"This feels weird" Lindsey says when we walk into the away dressing room in Portland.

Of course our first game with LA is against Portland

"Yeah...Never thought I'd be going into this dressing room." I say walking next to my wife.

I then sit my stuff in my locker, hand Isabella to Lindsey, and then grab a ball.

Before Lindsey and I signed with LA we asked all the teams that wanted us if we could bring Isabella to games, to training, and on the road with us and Ali immediately agreed which made our decision a lot easier.

When I walk out onto the pitch I notice they haven't let the fans in yet so I do my seal walk in utter silence which is a bit odd, but kinda nice. Once my walk is done I head back into the locker room.

"Are you going to celebrate?" A rookie asks me.

"Depends how many goals I score." I say.

"Baby can you change Bella?" Lindsey asks.

"Of course."

I take my babygirl from my other babygirl and then go and change Isabella. While I'm changing her Ash comes over and keeps her occupied by making funny faces at her. After Isabella is fresh and clean I change her shirt and put her in her baby LA Lightning jersey with our last name on the back and Lindsey's number.

"Well isn't that just adorable." Ali says when she sees Isabella, who is now asleep, in Lindsey's jersey.

I'm then handed Isabella's headphones and I put them on her. Lindsey and I then walk out of the locker room and find Christen, who is just getting over an injury so she can't play for the Thorns today.

Yeah she was apart of the the three team trade that involved Lindsey and I going to LA.

"Hey Mrs. Heath." I say.

"Hey." Christen says and smiles.

I was like that too when I took Lindsey's last name.

"How was the honeymoon?" Lindsey asks.

"Amazing. I'll tell you about it tonight at dinner."

"Sounds good."

"Thank you for watching Isabella." I say and hand Isabella over.

"Of course." Christen says.

Lindsey and I hug her then we head to the pitch for warm ups. As Lindsey and I emerge from the tunnel there is a loud roar coming from the crowd.

"Is that for us?" I ask.

"I guess so." Lindsey says then both of us clap to the fans then we go do our warm ups.

After warmups we head inside and change into our uniforms. Ali then does her pregame speech, which I still don't listen too, and then we head to the tunnel. Once in the tunnel Lindsey and I do our pre-match routine then get in our spots in line.

I'm first in line since I was voted captain for some reason.

When told to we head onto the pitch and do the pre match stuff then get lined up to start the game. I'm up top with Alex and Jordyn Huitema, who signed here before the 2020 season, while Lindsey is in the midfield with Jessie Fleming, who was the first pick in the 2020 draft, and a girl named Ella.

Our team is shooting toward the Riveters which should be fun.

The game is quite boring until the 20th minute when one of our defenders clears the ball to Lindsey. Seeing this I time my run perfectly and Lindsey plays a ball over the top that falls right at my feet. I sprint towards goal, but before I get there I look up to see if I have a better option only to see no better option. I keep sprinting at goal then when I'm about 25 yards out I side foot the ball and it goes into the far bottom corner making it 1-0.

When the ball goes in I slow down and put my hands up showing I'm not going to celebrate. I turn around and I'm engulfed in a group hug. Once everyone has hugged me I turn around and walk backwards then blow a kiss to the Riveters, who are clapping, before turning back around and jogging to our side. Once I cross midfield the whistle blows and the game restarts.

In the 44th minute one of the midfielders for the Thorns plays the ball back to their rookie keeper who stupidly picks up the ball drawing a whistle for a free kick. Lindsey stands right next to the ball and when the whistle blows I start my run up and Lindsey rolls the ball into my path.

I hit the ball with the side of my foot and the ball bends around the wall and hits the far post and goes in. Once it goes in I hug Lindsey then the team come over and celebrate then we head to our side for the restart. Once the Thorns kickoff the whistle blows signaling for halftime.

"Why did they trade you again?" Jessie asks once in the locker room.

I just shrug then Ali does her team talk. We then rehydrate then head back out to the pitch and a minute later restarted the game

In the 73rd minute Alex is on a breakaway when one of the Thorn defenders pulls her down in the box earning us a penalty. As I stand at the top of the box Alex comes over to me.

"You're taking it." She says.

I nod then walk over to Lindsey and kiss her head before getting given the ball. I set the ball down. A couple seconds later the whistle blows so I do my run up then put my laces through the ball and it goes right down the middle just out of the reach of the keeper who went left.

After the ball goes into the net I turn around and run towards the Portland bench. Once at the bench I stop in front of the coach and stare at him for a couple seconds then bow in front of him.

"Looks like that trade didn't work out for you buddy boy." I say then the fourth official pushes me away as the crowd starts booing.

"I don't think that's for me." I say when Lindsey approaches.

"Neither do I." Lindsey says.

