"Yes there has been an item, handed in but I'll need an accurate description before I can hand it over."

"Oh well; it's a Gift box containing a heart pendant, and there's an inscription on it as well."

"All right but just to make sure what is the inscription?"

I told her then felt Maddy hugging me from behind. 'Rat's' I hadn't heard her following me.

The receptionist handed over the box and I turned to face Mad.

My eyes were stinging as I looked at Maddy in dismay.

Damn I could kick myself; the only good thing that had happened today and I'd blown it.

"I suppose I wasn't supposed to hear that, was I?" Mad asked a little sheepishly, but her eyes told a different story and her nose had those little crinkles I liked so much.

It made me giggle, and I discovered that giggling while tears are falling gives entirely the wrong impression.

Mad hugged me fiercely and guided me to the nearest loo. Mad didn't let go for a second as she cleaned and wiped my eyes. I found I was shaking probably a reaction to the whole day.

"Drew, I'm sorry I spoilt the surprise, please don't be upset. It's a wonderful present."

"It's all gone wrong, the whole day has been a disaster." I choked out at last.

"Buying the present for you was the only good thing to happen today and now even that's gone wrong."

"No Drew it hasn't it's wonderful... Was it that bad? The rest of the day I mean."

I gave her some of the details, not many, I was still terminally embarrassed about the curls and despite what Carol had done I still wanted Maddy to have some surprises on Christmas morning.

"She took you where?"

"Clements." I nodded.

"Oh God, I bet she did the la-de-da bit as well."

"Twice; I thought I'd cured her after I walked out on her, but it just got worse. I had to threaten to take the train home in the end."

"She's going to pay for that Drew." Mad looked just that, Mad.

"No Maddy, today's been bad enough I don't think I can take much more, I didn't do it for Carol I did it for you."

Maddy pulled me tighter.

"You really are special Drew."

I did the only thing I could do, gave her the box. Maddy let out a squeal as she opened it. Her eyes shiny as she carefully removed the pendant and read the engraving, raising he hands to her throat she spun round for me to set the clasp before spinning back to kiss me.

As we left the loo the receptionist, who was talking to a group of boys, looked up and smiled, we waived and started back for the hall.

Jules took that moment to burst through the door at the end of the corridor.

"Here they are Dad." I heard as I turned to Maddy.

"Just don't be upset if you get an empty box on Christmas morning Mad." I chuckled.

Just as Maddy planted another kiss right on my lips, the corridor seemed to get darker. As we parted I found out why.

There was a six-foot eclipse standing in front of us. Shit, I started looking around, Jules was hurrying toward us Dad not far behind.

"Er. HI. I'm Gazza, I just wanted to apologise for scaring you Monday, I'm sorry it was a stupid way to behave, G G god this is awkward. I was going to suggest a Pizza or something to make amends, but you're obviously involved, I'd better tell Mike we're going to be disappointed."

All I could do was gasp as he went on.

"Look it's Ok. Really I know what it must feel like, I mean, my brother came out last year so I know how hard it can get. Er. Look if you get any trouble at school then look me up, if I can help I will Ok."

Before I could say anything he'd gone.

"What was that all about?" asked Dad as he got closer.

"Um. I think Drew and Maddy have just been outed, -- As lesbians Dad."

"Just the usual SNAFU, Nunky" Mad chuckled.

Well I couldn't have expected anything to go right today could I?

Dad seemed flustered for a few moments before shepherding us back to the hall.

Mad seemed to have trouble walking in a straight line; she couldn't take her eyes of the locket.

"Drew I know you're tired but could you watch where you're walking please." Jules almost went into hysterics when Dad said that.

"Oh sorry Maddy I thought..."

"I said they were joined at the hip Dad, one gets sick the other gets the symptoms too."

"Careful Juliet, you weren't exactly twinkle toes yourself on court."

Jules huffed a bit but had to concede the point,

"Ah so that's the big distraction," as Jules spotted the pendant.

"Ooh A New 'Precious' let me see."

"Drew got it for me today, it's an early krimbo."

"Well well, I thought the Y chromosome excluded the shopping gene. Drew 'smooth as chocolate' Bond."

"You've been watching far too much Buffy." I chuckled.

"Actually that was CSI."

"Oh, I get it, the carpet fibre did it."

"No that was a Zander line." Maddy bubbled.

"DOH!"

We were still laughing as we headed for the nets.

Dad was way ahead of us, waving to us to catch up as he stuck his head around the curtain.

"What's going on Drew?" Jules asked. I just shrugged; I hadn't a clue either.

"DAVID BOND GET IN HERE; Now." Dad vanished behind the net.

