Authors: Sarah Thorn
“He would, wouldn’t he?”
“Yes, he certainly would! And our baby! His grandchild. He would be very, very angry.”
“But we need a substantial sum.”
“It won’t matter. The only thing that will matter is that when we have paid what we owe and begin paying my father his money back, you don’t gamble it away. Do you think you can break your habit?”
She rubbed his arm and looked up into his eyes. He was blinking and refusing to look at her.
“Mark, please. Please tell me you love me enough…and love our baby enough to do this for us.”
“I want to, Margie. I do love you and our baby.”
“We will keep praying about it. My papa will help us through this and then we will start again. From the beginning if we have to. But at least we will have our horses and our home.”
“And our baby.”
“Yes.” She smiled wide and he matched it.
“It’s so wonderful to think that we will have a little boy or girl here next year. I hope it looks like you.”
She giggled. “If it’s a boy, I don’t think he will like that.”
He shook his head. “I hope that he or she is healthy. I hope that you are okay through it all and that everything works out good in the end.”
“Ellie is going to help me. She will know what’s going on before I do.”
They both laughed at that.
“I’m glad she is wanting to help you.” Mark’s demeanor had lightened significantly from only moments before. She could see that he felt relief and renewed strength. She wondered if he would really be able to kick the habit. He was so good with money otherwise.
“Do you want me to start helping manage the finances of the track and stables, Mark?” She asked a little nervously. It had always been his job. She didn’t want him to feel that she was stepping on his toes.
He paused and looked at her thoughtfully. “I think it would be wise, yes.” He agreed. He put one of his hands on her tummy and the other on the small of her back. “You won’t be up for all that physical work taking care of yourself for the next year anyway.”
“Silly man, it doesn’t take that long to have a baby!”
“I know.” He laughed. “But you won’t be going back to grooming and cleaning out stables for a long time, honey. You’re going to have my baby to take care of!”
The thought of a happy family in her future lifted Margaret’s spirits back up into the clouds. She threw her arms around her husband and hugged him close. “I love you, Mark!”
“And I love you, my sweet little Margaret!” He replied, kissing her soft lips with a passion she would never be able to resist.
*****
THE END
''Yes thanks, Jeff. You're
right; that
was a great game. We're just waiting for Danny Constance to come and talk to us after scoring three goals,'' the football reporter said as the anchorman handed back to him after the news bulletin.
''Danny has also been called up this week to play his first game for England. He's certainly the hottest footballer in England at the moment. There are also rumors that Barcelona has made a bid of eighty million pounds for him. Hold on, yes, here he is.''
Danny Constance towered over the reporter. At six feet three he had the ideal built to play in attack, and at just twenty-two was at the beginning of a glittering football career. He'd just come out of the shower after Rushmore United had won in front of fifty thousand home fans. It was a cold day in December and steam came from Danny's wet hair.
''Danny, thanks for talking to us. How do you feel the game went today?''
''Great, I scored three and United have moved back to the top of the league. It's been a good day.''
Another reporter came and put his microphone close to Danny's mouth. Danny flashed the
reporter
an aggressive
look,
and he withdrew slightly.
''What's your reaction to your England call up?''
''I'm honored. It's great to represent my
country. Hopefully
, we can win,'' Danny said as he reeled off another stock answer. Rushmore used a London PR company to train its players in the art of evading press questions.
''Can you give any insight into the rumor Barcelona want to buy you?''
''None, it's just that. A rumor.''
''And lastly Danny, I have to ask you this, do you have any comment on the alleged incident at the West End nightclub last week?''
Danny scowled into the camera. ''No comment. Please keep your questions on football, not my private life.''
''But.....the young woman alleges you were very
drunk,
and you danced with her and touched her.......''
Before the reporter could finish Danny has disappeared back into the sanctuary of the dressing room.
He sat down and put his boots into a holdall. The place was almost empty, only
the goalkeeper
, Rod Stevens, Danny's best friend was still getting dressed.
''What a fuckhead,'' Danny said.
''Who?
''Jones, that reporter. He asked me about last Saturday evening.''
Rod, who was even taller than Danny,
turned around and looked at him. ''I hope she drops the charges, because if she doesn't you'll have to go to court.''
