Ralph: Breaking free - 21. Sunday football and a visit to the gym

Saturday evening, they did watch Spirited Away, and the girls loved it. It also helped to have something riveting to watch so that they would not worry so much about the noise of fireworks. Not that they were scared, quite. But it was a bit late for them to be out and Therese wasn’t keen. She reluctantly let them do a bit of ‘trick or treat’ on Halloween, but standing in a cold park watching fireworks was too far. Ralph didn’t mind, and Nolan commented to the girls that it was far cosier here.

They enjoyed getting to watch the film ‘properly’ with Daddy and Nolan rather than on their own in their room. For their part, after such an eventful week Ralph and Nolan found it nice just to chill. The film had other consequences. A passing remark from Nolan to Verne led her to dig around in her parent’s attic and later in the week she produced a pile of books for the girls; stories by the author, Diana Wynn Jones, on whose book, another Studio Ghibli film, Howl’s Moving Castle had been based. The girls had enjoyed that film, so Ralph could see bedtime reading becoming a big feature again.

Sunday morning, the girls made breakfast but were restless because they were going to see Daddy playing football. Ralph tried to calm things down, to say he wouldn’t be playing for long, but it was hopeless. So, to get into town he decided to abandon the car and walk, work off a bit of the twins’ energy and stop for a snack in town.

Well, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. But when they got two-thirds of the way there, in the midst of the regeneration zone with its boring blocks of offices, the girls started to get seriously bored. Not tired, just bored, and hence fractious. And it could only get worse.

A car pulled up, going into town like them. Ralph would not normally have though anything about it, except he recognised car and the face grinning out of the window, which was wound down.

“Thought I’d give the old lady a final run for the season. Where are you three off to?”

“Hello Morrie”, two eager voices.

“We’re going for cake.”

“Then Daddy is playing football.”

“Why is it your car’s last journey?”

“Are you getting rid of it?”

Ralph rolled his eyes at Morrie, “Sorry, the perils of perspicacious children.”

“What’s persp…. Daddy?”

“Are we it?”

“Yes. Now shush. Morrie is holding up the traffic”, not true but they couldn’t stand by the car all the time.

Morrie simply smiled and seemed in no rush, “Did someone mention cake? May I join you?”

“Sure”, Ralph shrugged. “Though I have no idea where we’re going.”

“Yes please, Daddy.”

“Ok, hop in.”

The girls chattered as they got in, unquestioning of where they were going. Morrie seemed to be something of a hit with the girls, and they bombarded him with questions about the car, how long it was being put to sleep for and so on.

Morrie drove them to the big new hotel by the river. It was technically a Radisson but was simply a revamp of an older one which in its turn had been a rebuild of an office block. Ralph hadn’t really paid it much attention, but Morrie explained that the car parking was secure and reliable, and besides they did nice cake.

The café proved to be an extension of the hotel reception; a whole new glassed-in area added to the ground level of the building. Because the land sloped away, down to the river, the view was of the river, though the land beyond was less than picturesque with the random assemblage of railway lines, an electricity sub-station and various buildings intended for regeneration. But the girls loved it, being in a ‘proper’ café, with a waitress as well.

The waitress was a friendly middle-aged woman, and she took the girls over to the cake counter so that they could make their choices.

“Sorry we we’ve ended up here, it’s a bit bog-standard but it’s one of the few places I feel comfortable parking the car in town.”

Ralph shook his head, “Must be a nuisance when you’re out and about.”

Morrie laughed, “Oh, the old lady’s only for high days and holidays, a little jaunt and sometimes a stop, preferably with a car park where I can see the car.”

“I gather you are a bit obsessive about it.”

“Her, please!” Morrie grinned. “I try not to be, but I’m told I am. Have been told repeatedly.”

Cake did not last anything like long enough, as far as the girls were concerned, and soon enough Morrie was depositing them at the Rec. It was cold but dry, thankfully, and despite the recent rain the pitch seemed to be in a reasonable state.

There were two huddles of blokes, no prizes for guessing who they were, plus stray smaller groups. From one of these, two women walked towards Ralph whilst Nolan split from one of the teams and jogged over towards him. Some of the men were still in sweat-pants and hoodies, but Nolan was in just his football kit, as if the cold didn’t touch him and, as far as Ralph was concerned, looking very sexy. Who knew that football kit would do that?

After a slight hesitation, the two men kissed then Nolan greeted the girls and had to try and make sense of a somewhat incoherent narrative involving Morrie, an old lady, cake and going to sleep. The girls were so excited that their phrases kept overlapping each other. Nolan looked over their heads towards Ralph, who shrugged and mouthed ‘later’. There would be time to explain. Nolan introduced them to the two women, Trish and Bree; Ralph recognised them from Saturday mornings where they helped marshal the young girls. Both were clearly dressed for a cold afternoon on the touchline, with woolly hats, puffer jackets and jeans, Bree even had a scarf.

She noticed Ralph noticing and commented that it could get ruddy cold waiting on the touchline. He worried that he should have put the girls in more layers, though that was easier said than done as they disliked being bundled up too much. But both women smiled and said that they had plenty of warm drink and some spare scarves.

Ralph didn’t say anything, but the drink seemed like a dubious idea, small bladders, and all that. But he vaguely remembered that both women had teenage children themselves, so presumably were au fait. Thankfully the twins not only recognised the two women but were happy to be looked after and they departed in a welter of chatter about looking forward to seeing Daddy playing football. No pressure then, Ralph not only had to fit in with a strange team and try not to do anything to embarrass Nolan too much, but he had to impress his daughters as well. Perhaps he should have stayed at home.

