Chapter Text
It went without saying that Bill’s favourite place on earth was his home and the off season his favourite time of the year. After all, it was where and when his family was. If he could get days off here and there – especially when his team wasn’t doing well – those days couldn’t compare to the long awaited stay at home every August. Scotland opened her arms to him, along with his lovely wife and loving parents. He visited the family house every other day with dear Susan, a challenge at first until the habit of his parents' comments settled once again; by then, all was well.
Bill loved what Susan did with the house. He could see her influence everywhere, and he always encouraged it. If she was the only occupant for much of the time, it was obvious that it should be close to her taste, which was excellent. Never did she make him feel out of touch, as she purveyed news and stories of Scotland all through the year. They talked a lot on the phone, of course, to make up for the distance. He would have loved to have her in England but he changed teams so often, and she loved Scotland so much, he couldn’t do that to her. As his mother liked to say, “this will have to change once you have children” but they haven't had this joy yet.
For them to have children, of course, Susan would need to get pregnant first. It was a serious issue between them, often discussed and planned for, the convenient days for conception discreetly mentioned on his calendar. The off season was an excellent occasion and every year they tried their best. Luckily, they could try one more time before he had to go back.
Bill had his eyes set on the date of his calendar, circled in blue: the next day, the next night. If his knee could stop acting up, he wouldn’t dread it so much. If there was less pressure and expectation about their success, he could even take pleasure in it. He knew he could.
The high notes of the telephone ringing threw him off of his daydream.
Bill was in his study, the only room that was truly his in Scotland. It was his leather chair, his old desk, and his own miniature boats in their corner. Walls were covered with pictures of his teams. Minor teams, Fourth and Third Division teams, slowly climbing the ladder to this point. Soon, he would have a new one: season ‘68-’69, Second Division with the London Houndsworth, maybe even First if they had a good year. Clips of newspapers made a part of that wall too, but not enough or impressive enough to have them in the hall, as Susan and he had decided. He liked to have them here, close to him, available at a glance when he was in “his den” as Susan called it – not without tenderness. It was a good old-fashioned room, unlike the rest of the house, a room which smelled of his cigarettes and something else that reminded him of the field.
He lit himself another while the phone rang. There was no point in him answering it, as most of the calls were for Susan and he didn’t like to talk to any of her friends.
Soon, he heard her answer. He could picture her hurried steps, her sigh as she removed her earring, the soft sound of her voice as she answered with her full name – which he gave her! – before mellowing once she heard a familiar voice. He didn’t have to move or truly listen, it was as if he was here with her. His eyes came back to the calendar, as if a magnet kept pulling him there. This one, simple, blue circle that made him want for the season to come back already.
How he hat–
“BILL!” Susan suddenly hollered from the corridor. “It’s for you!”
“Who is it?” he answered in the same fashion.
“Your brother!”
By her tone, he could easily gather which brother it was. David. He must have heard Bill was going to be his coach this year. Managing David’s ego as a captain was not something Bill looked forward to. David hadn't been discreet about his complaints in the previous years, criticising and contesting Coach Clarke’s every decision, making sure his team followed his rules and not the high-ups’. No, Bill hadn’t been ecstatic about this job offer but getting to coach a Second Division team was not something he could be picky about. Maybe they thought he was the only one able to control his younger brother.
He intended to try, at least.
Gathering his patience and strength, Bill picked up the heavy handset.
“Good morning, David.”
In fact, as he checked the time and it was only eight, he realised it was a bit early for David. Knowing him, David mustn’t have gone to sleep at all. Great.
“I don’t have much time,” David said. “I need you to make Paddy captain. It’s the only choice that makes any sense, anything else will bring the team to ruin. Well, I’m not saying he won’t bring the team to ruin but with anyone else it would be a done deal. With Paddy, you have a fighting chance.”
“David, David, stop, what– what are you talking about?”
“What, you haven’t heard? Dad hasn’t called?”
Bill felt the start of a headache looming over him. Massaging his brow, he tried his best to parse what utter nonsense David was saying.
“Haven’t heard what? David, I know Mayne is our best player but having him take over as captain makes no sense. You’re doing– great, I guess.”
“Firstly, he’s one of the best players, Bill, and secondly I won’t be able to be here next week. You need a captain, and he’s the next best thing after me. Sure, if you thought I would be hard to manage, you haven’t met Paddy, but–”
“I heard the rumors but– wait, you won’t be here next week? What– Wait, please, slow down. Can’t we talk about this face to face, tonight, at Mum and Dad’s?”
It was like pulling teeth and Bill couldn’t help but think David did it with the intent of infuriating him. Winning, with David, was about not letting the madness win and keeping one’s calm.
“I’m out,” David said like it was obvious. “For a few days, if not weeks, and they’re going to make a big mistake if you don’t intervene.”
“Obviously,” Bill answered drily. “By not choosing a certified madman as captain.”