A few minutes later Ali subs me out and when my number flashes on the board I get a standing ovation. As I'm walking off I clap to the fans then I quickly hug the girl who is replacing me.

"Look at you Mrs. Superstar." Ali says making me laugh.

"This still feels weird." I say.

"Yeah it will for a while."

I then go sit by Ash.

"You just can't stop scoring on your debuts can you?" She says.

"Guess not." I say then both of us look at each other in confusion. "Guess debuts don't affect me anymore."

"That's good."

"Yep...Well I'm going to go get my daughter." I say then get up and find Christen's seat behind the bench.

Once I find her I walk over to her and she passes me Isabella and her bag.

"Thank you." I say.

"Of course. I'll see you later tonight." Christen says.

I nod then begin to walk over to our bench.

"How's Mama's little princess?" I coo at my daughter then a smell hits me. "Whew. Smells like someone needs a change."

I detour into our changing room and change Isabella. After Isabella is clean and sweet smelling I bring her out to the bench and sit back down next to Ash. Isabella then starts to cry.

"What's wrong babygirl?" I ask in baby talk. "Does Bella Boo need a nap?"

Isabella always wants to nap after having a diaper change for some reason.

I lean down and grab Isabella's favorite plushie from her bag and hand it to her then she swiftly falls asleep.

"Aww she likes sharks just like me." Ash says.

Isabella's favorite plushie is a stuffed shark Ash bought her.

The game ends a couple minutes after Isabella falls asleep and after the game is over we head back to the hotel to do recovery. After recovery me, Lindsey, Isabella, Ash, and Ali all head over to Sonnett's place to have dinner with her, Kling, Tobin, and Christen.

"Sup Lightning Girls." Kling says when she answers the door.

I go to say something, but Isabella makes some noises.

"Aww. She knows who her favorite Auntie is." Kling says then takes my daughter and walks into the house.

We order Italian food and talk until it gets here. We learn all about Tobin and Christen's honeymoon and about Emily and Kling's love life.

"So Emily how are you and Kelley?" Ali asks.

"Good. Just wish we could be a bit closer to each other." Emily says.

Emily and Kelley have been a couple since the SheBelieves Cup in 2021.

"I heard she was retiring soon so you have that to look forward too." Ash says.

"Yeah. She's thinking maybe after the next World Cup."

"And Kling how's the wife?" I ask.

"Lexy's great." Kling says and smiles.

Kling met Lexy at one of our games on the 2019 victory tour. Kling was escorting out Lexy's 4 year old daughter, Amelia, and after the game they somehow reconnected then they started dating. Their wedding was after Isabella was born.

"How's Amelia?" Lindsey asks.

"She's great. They wanted to be here, but Amelia's sick so that's where they are...and before you ask Lexy told me to come to dinner with you girls."

"Well I hope she feels better." Ali says.

"Yeah..." Kling says and scratches the back of her neck." Um so I have some news to share with everyone."

"Okay?" Tobin says.

"Well first this is my last season and then second, and more importantly, I'm in the process of adopting Amelia."

"Kling that's amazing." Ali says then hugs her.

"Yeah...we have a court date soon and it seriously couldn't come fast enough."

"Kling I don't think I've ever seen you like this." Ash says with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Kling asks.

"You're usually the jokester of the team, but ever since you've been married we've seen more of your serious side and your sentimental side."

"Yeah. Ever since Lexy and Amelia came into my life I've had to grow up and become someone they can be proud of." Kling says.

"It's a good look on you." I say with a smile.

We also learned about the current situation with the Thorns

"The Thorns are in that bad of shape?" Ash asks.

"Nobody listens to him anymore." Emily says. "Coach is getting a lot of shit for that trade."

"As he should be." Tobin says.

Finally the food arrives so all of us eat and talk. After Lindsey and I finish the two of us go into a separate bedroom and feed Isabella. We're slowly weaning her off breastfeeding and giving her more solid foods like the doctor told us too.

"How much longer do you think we should keep doing this?" I ask.

"I don't know. Her check up is coming up so we can ask." Lindsey says.

After Isabella is done we have to go so we hug all the Thorn girls goodbye then head back to the hotel to sleep.

Jordyn and Jessie gave Lindsey and I a night to our selves and took Isabella to sleep in their room, which is right next to ours. In the morning while we are eating breakfast ESPN is on and they are talking about the NWSL.

"Breaking news coming out of Portland today." The anchor says. "After having reportedly lost the dressing room over the trade of Cairo and Lindsey Horan the Portland Thorns have parted ways with their head coach."

"Damn." Ash says.

I then take out my phone.

Me: Did you see that coming?

Christen: Tobin told me it would most likely happen.

Me: Who's the new Coach?

Christen: Most likely Christine