Page 53 of The Secret We Keep
I catch my mother glaring at me before I start to move. If I wasn’t so worried for Evie’s safety, I would probably be over-analysing the way Morgan gently strokes her thumb over my skin. “Alright.” I give my mother and old man a nod and sit back down.
“Yeah, that’s right. Take a seat, sweetheart.”
I crane my neck in the direction of the voice mocking me.
Some bald-headed chap, similar features to the kid Evie’s about to take on, smirks at me before giving me a wink.
I glance over my shoulder before looking back at him. “He your kid?”
The guy laughs, all three of his chins rolling. “Nah,” he says, deliberately faking his sarcasm. He gestures to the lady next to him like I’m some sort of idiot.
“What happened to your other kid? You eat him?”
He fumbles, eyes in a death stare on me. “You got a problem, big guy?”
Ironic, coming from him.
I stand at the same time as he does. My nerves completely shot. My patience scarily thin. “I find it funny that your son has cheated in every one of his fights to get this far. My niece is going to show him what she’s made of. Your son doesn’t stand a chance against her.”
He smiles again, wanting a bigger reaction from me. “We’ll see,” is all he offers when presumably his wife tells him to sit back down.
Mum gives me a similar look, and Pops reluctantly turns away, muttering expletives under his breath.
I glance at Morgan. She’s got one of those expressions like she can’t quite believe what she’s witnessing.
“Sorry,” I say quickly to her and those people around me still looking my way.
After a beat, it’s Morgan who breaks the silence. “Here we go.”
The bell dings and the ten-minute timer begins ticking down on the scoreboard.
Both kids start hopping on the balls of their feet, defensively turning in one big circle with their hands up.
My heart’s erratic rhythm matches the tapping of Morgan’s feet. She seems as nervous as I am, all for a kid she doesn’t even know. Shit, evenIdon’t know Evie as well as I should.
She was really just a baby when I last saw her. Of course, once my cousin, Charlie, passed away, Mum would give me regular updates to keep me in the know. When his will was finally read out and we knewthat she would be coming to Stoney Grange, I tried to call her every so often. It never felt like it wasn’t enough. But being here now makes me think I could never go back to just a few random phone calls. The thought alone suddenly hurts.
The crowd oohs and aahs as Evie manages to gain control by forcing her opponent to his back with a side mount. Like a splattered sack of shit, the kid underneath her is flat on his back, arms and legs spread wide.
The ref drops to his knees, counting to three before he taps the mat.
Evie gains the first point and hops to her feet while the kid gets up.
“Never mind. Get her next time,” his dad shouts from behind us.
Inside, I’m fucking relieved she got the first point.
“She’s so good,” Morgan squeaks.
I nod, eyes still on Evie. “Are we supposed to feel this nervous at a kids sporting event?”
Morgan shakes her head, clapping her hands as the ref signals them to fight. “I’m not sure. The closest I’ve come to anything competitive like this is when Holly and I played mini golf.” Her arms shoot into the air. “Oh, come on ref.”
I smile at her getting into this.
It quickly fades when Evie’s hauled to the ground with the kid’s legs around her waist. She tries to break free, but he loops his left arm under hers, then pulls her back.
I jump to my feet. “Come on, Evie,” we cry in unison.
