken, wailing. Gasping between sobs.

Then came Eli, red-faced, fists clenched, tears pouring down his cheeks, dragging his bag behind him.

The room stilled like someone had flipped the oxygen switch off.

I stood up instantly. "What—?"

Lucy crashed into my legs, sobbing so hard her knees buckled. "Why doesn't he want us anymore?"

"Who?" I asked, heart already racing, though I knew.

"Ric!" she sobbed. "He won't talk to us, he won't come over, he's mad, he hates us, he—he doesn't care!"

My legs gave out. I knelt to the floor, clutching her to my chest.

"I don't understand," she whispered. "I don't understand what we did."

I couldn't speak.

Eli kicked over a chair.

"Eli—!"

"HE'S LYING!" he screamed. "HE SAID HE CARED! HE SAID WE WERE HIS FAMILY AND NOW HE'S JUST GONE!"

"Eli," I tried gently, but his face twisted in fury.

He swung his bag into the wall, tears and rage spilling over in every direction.

Beth moved forward but stopped.

Laia stepped in — calm, gentle — and dropped to her knees, arms out.

"Come here," she whispered.

"NO!" Eli screamed, fists balled.

"Eli. Come here."

He ran to her.

She held him tightly. So tightly. Like pressure might keep him from falling apart.