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She looked at her watch, silently worrying. They hadn’t texted and were a half-hour late. She knew he had training and he usually dropped Phoebe off at least an hour before. This wasn’t like Roy. He was punctual to a fault. Where were they?
Finally, she heard his car pull up and saw Phoebe open the passenger door. Her little sprite tried to zoom past her with a Hi Mummy! Need the loo!, but she didn’t fall for that. Besides, she just wanted to hug her girl, which she did first thing before Phoebe could get past her. Pulling back from their embrace, she looked down to her face. But it wasn’t her face that caught her eye. There were studs in her ears. There were no studs in her ears when she left the house that morning.
“Go ahead,” she said with a small smile, after kissing her cheek, letting Phoebe off the hook. She wasn’t the adult here. Turning around to Roy’s G-Wagon, Raina’s face turned to steel and she shot her arm out to motion for Roy to stay put. She saw him begrudgingly turn off his engine and get out of his car. Phoebe had long since disappeared to avoid being caught in the middle of a sibling battle.
Raina stormed toward the G-Wagon as he stepped out. “Oi, what the fuck, Roy?”
“Wha’?” he tried to ask innocently.
“Give me a fucking break. You know damn well what I’m talking about, you prick.”
“Language, dear sister.”
“Don’t you dear sister me. How dare you get Phoebe’s ear’s pierced without my permission.”
“Iss her body, innit?” Roy answered defensively.
“Don’t give me that bullshit either. You’re a half-hour late with no word of warning. You’re never late. I was worried sick. What in the hell possessed you to randomly take MY daughter to get her ears pierced?”
“Listen, I’ve got training and I’m gonna be late. We’ll talk about this later.” Roy started to back up.
Raina grabbed his arm roughly. “Oh, no you don’t. Don’t try to wriggle your way out of this, you worm. To hell with your training. You know you’re on your last legs anyway.” She spat back a direct hit with that last comment.
“Fucking hell, don’t be such a shit,” Roy replied angrily. That had obviously touched a nerve.
“I was worried, Roy. Now I see Phoebe with her ears pierced. You had no right!” Raina stomped her foot at her exclamation. “She is my daughter! Explain yourself, now.”
She was not kidding around. She and Roy argued plenty but it was usually just the combative sibling stuff, a cover for the deep respect and love they had for each other. Each would deny it, and few would guess it upon first seeing them together, but these siblings were incredibly loyal.
Roy took a deep breath. He knew he wouldn’t get out of this and was simply avoiding the inevitable. He gave up trying to argue with her. “Right. Fuck. Just… before you hear this, just… know that it’s all my fault. Got it?”
“Got it, Captain Obvious. Spill.”
“After Phoebe was done dance lessons I took her to a friend’s house instead of driving back to mine. It’s on the way here.”
“A friend?” Raina’s eyebrows shot up. “I see. Is it that Keeley woman Phoebe mentioned?”
“Yeah. She was there once before. They get on, alright? She’s happy there.”
“Right. So, she’s at your latest conquest’s house. Someone I’ve never met and only heard about through Phoebe. Continue.”
“Don’t go high and mighty with me. Keeley’s not some latest conquest.”
“Good to know, Romeo. Whatever. Continue.”
“Fine. Phoebe had some juice and was colouring when Keeley got a phone call and I was checking my texts and there was an old match of mine on the tele, a big one where we’d won, and I got distracted. It was fucking stupid, I’m an idiot so you don’t need to fucking say anything.”
“Like I won’t take every opportunity to point out when you’re a fucking knob head with a massive ego. Keep going, Roy.” She had no idea how this would lead to ears being pierced but Roy was beating around the bush. Not his usual habit.
“Fair enough,” Roy agreed. This surprised her. He was being far too amenable.
“And?”
“Phoebe decided to snoop around. She went upstairs.”
“Did she now? Did she admit she was snooping around or are you trying to use her to get out of trouble?”
“You think I’d fucking throw Phoebe under the bus?”
