‘Hello, Mum. It’s me … Mark.’

The alarm on my mobile went off, waking me from a dream that upset me somehow. I couldn’t even remember the details but it involved my mum, step father and me having a row in the middle of the pitch at Melchester in front of thousands of fans…

Football Girl

By Susan Brown

Chapter 3

Previously...

I dropped my bag on the floor and went into the bedroom. Changing into a pink strappy t- shirt and short skirt took just a few moments. I brushed my hair out, went over to the fridge and took out a can of Coke. Opening it, I took a few sips and then went into the bathroom. I took the tablets out of the cabinet, opened the packet and swallowed two. I managed to get these pills from a website in the USA that helps transgendered patients who need time to decide which direction they want to take. They are puberty-blocking hormone pills that delay puberty. I didn’t want to start growing hair and have my voice break before I had the chance to decide whether I wanted to be a boy or girl for the rest of my life. How I could carry on taking the pills and have a career as a footballer, I didn’t know. I never told my mum about the pills as she would have hit the roof, and as for my dad, he would have hit me and then gone ballistic. Maybe if I had the operation, I could play for the newly- formed Melchester United’s girls team!
For now, I wouldn’t worry; just enjoy the fact that I was going to be a real live professional footballer!

And now the story continues…

The alarm on my mobile went off, waking me from a dream that upset me somehow. I couldn’t even remember the details but it involved my mum, step father and me having a row in the middle of the pitch at Melchester in front of thousands of fans…

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I picked up my ’phone and turned off the alarm. I hated that sing frog music or whatever it was called and I promised myself that I would change it.

It was 7.00 am and I was going for a run. Padding over to the window, I cracked open the curtains. At least it wasn’t raining but it looked gloomy and frosty out there. I would have to be careful not to slip over.
Quickly I washed my face, brushed my hair and scrunchied it low down so that my bobble hat would go over it. After putting on my track suit and trainers, I put on my hat and gloves, picked up my keys and yawning hugely, I let myself out of my flat.

As I shut and locked the door behind me, I shivered slightly in the cold frosty morning air. I could see the steam of my breath as I locked the door and hoped that I would warm up quickly.

I ran across the road and on the football field. As I went around the edge of the field, the frozen grass crunched under my running feet. I warmed up quickly as I got my second wind and was going quite well now, but was annoyed with myself as I hadn’t done any warm ups before starting to run. The last thing I needed was an injury now that I was going to be a professional footballer! That had a nice ring to it–professional footballer!

Without thinking, I cut across one of the slightly rutted football pitches and made my way down some side roads. Before I knew it, I was in my mum’s road. I slowed down and then stopped outside the house that I had lived in all my life. Blowing a bit hard, I imagined the inside of the house in happier times with me, my mum and my dad. Smiling, I remembered my last birthday before dad died. We had gone out for the day. First we went to the zoo and then the cinema and finally we had a meal at McDonalds. It was great and I never felt closer to my parents than that day. Then it all went wrong.

I shivered slightly, realising that I had better get moving or I would stiffen up.

I carried on with my run and eventually found myself back at the café and my flat. Letting myself in and slightly out of breath from my final sprint, I trudged upstairs and into the flat.

Looking at the clock on the wall, I had been out nearly an hour. I hoped that the extra exercise I was now doing would help counteract the effects of my pills–I hoped so. Slipping off my stinky clothes, I had a quick shower and hair wash; then I put my hair in a sort of towel turban –a trick learnt from the good old internet and a You Tube video.

I dressed quickly in a denim skirt and pink tank top and then had some toast and a cup of tea. Listening to the news, my ears pricked up as I heard Melchester United mentioned. Turning the radio up and biting on some toast I listened…

‘….United’s manager said that he wasn’t too concerned about the injury crisis yet, but any more problems would be a bit of a headache. England’s rugby team failed again…’

I switched the radio off. Of course I had heard about Melchester’s injury problems and that was one of the reasons why they hadn’t done too well this year.

I sipped my tea and wondered how things were going to turn out for me. It was going to be hard to make myself fit enough to pull my weight at the club whilst taking the puberty delaying drugs. I just hoped that I would not make a fool of myself and that I didn’t have to choose between football and my need to become a full woman.

Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was now 8.30 am and I could hear noises downstairs which meant that Jeff was in and the café was open. After cleaning my teeth, sorting out my now nearly dry hair, I regretfully changed out of my girls’ clothes into jeans and a t-shirt. Then I put my dirty washing in the machine and went downstairs.

