Chapter 43

The evening air inside the apartment was thick with the savory aroma of a home-cooked meal, but for Sienna, the scent was secondary to the frantic drumming of her heart against her ribs.

She moved with a practiced, almost mechanical grace, smoothing the linen tablecloth and ensuring every fork and knife was aligned with surgical precision. Each clink of silverware felt deafening in the quiet space, a countdown to a moment she had played out in her mind a thousand times-usually ending in disaster.

A familiar, rhythmic knock echoed through the apartment. It wasn’t just any knock; it was a sound that sent a jolt of electricity straight through Sienna’s veins.

Tia and Jake Callaway both looked up simultaneously, their eyes shifting from the door to their daughter. Their eyebrows shot up in unison, a silent question hanging in the air.
“Sienna, honey,” Tia started, her voice laced with a gentle, motherly curiosity, “did you invite someone else over for dinner?”

Sienna felt a thick lump form in her throat, making it difficult to swallow. She forced a small, flickering smile onto her face-the kind of smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes because of the nerves swirling in her gut. “Yeah… I did, Mom. I hope you both don’t mind.”

Tia’s expression softened instantly, a warm, knowing beam spreading across her face. “No, of course not, honey. The more the merrier! Is it Joseph?” She leaned forward slightly, her eyes twinkling with a sudden realization. “Now that I think about it, you haven’t mentioned your boyfriend once lately. Is there something you’ve been meaning to tell us?”

The mere mention of Joseph’s name sent a wave of cold nausea through Sienna. The thought of her ex-boyfriend, and the version of herself she had to be when she was with him, made her want to puke. She took a steadying breath, turning her gaze toward her father. Jake was watching her with a raised eyebrow, his protective instincts humming beneath the surface, though he remained silent, waiting for her lead.

“Actually, it isn’t Joseph,” Sienna said, her voice gaining a fraction of strength. The smile on her face became more genuine as she thought of the person standing on the other side of that wood. “It’s someone else. Dad, I think you’d love this person.”

Jake’s curiosity was piqued, but he didn’t press her. He simply nodded, a silent gesture of trust. “Well, I better go get the door then,” Sienna hurried out, her footsteps light but urgent as she rushed toward the entryway. “I don’t want to be rude to our guest.”

She reached the door and paused for a microsecond, her hand hovering over the handle. She let out one final, shaky exhale before pulling it open.
There she was.

Caitlin Clark stood in the hallway, looking more breathtaking than any highlight reel could ever capture. She was holding a vibrant bouquet of sunflowers-Sienna’s absolute favorite-and her lips were curved into a nervous, lopsided smile that made Sienna’s knees feel like jelly.

The sight of her girlfriend acted like a balm to Sienna’s frayed nerves. A massive, radiant smile broke across Sienna’s face as she stepped forward, not wasting a single heartbeat. She wrapped her arms tightly around Caitlin’s neck, pulling her close, though she was careful not to crush the delicate yellow petals of the sunflowers between their chests.

Caitlin, momentarily taken aback by the sudden surge of affection, let out a soft, breathy laugh before quickly returning the embrace. She tucked her arms around Sienna’s waist, pulling her flush against her. Caitlin leaned down, pressing a lingering, tender kiss to Sienna’s forehead.

“Hey, baby,” Caitlin murmured against her skin, her voice a low, soothing vibration.
Sienna pulled back just enough to look into those familiar, sparking eyes before she leaned in again, locking her lips with Caitlin’s. The kiss was soft, filled with a desperate kind of longing that only comes from being apart when you want to be nowhere else.

“God, I missed you, Cait,” Sienna whispered against her lips, the words a jagged confession between kisses.

“I missed you too, baby,” Caitlin replied, her voice thick with sincerity.

They pulled back slightly, though neither was ready to let go. They remained in their own private orbit, the rest of the world falling away. Caitlin reached up, her thumb tracing the line of Sienna’s jaw before she gently tucked a stray strand of blonde hair behind Sienna’s ear. Her gaze was searching, filled with an intensity that saw right through Sienna’s bravado.

“You okay?” Caitlin asked softly.
Sienna’s smile widened, her heart finally beginning to find its rhythm. “Yeah… I’m okay, baby. Ready to go meet your future in-laws?”

Caitlin let out a short, confident huff, the competitive fire that defined her on the court flickering in her eyes for a brief moment. “I was born ready, Sunshine,” she joked.

Sienna couldn’t help the playful eye roll that followed. “Oh, before I forget,” Caitlin added quickly, thrusting the sunflowers toward her, “these are for you.”