Only then did he notice the noise coming from the phone, as if David was in a crowded public place and not safely at home.
“David, where are you?”
“Oh, well, I’m in jail.”
“In jail?!”
Oh dear Mother of God. Bill gathered his strength and control not to snap right here and then.
“David, what did you do? Was it a brawl again? Can’t Dad get you out?”
It wouldn’t be the first time their father had gotten David out of problems bigger than his ability to manage them. Bill was of the opinion that they should stop saving David every time he made a mistake and, maybe, he would grow into a proper adult able to shoulder his own decisions. For now, he viewed his little brother as little more than a glorified brat.
“Dad kindly refused to help me on that one,” David answered in a voice where you could start to feel the nervousness.
“Not a brawl, then.”
“Not a brawl, no.”
“David, what did you do? Just say it, I’m starting to worry.”
For their father to refuse to intervene, it was either unbelievably stupid or wrong. Murder? No, Bill could easily picture their parents forgiving their son for murder.
“Let’s say I got a bit too friendly with a cop.”
Bill was seriously starting to lose his patience over these riddles.
“Speak plainly, David, you assaulted a policewoman?”
“Bill! God, no, it was a policeman. And believe me, I thought he was completely on board when I grabbed his arse.”
Silence fell. Bill had asked David to speak plainly and he deeply regretted it, now. Heat was flooding his body, drowning his brain, in a mixture of embarrassment and shame he was in no state of analysing. He could not do this.
The headache was definitively here to stay, now. No massaging his brow could save Bill from this conversation. His brother was– Why did he– The thought and sentences couldn’t finish either in his brain or mouth. David had always been popular with the girls, always very open about it, infuriatingly open about it, even. So, why–
“You– It’s– Why did you–” Bill stuttered, lost for words.
“I had no idea he was a cop, of course, and to be fair I was a bit intoxicated, too. His arse was incredible, though, a real asset to the force.”
“You can’t joke about this David!” Bill snapped. “What are you doing, doing this kind of thing in public? Are you fighting with Dad again? How could you do this to him?”
“To Dad?! He has nothing to do with it and I did because I had forgotten we couldn’t grab men’s arses in Scotland–”
“Fucking stop saying arse, David. Stop mentioning this, you disgust me, I have no desire to hear your filth.”
“– and got myself in this situation, at least until they decide on what they’re going to fine me. Paddy should be my interim and you have to hold the fort by the time I come back. If you’re finished with your theatrics, of course.”
Bill considered ending the call here. He didn’t have to deal with this, David was being David, there was no urgency, Bill could simply end the call and swallow that pill in his own time. Maybe David would call back, laughing, because it had all been a joke. The problem was David was captain of the London Houndsworth and Bill was now their coach. He couldn’t bail now, no matter how deeply he wanted to. After a deep breath, Bill decided to ignore the matter of David’s arrest.
“I don’t need your help managing a team, David, it’s my job.”
“Oh but you will need help managing Paddy Mayne.”
“Oh no, dealing with the fragile ego of a violent and erratic attacker, where would I have learned to manage that.”
“I’m nowhere near the insanity Paddy would unleash as a Captain. He will not trust you.”
“I’m his coach, he will have to.”
“He won’t, and the boys will follow him, they will follow him anywhere.”
“It’s football, David, not war.”
“You really haven’t met Paddy.”
“I’ve seen him play.”
“Which is not enough. Listen to me.”
David's advice was rubbish and Bill only listened to it because he had to. David would call him, again and again, until he finished saying his piece if he hadn’t. Bill was not afraid of the nefarious Paddy Mayne who, just like David, only needed a sharp reminder of who was in charge.
“I have to go, Bill. Don't forget, pass everything by Almonds ahead of time. He'll smooth things over. And you promise you'll talk to Clarke? They need to make Paddy captain.”
“Yes, I understand, now go get some sleep.”
David simply laughed before ending the call, leaving Bill with another wave of worry for his stupid brother. No, Bill couldn’t get caught up again in this shit. David was an adult, as absurd as this sentence sounded, and could take care of himself. It was nothing, there would be a fine, maybe a quick scandal that wouldn’t get out of their native town, and then back on the field.
The fact that David was having sex with men was another piece of information that Bill was happy to overlook and forget.
Getting Paddy Mayne as captain, though, would certainly prove to be a challenge, especially for a coach fresh from Third Division. The team’s direction could have heard about David’s mishaps, too, and could certainly get in a frenzy to keep it all under control. Bill checked his calendar, looking for the date of his train back to London but passing over this one blue circle.
It could be done so easily.
I’m sorry, Susan, but something big happened at work and I need to get back as soon as possible. Important matters to discuss with the higher-ups, I cannot do that over a phone. Tell Mum how sorry I am and I’ll call them as soon as I arrive. I’ll come back in four weeks, I promise. Thank you dear, I love you.
There, and not one lie uttered in the process.