The Break by Ronnie O'Sullivan

Author:Ronnie O'Sullivan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan UK

12

Friday the 12th finally arrived, but it might as well have been Friday 13th for all the joy it brought with it. Another new day, another new summons. Only this time, at least, it wouldn’t be the cheery old Saint who’d be picking Frankie up. Small comfort, though. Because the call had come from Tam Jackson, chief arm breaker to Tommy Riley himself.

Frankie took the call just after he’d got out of the shower at 8 a.m., and was already sweating like he’d just got back from a run by the time he got dressed. It was another blazing-hot day outside, but that wasn’t what had got him so worked up. It was the thought that Tommy might somehow have once again found out that he’d had contact with Hamilton’s mob. Plain and simple guilt then. Guilt and fear.

Plus, another meeting like this was the last thing he needed today. He hadn’t got back from his little pow-wow in the country with Bram and his crew until well late, when he’d finally got a cab to pick him up, and he was bloody knackered. Not only that, he had a shedload of things to get sorted before the first paying punters arrived for the opening matches of the inaugural Soho Open tournament, which kicked off at 1 p.m. today.

Xandra was in the kitchen with Maxine, tucking into a couple of bowls of Crunchy Nut, by the time Frankie got there. He ran her though the million and one things that needed doing as he slugged down a scalding hot coffee and scoffed a slice of Mother’s Pride with marge. He lied about where he was going. Said he’d got to go sign some contracts round at Kind Regards’ office over in Shepherd Market.

She told him she’d be fine holding the fort until he got back. She was normally totally unflappable, but even she had a little look of apprehension about her today. Because this was it, wasn’t it? The day they’d been aiming at for over a year. The first day of the rest of his life.

She had one bit of good news, though. The Evening Standard was already out and there Frankie was, two pages in from the back, smiling like a good ’un too. Not nearly as bad as he’d reckoned. The headline read, ‘London Open Right On Cue’. Not bad either. Not bad at all. Who knew, maybe this augured well for the rest of the tournie? Here was bloody hoping anyway, because surely some luck had to come his way soon?

He put a smile on Xandra and Maxine’s faces in return. Told them he was booking them into a hotel for the night at that new refurbed place up on Charlotte Street, complete with dinner and a bottle of champagne in their room. His treat. To say thanks, like, for all Xandra’s help. However it all went from here on in, he told her, he couldn’t have got it all this far without her.

But hard not to feel the guilt too, as she hugged him.

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