I was outside the gates of Eva’s job at 4:00 sharp. She worked in the offices of Applied Magnetics, an American tech company in the Clonshaugh Industrial Estate, less than half a mile from our houses and a walk of about twenty minutes from home. She came through the doors accompanied by two other of the female staff and she waved happily when she saw me leaning against my car, having a smoke. I waved back and smiled at her. She looked happy to see me.
When the three of them were free of the gates she came and kissed me. She then turned and introduced me to her workmates.
“Derek, this is Caroline and Sandra, we work together and have been friends since school.”
I shook hands with them both, conscious of their appraisal of me in my working clothes.
“Nice to meet you, ladies. Forgive my attire, I’m coming straight from the site.”
I leaned in to whisper in Eva’s ear.
“Should I have said coming so enjoyably?”
“Stop!” she said and slapped my arm.
“Nice to meet you, Derek. Eva’s been telling us all about you,” Caroline said.
“Not everything, surely. I hope she preserved some of the mystery.”
“Oh, I didn’t tell them everything, Derek, did I girls?”
“No, but now we need to know,” Sandra said.
We all laughed.
“Do you all need a lift?” I asked.
“No, we’re grand, Derek, thanks,” Caroline said, “we’re going over to Butler’s to get some chocolate.”
“Sweet, Caroline,” I said, but nobody laughed.
We jumped in the car and took off for home. She leaned over and kissed my cheek, scrunching up her shoulders when she returned to her seat.
“What was that for?” I asked.
“I wanted to kiss you, is that a crime?”
“No, I enjoy it. So what’s the plan?”
“I don’t know, Derek. I need to change my clothes first, after that the sky’s the limit.”
“Ok, here’s what I was thinking. Is it ok for me to think stuff?”
“Yes, of course. What have you got in mind?”
“A question first, do you have a posh frock?”
“Just my black one, is that acceptable?”
“It might be a bit too formal, Eva. I was thinking something along the lines of a light little cocktail dress.”
“We’re you now?” she laughed, “and would this little dress put my knickers on display?”
“No, but now that you mention it.”
“I’m not a spring chicken, my darling, but even if I was, I’d never be so bold.”
“No, I had booked reservations for a birthday dinner in town tomorrow night but that’s cancelled now. I still have the table, though, if you’d like to try it.”
“I’d love to. Where is it?”
“The Lane Gallery in Pembroke Lane.”
“I never heard of it. It sounds fancy. Have you been there before?”
“We wired the place, I’ve never eaten there, except my sandwiches at lunchtime.”
“I did see a cute dress in Penneys that I love, I could try that on.”
“Will we head down to Artaine Castle then?”
“Well, I suppose, yes, ok, if you’re up for it? Do you have time?”
“This is our time, love. I was hoping you’d stay over again.”
“I was hoping you’d ask. Was this reservation for Clair’s birthday?”
“Yes, but I’d rather take you.”
She kissed me again.
“Thank you, I’d love to go.”
I turned the car right on the Kilmore Road instead of left to our homes and reached the Mall in less than five minutes.
“I’ll wait here for you, Eva,” I said, offering her, what I thought was, the privacy to trawl through the ladies clothing section.
“No, you won’t, Derek Caldwell. I want your opinion,” she said with a laugh.
“If nothing else, I suppose it’s an exercise in putting ourselves out there, isn’t it Eva?”
“I hadn’t thought of that but, now you mention it, yes it is.”
Eva had a sense of what she thought appropriate for a casual dining experience so she zeroed in on a rail of light summer dresses that she felt would fit the bill. She had a good eye. She chose a beautiful dress that was light and stylish. It had two shoulder straps brocaded with gold rings that emphasised her shoulders and breasts and it fell slightly above her knees. The one she held up to show me was navy blue in colour, which I felt was a bit dark for her colouring, with some sparkles randomly dotted around the fabric. I suggested the same dress in a wine colour instead. She looked at me curiously, as though trying to figure something out.
“I have a tie that colour, we’ll blend.”
I hadn’t, but it worked, as she held the dress to her heart and pouted. She went to try it on and came back five minutes later looking happier than I had ever seen anyone in my life.
“Did you try it on?”
“I did.”
“You didn’t feel the need to give us a twirl? I’ve had a very stressful day, Eva.”
She hooked my tee shirt with her finger and pulled me in for a kiss.
“You’ll have to wait until tomorrow, my good man, but it’s perfect,” she said, happily, “I need shoes too.”
It didn’t take long to get the correct shoes, and while she was trying some on I picked up a soft coral cardigan made from a delicate wool blend. I took it over to her and asked her to try it on. She looked at me with that same look, handed me the dress and the shoes and tried it on.
“It’s lovely, Derek, but why do I need it?”
“You can wear that with the dress instead of a jacket. It’ll look less restrictive and more elegant. It’ll also keep your shoulders cool.”
She shook her head gently from side to side.
“I need the next size down,” she said, and made to take a step away.
I took one of the other two that I had brought over and handed it to her.
“You mean this size here?”
“Oh,” she said, and held her hand to her breast, “yes,” and tried it on straight away.
It was perfect. She looked at me again, her eyes moist. I put my arm around her and held her to me. I reached for the cardigan to take it from her.
“I can carry it, Derek,” she said with a smile, as she fiddled with her purse.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
“I’m getting some money out, Derek. This stuff isn’t free.”
“No, this is on me, Eva. I insist.”
“No, I can’t let you do that, Derek.”
“I’m not asking.”
“Thank you, but I need to go over here for a second while you do that,” she said, pointing at the far corner of the store.
“What’s over there?”
“It’s where dreams are made. That’s all I can say. You’ll find out tomorrow night. I’ll meet you outside.”
“Oh, I see. You’re such a girl, Eva. Don’t ever change.”
“I won’t be long, I know exactly what I want.”
“So do I.”
She playfully slapped my arm and walked away while I queued up to pay. When I finished I walked outside the main doors into the mall itself. I was contemplating a cigarette and trying to do a count back to the last one, when I got a tap on my right shoulder. It was my parents.
