Page 37 of The Story of Us
“Ah …”
“He is,” Lulu answered for him. “The committee has just approved the expansion of the art and sport programs offered by Kathleen’s Place as part of our holistic approach to mindfulness, especially for children and teenagers. We’re not ready to make a formal announcement just yet, but something will be revealed soon.”
This was the first Nate had heard of it. Judging by the way Eloise’s eyes had flared, she was in the same position.
“I guess it would be okay.” The man rubbed the back of his neck and cast a wary glance at all the art supplies stacked against the nearest wall. “But it’s mostly focused on sports, right? Callum’s got the talent to go all the way, and I don’t want anything to derail him.”
“We’re still finalising the programs,” Eloise said.
“But we couldn’t have asked for two better people to head it up.” Joanie slipped her arm around Eloise and beamed at Lulu.
“We couldn’t have planned it better ourselves,” his mother added.
Nate would give credit where it was due. Lulu and Joan had just guaranteed he and Eloise would be spending a lot more time together.
* * *
Nate shutthe door to Eloise’s office and crossed his arms. He tried not to smile at the piercing look Eloise levelled at Lulu and Joan. “How’s this going to work exactly?” he asked.
“There must be a way to bring the two programs together. If anyone can make it work, it’s you two. You make excellent partners,” Lulu said.
“I know what you’re doing.” Eloise raised her eyebrows.
“Trying to ensure Kathleen’s Place meets the ever-evolving needs of the community?” Joan batted her eyelashes at her granddaughter, and Nate swallowed a chuckle. No one else could pull the stunts Joan Mandrill did and get away with it.
“Oh, look at the time. Your sports training is about to start, Nate. We’d best be off,” Lulu said. With waves far too cheerful to be subtle, she and Joan left.
“Think they’re pretty clever, don’t they?” Eloise sighed.
“Might be they’re a little drunk, too. I saw them sipping from flasks when they thought I wasn’t looking.”
The small joke broke some of the tension in the office.
“That tracks,” Eloise said.
“But seriously”—Nate tipped his head towards the art room—“what was that all about? With Callum and his dad?”
Eloise twisted her long hair into a rope and tossed it over her shoulder. The scent of berries and vanilla washed over him.
“His dad doesn’t want him wasting time on art. He thinks he should just be focusing on AFL. Knowing you’re doing the sports program sealed the deal. I think he’s hoping Callum will absorb some of your professional athlete determination via osmosis.”
The kid was talented, there was no denying it, but he was still young. “Isn’t he thirteen?”
“Fourteen.”
“And the fixation with sports is because …”
“The dad got drafted to the AFL. They’re both cagey about what happened, but my guess is his career ended prematurely and now Callum’s showing a bit of skill …”
“… and he wants to live vicariously through his son?”
Thankfully, Nate’s parents had never put this kind of pressure on him. He’d been identified as a ‘talent to watch’ at a similar age and offered a scholarship at Seaside Grammar in Melbourne, but it had been his choice to go. Wilbur and Lulu had always stressed that he didn’t have to do anything he didn’t want to do, especially when they realised he would have to board Monday to Friday. Adjusting to life in the city without his family during the week had been hard, but Nate wouldn’t have changed it for anything. Without it, he never would’ve made the state and national teams and scored his college scholarship in Utah. He’d even managed to pull off swapping from special teams as a kicker to being a tight end thanks to his size and AFL background.
“And let me guess …” He tried to banish the bad thoughts that college always brought with it by filling the silence in Eloise’s office. “Callum doesn’t want to play AFL professionally.”
“I’m pretty sure he just wants to be a fourteen-year-old kid, and he loves drawing. It’s his way of balancing out all the physical stuff he does.”
Nate tapped his chin. “There’s plenty of evidence that using art for mindfulness is beneficial for athletes. Mum and Joan weren’t wrong. It’s why I started painting and writing when I was playing. I needed the escape from the physicality of everything else.”
