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One year later
Mila's second birthday comes up fast on the tail end of a whirlwind year back in Spain for Jenni.
Barça fans surprise her with their acceptance of her back into the club, a stark contrast to the harassment she felt pushing her out in the first place.
That might have something to do with the public launch of Jenni and Mila on Alexia's part, though.
The catalana has always been a woman of minimal words, especially on her social media. So, when she posts a photo dump to celebrate ringing in the New Year, it includes a snap of her post-surgery in the gym, one of her with her mama and sister on Three Kings Day, a pic Jenni snapped discretely while Alexia and Mila were curled up napping on the couch, the baby's head buried in the midfielder's neck and obscured from the camera.
But the last picture takes the cake. It's another snapshot from the family party at the beginning of the year. In this one, though, Jenni tickles Mila, the little girl's curls slightly blurred from her movement, while the madrileña's larger-than-life grin is on full display. And Alexia stands with her arms wrapped around them both, a soft smile as she stares at Jenni. Both of their rings are visible for those who pay attention.
And people sure do. Social media blows up with speculation on the significance and appearance of Jenni on Alexia's photo dump. Whether it means they're together or just back as best friends after the World Cup.
The catalana curses at how slow some people can be.
Jenni chortles when the following day she goes for a much more direct approach.
A picture of the three of them on the beach, pants rolled up as they sink in the winter sand, the surf lapping at their feet. Their backs are to the camera with Mila sandwiched between the two of them, her tiny hands in each of theirs.
Alexia lets the caption do the work this time. No possible misunderstanding here, no matter how dense fans try to be.
No better way to start the year than with my girls finally back home with me for good. I love you. Always.
And then the catalana silences her social media notifications and goes ghost, leaving everyone itching for more of the three of them.
But they stay in their bubble, slowly opening up as the year goes on and Mila becomes the unintended mascot for the club, always in tow with Jenni and Alexia, even on travel days.
The season is off to a successful start.
The approaching winter break is much anticipated, though, a lovely break from the grind of their schedule. The ability to take a few days in Madrid with Jenni's family makes it all that much sweeter.
Alexia is so thankful that they live in Barcelona where her mama and Alba and Letty have fast become fixtures in their weekly schedule between family dinners and babysitting duties and game nights.
They live in the calm, their days made up of training and experiencing Barcelona through Mila's curious eyes and frequent meetings with Irene and Lucía and Mateo being deemed mandatory once the little boy learned Mila was moving to his city.
Alexia has never had a more locked in season.
Where she would have once assumed that having a child and such large responsibilities outside of her career would have impacted her football negatively—lessened her quality, her focus, her drive—she now knows it's the complete opposite. Mila and Jenni have driven purpose into her bones, hardened her to hyper-focus during training and matches, which allows her to disconnect completely once they're all home.
So, when Jenni floats the idea of foregoing a large wedding to just have a quiet gathering with family and friends who became such, like Irene and Lola and Leila, Alexia instantly agrees.
Because she doesn't want to wait another year or two for their schedules to carve out space in their packed calendar. She wants Jenni to be her wife tomorrow.
Which isn't exactly feasible, though they do manage to pull together their ideal version of a wedding in time for the summer break, a short thing on the back end of a fairytale Barcelona season (capped off with winning the Champions League title) but before the Paris Olympics start.
And those rings on display in that photo six months back quietly slip onto the opposite ring finger, a nonverbal declaration of the magnitude of their commitment to each other.
There is no social media post about it. No leaked photos. No press release. Their jerseys remain the same, each maintaining their own last name as is customary in Spain.
But Mila gains a second last name, Putellas.
And Alexia is officially listed on her paperwork as the girl's second parent.
So, to say the year has been busy is an understatement.
But here they find themselves on November 2nd, gathered around the wood table that saw countless birthdays for both Alexia and Alba alike in their mama's house in Mollet del Vallès.
Family and friends gather in the backyard, everyone here to celebrate a special little girl who has quickly become a uniting force in all their lives.
Mila, to her credit, is unfazed by the attention because she's out in the back corner of the little garden, a magnifying glass in hand as she watches a trail of ants scurry from the hole in the fence between Eli's yard and her neighbors to the ant hill at her feet and back again, entranced.