“What’s the story?” I said. “Are you two down shopping?”
“No, we’re down to watch the clay pigeon shooting,” my father said, “what do you fucking think we’re down here for?”
“Artie, leave the boy alone,” my mother said and pulled me down for a kiss.
“I think the more relevant question is what you’re doing down here, standing outside Penney’s, with a Penney’s bag in your hand,” Artie said.
“I have a confession, Dad. I was hoping you wouldn’t find out in this way,” I said, but I couldn’t keep a straight face.
“Fuck off, you little fucker,” he said with a smile.
“Artie! “my mother said, “stop that!”
“We’re just having the craic, aren’t we son?”
I was about to reply when Eva came out and stood beside us. They both looked at her and then at me. I was amused at their expressions.
“Eva Clery, this is Artie and Eileen Caldwell, my mother and father.”
She went pale, but she recovered quickly and shook both their hands before immediately forming a huddle with my mother, who tried to squeeze all the gossip out of her.
“So, what’s the story here, son?” Artie said.
“This is Eva, we’re seeing each other.”
“Since when?”
“Eva?”
“Since my son, Barry, joined the team,” Eva said, “a week or so.”
“You’re Barry Clery’s mother? He’s a smashing little player, I told Derek, here, to look at him.”
My mother had Eva by the hand and she was becoming emotional.
“I’m delighted for you both,” she said, “you’ll have to come over for lunch on Sunday.”
“I’d love that, Eileen, thank you,” Eva said, and so it was done.
“What are you making?” I asked.
“Ah I’ll do a feckin’ chicken, is that alright with you, Eva?”
“It’s perfect, Eileen, I’ll bring dessert.”
“No, you’ll just bring yourself.”
“What would have happened if Eva had wanted something different, Mam?”
“We’d be having something different, wouldn’t we?”
We all laughed before exchanging hugs and made our way to the car. We held hands on the way and it felt right. I dropped her home with a promise to pick her up at 7:30 and made my way back to my house. When I walked in I heard the new mobile phone ringing. It was Dave. It took me a minute to disentangle it from its power chord and I answered it.
“Hello, Dave. What’s up?”
“Nothing, I was just checking the line to see if it worked.”
“Did it work?”
“Yes. Fuck off!”
“Sorry, I forgot about it this morning. I’ll carry it with me over the weekend so I’ll get used to it.”
“Good idea. We got a clean bill of health on the inspection. Nothing on the snag list.”
“Yes, I thought it’d be ok.”
“Ok, I’ll let you go. Enjoy The Lane Gallery.”
“Thanks, Dave, and thanks for organising it.”
I checked my watch. 5:45. I decided to get my skates on. I spent an hour cleaning the house and changing the bedding. I used the phone’s camera to take a picture of the sheets before I put them in the washer. The evidence showed that it had been an amazing night. The feeling was that it was far beyond amazing. Thinking it through I felt at peace with the whole situation, Eva was fantastic and I looked forward to really getting to know her. I was descending the stairs with the last of the rubbish from upstairs when the house phone rang.
“Derek Caldwell,” I said.
“Derek, it’s Clair, how are you?”
“I’m good, Clair, how are you? How’s your fiancé? Oh, and your mother?”
“You heard about that? Who told you?”
“Nobody told me directly. Brenda mentioned it in passing last night.”
“Yeah, sorry. I was having too good a time with you.”
“Yes, I enjoyed it too. Listen, there’s no hard feelings on my end, chalk it up to experience.”
“Thanks, you’re a good guy. Maybe we could do it again, occasionally, in the future?”
“No, I’m not into stuff like that, Clair, but thanks for the offer.”
“Does this mean that Gavin can’t be on the team?”
“No, I think it’d break his heart. He was up last night and he’s a lovely kid.”
“Thanks. So if I was to bring him up the odd time, would you still talk to me?”
“Yes, of course, Clair. I’m not that much of an arsehole.”
“Thanks, I’ll let you go, Derek, and, again, I’m really sorry.”
“Not to worry, Clair. By the way, is it really your birthday tomorrow?”
“Eh, no.”
“Ok, see ya!”
My head was shaking as I hung the phone up. What an airhead! I called Eva on the new mobile.
“Hello, this is Eva,” she said.
“I just wanted to hear your voice,” I said.
“You must miss me a little.”
“I miss you quite a bit more than a little. How are you?”
“Derek, I could not be better, believe me. I still can’t believe that you bought my clothes for me and your Mam is so lovely,” she said, sounding happy, “what are you up to?”
“Oh I got the phone working, I’m calling you on it now, and I’m nearly there on cleaning the house. I called because the sheets on the bed reminded me of last night and of you.”
“Thanks for telling me that. I’m going to have to change my underwear again.”
“Please don’t.”
“Derek, I really have to, honestly.”
“So what do you think you’d like to do this evening?”
“I’d like to just be alone together this evening. Am I crazy?”
“No, it sounds perfect. We can get a delivery.”
“We can and we can have it at mine. If you’re into that?”
“I’m happy to, Eva. Is 7:30 still ok?”
“I’m ready now, if you are.”
“I just need to shower and change. Give me twenty minutes.”
“Great, I’ll order in some food. Is Chinese ok?”
“Yes.”
“Would you bring your Clifford T. Ward album too?”
“I will.”
I parked outside Eva’s house about thirty minutes later. It looked like a tidy property, clean with a well maintained front garden. I couldn’t understand the butterflies in my stomach but I was quite nervous as I walked up the path and rang the doorbell. She opened the door with a nervous smile and welcomed me with a hug and a soft kiss. I waved the album at her and she clapped her hands.
“You can keep this one, Eva. I have two.”
“Oh, that’s so kind of you, Derek. I love this.”
“I also brought this,” I said, holding up Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. “It’s quite a nice little album.”
“Oh I’ve never heard the album, just a couple of the singles,” she said, excitedly taking it from me.
I stood in the hall and tried to get my bearings.
“Come in, come in,” she said, “I won’t bite.”
“Thanks, I don’t know why, but I’m a bit nervous.”