''But I didn't do what she's saying.'' Danny took a deep breath.
''I know that, but the cops are always after nailing a famous person. Come on, let's go and have a beer,'' Rod said.
When they walked out of the players entrance, a large crowd
cheered,
and a few small boys thrust autograph books at Danny hopefully. That's what Danny liked about being a footballer, the kids. He knew he was a role
model,
and
he
loved being one. ''You go on ahead, I'll catch you up, I'm
gonna
sign for these kids,'' Danny said. Rod nodded and headed for the underground car park where his Porsche was waiting.
''Okay lads, I'll stay here until the last one of you has got my signature so no need to push.'' After thirty minutes, the crowd had
dwindled,
and Danny saw a young boy in a wheelchair. ''Alright mate. What happened to you then?'' he asked the
stricken
child.
''I was in a car crash. I can't walk anymore.''
Danny looked at the boy's father, who smiled. ''That's no good is it. Tell you
what; you
can have
these,
and when you walk again, you can play football in them.'' The boy's eyes almost popped out of his head as Danny reached into his bag and pulled out the boots he'd just scored three
goals in
. ''Here, I'll sign them for you as well.''
''Are you sure Danny?'' the child's father said. ''Those are your
lucky
boots.''
''Well, he needs them more than I do,'' Danny said. The boy took the boots and cuddled them. His father shook Danny's hand. ''You're a good guy Danny thanks.''
When Danny drove his Ferrari up the parking lot ramp, the kid in the wheelchair gave him the thumbs up. Danny put his foot down and left some rubber on the road as he sped to the Wild Board pub.
''Danny, let me buy you a drink. Great game, you're a star,' Dave the barman said. The Wild Board was the only pub Danny and his teammates were allowed to drink in. It belonged to Rushmore's manager Miguel Sanchez. He let his players have a few beers there after home games because he knew Dave kept them from drinking too much. Miguel knew Danny and Rod always went on to a nightclub after, but they were
young,
and he realized they needed to let some steam off now and again.
The only thing that concerned Miguel was the possible charge which hung over Danny's head. Miguel had also played at the top
level,
and he knew the traps young women laid for highly paid young footballers. If they couldn't marry them, they'd create some trumped up charge and try to get financial compensation. The police had told Miguel that it could be a case of sexual assault, but Miguel knew that Danny wasn't that type of guy, and nobody in the nightclub was going to testify against him. The young woman was adamant that he'd touched her, but Miguel had already asked the
club private
detective to look into her. What he'd found hadn't surprised Miguel. She was from a broken
family; her
father was in
prison,
and her mother
had a
criminal record as long as her arm.
''So where are we going this evening?'' Danny asked Rod.
Rod finished his
lager
and gave the matter some thought. ''How about
Arabella's
.''
''Alright. There's always loads of sexy women there on Saturdays,'' Danny said.
*****
Amber got out of the
chauffeur-driven
limousine and glanced up at her parental home. She hadn't been home for quite a while, but now, she was very pleased to be home for the Christmas break.
''Honey,'' June shouted, ''Oh my daughter. At last, it's so
nice
to have you home,'' she said as she thrust her arms around Amber.
''Hi mom.
It's great to be home.
I
really
missed you and dad.'' There was a hint of emotion in Amber's voice.
''Come in and sit down. Your father won't be home for a while. We can have a girly talk.''
Amber followed June into a huge lounge. The whole house was huge. It was built in nineteen hundred by Amber's great grandfather after he'd made a fortune
on
the stock market. Set in seven acres of
wonderful
gardens it was a colonial style house just outside New York City.
June rang a
bell,
and a
small,
stocky woman appeared. ''Glenda,
bring
us some tea would you?'' June asked.
''Who's she?'' Amber asked when Glenda had gone to the kitchen.
''Polly died, she's her replacement.''
''What? Why didn't you tell me?'' Amber asked.
''We didn't want to cause you any more upset than you already had.''
Amber was suddenly full of grief for the woman that had been her nanny and later June's maid. ''That's awful. Poor Polly. But she was only....''
''Sixty-three, yes. Far too young,'' June said. ''So how are you feeling now after your horrible split?''
