I am sat in the family room folding laundry, my eyes gravitating from Wren who is playing around me on the floor, frustratedly throwing around a toy that she can't figure out, to the TV that is showing last nights dating show that I had missed.

I look back to the laundry and fold Wrens clean clothes, and I'm not sure at what point she pulled herself up at the table, but as my eyes lift back up from the clothes, her little strawberry blonde pigtails move past my eye-line.

I gasp and jump up, arms spread, "Wren" I squeal "you are walking" I shout excitedly.

She is so stunned by my loud voice that she falls down onto her diapered butt with a thump. I rush over and lift her into the air and she laughs as I throw her up and down "you walked... you walked" I chant with a grin and she is thrilled with herself.

I turn around in circles looking for anyone to share it with. before remembering it's only me and Willa in the house. "Willa" I scream.

She thunders down the stairs panicked "what is it" she asks.

I grin widely, and she looks to me and then to Wren on my hip "lala" Wren calls out to her. (Wrens version of "Willa")

"She just walked" i share excitedly.

Willa jumps forward and picks her up from my arms "you walked Wren" she asks and we both laugh and fuss her "let's see" Willa says.

I stick up my finger "wait Willa, let me call Teddy"

I dial her number and she picks up almost instantly "Harper you okay" she asks.

I stick my hand out gesturing over as the camera points at Wren.

Willa stands Wren on the kitchen floor, holding her hands literally by her finger tips, bent over before she slowly removes them and Wren, dressed in her little denim dungarees and rainbow striped t shirt, she takes one step, her little white sneaker moving away from her before her left foot joins. With a little effort she takes another step, and another, and then the front door opens behind us all.

Mama enters and her mouth falls open "Wren" she squeals with a large smile "you are walking" she says clapping for her.

Wren smiles the most mischievous smile and walks right on over to her, arms lifted to be picked up.

Mama lifts her, and we all cheer for her, even Teddy on the other end of the phone. "We all saw it together" I muse as a tear rolls down my cheek

"We did" Willa confirms pleased, wrapping her arm around me, she takes my cell and turns it around to see Teddy "you see that Ted" she asks.

Teddy smiles broadly as her dimples pop. "Sure did Wills... this can only mean one thing"

Willa nods "she can step out onto a court"

Teddy smiles "exactly"

Mama and I share a look, the basketball widows, and we roll our eyes.

Willa hands me back my cell and walks over to mama, who is still holding Wren and kissing her cheeks "I've missed you" mama says peppering Wren with more kisses, until she holds her little hand up in protest.

"Allie, did you miss me too" Willa asks.

Mama smiles coyly "not as much" she teases and she places Wren back down.

She crawls with gusto over to her toys.

Mama wraps her arms around Willa's waist and rests her head on her chest. I can't help smile with relief, mamas fire was contained... Willa didn't look as if she would be cremated any time soon.

I walk into the family room following Wren who crawls ahead of me and look to Teddy on the phone screen "our child is walking" I announce in disbelief.

She smiles "she is growing up on us too fast" she replies proudly "but I'm glad I didn't miss that with you all"

"Me too" I sit back down on the couch. "How is your day going?"I ask.

She sits back against her locker "we are playing at home today. I have to train in five"

"You seem glum" I observe, concerned.

She fakes a smile. "I'm fine" she lies.

I don't know whether to push or not when it's clear she isn't, fine. "Is something going on there" I ask worriedly.

She shakes her head. "I'm fine I promise... it's just a tough day. I keep thinking about Baba and I miss you and Wren... I will be okay"

I can't help but think it's more than that and I hoped it wasn't anyone there, causing her grief. Isra for example, I knew he wasn't leaving her be, Demitra had filled me in a little when I had spoken with her last.

"Teddy if he's bothering you" I ask.

She shakes her head overly so and denies it immediately "no it's not that... I have to go now" she says as the room behind her fills with her colleagues.

"Hi, Harper" Avery greets, peering down over Teddy's shoulder.

"Hi Avery" I return.

She disappears, her hands squeezing Teddy's shoulders.

"Love you Harps" Teddy says looking back to me lovingly.

"Love you too Teddy" I admit with a soft smile, and I lean back into the couch cushions, observing her with heart eyes, and wishing more than anything that I was with her.

***

The first step to realising you are being sexually harassed at work, for me, is being ogled, taunted, having someone make inappropriate comments about your body. It was what I was experiencing now, feeling unsafe in Isras presence, feeling like he could cross a line with me, and I didn't like it, not one bit.

I had been the last out last week at training, I didn't even realise I was alone until I heard the door bang and echo in the empty changing room. Avery was waiting for me out front on the phone to her new girl where the signal was better, and I was here, alone and half naked, just stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist.

"Teddy Teddy Teddy" Isra says tauntingly "you look... Fine" he ogles, leaning against the lockers.

"How long have you been there" I ask.

He smiles "long enough to see something I like"

I roll my eyes and walk across to grab my bag of clothes and he intercepts me "Teddy" he says again grabbing my arm that was still wet from the shower "come on... let's have some fun" he begs.

I shake him off "Isra I told you it's not happening again... I'm with someone else"

He raises his eyebrows at me "She is thousands of miles away, and we are here together. I won't tell her I promise" he says reaching out and dragging his finger down my clavicle.

The fight or flight kicked in then, as his fingers went to dip below my towel. I take his arm in one movement and twist it behind his back in a move I learnt long ago, in female self defence. I push him into the lockers with his arm held tightly and painfully at his back and I push into the move, increasing the pain for him.

"I've always loved the pain you inflict" he says laughing.

I twist his arm further until he whimpers "okay okay fuck that hurts a little too much" he returns and he winces.

"Isra I have no interest in being intimate with you and this here feels a little like sexual harassment. If you don't get out of this changing room, right now, I will report you and have you fired. You will never and I mean never work with the industry again"

"Teddy why you got to do me like that..." he says looking at me like a puppy dog.

"Just please leave me alone" I beg.

I released him and he stumbles away stroking his arm and wincing at the pain still in his wrist. "Okay I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable"

Guys like that never did, they thought if you were up for it once, you always would be, like one yes, consenting once, meant consenting every other time they saw you.

As the door shuts behind him, I steady my hands on the counter beside me, gripping it tightly, and as I look up I see my reflection in the mirror...and what I see is fear... absolute fear that I was alone, and half naked with a guy who was intent on fucking when I kept saying no. I didn't think Isra was violent, or even would have tried to force himself on me if I did say no, in the moment, but as a woman, alone with a man in a vulnerable position, your mind would always go there, because this was the fucked up world we lived in. As if I didn't have enough on my mind, my father just passed away and Harper and Wren thousands of miles from me, now I had to fear my workplace because of one idiotic decision I made to sleep with Isra, when I was at my lowest ebb.

This was the week my daughter took her first steps and that joy would carry me through the week ahead. We would win our next two games, all dedicated to Wren, but Isra he was constantly there in the background watching me. I wondered if he would ever take his eyes off of me and find another to fill his time.

Truth was he had decided recently he wanted a meal ticket to the states and apparently it was going to be me, and now that I had rejected him, his plans shifted and instead he got creative for what it was he needed.

Paparazzi were about to reappear and throw me back into the tabloids for all of the wrong reasons, and Isra got his five minutes of fame.