Page 93 of Summer, in Between
‘Seriously?’I turn to Mum.‘Can you do something, please?’
JB sprawls on the balcony, feigning defeat, his legs draped over Matty as Tommy scrambles to his feet.
‘Guess what?’Tommy says.
‘I can’t even begin to guess, mate.Hit me.’
‘Cat’s in love with her lover.’
‘Oh my God.Mum!’
‘Good to see you, mate,’ Dad materialises from nowhere and JB leaps to his feet.Dad hugs him, slapping his back.‘You good?Work going well?’
‘Work’s work,’ says JB, shrugging.
‘Cat...’Mum tilts her head, almost imperceptibly.
‘Oh shit, of course!’I put my hand on Paul’s shoulder.‘JB, this is Paul.Paul, meet JB.’
‘G’day, mate.’Paul holds out his hand.They’re almost the same height and I’m standing between them looking up like a little kid, my head swivelling, a ridiculous smile stretching my face.
‘How’s it going?’JB takes his hand.
‘Yeah, good,’ says Paul, his arm coming around my shoulder.
‘So I see,’ he winks.‘How’d you get Trines’ head out of a textbook?’
‘Trines?’Paul’s eyebrow raises.
‘Trines, Catarina, latrines,’ JB grins.‘She loves it.’
‘No, she does not love it,’ I say.‘It’s an annoying AF nickname I’ve been telling him to stop calling me for years.Anyway, you can talk, JB.I bet you’re miles ahead of me, of everyone.I also heard you’re fit as too.’I slap his abs.‘Freakin’ overachiever.’
‘How’s Mum, JB?’says Mum.
‘Yeah, she’s good, Angela, you know Mum.’
‘Tell her we’re overdue a long lunch.Bring on the return to school so us mums can get back to our real lives.’
‘That’s so nice, Mum, glad to see we mean so much to you,’ says Matty.
‘She said to say the same thing to you,’ says JB, ‘only she wants a liquid lunch.’
‘Speaking of, it’s pretty much beer o’clock.’Dad checks his watch.‘Paul?JB?’
‘Not for me, Mick, training tonight.I’m grabbing a ride with Scampo.’
Dad walks onto the balcony, dusting his hands on his dirty shirt.
‘What?You’re not staying?’My shoulders drop.‘I haven’t seen you for ages,literally months, and you’re blowing me off for football?’
‘Trines, you know the old man.’He shrugs.‘He’ll blow a gasket if I’m not there tomorrow.All I’ve done since school is work, train, read and sleep.If it wasn’t for preseason, it would have just been work, read and sleep.As it is I’m lucky he pissed off to the races, so here I am.’
‘Here you are!’I lightly punch his chest.‘Man, you have buffed up, haven’t you?’
‘Careful, gorgeous, you break it, you buy it.’
Dad returns, two beers in hand and offers one to Paul.
