“Getting injured and not being able to play for months?”
Mum laughed and squeezed my shoulder again. “Then take a physio with you too. And maybe a trainer.”
I groaned, wrapping my arms over my face.
“What? You need them if you’re going to keep playing these big matches. Unless you want to get injured?”
“No, of course not! I finally feel like I can play again.”
She dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “Then grab it andrun, darling. Don’t regret later, because you might not get another chance.”
They were wise words, I knew they were, and the numbers on the spreadsheet weren’t lying. Probably. Yet still I went on gnawing my lip and wasn’t sorry for the interruption when my phone rang.
“Hey, Danny,” I said, answering it after a prolonged wince at the numbers on the screen.
“Mat,” he said. “How are plans going for that US swing?”
“They’re . . . going.”
He laughed. “Better get a move on. You don’t have as long as usual.”
“Yeah, I know. We still on for Friday?”
“We are! I’m not calling to cancel, but I want to bring someone along for you to meet. His name is Tomas Cheverall. Top fifty player in his day, hasn’t coached long but he’s young and hungry and full of flare, just like you. I’ll send over his credentials, but I think he might be a good fit. At least in the short term.”
I stared unseeing at the computer screen as his meaning slowly sank in. “Is this you tendering your resignation?”
“You know I’ll always be here for you, but I can’t travel, and we both know you need someone who, uh, has more flexibility than a concrete block.”
My laugh huffed into the phone. “You don’t have to listen to Miles.”
“No, I don’t, but I’m glad you did. I don’t think he’ll thank himself for it when he next comes up against you, but that’ll be his problem, not yours.”
Never had he been more wrong.
“So, what do you say?” Danny went on when I didn’t answer. “Shall I bring Tomas to meet you?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I’ve got my eye on a couple of trainers too, though I think in the short term, taking a physio with you is more important if the finances allow. The priority is keeping yourself injury free. Everything else can come later.”
He said it like it was obvious, like whether or not I invested in myself wasn’t even a question worth asking, and somehow that helped.
“So, I’ll see you Friday, yeah?” he finished.
“Absolutely.”
Miles C
sending you some sunshine
Jerk
Damn that looks nice
I almost didn’t go to the gym this morning it was so cold
it is very nice. don’t even need a shirt