Sienna took the flowers, the bright yellow blooms mirroring the warmth spreading through her chest. She reached out and took Caitlin’s hand, lacing their fingers together. The contrast of Caitlin’s hand-strong and calloused from years of gripping a basketball-against her own felt like the most natural thing in the world.
Sienna pulled her toward the kitchen.

As they rounded the corner, the sound of their footsteps drew the attention of Tia and Jake. Both parents looked up, expecting perhaps a friend or a new colleague. Instead, the air seemed to vanish from the room.

A sharp, audible gasp escaped Tia’s lips. Next to her, Jake froze mid-motion. The spoon he had been using to taste the sauce slipped from his fingers, hitting the floor with a dull clack that went entirely ignored. His mouth hung open in a state of pure, unadulterated shock.
They weren’t just looking at their daughter. They were looking at their daughter holding hands with the Caitlin Clark.

“Mom, Dad,” Sienna began, her voice trembling slightly. She felt the old, familiar fear clawing at her throat-the fear of disappointment, of judgment, of the “sin” she had been taught to fear. She squeezed Caitlin’s hand as if it were a lifeline. “Meet Caitlin… my girlfriend.”
The word girlfriend hung in the air like a lightning bolt.

“GIRLFRIEND?!” Tia and Jake exclaimed in perfect, stunned unison.

“How long has this been going on?” Tia asked, her voice high with disbelief. “How long have you both been dating?”

Sienna swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the months of secrecy. “We’ve been dating for months. And two weeks ago… Caitlin asked me to officially be her girlfriend.”

Caitlin squeezed Sienna’s hand-a firm, grounding pressure. It was a silent promise: I’m here, you’re not alone, I promise.

“Wow,” Jake said, a sad, bittersweet smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he looked at his daughter. “I really missed so much happening in your life, babygirl, didn’t I?”

“Why didn’t you tell us, Sweetpea?” Tia’s voice cracked, and Sienna could see the shimmer of unshed tears in her mother’s eyes. “Your dad and I would’ve been happy for you no matter what. We don’t care what gender you date.”

At those words, the dam finally broke. The tears Sienna had been holding back for months began to spill over, hot and fast.

“I was scared,” Sienna sobbed, the confession pouring out of her. “I was so scared you’d both be disgusted with me. That you’d say I brought shame upon the family… that I was a disgrace… that it was a sin.”

The raw pain in Sienna’s voice was too much for Caitlin to bear. She immediately wrapped a protective arm around Sienna’s shoulders, pulling her into her side and kissing her forehead repeatedly. “Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay,” Caitlin whispered, her voice a steady anchor in the storm. “Don’t cry. I’m here.”

Sienna looked up at her, her vision blurred by tears, but feeling a glimmer of peace.

“Oh, babygirl,” Tia said, rushing around the counter, her own face wet with tears. “We’d never say those awful things to you. We both care about you too much for that. You can love whoever you want as long as you’re happy. All your dad and I care about is your happiness.”

Tia reached them first, throwing her arms around Sienna. Caitlin instinctively stepped back to give them space, but she didn’t get far. Jake was right behind his wife, his large arms enveloping both his daughter and his wife in a crushing, emotional embrace.

Caitlin stood back for a second, watching the three of them. Her own eyes were misty as she witnessed the pure, unconditional love of the Callaway family. She felt a pang of profound respect for the people who had raised the woman she loved.

Suddenly, Jake looked over his shoulder at Caitlin. “What are you just standing there for, kiddo?” he barked out, though his voice was thick with emotion. “Come join us! You’re part of the family now.”

Sienna let out a wet, genuine giggle through her tears, and Tia reached out to hit Jake’s arm playfully, though she didn’t let go of her daughter.

Caitlin didn’t need to be told twice. She stepped into the circle, feeling the warmth of the group hug as she was folded into the fold. For the first time in a long time, the noise of the world-the cameras, the pressure, the expectations-fell silent. There was so much more of the story to tell, so many hurdles yet to leap, but in the middle of a quiet kitchen with the scent of sunflowers and home-cooked food, Caitlin let herself simply exist in the love of a family that had just grown by one.

Authors Note :

Hello my lovelies new update three months later I’m sorry y’all, I have been busy and my schoolwork has been piling up and I got Midterms, forgive me loves. I hope y’all love this chapter it’s not my best work but I tried for y’all. Sorry for the gaps and missing piece’s 😭😭…. anyways I hope y’all enjoy this chapter, I’ll try updating now, I can’t promise anything. Thank you for reading even if I’m late with chapters it means alot. Until next time y’all.

P.s. Idk why the format looks clustered.

XoXo V 💜💜💜