We all looked at each other before rushing to the net. Whatever was going on we didn't want to miss it.

I'm glad we did, Dad was swinging Dot Around in a big hug while the 'Robin Hood' wannabes; well some watched with there mouths open like us, others were applauding as Dot beat Dad with her fists, both of them were laughing though.

Dad finally put her down and called us over, Dot did a double take as Dad introduced us.

"I think you've met my son Drew and cousin Maddy, but here's one I made earlier; Juliet who you might remember if not recognise.

Dot gave a squeak as she looked at Jules then seemed puzzled as she looked at me. 'Shit I knew that look.'

Dot carried on as though nothing had happened. At least Dad had got in first.

Dot had gone into 'Mumsie' mode when she saw Juliet; you know the one.

"Oh Juliet let me look at you, My My, All grown up into a beautiful young lady and you look just like Jenny too."

"Oh, dear." She paused with her hand to her mouth before asking quietly.

"How is Jenny Dave?"

"Jenny's fine, she's in Spain at the moment but she'll be home for a few days soon."

"On holiday? In term time?"

"Ah I see now; no Jenny's taking a sabbatical, to pursue her cycling."

"Yes I remember now we practically had to tie her to the bed to stop her getting on a bike after Juliet."

"Er should I know you?" Juliet asked she looked confused as hell but there again so was I.

"Dot was your Mums midwife when you were born Juliet."

"I was the very first to say hello to you Juliet." Dot smiled

"We stayed in touch for a long time after. Said Dad

"Then you moved, we tried to find you but my Doug was posted north that year, so we lost each other."

"So much catching up to do, lets see if we can start these toxopholists off, while we have a good old natter."

"Tox what?"

"Toxophilly, the art of Archery Drew."

"Oh, I thought that was poison."

"Your closer than you think Drew. It comes from the Greek, Toxon a bow. And, Toxicon is a poison for putting on arrows." Dad had his teacher's hat on again. I knew I shouldn't have asked.

Dot's mobile chose that moment to ring, she stepped away to answer it.

"...Right I'll tell her; She'll be disappointed.... I'll try, I'll let you know Doug Bye."

Dot looked a bit peeved, taking deep breaths as though preparing for something.

"Bad news?" asked Dad.

"Well for one member anyway; there's a tournament Sunday and my husband (you remember Doug, Dave?) Tells me the field is too boggy for wheelchairs so there'll be a separate contest for disabled archers in the hall.

"That's good at least they won't feel left out." Said Jules

"I'm afraid it's not that easy, one of the main reasons the sport is so popular, is that wheelchair athletes compete on equal terms with able bodied competitors. Freddie over there is one of the few juniors capable of shooting a "York" and there aren't that many 'Open Tournaments' that will let a junior even try. She's not going to like being restricted to a "Metric".

"What's a York?"

"Oh. Sorry, a York is 12 dozen arrows at 100 yards it can take 3 or 4 hours, A Metric is shot at 50 metres, it'll probably take 2 at the most."

"Freddie!" Dot called to someone behind me.

There was a squeal of rubber and a boy in a wheelchair turned toward us.

"I'm not looking forward to this." Dot said as she headed toward him.

Dad was explaining something to Jules but I was watching Dot and Freddie who had one of those lightweight chairs that you see people play basketball in. It had straps and hooks all over the place festooned with his kit.

Looking at his wide shoulders I wondered if it was the wheelchair or the archery that had built up his chest and arms.

Freddie's shoulders drooped as Dot gave him the news and his mouth looked grim as he shook his head.

"Dot was right he didn't like that at all." I said to Mad

"She." Mad said.

"Wha..?

"Dot was saying Her and She, Freddie's a girl."

"Oh. I can tell your going to get along just fine." Juliet laughed.

Dad shot her a warning look as she tried to stifle her laughter.

"Well that went as expected." Said Dot as she came back.

"She refused to enter the Metric. Sometimes I just can't get through to her, she's so stubborn."

"Er. .. How long has she been...?"

"About three years since the accident; would you believe a horse jumped onto her Dads car? They ended up hitting a tree and Freddies legs were crushed."

I gulped.

"She'd Probably prefer to be beaten by an able bodied opponent than win against another wheelchair archer." I pondered.

I became aware that Dot and Dad were staring at me. Shit did I say that out loud.

"You seem to understand the problem perhaps you could talk to her."

"Well er I..."

"Just talk to her, I think she's a bit lonely Drew, she gets bussed to a special school and I don't think she likes it much."

I shrugged and started to walk over, Maddy came to help but I noticed Jules got a push from Dad before she followed us.

"Hi, I'm Drew." I began, smooth talking as ever.

