Cherelle Griner is more than ecstatic to have her partner Brittney Griner back, but she admitted that the situation has its own challenges.

Speaking on PEOPLE weeks after the WNBA star was released from Russian prison in a prisoner swap, Cherelle shared that she and Brittney are still figuring out their new reality. She admitted that it has been “overwhelming,” especially after they spent 10 months away from each other, but the important thing is that they are together now.

“It's unfortunate that those 10 months happened without us being able to be side-by-side. But it happened, and we're embracing the fact that we now get to learn each other's story through that time. So we're taking it slow. We are not doing it all at once. But we are honoring the fact that I went through something that was really hard and difficult without BG's awareness, and vice versa. Day by day, we're just feeding a little bit to the soul and understanding each other's journey so we can actually start walking together,” Cherelle shared.

“On one hand, I'm doing amazing. My family's whole, I have my person, and so I feel the most supported and safe and secure as I've ever felt in life. But it's very overwhelming. We're plus-13 days in from BG being away for almost 10 months. So it's a new journey for us. And so we're definitely trying to figure out how we blend back as one.”

It has been undoubtedly an emotional journey for both Brittney Griner and Cherelle. There were fears that the former Phoenix Mercury star wouldn't even be able to return before Christmas or the New Year as the US and Russia went on a back and forth on who's to blame for the slow negotiations.

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Reports about the brutal living conditions that Griner could face in a Russian penal colony only fueled the fears and concerns about her safety.

Fortunately Brittney is back on US soil and trying to move on with her life. Clearly, it won't be an easy journey, but at least she and her partner are together. Not to mention the strong support they are getting from their fans.