‘Hi, Jeff,’ I called as I walked in. He gave me a wave and continued cooking at the griddle.

There were several tables in use and it looked like he could do with a hand. I put on my apron and was soon clearing tables and generally making myself useful. After the rush eased off, we had a breather and a cup of tea.

‘Things still okay upstairs?’ enquired Jeff.

‘Yes, it’s great.’

‘That’s good. Thanks for helping out.’

‘That’s all right. If things get heavy again, just give me a call upstairs. If I can, I’ll help.’

‘You’re a good boy, Mark.’

‘Get off,’ I replied feeling my face go red; I wished that I didn’t flush so easily!

Jeff laughed and just then more people came in and we had to get moving.

It wasn’t until 10.30 that I was able to go back up to the flat. My ’phone beeped; I hadn’t taken it with me when I went downstairs. Picking it up, I noticed that I had a voice mail.

Pressing the button, I listened to the message.

‘Hi, I’m John Prentiss, Harry Collins asked me to contact you. I’m an agent and might be able to help you. Can you ring me on 06784 326564? Thanks, bye.’

Putting the phone down, I quickly made a note of the number, before I could forget it. Taking a deep breath, I rang the number.

‘Hello, John Prentiss.’

‘Erm, it’s Mark Hurst, you left a message?’

‘Hi Mark, thanks for getting back to me. Harry Collins asked me to give you a call. I understand that you are signing for Melchester?’

‘Yes, that’s right.’

‘Well, if you want me to represent you, we’ll have to meet urgently. Knowing Melchester, they will want to finalise the signing as quickly as possible, so we need to talk terms with them. Can you meet me at my office? It’s in Melchester, so no great distance. If you can make it here for 4.00pm that will give me time to talk to them and get an idea of what’s on offer.’

‘Y … yes, okay, but I’m only going to be in the reserve squad.’

‘Doesn’t matter, it means that you are just one step away from playing in the first team. I know your age, but if you are half as good as Harry says you are, I can see you knocking on the door quite quickly. So do you want me to help you?’

‘Yes please.’

Can you make it to my office by four?’

‘I’ll try,’ I replied.

He gave me the address which I noted down. I knew where it was, not far from the bus station so I knew that I could catch a bus from the end of the road and get there in plenty of time.

I went downstairs and told Jeff about my good news.

‘Right,’ he said as he took off his apron. ‘I have to go to my suppliers this morning. Then I have the lunches to do. Once they are done, I’ll be able to come with you?’

‘I didn’t mean, I mean I didn’t want …’

‘You don’t think that I could let you go on your own, do you? In any case, he would expect a parent to go, especially you being under age and everything. Right, I’ll see you later.’

He shot off, shutting the café door after him and in seconds I was on my own. I had a warm feeling in my tummy - Jeff and Josie were the nicest people I knew, apart from my mum…

That had me thinking. Perhaps I could go and see Mum. I knew that my step father spent large chunks of the day at the pub and about 11.00 o’clock would be as good a time as any to try and catch her on her own.

A few minutes later, I was going down the road towards my mum’s house, it only took about ten minutes to get there. I stopped as I turned the corner as I saw my step dad come out of the house and start to walk unsteadily down the road towards the Blind Beggar Pub at the end of the road. It looked like he had already started drinking and I wondered what he would be like by the time he rolled home.

I went up to the house and knocked on the door. Although I had a key, it felt like it was no longer my home so it didn’t feel right that I should use my key.

There was no answer, so I knocked again, but louder. I knew that she would be in, because she never went out before lunch and she was a creature of habit. I looked through the letter box, but could see nothing much in the dim light of the passageway. I was a bit worried now, so I forgot my reluctance to use my key and opened the door.

The first thing I noticed was that it was cold. Feeling the radiator I could feel that the heating wasn’t on. It was on a coin meter, perhaps it had run out or something

‘Mum!’

I could hear nothing. It was quiet and it was cold and my heart started thump as I starting thinking nasty thoughts.

‘MUM!’

Still no answer; I went into the lounge and as soon as I walked in, I could smell the sick and the beer. There was no one there but I could see the results of my step fathers drinking, in a puddle on the floor.
Looking in the kitchen - still no Mum. I went upstairs, the old floorboards creaking as they always did. It was so quiet in there and cold. The door of my bedroom was open and I walked in. The room was a mess; all my clothes were strewn around the floor and on the bed. Some of the few girls clothes that I had left were torn apart and my mirror was smashed to pieces, leaving shards of glass everywhere.