It didn't take her long to start opening up though, I started by asking about her equipment and she was soon doing an impression of Dad on a field trip.

We learnt far too much about archery; School; an hours bus ride and full of kids with something broke. Parents; Dads in the army but based with the local TA. Mums part time at Tesco's, a Tutor occasionally because her schoolwork is crap. Lives two streets further away than Mad. Likes to win.

"We know someone else like that don't we Mad." Put in Jules.

"Drew's a bike nut Fred."

"I really miss the bike rides I used to ride everywhere even school. I used to pretend I was in the Tour de France on the way home, I always won of course. And then weekends a gang of us would find some rough ground and try and break the bikes doing cycle cross things. It drove Dad spare; He'd take the bits to the Barracks to get the fitters to repair it.

Fred was getting quieter and quieter as she spoke; it was the longest she'd stayed on one subject the whole time.

"I felt so free, it was like....like.." Fred finally wound down."

"Flying." I whispered.

Fred's eyes were sparkling as she looked at me

"Yeah that's it."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to..." Jules floundered

"It's alright It's something to look forward to, I can't move my knees too much even after the physio but the Doc's say they can give me some artificial ones once I've stopped growing."

"How tall are you now?" Jules asked and instantly thought better of it as she covered her mouth.

"About three foot six in this thing." Jules looked at us in horror as I, followed by Mad cracked up.

"It's alright Jules, in fact I get fed up with the "Tut Tut how sad brigade". That's why I..." Fred tailed off.

"So what is Fred short for?" asked Maddy

"It's Annie-frid. Mum and Dad are Abba fans. I prefer Fred to Freda though, and it makes it easier."

"If you pretend you're a boy?" asked Maddy

Fred stayed quiet, but used her fingers to brush her spiked hair forward revealing a cute pixie cut then smoothed her eyebrows the effect was staggering.

"So you do it because?" Fred looked straight at me.

I must have looked like a fish out of water, but Maddy put in.

"But Drew is my Boyfriend."

"Yeah alright. Drew take your fleece off, you too Maddy. Now imagine you've got a bow in your hand"

I held my right arm up.

"You left handed Drew?"

"No." I looked at the other archers. And swapped arms.

"Doesn't matter, can you see your elbow is at 45 degrees; if you used a bow like that the string would hit the muscle of your forearm that's why everybody has a leather 'Brace' on their forearms."

"Right now bring your arm across your chest to your shoulder, good, now take your arm forward again. Do you see how your elbow is now vertical? Now rotate your wrist back vertical; see how the muscle has tucked out of the way."

"Now pull your sleeve up, and you Mad." Fred smirked.

"So what's your point? I look the same as Maddy." Fred nodded.

"Yes you do."

"All right girls time to wrap it up it's nearly ten." Dot said as she came toward us.

I hadn't noticed everybody was clearing up. But then I didn't notice her calling us girls either.

We swapped mobile numbers and promised to get in touch over the weekend.

"Dave can you give Jenny my number, I'd really like to speak to her soon?"

"I'm sure she feel the same Dot, I'll be in touch take care of yourself."

Dad steered us out to the car.

"Drew you need to get back on the bike some time this weekend."

"Yeah I know, I thought a gentle warm up Saturday then maybe a harder ride Sunday."

"Sounds about right Drew."

"Actually I was thinking about getting the tandem out."

"Drew you haven't ridden it before."

"I know Dad but its heavier, I thought it would be better for building stamina, it hasn't been used since Christmas so it could do with a checkout and it's less wear and tear on the TT bike Dad."

"That's true I suppose, Ok I'll get it down but make sure you stay close until you get used to it. It definitely takes a different technique, so take it easy ok."

"Right Dad."

"And don't leave it unattended for an instant, it might not look much but it would cost as much or a bit more than your trial bike to replace. Right?"

"Right Dad."

As we drove off I started to think about the day. I suppose it finished Ok but I really didn't want another like it.

"Dad I was thinking of going to school tomorrow." That seemed to hang in the air for a bit.

"Are you sure son the Dr. hasn't signed you off yet?" Dad was looking at me in the mirror; Jules had spun round with an expression that said I was crazy.

"Yes but I feel Ok and I'm getting behind with my projects and stuff."

Mad mouthed 'Mum?' at me. I nodded.

"We'll see how you feel in the morning ok."

We dropped Maddy off, Dad waited till Maddy opened the door before driving off, I remember thinking, and thank God she had a key. If she'd had to knock Carol might have come out and asked why I wasn't staying."

"Lovers tiff Drew?" asked Jules.

"No"

"Must be Carol then." Said Dad.

Shit am I that transparent?

Angela Peters 16.05.04 © 2004

Want to Comment? click here to Email me