Tuesday, 27th September 2022
Jamie pulled up to Phoebe's school and climbed out of the car. Roy was standing at the gate; he'd driven Phoebe to school today and had decided to hang around until Jamie had arrived in time for Phoebe's news. They'd had their 4am training and they were both going to be late for the first training session of the morning, but Rebecca had laughed and agreed when they told her why they would be late and Beard had nodded in understanding. Nate had talked a lot about how important family was which amounted to the same thing as Beard's nod and the team loved Phoebe as much as any other kid of the Greyhounds so they had been happy to do without their gaffer, or star player, for something so important.
"I told Phoebe's teacher that you were her news. She's scheduled Phoebe to go last so they can have a kick about with us after."
"What about the little troll?"
"Ruth called me and told me, in no uncertain terms, that were weren't allowed to dole out any retribution on a nine-year-old no matter what they did to Phoebe."
"That's shit."
Roy growled in agreement. "Rebecca told me the same thing."
"And Sam me," Jamie sighed. "Fine, they can all have fucking footballs."
Roy led Jamie into the school where they signed in as visitors and then were taken to Phoebe's class.
"Next up is Phoebe," Mr Kenwick said. "And she comes with two guests today, Phoebe, do you want to go and collect them?"
Jamie was standing at the doorway waiting with Roy at his elbow. She opened the door and grabbed his wrist, yanking him inside.
"Hello everyone," Phoebe said, holding onto Jamie's wrist. "This is my friend Jamie, does anyone know his last name?"
Half of the hands in the room lifted. She looked at one boy in particular, and let him answer…correctly. Jamie ducked down and asked Phoebe if that one was the little toad. Phoebe whispered her answer back and while Jamie knew he couldn't do anything he kept that face in mind and made sure to ignore him when the kids started asking him a bunch of questions at the end of Phoebe's news.
"That's my Uncle Roy," Phoebe went on, pointing at Roy who had followed them into the room and stood at Jamie's side. Her wave felt a little underwhelming and Jamie bit his lip to hold in his laugh but did catch Roy's eyes over Phoebe's head and could see Roy's resignation in the tilt of his eyebrows. "He's the Manager of Richmond FC and that's where Jamie plays but that's not why he's my friend. He and I have been working as a team to help Uncle Roy design his new house. I'm his Deputy Interior Designer. We did really cool things, Uncle Roy had a model of the house built and then Jamie and I went to the hardware store and got paint samples and fabric samples for curtains. We created these really cool boards for the room…what were they called Jamie?" she turned to look up at him.
Jamie smiled at her brightly. "They have a few names, look boards, mood boards, but we called 'em design boards."
"Yeah, we made up design boards and then Uncle Roy decided if he liked them. He did change one of the paint colours and picked a less nice one but Jamie and I think we have to let him have one thing."
Jamie sucked his lips in between his teeth and deliberately didn't look at Roy.
"Now Jamie and I have fixed up the garden and we put in a really cool arch that has a climbing rose on each side. That's how Jamie became my friend even though he knew Uncle Roy first. Does anyone have any questions," most of the hands raised in the air. "About the house…not about football." A number of hands dropped. Phoebe took the questions like a pro but Mr Kenwick stopped them at three.
"Since we're here," Roy said gruffly. "Who wants to go outside for a kickabout?"
The class cheered.
Mr Kenwick took over. "Where are my line leaders?" two kids stood up. "Excellent, everyone line up at the door behind the line leaders. Phoebe, please get the balls."
Phoebe rushed off and collected the two footballs from a basket near the back of the room and then took her spot at the back of the line. "Jamie, you can be in line with me."
Roy shadowed Jamie and Phoebe out the door. "Why did I come?" he whispered. Jamie turned and poked his tongue out at Roy before he happily took Phoebe's hand and walked out of the room as her line partner.
They spent an hour outside in the sun with the kids teaching them skills and tricks before Jamie did a couple of footwork and goal tricks for them and handed out the Richmond footballs they had brought for the class. Afterwards, Phoebe wrapped her arms tightly around Jamie in a hug and then gave Roy one before thanking them for coming and skipping past the little toad and back into class.
"Thank you," Mr Kenwick said, smiling at Jamie as he shook his hand. Jamie smiled back but made sure not to twinkle quite as much as Mr Kenwick was. If…if things were different, he might have asked the other man out.
"Anything for Phoebe," Jamie said.
Mr Kenwick shook Roy's hand as well and then re-entered the classroom.
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