“To get out of the doghouse with me, yeah, I think you would.”
“Shit, Raina, I’m not that gutless.”
“Spit it out, Roy.”
“She snooped in Keeley’s bedroom. I didn’t notice until Keeley got off the phone. She asked if Phoebe was in the loo. We checked, she wasn’t.”
“How could both of you have missed that?” she asked incredulously.
Roy stopped, bit his bottom lip hard and looked away.
“Roy! What the fuck happened?” Raina smacked his arm smartly.
“We went up the stairs and about half-way I heard a buzzing.”
“An electric razor?” Raina asked, bewildered.
“No.” He stopped talking again and Raina stared at him, bug-eyed. She’d had enough of needing to prompt him.
Roy finally took a deep breath and admitted, “She was playing with a vibrator, rolling it over her arm.”
Raina’s mouth dropped open. She tried to speak a couple of times but words didn’t come out. Finally, she managed, “Oh.”
“How was I to know she’d go sneaking in Keeley’s bedroom?” Roy say defensively. This ticked his sister off.
“What the fuck was your friend thinking having that around? Who does that with a child in the house?”
“She’s a single woman. I showed up with five minutes warning. She doesn’t regularly entertain children, your majesty,” Roy snarked. “It’s her business what she has in her room.”
“But so easy to find? Come on!”
“Like you don’t have one stashed in your bedside table.”
“Gross, Roy. Don’t go there. You’re my bloody brother.”
“Grow up. You’re a bloody doctor.”
“Don’t try to put me on the defensive. You’re the one who’s knee deep in shit. What did you do?”
“Honestly, I froze. Didn’t know what to do. Keeley started talking. Said we were scared she’d disappeared and that I had a surprise for her. She calmly asked Phoebe to hand back her neck massager. Then turned to me and asked what was the big surprise I had for Phoebe? I caught on, thank fuck. Only thing I could think of on the spot was getting her ears pierced. I knew you’d been delaying and she was going mental about it. It just came out.”
“Right.” Raina finally understood.
“Her eyes lit up like it she got Christmas morning and her birthday all at once. Completely erased the memory of what she was doing.”
Raina growled quietly under her breath as she pondered the full story.
“Can I go to training now?” Roy asked hopefully, like a child trying to get out from his parent’s critical eyes.
“No. Not yet. You’ll have to repay me. I was saving the ear piercing for a special occasion, a mother-daughter event for her seventh birthday.” Raina stopped talking for a moment and swallowed hard and bit down on her lower lip. She was surprised at how suddenly she got emotional, but she’d missed a few important moments with Phoebe over the years due to studying and work, so it stung. Phoebe had so desperately wanted her ears pierced and Raina had planned to share that moment with her. She turned away from Roy so he wouldn’t see her eyes get glassy. She acted as if she was checking to see if Phoebe was watching from the door or a window.
“I’m sorry, Raina.” Roy caught on quickly. He knew her well enough to figure out her act. They were very much alike, avoiding anyone seeing them hurt. “Didn’t mean to take an important moment from you. Was a spur of the moment idea. I needed a big distraction.”
“I get it,” Raina answered, turning back around after blinking away the tears enough to save her pride. “It just sucks for me, doesn’t it? Another missed moment. So, I’ll want some kind of repayment.
“Wha’ever you want.”
“Careful how open-ended you make those offers, Roy,” she chuckled for the first time since seeing him in her driveway. She breathed in and swallowed down the hurt. “Right. I’d like you to cook for me and Phoebe this week.”
“Tha’s it? I can do that.” Roy looked surprised at getting off so easy but then clued in. “Wha’s the catch?”
“This woman… this… Keeley – I want to meet her. I want her at dinner too.”
“Fuuucking hell.” Roy rolled his eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“What? If you bring my daughter to some floozy’s house, I deserve to see if she’s appropriate.” Raina stood particularly tall waiting for his clapback.
