27. Lockheart
LOCKHEART
My headphones sit around my neck instead of on my ears.
There’s no sports podcast on and I’m not channelling calm and honing my excitement like I normally do before an away match.
Nope. Instead I’m anxiously bouncing my knee next to Brady on the coach, or bus as he calls it—apparently Americans call everything bigger than a car a damn bus—with the rest of the team, wishing I was somewhere else.
Normally I’m pumped for away games, but travelling down to Brighton today, my heart’s not in it. It’s back home. With Lucky and Nico.
I should be there, getting him ready and taking him to school with Nico. I’ve missed out on so much of his life and I don’t want to miss out on anymore.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I snatch it out quickly. The image on my screen makes me smile and my heart break at the same time. Lucky’s suited and booted in his uniform and his nervous smile makes me feel sick to my stomach.
I growl a little and swipe the screen to bring the list of contacts up. I don’t care about Coach’s no phone calls rule. I’ll take the punishment. What’s a few more laps anyway. I’ll suffer the jelly legs if I get to make my boy smile properly.
I hit the button for a video call and sit up a little straighter.
“Dude, Coach is gonna go mad at you. What’re you doing, bruh?” Brady nudges me in my side but I ignore him. So of course he leans over to see who I’m calling, smirks, and whispers to Antony who’s sitting behind us with Charlie.
The call connects and the “Daddy” squealed out from Lucky brings a huge smile to my face even if it does mean the rest of the team turns around to look at us, including Coach. I don’t care. My son needs me this morning.
“Hey, buddy. Mumma sent me a picture of you in your uniform. You look sharp, my boy.”
“Yeah, you almost look as good as me, double L,” Brady leans into the shot and tells him with a grin, and I relax a little when I see Lucky grinning back at him. A real grin, no worry in his eyes this time.
“Don’t listen to him, Luck. Brady wishes he had your looks.” Antony kneels on his seat to be seen and winks at Lucky as Brady frowns.
Charlie copies him to get his face in the screen too. “Are you sure you’re only five, dude? You look about fifteen in that picture.”
His smile is getting bigger and bigger, and so is mine.
My eye catches Coach motioning to the driver and I notice we’re pulling into some services.
As soon as we’ve stopped, Coach is out of his seat and walking up the aisle toward me, and I’m braced for the backlash of breaking his rules.
He’s a ball buster for sure, but he’s also a damn good coach.
He has these rules in place to keep us focused on the game, and normally I respect that, but my son needed me.
He reaches over and grabs my phone and I try to argue but he puts his hand up to silence me. He turns the phone to face him and his features go from grumpy bossman to proud, happy smiles. It must be the ‘Lucky’ effect.
“Hey, Lucky. It’s your first day at your new school today, isn’t it?” I can’t see Lucky’s reaction but I know he’s probably a little stunned like I am right now. “Are you going to smash it today?”
“Yes, sir.” Lucky replies and I grin at Brady.
“Too right. You listen to me, son. You’re going to go into that school and show them just how amazing you are.
Go make friends. Be yourself and everyone will love you.
And remember, you’ve got the whole team cheering you on.
Isn’t that right boys?” Coach turns the phone around and flashes it at all the players as they shout a chorus of ‘yeah, hell yeah and of course.’ He turns it back to himself and tells him, “Have the best day and make sure you phone your dad after so we can all hear about it. Okay?”
I manage to catch Lucky’s squeaky yes back before he throws the phone to me. I make him and Nico promise to call me as soon as he’s home and quickly say goodbye. Once the phone’s disconnected, I offer a weak smile to Coach but he’s got a frown to rival my normal one on.
“Coach, I’m sorry…” I try to tell him but he holds his hand up to me again and I shut up.
“I understand you’re needed at home. I get that your priorities have changed a little.
But rules are rules, Lockheart. Tomorrow, I expect you to stay behind after training for an hour.
” I nod my head as Brady smirks next to me.
“You too, Brady. And Marcello and Bennett as well. Rules are rules for all of you.”
I can’t fight the grin off my face as Brady folds his arms over his chest.
“Coach?” I call out to him and he turns in the aisle. “Thank you. All of you. You made his day.”
The team waits for Coach’s response, and when he sticks his thumb up to me, they take that as a sign to resume normal behaviour and talk about how my boy is going to smash his first day of school.
Did I mention I fucking love this team?