Previously...

I picked up the single sheet of paper and tore it up.

‘What are you doing?’ he asked, the cigar falling from his mouth and landing on the table.

I smiled prettily at him.

‘I don’t want to leave. I would love to stay and be part of the club that I have loved for most of my life; if that means playing with the girls’ team, great. I’ve always wanted to play with them and I get on well with all the girls. If that’s all, I’ll go now, my father is waiting downstairs and I want to breathe in some fresh air.’

I walked out and closed the door quietly behind me. My heels clicked on the marble floor as I crossed the passage and went over to the lift. The lift door opened smoothly and quietly and I stepped in. As the lift went down, I looked at my reflection in the mirrored walls and smiled slightly. He would never get it. It wasn’t in his blood. He could never understand what it was like to be a true lover of a club like Melchester. The club was always bigger than one person. I had been so lucky to not only be a supporter, but also a player at this great club with all the history, wonderful players and managers that we had had in over one hundred years of top flight football.

I thought that Hiram B had bitten off more than he could chew when he decided that the club was ripe for picking and that he would have a rude awakening in the not too far distant future.

As for myself –there was no way that this asset was going to be stripped.

And now the story continues…

The lift opened quietly and I crossed the lobby and then left the building, nodding to the staff as I went. No one looked very happy, no doubt wondering if they would have a job the following week. Danni and Charlotte were standing by the car. I was going to speak, but as there were others ear wigging and milling about, Charlotte just shook her head and then without another word, we got into the car and drove off.

I took a tissue out of my shoulder bag and blew my nose which had started running a bit. That cigar smoke had set me off. I saw traces of makeup on the tissue and wondered if my nose was shiny now. Before I could grab my mirror, we approached the gates.

The gates were opened by a burly, shaven headed security guard that I didn’t recognise and we passed through. I waved at the banner waving crowds who gave me a bit of a cheer–it made me feel a bit better. For all my bravado in front of Hiram B Stinkybum I was feeling a bit sick, insecure and not a little afraid that I might never come through those gates again as a player for Melchester. I also felt a tiny bit yuckie, head wise and wondered whether I was coming down with the dreaded lurgie or something.

As we went down the road, Danni turned to me.

‘Your dad is with John Prentiss in the office. He asked that we take you to him. A meeting has been set up with Sheila Strong.’

I smiled tiredly; it was good to have my media guru Sheila on my side.

Ten minutes later we arrived at the office and were soon sitting at the boardroom table with Daddy, John, Sheila, Danni and Charlotte.

After drinks were sorted out I looked at Danni.

‘Did it all come out?’ I asked, blowing my nose into yet another tissue.

‘Clear as a bell,’ she said.

‘It won’t be admissible, will it?’ asked Daddy.

‘No,’ said Sheila, ‘but we might be able to use it. Can we have a listen?’

I fiddle about with my cool iPhone for a bit as the others spoke. I was suffering from a reaction to my meeting with Voldemort...I mean Hiram and I was getting a bit antsy. I’m a nice girl, but what he said to me made me fume. I wasn’t looking forward to hearing the smarmy git again.

Danni took out a small recording devise from her copious bag and switched it on. I could instantly hear a playback of all that was said between Hiram and myself.

It was a good idea of Danni’s that I go “wired up” as they say in the best TV cop programs, only it wasn’t a wire it was more like a tiny thin box the size of a postage stamp. I had had it secreted about my person in a place that we don’t need to talk about–just in case I was frisked or something–well you never know!

There was silence in the room as we all heard the conversation. It was strange; I didn’t know that my voice sounded like that. I watched the reaction of the others when Hiram tried to twist me around his pudgy little finger and smiled when the others heard my responses.

Finally, the recording ended; I couldn’t believe it when there was spontaneous applause from everyone!

‘Well,’ said Sheila,’ you handled that very well Susan. I think that you knocked the wind out of his sails. He wants you out, get as much money as he can for you and make sure that you are blamed for jumping ship.’

‘That’s what I thought. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. I mean it though. I will play for the girls’ team if I have to. If they want me, that is,’ I added uncertainly.