“Watch your fucking mouth, Raina. She’s not a fucking floozy. Who the fuck even uses that word, anymore? Fucking sexist bullshit.”
“It worked. You’re such an easy target - just wanted to see your reaction. Got your hackles up about this woman – a new thing for the great Roy Kent.” Raina chuckled. “Bringing Phoebe to a girlfriend’s house? Defending a woman’s honour to your sister? What’s gotten into you?”
“Iss different with Keeley, alright? So, don’t be bitchy. If you’re still angry, take it out on me. T’s my fault.”
“Do I get her full name? I don’t suppose I know her, do I?”
“Keeley Jones is her full name.”
Raina raised one eyebrow in surprise. “A fucking Page Three Insta-star? A professional model / WAG? And it’s not a one-night stand? I thought you hated getting mixed up with celebrity-obsessed women. Are you mental? Didn’t you just lose a Rolex to one of those?”
“She’s not like that but, yeah, she’s dated footballers. We’ve been dating for a month and a half. Have you seen anything about us in the rags?”
“No, but maybe you’ve learned your lesson.”
“She’s not like that. Not with me. It’s different. She’s a good person.”
“Not with you. I see,” Raina answered, her lips pursed, unconvinced.
“You will see, won’t you?” Roy answered firmly, and Raina noticed his posture was in prime Captain Midfielder stance. She huffed at him. Her brother was still a horny footballer even after all this time.
“Be polite to her, please. Don’t be a prick,” Roy said in a softer tone that told Raina he wasn’t fooling around.
“I’ll be polite, Roy. But if you’re taking my daughter to a woman’s house, I have the right to meet her. I expect a roast chicken dinner on Thursday for the four of us. Now go to training. I’m sure you’ll be able to think of some excuse for being late.”
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Raina made sure she was super early for their little dinner party. Truth be told, she was rudely early, but she felt that didn’t count when visiting one’s own brother who was providing payback for his fuck-up. She wanted to make sure she was there before this new girlfriend. She didn’t want them arranging anything in advance – not that she didn’t expect them to have discussed things beforehand, but she wanted to establish her hierarchy in this situation.
She was happy she had been early as Keeley arrived about a half-hour earlier than expected.
“Hey babe, I think this is a record,” Roy remarked before thinking, as he greeted the new woman in his life with a chaste peck on the cheek.
Keeley seemed amused by Roy’s restraint in front of his sister, and couldn’t resist grabbing his hand and staying close to him as she responded with a shrug, unperturbed about being caught out. “Iss not every day I get to meet family members!”
“Keeley!” Phoebe ran to her and was swept into a loving hug.
“Phoebe!” Keeley replied, just as excitedly to the little girl. “How’s it going at school this week? Still smashing it?”
“Naturally.” Phoebe was transfixed by her grown-up friend in the furry purple jacket.
“Love that confidence! Keep it up! What a super cute outfit, yeah?!” Keeley kneeled down and had a few more animated words with Phoebe before standing again and removing her jacket, chatting with Roy.
Raina stood back and watched the greetings unfold, cautiously surveying each interaction. Keeley seemed genuinely interested in Phoebe and happy to see her. Phoebe had stars in her eyes, though she couldn’t find fault with that. Keeley was a bubbly grown-up, someone who appeared to be the exact opposite of Roy’s outward disposition. She was closer to Roy’s age than her daughter’s, so that was a relief, though Roy was never one to rob the cradle. Keeley seemed tickled with Roy’s behaviour, and while he’d never purposely brought a girlfriend for family introductions, there had been a few she’d met over the years and they were either slightly intimidated by him or bored with the domesticity of his private life.
“And you must be Raina! Pleasure to meet you. I’d like to say Roy has told me lots about you but tha’d be a lie. I’ve learned a bit from Phoebe though, and I’m really thrilled to get a chance to be here with you both tonight, yeah?” Keeley was full of enthusiasm and good graces.