“I am too, to be honest, but maybe this will put you at ease,” she said, as she reached for me and pulled me in for a kiss, holding me close and inhaling my lips with hers.
“That’s better, love. I needed that. Now where’s this food, I’m starving.”
We were hungry so we ate quickly. Eva wanted to show me around her house and she was quite proud of what she had done with it, given the financial limitations placed on her by a marriage split. We chatted about everything and anything and we settled into a settee in her front room, in front of an electric fire with a flame effect background. It was quite a cosy effect once it turned dark outside.
“Are you still nervous, Derek?”
“Not so much now, Eva. I don’t know what it was,” I said, “it felt a little like a first date.”
“Well, technically, I suppose it could be viewed as a first date.”
“Maybe,” I said, looking down at our interlaced fingers.
I kissed hers and held it to my face.
“I love your scent, Eva, it’s like the smell of summer, if that could be bottled.”
She laid her head on my shoulder.
“I love being beside you. It brings me great peace, Derek.”
“I know what you mean. Can I have a kiss?”
“You don’t need to ask,” she said with a smile and kissed me sweetly.
I stroked the side of her face, searching her eyes and following my fingers as they gently stroked her skin.
“You are so beautiful.”
We kissed again, this time it was a lingering, deeply intimate kiss between lovers. I heard a sigh from within her as my fingers touched the soft skin at the side of her throat. I felt her tongue quickly flicker inside my mouth, testing the surface of mine. Tasting the inside of my lips.
“Come,” she said, standing quickly and taking my hand.
She led me to her bedroom and took my lips prisoner. As we kissed I unbuttoned her blouse and slipped if from her shoulders. I then unzipped her skirt and it slid slowly to the floor, leaving her in only a white lace bra and matching thong. She pulled my shirt over my head as I undressed myself, taking her in my arms and luxuriating in the feel of her soft skin on mine. I tried and failed to operate the clasp of her bra, she smiled and said, “it’s new,” as she put her hand behind her back and helped me out. She pulled the bed cover back and slipped between the sheets, pulling me by the hand to join her. She held me there and looked into my eyes in the dim light of the evening.
“I loved being with you today, Derek,” she said as she stroked my face.
“I love being with you now, Eva,” I said, “can I ask you something?”
“Yes, anything.”
“Did you mind me offering an opinion on your clothes purchases today?”
“God, no. What makes you ask that?”
“I noticed a strange look on your face when I suggested the alternative colour of the dress. I also noticed your tears when I brought you the cardigan. The last thing in the world I want is to make you feel uncomfortable, Eva.”
“No, don’t ever think that. I was just amazed that you would offer an opinion. Nobody has ever looked at me in the same way as ,you, Derek. Nobody ever took any interest on what I wore, or bought, or chose. It was as if I was an inconvenience. You made me feel like a woman today and, yes, I was close to tears, but you noticed and put your arm around me.”
“My mother loves you, that’s for sure.”
“I enjoyed meeting them both and I’m looking forward to Sunday.”
“I’ll give you a grand if you phone in sick.”
She laughed and slapped my shoulder.
“Why? It’ll be lovely.”
“Not for me it won’t. I’ll have to sit there and watch them pulling out old photos and telling embarrassing stories.”
“You’ll have to meet my parents too,” she said.
“You’d better behave on Sunday then, young lady,” I said as I rolled her on her back, kissing under her chin as I did so.
I then kissed her breasts and her aroused nipples, one after the other as my hands travelled her skin, touching her sides, her back, her front. Tantalisingly stroking her stomach to the waistband of her thong before sliding it from her and leaving her naked and exposed to my lips. I spent an inordinate amount of time with my tongue on her vulva, listening to her breathing change as her tiny keening sounds grew in volume and frequency.
I could see her whispering wordlessly as my mouth closed around her clitoral hood, my tongue stimulating her clitoris in time to the undulations of her hip movements. Eventually the dam burst and she drowned me in fluid. She tasted like nectar and her scent grew spicy and heavy with musk. She was almost babbling as I placed my penis at the mouth of her vaginal opening and she forced it inside her with a pull of my hips and a rampant thrust of her groin.
I was as deep inside her as I could be. Her entire body shook in arousal as the resultant aftershock of her orgasm rippled through her. I stayed still, allowing her the opportunity to plateau. She, eventually, began her descent, her eyes closed and her mouth slightly open until she was still, apart from minute gyrations of her vagina against my penis. I felt the beginnings of a tingling in the tip of my penis and tried to ignore it in favour of the ethereal feeling of peace with an undertow of latent passion. It was a heady cocktail of sweet emotions.
Her eyes opened and she watched me as I watched her. I could not take my eyes away from her. We kissed then and our tongues entwined, lazily exploring each other’s. The intimacy of the kiss belied the heat of the furnace inside us. The depth of our penetration underlined the strength of our emotional connection. We were in a vacuum of ecstasy and otherworldly euphoria, a coital bliss rarely experienced by either of us. She broke the kiss, her lips loose and her eyes shining but slightly hooded.
“I need you,” she whispered, as she pulled my head to her shoulder.
Her words caused the tingling of my penis to become oppressive. I withdrew about half way before sliding back to her full depth, her pelvic undulations increased slightly as we sought the release that waited to burst through us. Our movements increased in strength and in tempo until she began to lose breath and moan simultaneously, generating an erotic melody that only we would share. I felt the walls of her vagina pull me in as she began the journey to her peak, pulling me along with her.
“I’m coming, Derek,” she whispered.
“Come for me, Eva, I’m right with you.”
“Oh, God, Derek,” she said, before emitting an ear splitting scream as I joined her atop the pinnacle of our climax, my penis releasing a powerful and voluminous stream of semen inside her. We held each other as the sensual tremors of our bodies eased, only separating as my erection diminished and I slipped out of her slowly. I rolled on my side, holding her and bringing her with me. We dozed for a while, perfectly happy and content in each other’s arms. I heard her voice through the haze of my postcoital trance.
“Feel my heart, Derek,” she said as she held my hand to her breast, “I can hear my heartbeat in my ears.”