‘Any team would jump at having you love.’

‘Thanks Daddy.’ I beamed forgetting for a moment how grotty I felt.

‘Enough of that,’ said Sheila, ‘we need a plan of action. John, what have you learned about Hiram?’

‘Well, I have contacts in the States. Hiram is well known for his hard headed business acumen and an ability to strip the assets of companies and then move on. They call him the piranha on the NYSE...’

‘NY what?’ I asked.

‘New York Stock Exchange. He makes Gordon Gekko look like a bunny rabbit?’

‘Gordon who?’

‘I’ll tell you later dear,’ said Daddy with a totally uncalled for exasperated tone in his voice.

I nearly went into a huff but decided to pencil one in for later–when I felt like it and time permitting.

‘Anyway,’ continued John, ‘Hiram seems to like targeting sports clubs for some reason.’

‘Probably because he a big tub of lard and he’s jealous of us thin, athletic types.’

‘Don’t be silly Susan,’ said Daddy.

‘That might be true though,’ responded Sheila. ‘Let’s face it, he is a trifle overweight and he could be trying to hit out at all things healthy. Who knows; what I do know is that we have to stop him.’

‘Any news from the FA and Premier League?’ asked Sheila.

‘Some,’ said John, ‘they are a conducting a fit and proper person test on him. The rules are a bit lax at the moment, but I think that the authorities are unhappy with the events surrounding the takeover and are looking into his previous activities very carefully.’

‘Hmm,’ said Sheila, ‘we’ll have to wait and see on that. As far as the media is concerned, they are all on our side. They aren’t that keen on foreign takeovers anyway and this one stinks to high heaven. The supporters club have started a “save our club fund” and are saying to fans that they should boycott games. I have looked at Susan’s contract and for some reason there isn’t a gagging clause.’

‘Gagging clause, what’s that?’ I sniffed.

‘Some contracts have a clause where you can’t speak about certain things going on within the club, especially to third parties, the media etcetera.’

‘That could work to our benefit.’ said Charlotte. ‘What’s to stop us leaking the recording to the media?’

Sheila smiled, ‘Nothing, really. The only problem being, that we are in a bit of a grey area. Hiram didn’t give permission for the meeting to be recorded. I think that we will have told that one back as our ace in the sleeve. The last thing we want is a law suit or any sort of restraint regarding publication.’

‘Does that mean that we can’t use the recording to get at him?’

‘At the moment, yes Susan. But at least we know what he is up to and we might be able to use it later.’

‘In the mean time, he rips my club to threads.’

‘It might not come to that. You have to realise that he will have some high powered lawyers on his side and he will try to do anything he can to make what he wants, happen.’

‘What he wants, meaning, I suppose, rip the heart out of the club and leave it for dead, Sheila?’ I said.

‘I don’t think that it will come to that. The media is powerful in this country and the fans won’t sit back and let things go without a fight. I think that he has bitten off more than he can chew this time.’

‘So what happens to me?’

‘You, my dear will do as you said you would and above all don’t give him any reason to put all the blame on you. If he wants to get rid of you, he will have to sack you. Play with the girls, keep your nose clean and leave it to us to sort this out.’

I found that to be a little bit patronising. I loved Sheila to bits, but found that, like other so called grownups she thinks that she knows best. Suddenly I had a headache. I was getting sick of this wheeler dealing and just wanted to go home and cuddle something, preferably Andrea and if not my teddy.

I shut my eyes for the moment and rubbed them. Daddy noticed that something wrong immediately.

‘All right honey?’

I looked at him and smiled tiredly.

‘It’s all a bit much and I have a bit of a headache. Can I leave you lot to sort out things?’

‘Sure, Charlotte, can you take Sue home. you sound like you are coming down with something. Danni can you stay we may need some input regarding security issues?’

A few minutes later, Charlotte bundled me into the car and we headed home.