Jenni watches out the kitchen window as Alexia places the final touches on the cake for their daughter, stubbornly denying help in making the cake from her own mama. Eli promises it gets easier with more years under your belt. Alexia sure hopes so. She spent entirely too much time on trying to make the cake perfect. It's not perfect by any measure, but it should at least taste decent.
Eli probably could make it better.
But, no. Mila is the catalana's baby. So it is now her duty to take up the cake-making. She adds a quick "but you can keep making mine" that has her mama grinning and nodding enthusiastically.
"What if I want to make your cake?" Jenni whispers into her ear, front molding to the midfielder's back as Eli and Alba head outdoors with plates and utensils to gather everyone for the cake presentation.
Alexia huffs out a laugh, placing two candles strategically before twisting around in Jenni's embrace, hands wrapping around her shoulders.
She drops a soft kiss to the striker's lips, humming as Jenni drags her body more firmly into her own at the contact.
"We both know you might burn down the kitchen if you try, Wife," Alexia teases.
"Ale," Jenni groans, forehead dipping to rest on Alexia's shoulder. "It always gets to me when you call me that," she admits softly, placing a gentle kiss on the catalana's jaw before stepping back, hand still anchored on the younger woman's hip and slipping around to the small of her back as Alexia heads for the back door, cake in hand.
The arrive to a crowd around the table but no Mila in sight.
"Where is she?" Jenni asks Letty who has an arm draped over Alba's shoulders.
The mexicana smirks and nods her head towards that back corner of the lot. "Alba tried to convince her to come for cake, but Mila is adamant that the ants need her more."
Alexia laughs, eyes shining at how incredibly bright and kind their little girl is turning out to be.
Jenni sighs but chuckles. "My gosh, how did my genes create such a perfect replica of you?" she teases to the midfielder.
The catalana shrugs, but the smile taking over her face betrays how happy that statement makes her. "I'll go get our girl. Can you grab matches for the cake?"
"Sí, mi reina," the dark haired woman murmurs, fingertips dragging away from their place firmly on her body as Alexia turns and walks past all the congregating bodies.
She squats next to Mila once she reaches her, the little girl's eyes turning up to see who has joined her and her ants.
"Hi Mama," she babbles, little pudgy hand coming to rest on the midfielder's knee for balance.
"Hi mi amorcito," Alexia replies. "What are you doing? Don't you want cake?"
"Love cake," the dark-haired toddler affirms seriously. "But friends," she states, pointing to the ants traipsing back and forth in their structured line.
"How about we go have cake with your people friends? And we'll save some cake for our ant friends?"
Mila contemplates that statement, brow furrowing adorably in a way that looks entirely too much like a thinking Alexia. "Too loud," she states softly.
"It is a little loud, huh? Is that why you're here with the ants?"
Mila nods, magnifying glass still in hand.
"When everyone has left, we can bring the ants some too, okay?" Alexia asks softly, trying to delicately navigate them away from an impeding tantrum at trying to dictate what Mila does. That has been a new experience, their lovable and compliant baby being replaced with a fiercely independent toddler who does not want to be told where to go or what to do.
"Come back?" Mila questions. "Mama and Mila?"
"Always," the catalana instantly replies. "I'll always be right by your side, filla."
"Okay, Mama. We go," Mila states, standing up and dusting off her knees with the seriousness of someone age 2-going-on-42.
Alexia can't stop her smile.
This is her life. Her little girl. In more ways than name.
The midfielder carries Mila back towards the crowd, feeling the girl shrink further back into her embrace as they get closer and closer to the noise.
"Mila," she states softly, stopping just out of reach of the gathering.
"Mama," the little girl breathes, face buried in Alexia's neck. "People. Loud. Want ants."
Alexia squeezes the toddler tightly. She has her personality, that's for sure. Where Jenni thrives in a crowd, charisma shining brightly, Alexia and Mila prefer the safe spot in the corner, away from the spotlight and noise and expectations.
"I know there are a lot of people, mi sol. They're here to celebrate your birthday, though. Because they love you."
