KILOBIKE. (aka Bike) Part 1024 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

After lunch I changed, told Simon he was coming with me to support Danny’s football game, and pulled out some clothes for the girls to change into–I’m sure they didn’t want to wear school uniforms at a football match.

Simon accepted the instruction quite placidly, in fact, he suggested he’d enjoy it more than I would. If one of the boys hadn’t been involved, he was probably correct–the football World Cup, I anticipate with all the glee of an undertaker in a society of immortals.

I asked Tom if I could borrow the Mondeo, and when he found out why, he said he’d come to watch as well. I did ask Stella, who declined, on the grounds that Puddin’ would get cold. Fair enough, but at least I asked.

I was just about to leave with Julie, when the phone rang. It was Tamsin, Maureen’s friend. Julie took the call and I shouted, “Can you take her number and I’ll call her back.”

“Maureen needs to see you,” Julie held her hand over the speaker on the phone.

“Won’t tomorrow do?”

“Tamsin says it’s quite important.”

I took the phone off her, “Hello, Tamsin, this is Cathy Cameron, what’s the problem with Maureen?”

“Hi, Lady Cameron, look I can’t talk over the phone, but Maureen needs to see you and as soon as poss.”

“Is she still on the same ward?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll make no promises, but I’ll try and get in this evening. If not tomorrow.”

“She’d appreciate tonight.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks, Lady C.”

I put the phone down and swore. Julie looked at me with an open mouth. “I didn’t know you knew words like that, Mummy.”

“C’mon, or we’ll be late.” We dashed out to the car and drove off to the convent to collect the girls. They were able to change in the back of the car with a bit of help from Julie and me. Then we set off at speed for Danny and Billy’s school.

I spotted Simon’s Jag and Tom’s Freelander in the car park. We, of course, had to park a hundred yards down the road and walk. I asked Julie to bring the bag I had in the boot–which contained drinks and snacks for the girls and older members of the family.

Looking along the touch line, we eventually spotted Simon, Tom and Billy talking with Danny, yet there was a game going on. We walked as quickly as we could and the girls hugged Simon and Tom.

“Why aren’t you playing?” I asked Danny.

“I’ll be on again soon,Mummy, it’s a tourney.” He rolled his eyes and I looked to Simon for an explanation.

“It’s like five aside, they play on a smaller pitch.” I looked and noticed that they had divided the pitch into two smaller ones, using the width as the length. “They only play fifteen minutes per half.”

“So how many games have you played?” I asked Danny.

“We’ve played three, but I was only in two of them.”

“How come?”

“We have a squad, Mummy. It’s knackering.”

“It’s what?” as I gasped so Simon and Tom sniggered.

“You get very tired, and I wanna play in the final if we get there.”

“When is that?”

“We’re in the next round, then it’s the semis, an’ if we win that, we’re in the final.”

“I see, do you want something to eat?” Silly question to a boy. He had a banana and a bag of crisps. So did Billy, and the girls each had an apple. Danny then came back for a drink of orange.

“So, are you going to play in this next year?” I asked Billy.

“Me? Nah, I’m not good enough.”

“Maybe we could get you coached to improve your skills.”

“Not that interested, I think I’d like to do bike racin’.” I didn’t realise he had such taste.

“What sort?” I asked.

“Mountain bikin’, looks like fun,” continued the younger boy.

“Oh,” I felt my dreams of a TdF winner in the family, dashed before I’d even gone to sleep. But then Cancellara used to ride mountain bikes, and so did Nicole Cooke, before they grew up and went for road racing. So maybe there was a chance still?

“I won’t if you don’t want me to.”

“No, kiddo, we’ll make some enquiries and see if there’s a club you can join.”

“I’d probably need a new bike.”

“If necessary, I’m sure a birthday or Christmas would take care of that.”

“Would you come out with me, Mummy?” Billy gave me a look that wouldn't have been lost on Kiki when there was food about.

“We’ll see.”

“I thought you’d say that.”

“I haven’t said no, have I?”

“No,” he answered, then gave me a lovely smile.

“Can girls play football?” asked Livvie.

“Yes, there’s even an England ladies team.”

“I wonder if they do it in school?” she continued.

“We’ll ask tomorrow.”

“Oh goody gum drops.”

“What is?” asked Trish snaffling a bag of crisps.

“Livvie asked if we could find out if there’s a girl’s football team at your school.”

“Oh yuck,” was Trish’s response to that.

“You might enjoy it,” I challenged.

“I didn’t before–besides, what about the showers?”

“Okay, point taken.

“I wanna pway socca, too.” Meems had decided on a sport.

“Okay, we’ll cut the grass down by the orchard and get Leon to make some goal posts.”

“D’ye think he’s up tae it?”

“No–I’ll probably have to get someone in to do it, until Maureen comes back–oh that reminds me, Daddy, she wants me to go and see her this evening. Could you help Simon get the wains to bed.”

“Och aye, it’ll be ma pleasure.”

“It’s not wainin’,” Mima took exception to my form of address.

Tom laughed and left the explanation to me.

We watched Danny play in the next game–which they lost despite his scoring a goal. He had another drink and Simon gave him a leg rub.

They played in the semis–there were only four teams taking part–but it got rid of some energy. They won that, so they progressed to the final, where they lost, even though Danny scored again, his goal wasn’t enough to stop them losing by three goals to one.

He was bitterly disappointed when he went off to shower, and we think he might have said something to one of the other team, because he ended up in a fight in the shower getting a black eye and knee in the groin. He came out from the building last, and Simon dashed over to see why he was walking oddly.

I put the others in the car and went to see for myself. I wanted to call one of the teachers, but Danny asked us not to, because he’d get in more trouble than the other boy. “Didn’t a teacher see you?”

“I told him I slipped on the wet floor and hit a corner.”

“And that would give you a black eye and sore willie?” I queried, almost a ‘pull the other one’ situation.

“Yeah, some of the cubicles have door frames.”

“Okay–are you going to be all right or do you want to see a doctor?”

“I’ll be okay, Mummy, you worry too much.”

“We’d better get some ice on it when we get home,” I suggested.

“You’re not puttin’ ice on it–it’ll be cold.”

“That’s generally the idea.”

“It’ll freeze it off.”

“If that was the case, Trish would have tried it by now.” He gave me a wry smile and nodded. “C’mon, let’s get you home because I have to go and see Maureen after dinner.”

“Fish and chips?” called Tom.

“Yeah, fine with me,” I replied and he sped off to the local chippie.