We arrived home before I knew it, as I was crashed out in the back of the car and didn’t pay much attention to anything. When I woke up after gentle prodding from Charlotte, I realised that my throat had closed up and my nose had started running faster than Ben Johnson on steroids. Charlotte went to park the car and I wearily went in the through the kitchen door. Mummy was there with Mrs Moon. It looked like they were having some sort of cake fest with flour everywhere, but I was too knack... I mean too tired to care. Mummy took one look at me and then went into Florence Nightingale mode. Before I knew it, I was upstairs in bed, wearing my pink satin jim-jams, with a thermometer in my mouth and having my pulse taken.

‘It looks like a cold as you haven’t much of a temperature yet. I’ll check later but you put your head down and have a rest.’

‘Yes Mummy,’ I said as I blew my nose into a tissue and looked at the rather unsavoury contents. Green and yellow– yuk!

She pulled the curtains, kissed my rather damp forehead and went out, closing the door quietly.

I shut my eyes and must have gone to sleep as the next thing I knew, Claire was touching my arm.

Opening my eyes, I looked up and there she was, still in uniform and looking down at me.

‘So wasup?’ she asked.

‘I have a cod.’

‘Cod?’

‘Cold.’

‘Well you do sound bunged up. Don’t give it to me. I like, don’t like sick stuff.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Don’t mench. So how did the meeting go?’

‘Where’s Andrea, I need a cuddle.’

‘Still at school, something to do with dragging horsehair over catgut strings.’

‘You mean violin classes?’

‘Yea; so like I asked, how did the meeting go?’

With some effort, I sat up a bit and through a pounding head, I let Claire know what happened at the interview or whatever you called it with prat face and the meeting with our lot afterwards.

‘So you got all he said, recorded on your iPhone?’

‘Yea.’

‘Can I hear it?’

‘I can’t be bothered.’

‘Can I borrow your phone then?’

‘If you like.’

She picked up the phone and looked at me.

‘You don’t look well.’

‘Dying might be nice,’ I croaked positively.

‘’You are like, a right drama queen,’ she said dismissively.’

‘That’s great coming from you. When you last had a cold, you had Monica running around after you for days.’

‘Never mind that. Look I have some homework. I’ll see you later.’

‘All right.’ I replied, closing my eyes and sinking down on my pillow before she had even left the room.

I must have slept for ages as it was dark outside when I surfaced. I looked up and Mummy was sitting on the comfy armchair in the corner of the room by a lamp. She was reading a magazine by its soft glow. She looked up when I coughed.

‘How are you feeling love?’

‘Yuckie.’

‘Are you achy?’

‘Yes, all over.’

‘Headache still?’

‘Mmm,’

‘All hot and bothered?’

‘Mmm.’

‘Thought so. Let’s take your temperature again.’

She slid a thermometer under my tongue and did things with my wrist, pulse wise. Did I ever tell you that she was a trained nurse?

‘Yup, you have a high temperature. I think that you have a touch of the flu. Bed rest, some paracetamols, lots of fluid and if that doesn’t work, I’ll call the vet in and have you put down.’

‘Ha, flaming ha,’ I said and then coughed up something unmentionable that had most of the colours of the rainbow in it.

‘Yuk,’ I said.

‘Better out than in,’ she replied cheerfully.

Why are people who aren’t ill so bloody cheerful? I thought bitterly.

‘Andrea wanted to come and see you but I told her to keep away. You know that she gets chest problems just looking at medical dictionaries. I said that she could see you tomorrow. Same with your father–he had sympathy pains when the twins were born. I swear that his labour pains were worse than mine. Anyway, I’ll be up in a minute with a hot drink and some tablets.’

‘Okay.’ I whispered.

I wasn’t a good patient, I never was. I always felt that getting ill was a crime against humanity. I turned all grumpy and always felt sorry for myself. Millions of others suffered a lot worse than me, but I was a bit of a drama queen when I managed to get myself ill. I had visions of me in a long white nightie, flowing hair on the pillow, looking consumptive but managing to put a brave face on it. Reality was a lot different...

The door opened and a few seconds later Claire hove or is that heaved into view.

‘Hi Claire.’ I croaked.

