"I miss my girlfriend," he said softly, trying to mask just how much he was actually missing her. When you had a baby that suddenly became the main person in her life and it was difficult to accept that you suddenly weren't a main priority anymore.

John looked at his best mate and he knew that he wasn't the same man as he was before the baby came into his life. He could see the change in him and he was glad that at least his friend finally admitted it to them.

He chuckled a little bit and then he responded to him. "She'll come back, just give her some time and don't be too hard on her, she's going through a lot right now as well you know."

Phil nodded his head and he let out a sigh. He could feel himself relaxing a little as the conversation continued, hearing the empathy and support from his friends was relieving. He smiled at them both and then said,
"I know, I'm trying not to be so hard on her but it's difficult sometimes."

"What are you gonna do when the World cup starts next week? You know that we have to travel to Qatar but i doubt she will come." John asked

When John asked that question, it prompted a few seconds of silence from Phil.

Phil let out another heavy sigh at the thought of a life without her for a month. "I don't know," he answered softly "I'm not sure how I'm going to handle it all, but I suppose I'm just going to have to figure something out. She's not going to be happy if I leave her for that long."

"Can she come with us? I'm sure Gareth will let her stay in the hotel room with you - if you explain the situation." John suggested

The notion of that suggestion was actually making him think, he could explain the situation to Gareth and see if she could potentially come along, that would mean that he would still get to experience the World Cup and he wouldn't have to leave his girlfriend for a month. "Yeah, I could probably ask him," he said and he let out a little chuckle as he realised that it was such an easy solution that he hadn't even thought of.

He couldn't believe how much he had been so caught up with the idea of the World Cup that he hadn't even consider the idea of potentially taking her along with him.

It just shows how much he had been focusing on this world event and how the rest of his life had fallen to the wayside. "Do you think she'll be okay with it though?" he asked quietly, as he wasn't sure how she would react with travelling that far and that long.

John sighed and he then admitted,

"I don't know, but I think she'll be a lot happier about the situation if it means she gets to stay with you. I don't think she can stand the idea of not seeing you for a month," John continued.

"Maybe she'll come along with you," John encouraged, "there's no harm is asking.'

Phil realized that he was actually relieved to know that her coming with him might actually be an option.

He had been dreading the idea of being away from her for a month and he had also been stressed out by the idea of what she would be going through with just the baby and the potential depression. But knowing that she could come with him and would have someone who could support her through the depression would relieve so much of his stress and guilt that he hadn't considered this earlier.

He nodded his head slowly to himself, he just had to make sure that he spoke to his manager about this as soon as he could and explain the situation. He was quite certain that Gareth would be able to understand his predicament and allow her to travel with him to Qatar.

He quickly got his phone out and he called Gareth, he explained his situation to him first and he requested that his girlfriend be allowed to come along to the games. Gareth took a second before replying to him but he eventually said he wasn't going to be a dick about it and that she could come along, he also agreed to make sure that they stayed in rooms next to each other for the whole tournament.

"Can we not stay together, it would make it easier with the baby situation?" Phil suggested, knowing the answer already as he would need his sleep for the WC

His manager let out a soft chuckle at that request but he quickly replied back.

"Look Phil, I know you don't want me to say this but I'm sorry but all players are kept to strict rules the night before games, you have to get a full 10 hour sleep the night before every game so you'll have to separate bedrooms." Gareth had to maintain some form of professionalism at the same time, he could allow her to come along but he had to keep up appearances.

Phil sighed and he couldn't complain because he understood his manager's reasons, it was a rule that he'd have to accept. He just prayed that their rooms weren't too far away from one another, especially if she needed him during the night.

Gareth assured him that they would be rooms next to each other for the whole of the tournament as he knew how important it was for them both to be together. Phil thanked his manager and he then ended the call.

"Right me and John better head off, we will see you at the airport tomorrow?" Ellie smiled as she passed Emelia to Phil. Phil grabbed Emilia and held her in his arms as he smiled back at both Ellie and John.

