The Own Goal ✔️

Part 44

Baby Tracker 👶
8 months old 🗓️

October.

"I know it's not me weekend to have her, but I wanna take her to the Halloween party!"

"But Ive got plans at the weekend Jack!" Im on the phone to Jack, he wants her for a couple of days on his 'off' weekend.

"Wot plans?" He asks huffily.

I ignore his tone.
"We're going to the local farm with some of her baby and toddler group, there's pumpkin picking and a little Halloween trail, Jack you take her to all the Villa children's parties, but she'll just have to miss this one"

"I guess I'll have her bonfire night won't I?" He sounds a bit brighter.

"Yes see! There you go!"

"But I wanna see her Halloween, are ya dressing her up?"

"Yes, as a pumpkin, I'll send you photos don't worry"

There's an extra long pause.

"Can I come to this farm thing? Or like is it jus' mom's?"

I wasn't expecting that.

"Erm, no there will be some dad's there.....are you not playing?"

"Nah the Sunday, at home. So I could come. Can I?"

I freeze, none of the mums I've met know anything about Mia's dad. I always skim over the details.
I've noticed over the last few months how often I see his name online and in the press. I know anyone who knows anything about football knows who he is.

Shit.

"Chels can I come?"

"Yeah, but, can you, you know, try not to look like, well a footballer?"

"Wot?" He scoffs "wot the fuck does that mean?"

"You know what that means Jack"

***

Saturday

Jack turns into my drive and beeps his horn.

I run out to him with Mia, "nope I'm driving" I say

"Nah ya not driving me car"

"No, I'm driving my car"

"Ya wot? Why?"

"It's less conspicuous than yours! Look your car is worth more than most people's houses Jack!"

He tuts loudly. "It don' matter, whose actually gonna see me car? Are ya actually meetin' ya friends in the carpark?"

"Well no, but, please Jack?"

"Fuck sake"

"Thank you" I tell him as he gets out of the car and I check what he's wearing. He's wearing jeans that aren't even ripped, it looks like a black t-shirt under a white hoody, with a denim jacket over the top. He's wearing a black cap. No ridiculous labels or logos and he's wearing standard white Nikes.
He passes as a regular dad. He just about gets away with the double denim.

He notices me checking him out.

"Do I blend in enough?" He grins.

"Yeah without the range rover you look like you could work in a sports shop or something"

"Nah, club promoter innit?" He laughs.

He straps Mia into the carseat in my car and jumps in next to me.

My car is a ford focus, so not small, it's only 3 years old too. But Jack still looks very out of place in the passenger seat.

"Go on then, tell me wots me story?" Jack asks as we drive along.