“Thank you. Yes, as you can imagine Phoebe has mentioned you quite a bit but I haven’t heard much from that one about you, either.” Raina nodded toward Roy and answered politely and truthfully, if not warmly. She shook Keeley’s hand. “Lovely to meet you,”
“Oi, I’m standing right here,” Roy interjected, his eyebrow raised, affronted.
“That you are,” Raina answered coolly.
“Babe, we’re teasing. You know getting information out of you is like running an obstacle course. Thought you were proud of that, yeah?” Keeley smiled and bumped his shoulder playfully.
“Hmmm,” Roy grunted, not sure if them agreeing was a good or bad thing at this point.
Roy guided them into the kitchen area to pour Keeley a glass of wine and refill Raina’s. After some polite small talk about the workday, Phoebe told a story about a schoolmate’s pet toad, and then, out of nowhere, added excitedly to her mum, “Do you know that Keeley and Uncle Roy each held my hand when I got my ears pierced? It was great to have one person for each hand.”
“Did they? That’s so lovely,” Raina smiled at her daughter and swallowed hard again. While Phoebe didn’t mean to, this only reminded Raina that she was a single mum and even if she had been there with Phoebe, there would only ever be one of her. She wished Phoebe had two supportive parents but her fucking sperm donor was a selfish prick.
Knowing it was a touchy subject, Roy decided he’d move on. “Oi, I’ve got the roast chicken in, but as you lot arrived early I hadn’t the chance to finish the sides. Need to get this done or we’ll be waiting all night and the chicken might dry out. Wouldn’t want that.”
Keeley beamed at him as he talked about his cooking. And Raina was taken aback. This one – was she for real? Maybe there wasn’t much in that pretty head of hers. She didn’t like to prejudge, but the dildo, the fluffy, girlish clothes, and frankly, the adoring eyes on her brother, gave off an air of immaturity. Keeley seemed very kind but what did she see in Roy? And what did he see in her?
“Why don’t you let Phoebe help you, as long as she swears to be very responsible around the stove,” Raina suggested, wanting to have Keeley to herself to properly size her up.
“Yes, please, Uncle Roy. I’ll be good, I promise!” Phoebe’s eyes were as wide as saucers. She worshipped Roy’s every move, and of course, he was even more revered lately as he was responsible for granting a wish come true.
Roy gave his sister a killer look, knowing what she was up to, but acquiesced as per usual with Phoebe. “Alright, you little idiot. Come on. We need to mash the potatoes and make some salad.”
“Keeley, why don’t we let them be. They’ll get distracted otherwise. Come to the living room,” Raina made it seem like a suggestion but it was one Keeley couldn’t refuse.
Once out of earshot, Keeley began chitchatting. “I think it’s amazing you’re a doctor. Really impressive. Your parents must be proud with the two of you being so successful, yeah?”
“It’s a lot easier when you have an older brother earning enough money at 19 to send you to a private school and top university.” It was Raina’s first positive acknowledgment of Roy in days.
“Yeah, but still. You could’ve blown it off for that very reason. I know loads of people who would’ve lived off their brother’s fame. You had to stay focused, and had to buckle down to study. That’s commendable.”
Raina just shrugged her shoulders, unimpressed by what she saw as pandering. “It was my passion and I had the opportunity. There was no way I’d give up on that.”
“Iss a great attitude. Always important to seize an opportunity, yeah?” Keeley agreed, but Raina immediately viewed that comment suspiciously and didn’t respond further.
Sitting down, Raina noticed Keeley take a deep breath. “Raina, I want to apologize for the… mishap at my place. I should’ve shut my door and told Phoebe my room was off limits. I just got a call unexpectedly from my mum and well, she can be a bit demanding.”
“Mum’s are like that.” Raina could relate. “Besides, it’s not your fault. All the blame is on Roy. He was her caregiver. He showed up at your place without much warning as I understand it. You couldn’t plan for that. “
“I just don’t want to it to seem like I’m letting him take the blame for me. It was my place. It was my … neck massager,” Keeley said, using air quotes.