Shaking, I went out and down the short passageway to my mum’s room. Opening the door, I saw her on the bed. She was laying there, her face covered in blood, clothes torn from her bruised and battered body…

‘MUM!’ I cried as I ran over to her. I thought that she was dead, but she groaned as I touched her and drew her legs up to her body as if to try to protect herself from being hit…

I pulled out my phone and tried to dial 999 but I did it wrong as my hands were shaking so badly. I had a second go and in seconds my call was answered.

‘Please - please come, my mum - my mum has been hurt.’ I was crying and nearly lost it, but the woman at the other end calmed me a bit and I told her that Mum had been beaten up and was in a bad way. I told the lady where we were and she promised someone would be there in a few minutes. I tried to cuddle Mum, but she just groaned and flinched away from me. It was the longest few minutes of my life and I felt so hopeless.

I jumped as the phone rang - perhaps it was the ambulance.

‘H…hello.’ I gulped.’

‘Mark, is that you? What’s wrong?’

It was Josie.

‘M–m - Mum has been hurt, beaten up by him.’

‘Where are you, Love?’

‘At t–t - the house the ambulance will be here ssssoon.’

‘Stay there. I’ll be there in a few minutes.’

The phone went dead and I just sat there holding my mum’s bloody hand. She had stopped moaning and I just hoped that she was just asleep and nothing worse…’

In the distance I could hear the sirens, coming closer. I wouldn’t leave her.

Time sort of stood still and then it was as if I was in a sort of dream. Suddenly the room was full of people in uniforms. One, a lady police officer, gently prised my hand away from Mum’s and took me into my bedroom. All I could say was ‘Help Mum, please help Mum.’

I was dimly aware that she was asking me questions and I think I said that my step father did it and he was down the pub.

‘Which pub,’ she kept asking but all I could see and hear in my mind’s eye was the groaning of my mum and her bloody body. Eventually Josie was there and I fell into her arms, crying my eyes out.

Eventually I calmed down as I was told repeatedly that my mum would be okay and I was able to mumble the name of the pub my step father went to.

I was dimly aware of the sound of a siren going in the distance and Josie told me that Mum was being taken to hospital and I could go and be there for her.

How I got to the hospital, I wasn’t sure. I think I was in shock and not really aware of my surroundings.

Someone, I think it was Jeff, gave me a plastic cup with something hot in it. I sipped it and it was so hot it burned my tongue a bit. That sort of woke me up. I was sitting on a chair in a room. The room had several chairs a table and some vending machines. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to tell me that this was some sort of hospital waiting room. There were all sorts of health posters on the wall and the walls were that sort of sick green colour they use for hospitals. I looked around and saw Jeff and Josie looking at me, all concerned.

‘Are you okay?’ asked Josie, holding my hand.

‘Where are the twins?’ I asked.

‘The next door neighbour, Mrs Wilkins is looking after them. How are you, Love?’

‘Don’t know really; is–is Mum dead?’ my voice began to crack up.

‘No love. She is going to be all right. The doctor said that she would come and see us as soon as they have got her sorted out.’

Looking up, I saw that Jeff was on the phone talking quietly.

‘Can he do that?’ I wondered.

‘Do what?’ said Josie.

‘Use a mobile in a hospital.’

‘Yes they started allowing it after it was realised that the phone signals don’t muck up the equipment. Mind you, it’s only okay in certain parts of hospitals.’

I took another sip of whatever it was–I think it was tea.

Jeff got off the phone. ‘Okay Mark?’

I just nodded.

‘I’ve just spoken to the football agent, John Prentiss and explained what has happened, he wishes you well and asks if you can give him a ring when you feel up to it and he’ll see you then.’

I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to see him today–somehow, football was the least of my concerns at the moment.

We all looked up as the door opened and a woman in a white coat and a stethoscope around her neck came in. ‘Hi, Mark?’ she asked, looking at me.

I nodded, not saying anything and dreading what she was going to say.

‘Okay. Your mum is going to be fine. She has a few cracked ribs and some knocks and bruises; also we had to stitch up a gash on her head, not major, but she lost some blood. We have to keep her in overnight for observation then she can go home.’