Her eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep, I followed her soon after. I slept for a while and woke up needing a cigarette. Eva lay still in the bed, the covers just covering her breasts. I got up and searched the floor for my trousers in the darkness.
“Are you ok, love?” Eva said softly.
“I need a smoke, love. I’ll smoke outside the front door.”
“Smoke here, I don’t mind.”
“No, this room is a not a smoking room.”
“Well at least use the kitchen.”
“Ok, that might be an idea.”
“What time is it?”
“It’s 11:10, why, have you somewhere you need to be?”
“I need to be with you. I’ll come with you, I need a cup of tea,” she said, sitting up in the bed, “I’ll follow you down. Stick the kettle on if you would, please.”
I did as she asked and leaned against the kitchen sink, watching it boil. She followed me down wearing my tee shirt.
“That’s a very fetching look,” I said.
“It carries your scent. I love it.”
She began the process of making the tea and I watched her as she did it. She was naked under the tee shirt and I felt some feint stirrings inside me. She put a mug of tea down beside me and leaned her back against me as she sipped hers. I put my arm around her, holding her stomach and stroking her softly. She held my hand as it moved in circles around her abdomen.
“What’s an appropriate time for me to leave, Eva?”
“Do you have to leave? You’re welcome to stay over.”
“Not tonight, the neighbours will give you stick.”
“I suppose you’re right. They’ll have noticed your car outside in any case. I don’t want you to leave unless you have to.”
“I don’t have to, I don’t want to.”
“That’s all we need to care about. If we want to be together then we will be.”
She leaned further back against me, a silent signal of our decision. We stood that way until she finished her tea. She placed our mugs in the bowl of the sink and smiled at me.
“I think someone needs attention,” she said, her hand touching my erection.
“I think someone has had enough attention for one night,” I said.
“Yes, but not female attention. After all, he’s behaved very well tonight.”
“You’re a kind and considerate woman, Eva.”
I woke the next morning in a haze. I was alone in bed and it was a bright and sunny Autumn day. I recognised it as Eva’s bedroom and I saw it was 10:30. I was shocked and jumped out of bed immediately.
“Ah, you’re up,” Eva said, as she entered the room carrying a tray, “I made breakfast to sustain us after our exertions last night.”
We demolished a feed of scrambled eggs, toast and a pot of tea, sketching out our day as we ate. We had a lot to do, starting with grocery shopping, which took the better part of two hours, given the late start and larger crowds in the shops. We drove back to her house and I left her to her own devices while I went home to pack my groceries away and prepare a coaching session for Franner. Eva wanted to come with me, so I included a blanket for her to sit on because coaching could be boring to interested onlookers. There was a knock at the front door. It was Billy.
“Hey, Bill. Come in, what’s the craic?”
“You’re not answering your phone, I was trying all night last night,” he said, “what are you up to?”
“I’m doing a coaching session for Franner Dempsey’s team up in the Park.”
“What’s the team?”
“Strand. I don’t know which league or division.”
“What time? I might take a look at that,” he said.
“2:00. So what are you after, Billy?”
“I got some information from the League about the new season. They’re definitely going with a small sided section of eight teams as an exhibition league. Under 8’s only, played on Saturday mornings.”
“Ok, do you know which clubs?”
“The usual clique will be included. Your little outburst at the meeting got us into it, I’d say.”
“Ok, are we prepared for it?”
“That’s up to you,” he said.
“I don’t mean the kids. I mean the club, where do we play? Do we have gear? Smaller goals? Stuff like that, Billy.”
“Yes, there’s an update coming on all of that. There’s a sponsor in place and they’re supplying everything. We just need to come up with €50 to cover the cost of a kit of gear. That won’t be an issue.”
“Ok. What about the full-sided league, when does that start?”
“That starts at Under 9. You’re Under 8.”
“What day is it played on!”
“Sundays.”
“Do we have an Under 9 team in the club?”
“Yes, Paddy’s brother runs it.”
“What division?”
“9C.”
“What’s the bottom division?”
“9E.”
“Put us in that, then.”
“It’s too heavy for them.”
“Ok, so you don’t need me then.”
“What?”
“You wanted a manager for an Under 8 team. You’re not putting them in a league, so you don’t need a manager.”
“They’re in the small league.”
“An exhibition league, which is not mandatory to enter.”
“But nobody puts a team into a league that’s too old for them.”
“Home Farm do.”
“That’s Home Farm, Derek. We are not Home Farm.”
“And there’s a prime example of your lack of ambition, Billy. If we’re not playing the proper game, you don’t need me. I’m serious.”
“Don’t put a gun to my head, Derek, that’s not fair.”
“Billy, I had a training session during the week and it was purely to see where the lads can play in a system. You don’t need a system for seven players, so I wasted my time.”
“Ah Derek, they’re too young to be pinned into a system. How can you know whether someone is a centre half or a centre forward?”
“I know who my back four and three-quarters of my midfield is, Billy. I even know who’s playing up top. If you put a gun to my head in the morning I could field quite a good little side.”
“Is Liam one of them?”
“No.”
“Why not? His father played football, his uncles, his grandfather, it’s in his blood.”
“Maybe that blood just hasn’t reached his legs yet.”
He pushed the brim of his hat back on his head and stared at me in exasperation.
“He’s my grandson, for fuck’s sake, Derek. His mother will go through me if he doesn’t get a game.”
“His mother? I don’t think she’s ever even come around to watch them training. She thinks I’m a fucking babysitter. If she says anything to you, send her around to me, I’ll tell her where to get off.”
“I’m not telling her.”
“Coward.”
“What’s that on the table? Is that a mobile phone?”
“Yes.”
“Where did you get it?”
“I found it in the garden.”
“It looks brand new.”
“It is, I got it for work. The job owns it.”
“What’s the number?”
I handed him a few cards.
“It’s on those. Give one of them to Paddy, will you?”
“I will, I’ll give one to Liam’s mother too,” and he laughed.
“Ok, William, I’m heading off now. Is that it?”
“You’re going very early, Derek.”
“I know, I’m picking someone up on the way.”
“Who?”
“You’re a nosey fucker, aren’t you?”
