Page 117 of After the Siren
Three – Ferret Footy
‘Bestavros and Cunningham sharing a brotherly ...’
‘Yeah, I don’t know about that.’
Two – Australian National Radio
‘Bestavros! Bestavros! What a goal. He’s in the midst of a flock of Falcons players. He’s ...’ [the sound of someone falling off a chair]
One – AFL Federation Radio
‘Bestavros is going to be remembered for – oh my God. Oh my GOD.’
‘Wow.’
‘We are witnessing HISTORY. THIS IS HISTORY.’
‘We are also witnessing a lot of tongue.’
‘HISTORY.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
Theo sat up and slid the slice of cucumber off his right eye. Priya had arrived two days after his on-field kiss with Jake, and she’d wasted no time in booking them in for an afternoon at the kind of day spa that didn’t list their prices anywhere you could see them. They’d had to put their phones in a box, and now they were lying on very comfortable massage tables in soft linen robes. Kiara, their ‘wellness guide’, had left them with a platter of sliced fruit, a pot of green tea, and an instruction to ‘let go of all your worries and spend some quality time together’. (Priya had booked them a couples package in order to get the bonus mud wrap. Theo’s protests that he spent enough time covered in mud had been ignored.)
Jake had been a little disappointed that he wasn’t invited, but Theo had explained that it was mainly Priya’s stratagem for getting him away from Eva, his visiting parents, and his phone. Jake had accepted his lot, but had demanded that Theo bring him back ‘some bougie skin stuff’.
Theo exhaled. The spa was ridiculous, but he had to admit it was quite soothing. The room had a fountain on one wall, and the soft sound of running water mingled with the sort of gentle music Theo associated with yoga classes. Itwas nice tobe in a space where he couldn’t reach for his phone every thirty seconds.
He didn’t regret what he and Jake had done, but there was a lot to deal with. The Falcons had been able to keep things pretty locked down, taking a firm line that they weren’t going to say anything about anything until the season was done. But there had been articles, and opinion pieces, and talk-back radio callers. He and Jake had a dozen invitations each to be interviewed or appear on podcasts. The team, taking their lead from Yelks, had been supportive, but Theo still felt a bit like he was white-water rafting towards the preliminary final, hoping his boat wasn’t going to smash into a boulder.
He peeled off the other cucumber slice and set them both down next to the tray of fruit. Hopefully he’d remember not to eat them. ‘“Wellness guide”?’ he asked. He supposed it could have been worse. He’d have drawn the line atwellness guruorwellness sherpa.
Priya sat up and removed her own cucumber slices. ‘I feel very effectively guided towards wellness.’ The face mask she’d chosen was a vibrant green. He’d gone for a lavender one.
‘Sure, Elphaba.’
She picked up an apple slice and munched on it thoughtfully. ‘So, where should we start? I feel like we need a meeting agenda.’
‘I’m surprised you didn’t prepare one.’
‘Trust me, I was tempted. But seriously, are you okay?’
Theo thought about it. ‘I mean, it’s a lot. But I’m okay.’ He’d had a bit of a moment the day after the semi-final, but he’d been able to go and see Jenny, and they’d talked things through and come up with a plan. A lot of the plan was about writing things down and setting them aside to deal with after the prelim.
‘Not to get all sappy, but it was a pretty awesome thing to do.’ Priya hadn’t been watching the game, but a mutual friend had called her and got her to switch on the TV in the minutesafterwards. ‘A lot of the coverage has been great.’ Priya had banned Theo from any googling, but she was collating an album of material he could look at once the finals were done. She took a dainty bite out of a strawberry. ‘Things with your parents seem more relaxed.’
Theo nodded and poured tea for them both. Genmaicha, from the nutty smell. ‘I think it’s been good that Eva had a heart-to-heart with them as well. They’re definitely trying to be supportive with both of us. And to at least ask questions to see where we’re coming from, rather than just making pronouncements. I think it’s going to take a while, but at least they’re making an effort. And maybe I was projecting some of my own insecurities and anxieties on to them.’
Priya nodded. ‘And they like Jake?’
‘I think so.’ It was hard to tell, with his parents. Jake was nothing like either of his previous girlfriends. ‘I don’t think they really know what to make of him. But, again – it’s a start.’
‘Please invite me to the Cunningham and Bestavros family introduction when it happens. I want to see it, and I also want to meet Keeley properly.’ Priya and Keeley had joined Jake and Theo for a very lively FaceTime call; she and Keeley had immediately devised a social-media strategy for Jake, and had created a collaborative document to shortlist social media and marketing managers Jake could employ.
Theo snorted. ‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.’
‘Come on. You two are so revoltingly in love that I’m already planning my best-man speech. It’s going to be the highlight of your wedding.’