A weight lifted off me and I could smile again–Mum was going to be okay! ‘Can I see her?’

‘Give us a few minutes and then a nurse will come in and take you to her.’ With that and a smile, the doctor left the room.

‘Thank God for that,’ exclaimed Josie.

Jeff got up and started pacing the room. ‘I hope that they put that shit in prison and throw away the key.’

‘Jeff, language!’

‘Sorry, Love.’

‘Have they caught him?’ I asked.

‘Yes,’ said Jeff, ‘in the pub. They had to add resisting arrest to a lengthy list of charges. I don’t think you have to worry about him for a while.’

I was thankful for that. I’m not violent, but in his case I might make an exception.

It was about twenty minutes later that I was allowed to see Mum. She looked pale, lying there with a bandage around her head and a drip in her arm. She smiled wearily when she opened her eyes and saw me. ‘Hello, Love, sorry about all this.’

‘You’re sorry? You don’t have anything to be sorry about. ‘

She smiled. ‘Well, at least he can’t get to us where he is now.’

‘They told you then?’

‘Yes, the police came to see me; they just left. They are going to throw the book at him. He even admitted that he–he hit me.’

A tear formed in the corner of one of her eyes; I just sat by her and held her hand. ‘The doctor says that you can go home tomorrow if everything is okay.’

‘I won’t be going back there … to many memories. I’ll go and stay with Chris until the divorce and the sale of the house have gone through. I’ve got good grounds for divorce–I think.’ Chris was Mum’s sister who lived in Scotland.

‘Would you like me to come?’

‘Do you want to?’

‘I do, but…’

‘I know; you are so mature for your age. I know that things haven’t been easy for you with him and there’s your new career and everything. I think that you should try your best to do as well as you can, Love. You have a talent and I won’t deny you your chance. I will talk to Jeff and Josie and see if they can help you and keep an eye on you. But I want you to see me when you can and phone me often. You are the only good thing in my life at the moment and … and …’ Mum was crying now and so was I. I wanted to cuddle her but didn’t want to hurt her in doing so. I just held her hand and we spoke for another ten minutes or so.

‘Can I see Jeff and Josie for a minute, then you can come and say goodbye? I need my rest, I think and that nurse keeps fussing around me like a nervous broody hen.’

I smiled at that and then went for Jeff and Josie.

I sat alone in the waiting room for a few minutes, trying to digest what Mum had said to me. She was divorcing him, thank God. I was quite sad that she was going to Scotland, but knew that Auntie Chris would look after her and that was what she needed now. How I would cope without her, I didn’t know, but I would have to try. The only good thing about this mess was that we would have that man out of our hair at last and we could all start living again.

The door of the waiting room opened and a lady police officer walked in followed by a man in a suit.

‘Hello,’ said the man, are you Mark Hurst?’

I nodded.

‘I’m Inspector Morse–and no jokes about the name please; this is Police Constable Smart, can we have a word if you feel up to it?’

‘Okay,’ I replied as they sat down opposite me.

‘Right, just a few things: can you tell us what happened when you went home and found your mum?’

I explained all that had happened and the lady-policeman took notes as I spoke. He then asked me some questions about my step father and whether he had hurt Mum and me before. I was able to tell them about the many occasions that he got drunk and hit us. I got a bit upset about that and the lady-policeman gave me some tissues. I was finding that I could cry quite easily now and I put it down to my pills…that was my excuse and anyway, girls do cry sometimes.

After I had finished, the policeman stood up and said, ‘Thanks, Mark, I know that was hard. You don’t have to worry about your step father; he won’t be doing you or your mum any harm for a long time. You may not know this, but he’s been in trouble several times, probably before you knew him. Anyway, if we need anything further from you, we’ll contact you, okay?’

‘Yes, fine thanks.’

‘That’s all right. I’ll give you my card. If you or your Mum needs to know anything just ring me.’ With that, they left me alone again.

So, he had been in trouble before? That was no surprise. I just hoped that neither Mum nor I would see him ever again.

Jeff and Josie came in and I went to say goodbye to Mum. I hugged her gently as we said our goodbyes and I promised to be there when Jeff picked her up the following morning, all being well.

As I was driven home, I stayed quiet. This was another day where things had happened that would shape my future. I hoped that I might have a few days where I could be myself again, but wasn’t banking on it!