“I’m just concerned for your welfare.”
“Well, if you must know, Eva Clery and I have started seeing each other.”
He took my hand and squeezed it.
“I’m delighted for you both, Derek. She’s a lovely girl.”
“I think so too, Bill, thanks, now fuck off out.”
I collected my Power Points and put them in a training kit bag I’d ‘borrowed’ from the Liverpool kit room. It’d help make a point or two and I half expected to be placed in a position whereby I’d have to make some kind of an impression in any case. I knocked on Eva’s door a few minutes later and she was surprised to see me there.
“I wasn’t expecting you to knock at the door, Derek,” she said.
“Why?”
“I thought you’d just blow the horn like everyone else does.”
“It’s nice to be nice, I suppose.”
“Come in then, I’m almost ready to go,” she said and brought me inside the door.
I closed it behind me and she pinned me to it with her lips.
“Sorry, but I missed you, thanks for knocking, I was dying for a kiss,” she said with a smile.
“You’re very welcome. I try to be as helpful as I can to beautiful women at death’s door.”
We headed up to the park and parked outside the main gate about twenty minutes later. Franner was sitting on the cill at the opened doors at the back of his van. He was talking to a couple of lads and trying to put his boots on at the same time. I approached the group, with Eva at my side.
“Del! You’re early,” he said with a smile. “How are ya, Eva. Are you two an item?”
“We are,” I said.
“I fucking knew it the other night, congrats to you both.”
Eva preened with happiness and squeezed my hand.
“Thanks, Franner, I’m here early for a boot inspection.”
“No. Are you serious? You fucking are serious.”
“As a heart attack.”
Graham was sitting in the front seat and started laughing his head off.
“I told you Da,” he said.
“These are fine, Derek. I only used them on Thursday night and it wasn’t heavy ground,” he said holding his foot up.
“They’re a disgrace, Franner. You have ten minutes to clean them or you’re on the line. I’m going to head up to the pitch and set up a grid. You’d better advise your players to have clean boots or they’ll be over beside you.”
Franner got busy with a bottle of water and some cloths while I grabbed the stick of coloured markers and walked away up to the pitch. Eva held my hand as we walked.
“Are you really going to stop them playing if they have dirty boots, Derek?” she asked.
“Yes. It’s a pet peeve of mine, Eva. It’s one of the proprieties of the game. The proprieties must be observed, or anarchy will reign.”
We reached the pitch and I handed Eva the blanket.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“It’s a blanket.”
“I can see it’s a blanket, but what’s it for?”
“For you, if you want to sit down and watch.”
She kissed me.
“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful.”
I sat down on the grass and began putting my boots on. Eva smiled as she watched me doing it.
“What’s so funny?” I asked her.
“Your boots. They’re spotless, Derek.”
“I know. How old would you say these boots are, Eva?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Two or three years old? They look as if they haven’t been used much.”
“I have these since I was seventeen.”
“Wow. Barry gets a new pair every couple of months.”
“If he maintained them properly, he could get them less frequently and afford a better quality boot at the same time.”
“I never thought of it that way. That’s a good idea, boots aren’t cheap.”
She followed me around as I set the grid up. I was unsure of how many players I’d have so I just made a small pitch thirty five yards wide by the entire width of the pitch itself. I placed a four foot goal at each end and added a couple of visual aids to mark the sidelines. I used less than half of the markers and placed them on their stick behind one of the goals.
Franner came along with about eight lads. They all had a ball in their hands and they were kicking it in the air or trying to juggle it with their feet and head. Franner kicked one to me and I cushioned it with my head before striking it in the air with my left shoulder, ducking a little and repeating the exercise with my right shoulder. It dropped on to my foot and I kicked it back into Franner’s hands. By the time it reached 2:00 there were a further four players in the group. I called them in.
I had a quick look at their feet and noticed that every one of them had wet boots, where they had hurriedly tried to clean them. I was about to address them when I heard my name being called. Everyone in the group turned to look at the culprit.
“Mick!” I said, “how the fuck are you?” and left them to go and shake his hand.
“I’m great, Del. What’s all this then?”
“It’s Strand Athletic. I’m doing a bit with them.”
“Can anyone join in?”
“The more the merrier,” I said, “we can have a practice match, you me and Franner against the rest.”
This was something we did when we were kids.
“We’d better give them a few goals start, Del,” he said seriously.
“How many?”
“How does three sound?”
“A bit light, but we can increase it when we see how they play.”
“Good idea, I’ll get my boots, be back in a second.”
Franner stood with his mouth open.
“That’s Mick Lawler, Del.”
“Yes, I know.”
The entire group was listening with rapt attention.
“How do you know him?”
“We were on trial together. Mick didn’t cut it.”
Mick played a couple of times for the Irish International team and was a decorated member of each of the top four League of Ireland clubs during his career. He won several league, cup and league cup medals and was a legend in the game. But he was pure mental. The guys in the group looked fearful as I spoke to Franner and were as quiet as mice when he returned, carrying his boots in his hand.
“This’ll be interesting,” Franner said, when he saw the state of Mick’s boots.
Mick did a couple of quick stretches and then sat down to put his boots on.
“Mick,” I said.
He looked up at me.
“What’s up, Del?”
“What’s the story with your fucking boots?”
“What about them?”
“They’re fucking filthy. You can’t play here with those.”
“Why not?”
“Because they’re fucking filthy.”
“Seriously?
“Yes, seriously.”
He examined them quickly.
“Yeah, you’re right, Del. Sorry,” he said, “can I stay and watch?”
“Sure.”
I winked at Mick, then turned around and realised that I had their full attention. Eva saw this and covered her mouth with her hand. He saw the look that passed between us and sat beside her on the blanket. They began chatting away like old friends as I took Franner by the arm.
“I’ve a pitch set up, Fran. Pick two teams and get a match going. I want to see what they’re like,”
“If I’ve only got one session that’s no use to me.”
“I”ll give you another one next week. Just do what I ask.”
He grumbled to himself and went about picking teams. One of the players came over to me and stuck out his hand.