Nolan’s description of the match had implied that it was a casual game. But Ralph realised, that there was casual and casual. Ralph’s idea of a casual match was a few mates getting together, the sort of game he had occasionally taken part in. But this was a regular fixture in a league; granted, a very casual league but, nonetheless the game was rather more serious than Ralph had realised.

Nolan’s team varied in age from early 20s to late 30s and all seemed to be involved in sport, teaching, coaching and the like. Plus, Ralph! The captain, Gregor, a whippet thin man with a shaved head and intense blue eyes, had grinned at Ralph and said he was delighted Ralph had come as they were a man down. The rest of the team seemed friendly enough, and quite varied including one bloke who was incredibly broad and might have been more suited to the rugby pitch, and a tall black bloke who reminded Ralph of a basketball player, but then he pulled himself up short for casual stereotyping and, as he found, all were decent to good in terms of their football skills.

Ralph spent more time on the touchline than on the pitch and when he did go on, he found himself on the receiving end of some pretty tricky tackles. It was a challenge, he struggled to cope with tactics, the sheer physical effort, and a sense that he was constantly running to catch up with the other guys, not to mention the passes missed and opportunities lost.

At half time he managed to go over and check on the girls, they were both swathed in extra scarves and drinking hot juice, and seemingly having the time of their lives. Ralph had been worried that Trish or Bree might have moans, but apparently not.

After the match, he was beating himself up and thinking of lost opportunities, when Nolan came over with Gregor who professed himself pleased with Ralph’s contribution. However, congratulations and thanks were cut short by the advent of two lively daughters eager to say how much fun it had been. Though, alas, their highlights seemed to be the moments that Ralph regretted.

But Gregor and the other guys made sure Ralph knew he was welcome for further matches. Gregor’s last word to him was that he was a ‘useful player’ and had fitted in well. Not a bad comment for his first go. Ralph hadn’t been sure whether he quite believed it, but Nolan reassured him that Gregor would tell it straight, if Ralph hadn’t fitted in it would have been thanks and goodbye. The team was going for a drink, but the girls were ready to go home and so was Ralph, already he had strange aches and pains.

By the they got home, and the twins were fed and watered, Ralph was aching all over, not just the places where he had taken nasty kicks and jolts. Laughing, Nolan sent him off for a bath and embarrassingly, he fell asleep in front of the TV.

---

“So, are you up for another match?”

Nolan looked at Ralph over the top of his bowl of fruit, yogurt, and granola. Ralph had only reached his first coffee of the day, whilst the girls were still dressing.

Ralph groaned, “I’m so unfit, I ache everywhere not just where that fucker kicked me.”

Another laugh from Nolan, “A good boyfriend you make. Not good for my credibility”, and he dashed round the table and tweaked Ralph at the waist.

“Hey, those are my love handles.”

“Hmm. I might have to investigate.”

“Later. And yes, I’ll do football again, if you’ll have me.” Ralph nuzzled Nolan’s neck, “And if the girls don’t act up. Sunday afternoons is supposed to be daddy and daughter time.”

“Well, watching you fall over and get kicked seemed to do the trick”, Nolan had a wicked smile on his face. However, the thundering of four tiny feet on the stairs put paid to their cuddle.

When he got to the office, thankfully just a few steps way, Ralph found himself having to sit down gingerly, taking into account his complaining muscles. He’d definitely overdone things and was horrified at how unfit he had become.

Beth eyed him with amusement, “Good weekend?”

Ralph rolled his eyes, “Football with Nolan and his mates.”

Beth gave him a look, “Good?”

Ralph groaned, “I’m so unfit. And my football skills need polishing. A few tricky tackles have left me aching in awkward places.”

Beth laughed, “So, never again?”

“Well, the captain said I was a useful player and would be welcome”, Ralph shrugged, “and Nolan says I need to get back on the horse. No-one laughed at the idea of my joining in another game.”

“They play regularly?”

“It’s some sort of league, so there’s usually a game on Sundays.”

“What about the girls?”

“They loved it. A couple of the wives, who they know from Saturday morning Football Academy, looked after them. And they had the fun of watching Daddy make a fool of himself and fall over.”

“So, a good time then?”

“’Fraid so.”

---

“Are you planning to work all night?”

Ralph had heard the front door go and Nolan’s head had appeared around the office door. The sound of his voice dragged Ralph from the work wormhole he’d managed to fall down. “Shit. I take it you’re not early.”

“Late, if anything.”

Ralph gave an ironic frown, “I’ll just finish up here and be with you.”

“Have you eaten?”

“Erm, well”, Ralph pulled a face, “not properly. Since lunch.”

“Which was a long time ago.” Nolan rolled his eyes, “You’re worse than me. I’ll rustle something up, OK?”

“Thanks.”

By the time Ralph made his way upstairs, Nolan had whisked up a sort of hash with eggs, ham and stray vegetables left in the fridge. As they sat eating their supper, Ralph remembered that Nolan had been due to go see their new premises at the gym.

“Did you get to the new gym, how was it?”

“Looking a bit tired, but far more space than we could have expected or could have afforded.”

“So, you’re happy?”

“Yes. We’re right next to the gym’s main entrance, people coming and going will be able to see our noticeboard and even see us doing classes.”

“Passing trade.”

“Just so. Verne’s happy with one of the smaller rooms for her treatments and the other will suit me.”

“Perfect.”

Nolan shrugged, “It all looks tired, but that’s to be expected. And it’s free.”

“For three months.”

“Verne and I have talked about it, we have a decent chance of breaking even at least, what with the extra business being at the gym brings on top of everything else.”

“Without working yourself into the ground?”

Nolan smiled, “You’re one to talk.”

The two laughed.