We pulled up outside Jeff and Josie’s house. ‘Oh,’ I said, ‘I thought I was going home to the café.’

Josie turned around in her seat and looked at me. ‘You don’t want to be alone tonight, do you? You’ve had a shock and anyway, we have to talk about things. Come in for some lunch and we’ll talk things over, okay?’

‘Okay and thanks for being there for me, you two are the best!’ They both went red in the face but smiled anyway!

Half an hour later, we sat around the kitchen table eating some spag bol that Josie miraculously prepared in double quick time. The twins had been dropped off by the neighbour and were currently asleep in their room.

‘So,’ said Jeff,’ what are we going to do about things? Your Mum is going up to stay with Chris for a while, and to be honest, I don’t think she’s up to looking after anyone else at the moment. She needs peace and quiet and where Pam lives, that is what she’ll get. But that leaves you, Mark. What are we going to do with you?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, it’s difficult. Maybe we should contact social services; perhaps they could find you a foster home. We would love for you to stay here but there’s no room and …’

‘But … I have a home …’

‘Yes, but your Mum doesn’t think you should go back there … you’ve had too many nasty things happen to you there and anyway, she is going to sell up. Thank goodness the house is in her name and not that slime ball.’

‘Jeff,’ said Josie.

‘Yes hon?’

‘Can you belt up and let Mark say what he wants to do?’

‘Sorry, got a bit carried away there. Mark, what do you want to do?’

Looking at them both, I could see where they were coming from and why they and Mum were so concerned about me. But I was nearly sixteen and I wanted to make a go of things for myself and not be too reliant on other people, however well meaning they might be.

‘Jeff, Josie, can - erm can I stay at the flat? I know that I’m young and everything, but I’m happy there. I feel safe and secure and it’s nice to have some independence …’ I sort of trailed off as I saw their faces–full of doubt.

Jeff spoke up first. ‘I don’t know, Mark. You have been through a lot. You need people around you…’

‘You will be nearby and I could always call you or Josie if I need help and I promise if it doesn’t work out, I’ll tell you and we’ll do something else, please let me!’

Jeff looked at Josie and Josie looked at Jeff. They did that weird nodding, winking and other stuff they do and then Josie spoke up. ‘Okay, if you insist, but you need to touch base with one of us every day and if you want anything…anything at all, let us know–promise?’

‘Yes I will–promise; thanks for being understanding and everything,’

‘That’s okay,’ replied Jeff., ‘Now what are you going to do about the football agent, he said that you really need to move quickly on this?’

‘Well, we’re picking up Mum tomorrow, aren’t we?’

‘Yes, she should be let out at about ten tomorrow morning. Josie is going to the house early on to pick up some clothes and stuff for her. She doesn’t want to go back there. Then we’ll take her to the station and get her on a train.’

‘What about the café?’

‘Already sorted, Bill Withers is going to look after it tomorrow. He owes me one.’

Bill Withers was Jeff’s best friend, and they used to sing in a small country group–many years ago.

‘Okay, can we go to see the agent tomorrow afternoon?’

‘That should be okay. I’ll ring him for you, if you like?’

‘Yes, please.’

We finished our spag bol and it was lovely. The choc chip ice cream was nice too! Jeff spoke to John Prentiss who agreed to meet us the next day at four and after that, I asked if I could have a lift back to my flat.

‘Are you sure that you don’t want to stay here tonight? You’ve been through a lot today,’ asked Josie, all concerned.

‘I’ll be all right; I just want to go and have a quiet night. I love it at the flat and you don’t really have the room here, anyway.’

‘You could sleep on the couch,’ Jeff suggested.

‘Thanks, but I need a good sleep and I’ve lots to do tomorrow.’

Half an hour later, I was dropped off at the café. Jeff and Josie said goodbye after a kiss and cuddle from Josie and a manly handshake from Jeff who promised to pick me up at ten.

Watching them go, a bit regretfully as they were sort of surrogate parents to me and I loved them dearly; I let myself into my flat. I quickly changed into something nice, a short black skirt and white smock top, then I did my hair and put on a bit of makeup. At last I was Susan again and I felt much more comfortable.

I sat down on the sofa and sighed with relief. Today was a day I was going to remember for the rest of my life and I hoped that the future was going to be a little bit better and less traumatic.

To be continued...

Please leave comments...thanks

My thanks go to the brilliant and lovely Gabi for editing and pulling the story into shape.