Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
“ M a, if you’re going to cry, I won’t to let you see the place,” Nina said as her mother stood next to her car. Her parents had loaded her father’s Mercedes up with a few items as well as filling her own car and he was parking up behind her.
“It’s like I’m losing you all over again,” Sumitra said. “And you won’t even be home tomorrow for Sunday lunch.”
Tony reached them. “What’s going on here?”
“Ma’s upset about me leaving,” Nina said.
“Sumitra, she’s only been living with us for about six weeks, you cried enough the first time she moved out.”
“I’m not crying. Now let’s get these things inside.”
“You’re not lugging anything up the stairs,” Nina said.
Rob approached them. “I’ll take it up. Carl’s coming out to help too.”
“I see you’re working here now,” her father said to him.
Rob nodded. “It’s going well.”
Sumitra frowned at Rob. “Do you live here as well?”
“No. But hopefully I’ll move in if I’m given the manager job. But not while Nina’s here. I’ll be downstairs if she needs help. There’s a special intercom in there, they installed it when the kids were upstairs.”
“I’ll be safe, I’m sure,” Nina said, not particularly liking the way they were speaking about her as if she were still a child.
“Hmm,” Sumitra said, staring at Rob. Nina could tell how her mother’s mind worked but she was sure she had nothing to worry about.
“It’s surprisingly cosy up here,” Sumitra said once inside the bedroom. “You’d never know you were above a busy pub.”
“It must be the thick stone walls,” Tony said.
Sumitra looked out of the window. “A very nice view of the green as well.”
“Jaz and Julian loved living here with their family,” Nina said. “But it’s not big enough for them, now the children have grown.”
“I wish you were living on one of the cul-de-sacs instead of here, though.”
“Ma, you never know, someone might move out and I might come into a fortune.”
Rob brought up the last case and then left them.
“Do you need any help unpacking?” Tony asked.
“No, it’ll keep me busy and I’ll need to know where everything went. There’s the small sitting room I’m using too, as well as the kitchen.”
“Can I still come with you to your midwife appointments?” Sumitra asked in a small voice as they prepared to leave.
“Of course you can, I keep telling you. I’m not here because of you, I’m here because of me. I’m a grown woman used to my independence.” She smiled at her. “I want you to be a part of my life and the baby’s life.”
Sumitra threw her arms around her. “I love you so much.”
“Come on, let’s leave Nina space to settle in,” her father said then, too gave her a hug.
Having spent a couple of hours unpacking, Nina ventured down the stairs to the pub.
“Hey, what are you drinking and how have you settled in?” Rob asked.
“Tap water will be fine and I’m feeling great, with a similar sense of freedom as the first time I left home.” She sat on a stool at the bar. “Although back then I really didn’t have much to worry about.”
“You’ll be fine and a great mum. One of those super mums.”
Nina laughed. “I don’t know about that. Anyway, how did the darts go without your star player and coach?”
“The manager had our backs,” he said with a laugh. “It was one of the top teams we played, so it was pretty much a given that we were going to lose. Jaz still pushed for a win though. No wonder she sells so many of those motorhomes, she probably bullies people into buying them.”
Julian came into the bar. “Hi Nina, I was just checking in on you.”
“I’m doing great, thanks again for letting me live here. It’s a lovely room and Ma and Dad were impressed. I was just talking to Rob about the darts.”
“Darts, that’s all Jaz talks about! She’s even been watching it on the TV. And as Rob here’s doing so well, I’m having to cover him while he plays.”
“What about the bistro?”
“They don’t really need me. Natalie does a great job, she’s managing the front of house now and Adam’s food’s always spot on.”
“Now I live so close, I won’t be able to resist a meal or two in there.”
“So,” Julian said to Rob. “How’s my wife’s rising star?”
Rob laughed. “She’s on my case, I’ll tell you that.”
Julian was called over by Reverend Stephens and Rob fetched Nina’s tap water.
“Joking apart though,” Rob said to Nina when he was back facing her. “That woman saved my life.”
“It hasn’t gone unnoticed, how much you’ve changed,” Nina said.