She bubbled up, looking excited and effervescent.

‘Like, this is amazing.’

‘What is?’

‘About Melchester. It’s in all the national papers, front page stuff. The TV is full of it and there was even questions in parliament about it. Like, it’s as if we’ve been invaded or something. Some plonker wrote in the Times evidently quoting Churchill’s We’ll fight them on the beaches speech–talk about heavy.’

She took a deep breath and then peered at me.

‘You like, look terrible. Can I have your iPhone if you croak it?’

‘No, Andrea will have it,’ I answered, looking brave and resolute.

‘Hmm, look, I was downstairs and this dishy bloke came up on a motorbike and delivered this letter. I do like men in black leather, don’t you?’

‘No, leather smells.’

‘Please yourself. Look, do you like, want this letter or do you want leave it til you look less like a living corpse?’

I couldn’t really be bothered to read it; it was too much effort.

‘You open it.’

‘Sure?’

‘Mmm.’ I said sitting up, wincing bravely and sipping on some water, wondering if building workers were inside my head and using hammer drills...

She opened the big brown envelope and scanned the contents.

‘Blimey!’

‘Blimey what?’

‘It’s from Melchester. I’ll read it out:

‘Bla, bla, bla–right this is the juicy bit:

Following our meeting, I can confirm that you have been transferred to the women’s team with immediate effect. You will no longer train with the men’s squad and you will make yourself available for training with the women’s squad as per the attached schedule.

Due to financial constraints, you will no longer be required to attend any matches involving the men’s team and your reserved car parking space has been terminated with immediate effect. You will hand in your club open pass and will be issued with another, more limited one commensurate with your new status.

As you are now a member of the ladies team, you will, of course not be eligible for the men’s squad bonuses but will revert to the ladies ones, when or if you are picked to play.

You are strictly forbidden to discuss or disclose any matters appertaining to the club without prior approval of the management of the club. Any interviews regarding any matters appertaining to the club must have the prior approval of the management of the club.

Bla, bla, bla, lots of boring legal stuff and signed Hiram B Whatsit–wow Susan, they don’t like, hold their punches, do they? The slime ball; I’ll make them pay...’

She said a few more choice and unsavoury words, but it all sort of went over my head. All I wanted to do was sleep–thinking would come tomorrow, if I survived the night, that is.

‘Yea, whatever,’ I said disinterestedly as my head sank back on the pillow.

She said something and went out. I winced again, wishing that she hadn’t banged the door like that. I shut my eyes and then knew no more.

I had a restless night, waking up about two in the morning. Things hadn’t got much better and I was feeling rougher than even the day before.

I had a drink of water and then tried to go back to sleep. But sleep was hard to come by and after a bit, I just sat up and switched on the TV with my remote. I flicked the channels until I came to the local news.

‘Emily Walters of Lark Rise Melchester spent a quiet day at her home surrounded by family and friends as she celebrated her 105th birthday. She has put down her longevity to a packet of 20 cigarettes and three glasses of port every day together with brisk walks in the country when she was a bit younger.

Now sport, Melchester United are reeling after the sacking of the manager and his staff yesterday. Hiram B Atwater has brought in Neil Price as the new manager. Price is known for his unorthodox managerial style and no nonsense attitude. He left Broadgate under a bit of a cloud last year after failing to get them promoted to the Premier League twice in a row. It is considered to be a bit of a gamble to rely on a manager of limited experience and one that is still waiting to lift any form of trophy. Fans are up in arms and have promised to boycott games. None of the players or the new management are available for comment, but there are strong rumours that star players may have to leave, including Susan Hurst. A further rumour, as yet unconfirmed, is that the ground is to be sold and then leased back to the club.

Other news; Fleetfield post office closing after twenty years...’

I switched off the TV. I had heard of Price, of course. In my opinion he wasn’t good enough to scrape the mud off Sandy’s boots. What was Hiram playing at? I had no idea and I was too tired to think much more. After another sip of water I fell into a troubled slumber.