Amber sighed. ''No more men, ever.''
June laughed and played with her pearls. She was forty-nine and still a very attractive woman. A fact that had not gone unnoticed by the wealthy male neighbor who she visited when her husband was away on business. ''You'll change your mind. Give it time.''
''No mom. He was horrible. I thought we were going to get married, at least, he led me to believe we were. Then I found
him.......
well, you know what happened.''
''Yes. Men do that kind of thing. None of them are ever faithful.''
''Do you mean
dad's been
unfaithful to you?'' Amber asked not
really
wanting to know the answer.
''Oh yes. Countless times.''
''Oh,'' Amber said.
This was
the first time she'd learned her
parents’
marriage wasn't all she'd thought it to be. ''That's horrible for you.''
June laughed. ''Not at all. If he can do it, so can I.''
Glenda arrived with the tea and put it down on the antique coffee table in front of the sofa they were
sitting on
.
''Do you mean you have had affairs as well?''
''As many as your father, if not more.''
Amber had had the worst year of her life. A student at Yale, she'd met what she thought was Mr. Perfect. He was so handsome when he'd asked her out she'd said yes straight away. He was from an aristocratic family of lawyers, and at first, he'd seemed the perfect gentleman. After a few months, he started to become possessive and jealous.
She'd thought it was just a phase, but it got worse.
So bad in fact, he'd tied her to the bed one day and not let her go out at all. A week later she'd found him lying naked between the open legs of Penelope, his sisters best friend.
''You shouldn't worry when a man cheats on you. It's perfectly
normal
. They are all wired to their
cocks,
and there's not a darn thing any of them can do about it,'' June said.
Amber was about to protest when the front door opened. ''Daddy, hi,'' she said standing up and hugging him. ''You look tired, is everything alright?''
''All the better for seeing you. You haven't been home for months.''
''Well, I'm here now.''
''And I'm very glad you are. June ring for Glenda, I need a drink, it's been a hell of a day,'' he said loosening his tie and slumping into his armchair. ''Why the hell I chose to get into the stress of Wall Street, I'll never know. I should have been an artist, sitting by a lake painting birds.''
''You're a good painter daddy. Why don't you pack it all in and do that?''
Roger looked at his daughter. She was his precious Amber. He would do anything for
her,
and he'd hated finding out
she
'd been so upset about her last boyfriend. She was too beautiful to be treated so
badly
. He loved the fact she was as tall as him and was so proud to have such a beautiful daughter.
''Your hair is so shiny, how do you get it like that?'' he asked.
''Healthy living I suppose. After I split
with Marco,
I almost died it pink.''
''Don't you ever change it. You're a beautiful
brunette,
and it matches your hazel eyes,'' her mother interjected.
Glenda arrived with a bottle of Scottish whiskey. Roger took it from her and poured himself a drink.
''Do you want one?'' he asked Amber. She shook her head.
''Well don't ask me whether I want one will you?'' June complained.
He poured his wife a drink and gave it to her. ''Amber you're okay for London mid-January, Joe confirmed it this afternoon. He apologized for leaving it so late, but he'd love to have you on board.''
June looked quizzically at them. ''What are you two cooking up?''
''My work placement, part of my degree. Dad asked Joe if he had a place for me in his PR firm in London for six months.''
''I might as well live on the moon. Nobody tells me anything.'' June said taking a larger than advised mouthful of whiskey. Amber patted her on the back as she coughed it back up.
''It's a great opportunity for you,'' Roger said. ''Joe's a
really
sharp
businessman
and if you pay
attention,
you will learn a lot. And it'll be a great opportunity for you to see London.''
''
Thanks for
arranging it daddy. It'll be great.
*****
Amber's hair blew horizontally in the storm as she got into the car. ''Wow Uncle Joe. A stormy welcome to England,'' she said pulling her
seat-belt
across her chest.
''You have to pity the English, it's either as windy as hell, or raining. Call me
Joe; I
think you're a bit
big
to be calling me
Uncle
Joe, don't you?'' Joe put Amber's case in the trunk and squeezed his long legs under the steering wheel of his beloved Bugatti.