Last Call by A. S. Kelly

Author:A. S. Kelly [Kelly, A. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2019-12-01T16:00:00+00:00

Niall

I spent almost twenty years playing for the best team in the country; they scouted me while I was still living here. I received two more offers after I left school, but I didn’t want to stay here, near my family. I didn’t want to be the guy who couldn’t let go of his roots.

I had nothing against my parents – we had a good relationship and I didn’t want to run away from them. I had nothing against the city I grew up in, either, despite everything that happened with Mary Hannigan. It wasn’t a reason to leave.

It took me years to realise what my reason was: I wasn’t running away from someone or something. I was running away from myself.

I didn’t want to become like my father: a man who was bound to his family and his business. I didn’t want to be like my mother, who’s a member of the town council; someone who organises events and coordinates official festivals. I didn’t want to be one of them. I wanted to be someone to remember.

I didn’t know what else to do, other than sport. I was no good at school. I had trouble reading, and I was really shit at Maths; but I knew how to play, and everyone realised that pretty quickly. A diamond in the rough, according to my coach. A born sportsman.

By the age of eighteen, I had a contract in my hands, an apartment of my own in Dublin, and two sponsors who paid good money just for my face. I had no obligations and no responsibilities outside the sporting world. I was young, free, and charming; I had everything in the palm of my hand. And this was exactly how I felt right until life decided to put me to the test about nine months ago. Someone came knocking at my door with a girl in tow, telling me that she was my responsibility, now.

Okay, so that’s not exactly how it went, but you get the idea.

I wasn’t a complete dickhead, despite what everyone believed. I had no ties, and I never went looking for them; I liked having fun and I threw everything into my career. No one complained about the way I behaved – I don’t think I’m the first sportsman to enjoy female company now and then. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with living my life this way. I never thought it would cause me so many problems; especially when trying to win over my daughter’s trust, or that of the women who would fall at my feet.

I’ve dated a lot of women: some only lasted a night, while others stretched out to an entire week. But I never made any promises. I never deceived anyone. I never thought I was hurting anyone along the way.

So, when one of these flings suddenly became the future mother of my child, I panicked. I was young, I was stupid. I had no idea what it meant to be a father.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.