I awoke to the sounds of the curtains being drawn back. Opening a bleary eye, I could see Mummy over by the window.

‘What time is it?’ I whispered.

‘Nine thirty. How are you feeling?’

‘I’ve been better.’

‘Let’s take your vitals,’ she said coming over to the bed.

My temperature and pulse were taken.

‘Good, your temperature is going down a bit and you have some more colour in your cheeks. Your pulse is stronger too, all good signs. If you hadn’t improved today though, I would have carted you off to the doctors’ surgery. Do you still have aches and pains?’

‘Yes, all over and my head's banging away and I want a wee.’

‘I’ll get something for the aches and pains. Do you want to use the loo?’

‘Mmm.’

‘Okay, let me give you a hand, you might be light headed.’

‘I’ll be all right.’ I said as I got up out of bed and nearly fell flat on my face. I wondered for a bit if I had been put on a boat in my sleep. Everything was swaying from side to side...

‘Told you so,’ said Mummy, rather too smugly for my liking.

She helped me into the loo and left me to do my stuff and then helped me back to bed. My pyjamas were a bit whiffy, so I changed into a pink cotton, shortie nightie. It was cooler and felt more comfortable. I would have liked a shower, but I didn’t think that I was up to that at the moment.

With parental unit assistance, I managed to get back into bed and sitting up, she helped me to brush my hair–it felt nice. No one had ever done that for me and it made me feel a bit better. Perhaps I wasn’t going to die, after all?

Later on, I had some toast and tea and the pills kicked in. I started to feel a bit more like myself.

I texted Andrea.

Feeling better.

Good. I’ll ring in at break. Luv u.

U 2 xxxx

I then texted Claire.

Wasup?

Boring English

Ring when you r out

K

Just then the door opened and Mrs Moon came in with a cup of tea and what looked suspiciously like a sticky bun. I was suddenly very hungry.

‘Ooh thanks Mrs M,’ I croaked.

‘Voice still bad dear? Well you look a bit better anyway. Drink the tea while it’s hot.

‘Where’s everyone?’

‘Your father has gone to a meeting and he says don’t worry, he’ll let you know what’s going on when he knows himself. Your mother has gone with the twins to play school and Monica has her three monthly check up at the hospital.’

‘And Batwoman and Robina?’

She smiled. ‘They are in the gym, knocking three bells out of each other.’

‘Nice.’

‘If you say so dear. If you need anything, just ring me on the internal phone. Oh and I have been told that you mustn’t get up unless you want to use the toilet and if you do, let me know and I’ll come and give you a hand.’

‘Thanks Mrs M, you are lovely.’

‘I was about thirty years ago, but now, I’m not so sure. Drink your tea and I’ll be back later.’

She turned away and then patted her pocket.

‘Oh yes,’ she said turning back and coming over to the bed, ‘This came for you.’

She pulled a letter out of her apron pocket and handed it to me. It was special delivery and it had the Melchester crest on the back of the envelope.

‘See you later dear.’ She said and then left me to read my letter.

I put my cup down and licked my finger as they were a bit sticky and then I opened the letter, wondering what it was about.

It was from Human Resources,

Dear Ms Hurst,

It has come to our attention that your private interview with Mr Atwater was recorded by you and subsequently the said recording has appeared on a number of sites including YouTube. This shows a fragrant disregard to the rules of the club and the terms and conditions of your employment.

You are hereby suspended until further notice and you are required to appear before a disciplinary board, one week from today to answer questions and explain yourself. You can of course have representation if you so wish. The exact time and place of the meeting will be forwarded to you in due course.

In addition, we have been asked to inform you that Mr Atwater will be contacting you via his solicitor regarding the publication and broadcast of the interview which may be considered a civil or criminal offence.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel L Warburton

(Human Resources)

I put the letter down, feeling a bit sick. Picking it up again, I looked at the name at the bottom of the letter. I had never heard of a Daniel L Warburton, but that wasn’t important. Who had done this? Who would have put the interview on the net?

What was going on here?

To be continued...

Please leave comments and kudo thingies...thanks! ~Sue