How Not to Be a Loser by Beth Moran

Author:Beth Moran [Moran, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

We talked for a long time that night. And then spent more time sat side by side on the sofa, not talking. Until way past a sensible bedtime for a thirteen-year-old who is supposed to be training at seven-thirty the next morning before a full day of school. Joey was shaken to know that Sean was in the UK, let alone that he’d been following him about for the past few weeks.

‘He should have told you.’

‘Yes, he really should have,’ I agreed.

‘I guess if you’ve never parented before you don’t know about being appropriate and stuff.’

I didn’t reply that any adult should know that stalking people is never appropriate. And certainly not stalking a child.

I knew that the only way for Joey to have any peace, let alone sleep, was to arrange a meeting. I texted Sean and asked him to be in the Cup and Saucer at five-thirty the next day. Not an ideal choice of venue, it being one where there would be other human beings, some of whom might even know Joey or me, but it was the only place in the village where we could have a drink that wasn’t a pub, and it would feel weird taking my son to a pub to meet his dad for the first time, on a school night. While able to feel some gratitude that this whole thing had happened once I had been able to go anywhere, I wasn’t ready to think about catching a bus, or getting a taxi, to somewhere new.

Eventually, I pulled rank and called it a night, bundling Joey up the stairs. ‘Come on, let’s at least pretend to try and get some sleep. And I think it would be wise to skip your early training tomorrow.’

‘What? I seem to remember you going on about how if I was going to be serious about swimming, I couldn’t skip training because I was tired, or had a bad day, or had other stuff going on. “You have to get up and show up and give it all you’ve got, no matter what.”’

‘Hmmm. Well. You’re not in the Gladiators yet.’ I opened his bedroom door, winced at the mess, and gestured for him to go in.

‘No, and I never will be if I decide to lie-in every time some little thing happens like my dad turning out to be the village stalker. What would Nathan say?’

‘Coach Gallagher would say that you should trust your mother when she tells you that if you want to make the distance as a swimmer, you need to make some occasional allowances.’

‘I do trust you. But I’m also not you.’ He flopped onto the duvet, flinging one arm over his face, no doubt to block out all sight and sound of his annoying mother.

‘I’ll let Nathan know that you might not be there. He’ll understand. Good night.’ I quickly backed out, pulling the door shut behind me.

‘He’ll understand that at the first sign of pressure I need my mum to step in and start taking over like I’m some little kid!’ he yelled through the wood.

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