"Family?" Mila questions, using the word Jenni had thrown out earlier when mentioning who was coming today.
"Yes, they are your family."
"Like Mami and Mama and Mila? And Andy and Nala?"
Alexia chuckles softly. "Exactly like that. How about I hold you so you can bury your head in my shoulder if it gets to be too much?"
"Yes, Mama. Hold. Please," their daughter says sweetly, Jenni's eyes staring up at her, big and wide and innocent.
"I love you so much, Mila. Mami too. You are the best little girl in the world."
Mila giggles at that and nods in agreement. She knows. Her moms tell her frequently. And her abuela and her àvia and all her many tías.
"Cake?" the toddler asks, worry satiated with the understanding that her mama will continue holding her away from the crowd, the midfielder's arms acting as a protective shield for the little introvert.
Alexia slots back into place next to Jenni at the head of the table, all eyes on the three of them.
Jenni kisses Mila's head, the little girl's hand coming out to grip her shirt and drag her down into Alexia's chest too.
The striker chuckles and peppers her daughter's cheeks with kisses, which results in that little fist loosening in an effort to fend off the affection attack.
"Okay, mi vida," Jenni states softly as she stands back up. "Make a wish and blow out your candles."
"A wish?" Mila asks in awe.
"A wish," Jenni affirms. "Like the princess movies. Whatever you want, just think it, and with luck maybe it comes true!"
Mila's face screws up in thought. She looks around the table, spotting Mateo jiggling the hand of his baby brother, and both her abuelas, and all her tías, and Letty, and tío Rafa, and all the faces that have littered her life this year.
There are a lot of people. But Mami and Mama have told her that these are her people. Família.
She closes her eyes tightly, body tensing as she puts all her effort into her wish.
"Peque," Alexia whispers softly in her ear, "open your eyes and blow out your candles to make your wish."
Mila's green eyes pop open, excitement shining in them as she leans forward, still in her mama's arms, to blow out the two candles marking her new age.
Eli swiftly grabs the cake as everyone claps. Mila sinks back into Alexia's chest, happy but unsure about the noise.
Meanwhile, Eli starts cutting as Alba and Letty round out the assembly line to distribute cake to everyone.
And Jenni wraps an arm around Alexia's waist, pulling her girls in closer. "Mila, what did you wish for?" she asks softly, insulating the little girl from the crowd as people start loudly exclaiming over the first bites of cake.
Alexia's ears pink slightly at the praise, pleased with herself.
The madrileña smirks, knowing exactly what is running through the catalana's head as everyone talks about how delicious the dessert tastes. Her girl thrives on compliments.
Mila breaks the moment with her serious declaration of "baby".
"You'll always be our baby," Jenni confirms with a kiss to her head.
Mila shakes her curls. "More baby," she states.
The striker looks over her head at Alexia, confused with what their daughter is trying to say. But the midfielder is just as out of the loop as Jenni. She shrugs at her wife, unsure what Mila is saying.
The toddler grows frustrated at not being understood, lips turning down into a frown.
"Can you try with another word, love?" Alexia asks softly, patiently, "I'm sorry, we don't understand."
Jenni is in awe at how seamlessly Alexia has navigated her way into motherhood. She was meant for this role in life, that is so clear to anyone who sees her with Mila. The madrileña's chest aches in the best way, full of affection and pride and love for the woman.
Mila looks around the backyard, eyes honing in on Mateo. "Mateo new baby," she points at where Irene and Lucía sit with Mateo and their newest family member. "Mila new baby," their daughter firmly adds, pointing to herself.
Jenni's eyes find Alexia's over Mila's head, gazes locking.
Mila wished for a sibling, a new baby for the family.
The dark-haired woman raises an eyebrow in question.
Alexia shrugs in contemplation, eyes flicking down to their daughter in her arms.
They're kind of rocking this parenting thing. Mila is living proof.
It will take some planning, that's for sure. The wheels start turning for both of them. Maybe Mila's wish is something they can fulfill.
Not now. Not with the second half of the season looming.
But someday.
That new house they built still has an unused bedroom after all.