“Seems odd. Drink has been the problem, yet it’s in here that I’ve come off it.”
“Have you given up altogether?”
“No, I’m lucky. Drink was more of an escape than something I do to cope. I never drank late when I was working in the factory the next day. That would have been plain stupid.”
“I guess it was hard for you, going from being a famous boxer to…”
“Total loser. If I’d saved the money instead of spending it all…and then when I stopped fighting, I should have stopped spending, but I carried on. Until there was less than nothing left. Hero to zero…that’s me.”
“Hey. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”
“Working in the factory with my dad. That was the worst. I felt like I was doing the walk of shame on my first day. Not that there’s anything wrong with the work there. The pay is great. More than here. But I felt like I was going backwards. So then when I came out of an evening, I had a few drinks and felt like I was top dog again.”
“You achieved a lot in your career, you’ve still got the belts and the memories.”
“Yeah, messed my face up though.”
“You’ve not been short of female attention.”
“I guess not. But no one wants to settle down with me. Look at me. Battered and nothing to show for it.”
“You’ve achieved a lot more than most. It’s just the career of a sportsman ends sooner.”
“Look at Julian, he was a sportsman and he’s got this place.”
“But he’s still fortunate. Yes, he’s doing well and opened the bistro, but don’t forget his parents owned this pub, he took it on from them. Like me, yes I had my boutique but my father paid for the lease for the first two years and bought my first stock. So you could say I’m the biggest loser. I’ve lost my business, lost my council seat and lost my man. Now that’s a loser!” she said with a laugh.
“I’ve never seen you this chill. You on pills?” Rob pushed the tap water across the bar.
“No I’m not! I can’t because of the baby.”
“Sorry, love. Joking apart, it must be hard.” He nodded at her glass of tap water. “It’s on the house.”
Nina laughed. “I don’t actually feel bad, though. A few weeks ago, yes. But you only get one life, we’ve got to strive to do our best.”
“Shame you’re so stuck up, I might’ve fancied you.”
Nina threw her head back and laughed again just as Katie came in.
“Hi, can I have a diet cola and a half a lager?” She turned to Nina. “Hi there. How are you?”
“Fine thanks and you?”
“My brother’s come to see me, so we’re having a drink on the green while his wife minds the shop for me.”
Rob smiled at Katie as he passed the drinks over. “There we are, love.”
“Thanks, Rob,” she said as she paid for them with her phone.
“Are you coming to the practice Monday?” he asked.
“Maybe,” she said and then took the drinks and went outside.
“You like her,” Nina said.
“Well, she doesn’t like me.”
“Why not?”
“She hates boxing and she’s got her eye on someone else, who’s much better looking than me and a whole lot younger.”
“Who’s that then?” she asked then sipped her water, bringing up the memory of when she’d been in the shop with Warren and the way Katie had greeted at him on the practice night.
“Warren. I mean what woman wouldn’t fancy him? With that face. I’ve no chance.”
“Does Warren like her back?” she asked, trying not to catch Rob’s eye.
“He says he doesn’t but then he knows I got it bad for Katie.” He wiped down the bar. “Mind you, Warren did say he had his eye on someone.”
“Did he?”
“Yeah, but I’ve no idea who it was as the only woman I’ve seen him chatting to is you.” He paused and looked her in the eye. “Oh, of course, it’s you.” He chuckled.
“Me? No, we’re not an item.”
“Not yet. Warren told me he was working on it.”
“Don’t be silly, as you say he’s much younger and I’m, well…”
“Some men like that. I’ve a mate who met his wife when she was expecting. He said he liked rescuing her.”
“Well, I don’t need rescuing,” Nina said with a huff.
“Trust me, darling, we all need rescuing.”
She looked at his sad eyes. “Why don’t you ask Katie out for a meal or something?”
“It’ll be too awkward if she says no, with her shop only being up the way and her coming to darts. No, she’s not interested. She’s out of my league.”
Nina felt sorry for Rob, this hard man with such low self-esteem. Perhaps he’s right , she thought as his words repeated in her head: we all need rescuing .