Page 5 of Samuel
They all pulled themselves out, except Timothy who swam for the ladders, and left the pool with a chorus of goodbyes and that they’d see me the following week. As Timothy stomped past me, I called after him.
“Hey Timothy.”
He stopped and sighed, probably expecting me to tell him he wasn’t very good, no doubt.
“Yeah.”
“Well done today, dude. You did really well.”
His face broke into a grin as he crossed his arms over his chubby belly. “Really?”
“Yeah really,” I replied, nodding vigorously and giving him a smile. “I know you didn’t find it as easy as some of the others, but you never gave up and you finished every drill we did.”
“Thanks, Sam.” He looked towards the coffee lounge that overlooked the pool and then back to me. “Bye, see you next week.”
I couldn’t help the huge smile on my face as he started to run and then suddenly pulled up and started to walk, making me laugh quietly.
As I started to walk to the changing rooms, I heard a knocking on the coffee lounge window that overlooked the pool. I turned to see Amy holding Bella, both of them now fully clothed. She gave me a thumbs up and mouthed ‘well done’. I gave her a thumbs up back and mouthed ‘fuck off’, with a huge, false grin on my face. Amy laughed and waved Bella’s hand at me to say goodbye.
* * *
When I left the leisure centre half an hour later, after being cornered by Timothy’s exuberant mother, a light drizzle had started and I couldn’t wait to get back home and get a warm shower. I might have only stood on the side of the pool shouting instructions to a group of eight to ten year olds, but I was knackered.
Throwing my gym bag over my shoulder, I pulled up the collar of my jacket and started to walk toward my car.
“Sam.”
The voice was one I would never forget, although not as sweet as I once remembered. It had a hint of steel to it and when I looked up, there was fiery anger in her eyes too.
“Well if it isn’t Maisie West,” I sighed, unable to stop the grin creeping on my face.
“What the hell are you doing?” she snapped, holding her hands out in front of her. “I told you, you’d never have anything to do with him, ever.”
“Hang on a minute,” I hissed. “I didn’t know he was in the group, not until I walked into the pool.”
“You can’t be around him, Sam. You just can’t. You have to tell them to get someone else.”
She wrapped one arm over the front of her padded black coat, while her other hand shakily covered her mouth.
“I’m not a fucking monster, Maisie, and it’s not as though I said ‘oh hey Frankie, I’m your dad, nice to meet you’.”
“This is not funny,” she continued. “If my partner finds out you’re teaching Frankie, he’ll go ballistic.”
I huffed at the mention of her partner. I knew all about him from my source – okay, it was my friend Hannah who lived two doors down from them and had a little girl in Frankie’s class. Apparently, Maisie had been living with some guy called Josh for four years and he worked in insurance and drove a fucking Audi prick wagon.
“I could give two shits what your partner thinks,” I replied. “Now, I’m sorry this happened, but I didn’t damn plan it. I have no intention of telling Frankie who I am, so chill your fucking boots, Maisie.”
She glanced behind her and when I followed her gaze, I noticed a red hatchback with a small dark head bobbing around inside.
“What’s he doing?” I asked.
“What?” Maisie swung around and then snapped impatiently. “Listening to music, he likes Northern Soul.”
My eyes widened and Maisie tutted.
“I didn’t encourage it, he just heard it and liked it.”
“Playing our tunes were you Maisie?”