"I'll see you at the airport tomorrow," he replied to them both and then added calmly, "and thanks for coming round, I really needed this."

Ellie nodded her head and she gave him a quick hug as she headed for the door, however, John looked at him with one more request. He smiled and then he said, "just don't forget to take care of her, I refuse to hear any bullshit about you causing any stress."

Phil laughed again and this time it was a lot more genuine, the kind of genuine laugh that only his mates knew. "I promise not to," he teased, "now get out of here, I'm going to have an early night as well."

"Fuck did i fall asleep?" Effy rubbed her eyes as she heart the front door close. Phil heard her soft spoken voice and he quickly smiled over at her.

"Yeah, you did," he said back to her, "you must have been really worn out to have fallen asleep like that."

Effy laughed softly and she shrugged her shoulders, she had been so tired but she couldn't believe she had fallen asleep that quickly.

"I'm still not used to this whole 'being a mother' thing yet," she admitted to him as she let out a faint chuckle, "I'm still figuring it all out."

Phil smiled at her and the faint traces of sleepiness were still surrounding her as her eyes continued to be heavy.
"Well, you're doing a great job at it," he reassured her as he kissed her gently on the head, "you're the best mum the little one could ever have."

"Do you have training tomorrow?" Effy asked completely forgetting it is the start of the World Cup tomorrow and they have to travel there at 5AM

Phil chuckled at her question and the idea of him forgetting the start of the World Cup was quite comical to him.
"Yeah, we have training tomorrow," he told her, and then he added just to tease her a little bit. "Do you remember who's playing against who at the opening game again?"

"Fuck i forgot! We have to travel! Shit i'm not even packed Phil." Effy ran her hands through her hair. Phil couldn't help but laugh at her sudden realisation, he had gotten so used to his girlfriend and the way that she got distracted easily that it was actually quite sweet.

"I've already packed and the club has got all of our travel arrangements in place, all you have to do is pack for the baby," he smiled at her again.

Effy simply smiled softly and she sighed, she just felt like a mess the past few months but just hearing him reassure her and remind her that he was taking care of everything just lifted a huge weight from her. "Thank you," she said softly as she moved closer to him, "you've got this covered haven't you."

Phil smirked at her, of course he had got this all covered.

He then stood up so he could grab her hands and pull her up and he slowly wrapped his arms around her body before he leaned his head on top of hers. "Don't worry, I have this all sorted. I'm going to make sure that the next few weeks are the least stressful you've had in a while, how does that sound?"

"Whilst we are in a foreign country for 6 weeks." Effy giggled as she kissed him. Phil laughed to himself when she pointed that out and he sighed as he hugged her a little bit tighter.

"Well, maybe it's not going to be the least stressful, but I'll do my best to make sure you enjoy the whole thing," he said to her and then added with the smallest bit of mischief in his voice. "Plus I won't be letting you out of my sight the whole time either."

Effy laughed again and she couldn't help but press herself into him more as she smiled.

"Promise?" she smirked, "you're going to be the most annoying boyfriend during the world cup," she teased him.

Phil chuckled again at her remark but he couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I promise," he said to her, "You're stuck with me all the time for the next six weeks so you'll just have to put up with my constant presence."

"Oh what a shame." Effy giggled as she put her daughter into the crib.
Phil chuckled again and he had to admit that he definitely didn't mind the idea of being that annoying boyfriend for the next few weeks.

"Exactly, you'll be so sick of me by the time this is over," he teased her with a sly smile and then added playfully. "So it's a good job I love you, otherwise you'd have no excuse for still being with me."

Effy laughed again as she rolled her eyes and playfully hit him on the arm.
"I love you too, but don't think that I don't consider just running off with the baby every once in a while," she teased him again.

Phil smirked at her comment and he squeezed her into him harder. "You're not going anywhere with the baby, not if I have any say in it," he teased as he kissed her on the forehead, "she's mine too, you know."