“Frank Darby, nice to meet you, Del,” he said.
“Hey Frank, nice boots.”
“Yeah, they’re nice.”
“They were until you decided to stop cleaning them.”
“Good one, Del,” he said with a smirk that pissed me off.
“I’m not joking, Frank, you can’t play here with filthy boots.”
“I’m just after washing them over there,” he said, pointing at Franner’s van.
“With water. Now they’re dry, they’re still dirty.”
“Everyone else’s are the same,” he said, as Graham came over with his boots on, “are you going to stop them too?”
“Yes. You can watch from the sideline.”
“Fuck you, I’ve better things to do than listen to crap from a washed up hack,” he said, and stalked off.
Franner looked at him walking away, then headed my way.
“Did you send him home?”
“No.”
“Why’s he leaving?”
“His boots are a disgrace, da,” Graham chirped up, “yours are too.”
“Everyone’s is the same, Franner,” I said, “send them home. We’ll try again on Wednesday night.”
He went to say something,
“Don’t!” I said, “this is a red line for me. Look at Graham’s boots, they’re a credit to him. I’ll have a kick about with him instead.“
He gave up.
“Ok, you’re the coach. They need to learn.”
“Franner, when I had a similar situation with the kids, they accepted it and stood on the line before I sent them home, none of them started an argument about it and none of them insulted me. That chap is banned from any of my sessions. I don’t want to ever see the prick’s face again.”
“Leave him to me, Del. I’ll sort him out.”
“I mean it. He’s out,” I said, “now give me a ball. I’ll drop Graham home later.”
He dropped a ball at my feet and apologised. I turned around and said, “right, Mick and Graham against Eva and me. Do you want a two goal start?”
I put my kit bag down as a goal area and a slightly smaller water container down as the other. We chose the water container end. As we waited for Mick to finish telling Graham what he wanted, Eva put her arm around my waist.
“Do you need to check if I’m clean too?” she asked.
“I intend to have a microscopic inspection of your body this evening, my dear girl.”
“I’d better make sure I’m pristine then.”
I threw the ball to Mick and made him chase it a little.
“Bastard!” he said with a smile.
“Will I not be in your way, Derek? I never played football before,” Eva said, a worried look on her face.
“You’ll be fine. I’ll be beside you all the way,” I said, “Mick has a trick hip and Graham is eight. We won’t lose.”
“Will I go in goal?”
“No need. They won’t score into those small goals. Just look busy, stay free of a marker and keep an eye on me for signals.”
“What’s the read on this, Del?” Mick asked.
“First to score two goals wins.”
Mick kicked it off to Graham and Eva took an unsure step in his direction. It was enough to distract him as he tried to pass it to Mick and it gave me enough room to intercept. Mick had had a problem with his left hip ever since we were schoolboys. It prevented him having full mobility with his left leg and anything at hip height on his left side was impossible for him to control, or even reach. He was about twenty yards away from me so I curled one around him at waist height, past his left hand side and it struck the kit back dead centre. Eva clapped excitedly.
“Are we winning, Derek?”
“Yes, of course.”
Graham was fuming at Mick and me, so he grabbed the ball and made a run for the goals himself. I made a sign for Eva to push him off the ball, but she wasn’t quick enough for him and he eluded her before shooting just as I made a tackle. He missed.
I pointed for Eva to move towards the kit bag and she jogged in that direction as I flicked the ball up on to my knee and juggled it for a few seconds to give her time. Mick and Graham approached me warily. and I waited until the last moment to flight a pass with severe backspin to Eva. It bounced once and the spin made it stop dead just in front of her. She squealed and took a couple of slight touches before rolling it into the side of the kit bag. She was thrilled and made a run at me with her arms out. I caught her and swung her around.
“Get a room, you two, for fuck’s sake!” Mick said, and we all laughed.
As we walked off, he put his hand on my shoulder.
“Do you miss it?” he asked.
“Yes, you?” I replied.
“I have less to miss than you, but yes, I do miss it.”
We walked in a line of four, just chatting about old times and new. Mick noticed that Graham had a sour look on his face.
“What’s wrong, kiddo?” he said, as he ruffled his hair.
“Their goals were small than ours,” he said, the world and his wife against him.
“Think of it as a valuable lesson, Graham.”
“What, losing?”
“It’s a pain in the arse when you lose, kid,” I said, “but if you learn from it, you win a little too.”
“How?”
“Well, next time you’ll make sure that your goal is smaller than ours, for a start. Won’t you?”
“Yes, I will.”
“You’ll also take better notice of your surroundings on the pitch and not be panicked into taking a snap shot just because someone is about to tackle you.”
“How do I do that?” he asked.
“You already know how, if you’ve been watching closely enough. You simply take the ball away from danger and settle yourself before you do anything with it.”
“Play it into my stride, is that what you mean?”
“Yes, see? You have been listening. It just hasn’t permeated yet, but it will,” I said, “What else did you learn today?”
“I don’t know.”
“The ball gets from one end of the pitch to the other quicker when it’s passed instead of being dribbled along the ground.”
“I suppose.”
“Yes, and you should also remember the quality of ball play and distribution that you saw today,” Mick said, “Del is the best I’ve seen this side of Maradona at controlling the flight of a ball.”
“I know. That’s why I like playing on his side.”
We jollied him along as we walked.
“That’s so cute,” Eva whispered in my ear, “will I give him a hug?”
“No, it’s the competitive spirit. We need him to feel like that after a loss.”
I heard a shout from behind me and turned to see a man running after us. I didn’t recognise him at first but when he shouted at me to hold up recognition clarified for me.
“Bobby Crawford! I didn’t think you were still alive,” I said, as he hugged me.
“You look fantastic, Del. I hear you’re coaching a kids team?”
“Yes, why? Surely you’re not still involved at your age?”
“I’m Chairman of Kilmore now. What age group are you looking after?”
I paused and thought about it before replying,
“Under Nines, why?”
“We’ve a new Nines this year. We’ve been coaching them since they were seven and they’re great. I’m looking for a game for them, are you interested?”
“Yes, but my team is only a couple of weeks into it, so you’ll have to go easy on us.”
“Yeah, that’d be right. Even if they weren’t ready, you wouldn’t say anything. 6:00 on the Oscar next Wednesday night?”
“Great, we’ll be there. Do we need a ref?”
“Beaso can do it.”
“Great, see you then, thanks Bob.”
Graham perked up immediately and raised his hand in celebration. I slapped it with mine and we left the park, happy. I bade Mick farewell and dropped Graham home before driving back to Eva’s house. I pulled up outside and switched the engine off.
“Are you coming in for tea?” she asked.
The clock on the dashboard read 4:20.
“Yes, but we need to leave here at 7:30 if we want to catch our reservation.“
“I’m excited for that, Derek. An hour to relax wouldn’t kill us.”
“What have you got in mind?”
“Tea,” she said, “I’m in dire need.”
We walked up the path under the interested eyes of three of her neighbours. She waved at them in acknowledgement and smiled. I sprawled in the settee while she made the tea. I heard her running up the stairs just as the phone chirped on my pocket. It was an awful sound that I’d have to change. I looked at the number on the screen and worked out that it was Mr. B.
“Hey, Pat, what’s the story?”
“The man with the fancy phone,” he said.
“Yeah, fancy, that’s me.”
“Billy tells me you want to play Under 9.”
“Yes, is that a problem?”
“No, it’s what we should be doing. I’m registering teams on Tuesday, I just wanted to make sure first.”
Eva came in with a tray. She had changed out of her clothes into a short black skirt and a white tee shirt. She put the tray down on a coffee table and smiled at me. I felt a slight movement in my penis as I watched her legs, she had fabulous legs. She also had fabulous nipples which were hard to miss as they bore through her tee shirt.
“Great,” I said, “what’s involved in that, Paddy?”
“It’s a just phone call on Monday and I’ll get Billy to drop a cheque and some forms into them on Thursday. What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking we should get us into Under 9Z, or as low as possible. I’d imagine that would be an academy division.”
“We can do that, or we can just play the eights this year. Let them get their feet under them.”
I considered this for a second.
“I’ll tell you what, Paddy. We’re playing Kilmore on the Oscar on Wednesday. I’ll think about it over the weekend and decide then. Is that ok?”
“Yes, I’ll stick the form in on Monday. I can pull it out again if needs be.”
“Grand, I’ll need the full information on the Under 8 division first, though.”
“Ok. I’ll talk to you on Monday.”
“When does the season kick off?”
“The first weekend in September.”
Three weeks.
“Grand, thanks, Pat.”
We hung up and I smiled at Eva. She handed me a copy of tea.
“Trouble?”
“No, I’m just thinking things through.”
“Can I help?”
“It’s hard to focus on anything except your legs, Eva.”
She sat beside me.
“I’m happy to hear that.”
She kissed me and then snuggled against me on the settee. We were quiet as we sipped the tea and she held my hand where it lay across her stomach.
“What’s the plan for tonight, Derek?”
“Oh, I haven’t any firm thoughts on it, Eva. I’m just going with the flow. It’s been a beautiful weekend so far. What have you got in mind?”
“You want my opinion?”
“Of course, there are two of us here.”
“You won’t think I’m stupid?”
“I’d be stupid if I did.”
She half turned in my arm that was around her, just as I finished my tea.
“You’re serious,” she said, searching my eyes.
“What?”
“You seriously want my opinion.”
“Yes, of course I do. Why do you ask that?”
“Oh, no reason,” she said.
“Eva?”
She put her cup down and sat fully beside me, her legs pulled up under her on the seat.
“I’m not used to being consulted, that’s all.”
“Ok, sorry, I understand. So what are you thinking?”
She laughed and kissed me.
“Well, as you ask so nicely, I think your timing is correct,” she said, kneeling on the seat beside me.
“Do you? How so?”
I kissed her softly, she shivered seductively.
“I agree we should leave for the restaurant at 7:30,” she said, and kissed me.
“Ok,” I said, stroking her face.
“I estimate that I’d need an hour to make myself presentable,” she said, her eyes locked on mine.
“I doubt that, but carry on,” I said, my thumb stroking her left cheek.
“That’s nice, Derek, don’t stop,” she whispered, closing her eyes for an instant.
“I’ve no intention of stopping,” I whispered,
“Good. Where was I?” she asked.
“I forget.”
“Oh, yes. I need an hour.”
“Yes.”
“That takes us backwards to 6:30, yes?” she settled back into her thought process.
“Yes,” I whispered and kissed her.
“If you need an hour, you’ll have to leave here at about 6:15 to get home,” she said, and nuzzled my ear with her nose.
“What would I do for an hour?” I whispered.
“Oh, all sorts of things, Derek,” she whispered and looked into my yes.
“Such as?”
“I’m not going there,” she said with a girlish laugh,
“Is that a nice way of telling me I have to leave at 6:15?”
“No,” she said, pulling my lips to her extended throat.
“What does it mean then?”
“It means that we have some time to make love,” she said and took my lips with hers.
“Is that why you changed into a skirt, Eva?”
“No, I had to get out of my underwear, Derek. I’ve been so aroused since you asked me to be on your team in the Park.”
“That turned you on?”
“You’ve no idea.”
“Did you have to change your underwear?”
“Not exactly change.”
I looked at her curiously before understanding beat me over the head. I smiled at her and we kissed. As our lips moved against each other I placed my hand on her knee and slid it along her inner thigh, all the way up to her groin, she had discarded her jeans and was naked under her skirt.
“Jesus, Eva. That’s so erotic.”
“Touch me, Derek,” she said, desire dripping from her voice, a look of need and longing in her eyes.
I let my thumb take a soft touch to her vagina. She was impossibly aroused and wet. I moved her back on the settee and pushed her skirt above her waist. Her legs parted and her vulva glistened in the daylight as I moved my tongue towards her,
I tasted all around her exposed groin as she moved and groaned under the stimulus of my touch. I put my tongue to work on her soft pink flesh, inserting it inside her and then flicking it along the length of her labia.
She lifted her hips and pulled me in to her. I inserted my finger inside her as the tip of my tongue centred on her clitoris, the presence of both stimuli immediately bringing her on a path to orgasm. Her sweet little high pitched whimpering rose in volume as the intensity of her arousal grew.
She began to shake slightly, her legs closed and held me in place, fearing I would stop. She parted them slightly as her hips adjusted, giving me the opportunity to disconnect. She wailed as I moved away, reaching for me with shaking arms. I stood and undressed slowly, watching as she squirmed in agonised orgasmic suspension. She quickly unzipped her skirt and pulled it off, taking my erection in her hand and pulling me forcefully inside her.
She gasped as my penis filled her in one quick movement and her keening settled down into a low moan as she soothed her soul with the feel of our connection, gently moving against me as she sought the stimulation of my penis against all of her sensitive trigger points.
As I moved slowly inside her I slid her tee shirt over her head, leaving both of us naked and heightening the stimulus of the touch of her skin against mine. She clung to me tightly as she moved against me, coordinating the gyrations of her hips in time, matching the pace of my movements as I lengthened the depth of my slow thrusts, using my full length and luxuriating in her depth and the grasp of her vaginal muscles on the shaft of my penis.
She sought, and found, my lips, locking us both together as our tongues sought the intimacy generated by our love. Her lips voraciously clung to mine, taking them away in an orbit driven by her desire, as her gentle whimpering changed to a more expectant moan of pleasure and further to a demand for ultimate completion as her organ built inexorably higher.
The insistent tingling I felt at the tip of my penis grew unbearably stronger, forcing me to surrender to the need for a climactic ending to alleviate the ecstatic expulsion of my seed. I waited for her. Her body told me when it struck and I followed along with it. Her screams of ecstasy followed straight after and I held her through the tremors that accompanied her orgasm.
Breathlessly she clung to me as a film of sweat built between us, holding us in place. Her eyes eventually opened and she smiled a shy, girlish smile. She kissed me sweetly, then changed her mind as the kiss lingered and her tongue reached for mine. She touched my face, her eyes reacted as my penis flexed slightly before beginning to soften.
We remained, joined together, on the settee in the sitting room, speckled with late afternoon sunlight, our hearts beating in time. We were alone in our world, wrapped in the soft haze of a postcoital bliss that held us safely in its cosy bassinet. We enjoyed an extended union as gravity and nature took its course to separate us.
I slipped from her and lay beside her as she reached for my hand and held it to her heart. Her eyes shone as she smiled happily.
“Did you plan that?” I asked her as I stroked one of her nipples.
“No, I honestly didn’t, Derek,” she said.
“Ok, you were back to 6:15.”
“Yes,” she said quickly, “what time is it now?”
“5:50.”
“That’s not enough time.”
“For what?”
“You’ll find out later,” she said, with a smile.
“Speaking of later,” I said, “do you want to stay at mine?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
“Do you want to leave some clothes and stuff there?”
“If you don’t mind, that would be perfect.”
“I don’t mind at all.”
“Ok, well I’m going to clean this place up,” she said, “then I’m going to clean myself up. I’ll see you at 7:30. Will I walk around to yours then?”
“No. I’ll call around for you.”
“I was hoping you’d say that,” she said, and we kissed.
I held her in my arms, drinking her in. She looked up at me and smiled.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing,” I said.
“Tell me.”
“Tell me what I’m going to find out later.”
“No.”
I kissed her again and left for home. When I got there I was greeted by my ex, who was just closing the gate.
“Fuck,” I whispered to myself.
I picked up the mobile phone, which was the first thing she saw.
“You got a mobile?”
“Yes it’s DR’s.”
She detested Dave Ruane.
“Are you minding it for him or something?”
“Something like that.”
“What does that mean?”
“Do you have to turn everything into a fucking argument?” I said, mindful of the neighbours’ ears.
“I can’t help it, you just piss me off.”
“I didn’t do anything, I just got out of the car.”
“Are you seeing Clair Shean?”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Honestly, no, I’m not,” I said, “not that it’s any of your business if I was.”
“I don’t care who the unfortunate woman who gets you is. I just need to know if you’re getting into something serious,” she said.
“Define serious,” I said, getting amused.
“Charlie is confused about you and Clair Shean and I don’t want to look like an idiot.”
I chose to quell my instincts, but that boat had sailed a long time since.
“I get that. Unfortunately, it’s none of your business who I see or what we do. If I’ve something to tell the kids, I’ll tell them when I’m sure it’s serious. They can pass it along to you, if they wish. I have no responsibility to you in that respect.”
“If you thought anything of me you wouldn’t say that.”
“If you thought anything of me, or the kids, you wouldn’t have screwed half of Kyle’s while we were married.”
“You’re never going to let that go, are you?”
“Not as long as you keep fucking annoying me with trivialities that don’t concern you now, if you don’t mind, I’m going out tonight, so fuck off home.”
“You’re a prick, Derek Caldwell. I wish I’d never met you.”
“I bet you say that to all the boys,” I said and brushed past her on my way in to the garden.
Was I jumping into something with Eva that I might regret later? Was I capable of hurting her more than she had been hurt before? I called my Dad and related my concerns, I could hear my mother in the background. She demanded the phone.
“Derek, this is your mother,” she said.
“I’d never have known.”
“Don’t be a smart arse. Listen to me, you did the right thing,” she said, “she’s nothing to you now and she’s just using the kids to try and break you again.”
“I know, Mam, but I don’t want Eva to suffer on my account.”
“Derek, are you blind?”
“What? No.”
“That girl idolises you. Can you not see how she looks at you? She loves you, anyone can see it.”
“Except me?”
“Especially you. If you want her in your life, you should tell her, before she gets away.”
“It’s complicated.”
“Nothing good comes easily, son.”
“I know. Leave it with me. We’ll see you tomorrow for lunch.”
“Yes, I’m looking forward to seeing her again. She’s lovely.”
“I know, and Mam?”
“Yes, son.”
“Are you making stuffing for that chicken.”
“Fuck off. Just be here on time.”
TBC