Raina had to chuckle at that and softened a little. “My daughter should not be snooping in bedside tables. If I wasn’t avoiding bringing it up, I would have given her a talking to.”
“Was actually on my bed,” Keeley answered sheepishly.
“Oh,” Raina began and then had a thought, “Oh!”
Keeley looked at her with frightened eyes. “No! Oh no! It wasn’t in use! Honestly, I hadn’t used it in about a month and a half, probably a record, yeah? I’d taken it out as I was getting something in the drawer, and turned it on and noticed the batteries were dying. So, I changed them. Gave it a tune-up, yeah? Like brand new.”
Raina laughed again. This woman did not hide anything, she couldn’t help but admire that. However, she also didn’t hide anything… and Raina could guess why Keeley hadn’t needed a battery-operated boyfriend for a month and a half. She wasn’t a prude but she often had to live with her brother’s sexual prowess being the stuff of tabloid fodder, she didn’t need to be accidentally reminded about it in casual conversation.
She brushed aside Keeley’s concerns. “Not important. Like I said, if we didn’t want her to just forget about it, I’d be admonishing her for invading people’s privacy. Roy should’ve been keeping an eye on her. It was his responsibility.”
Keeley nodded and added, “Better than when I was her age and walked in on my parents shagging.”
“Oh, no!” Raina was genuinely horrified for Keeley.
“Yeah, and the kicker was, that was after my dad had already left my mum for another woman. Thought it meant they were back together. It didn’t.” Keeley paused and shrugged. “Fucked me up for a while.”
Raina wasn’t sure how to react but simply said, “Oh, I imagine it did. We’ll try to avoid that, as well as vibrators, shall we?”
“Good plan.” Keeley smiled.
“I did want to compliment you for handling things so smoothly. You had a quick mind when my darling brother was drawing a blank.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it. Loads of experience making excuses to my parents as a teen, yeah?” Keeley laughed but slowly stopped when she noticed Raina hardly joined in.
Raina knew she wasn’t being the friendliest but believed Keeley could handle it, after all, she was dating Roy. “Now that I have you alone, I suppose I should find out some things that Roy neglected to tell me. How long have two been seeing each other?
“I guess it’s about six weeks, give or take a few days.”
“And how did you meet?”
“Well, I knew of Roy, o’course. Plus, I ran in some of the same circles with him. But earlier this year, I was actually dating his teammate.” Keeley looked a bit uncomfortable explaining this to Raina. It certainly wouldn’t improve her opinion of Keeley.
“Ah.”
“I suppose you’re judging me. Going from one footballer to another,” Keeley countered honestly.
Raina was honest right back. “I suppose I am… or at least judging Roy. He doesn’t have the best track record with women. If you’ve run in the same circles you know that. Hell, if you read the headlines in the rags you’d know that. So, forgive me if I’m a little nervous about him taking my daughter to your house. The last woman he dated stole his-“
“Rolex for drug money. Yeah, I know. Teased him about that. I’m gonna assume he never introduced her to Phoebe.”
“Correct. I never met the woman nor knew her name until it was splashed across The Sun. So, that’s what I’m dealing with.”
“I get it. I don’t expect you to have the best opinion of me right away. I know I live up to a few stereotypes, but honestly? All that should matter is that I care about Roy. I know it’s early and you may not believe me, but I do. I really do.”
“Good. Glad to hear it.” But not wanting to be a hypocrite she added, “Listen, he’d be the first one to point out that I shouldn’t be one to judge. I’m the one with the six-year old whose father is a shithead.”
“We all make bad decisions, yeah? I’ve made plenty in my dating life.”
“What makes you think you’re not making one right now?” Raina loved her brother but knew he would be difficult to date. However, she also knew if you got past the surface, he could be wonderful to someone he cared about. She supposed her question was a bit of a test.
Keeley’s body language was immediately defensive. It didn’t happen often and it wasn’t for herself, but on Roy’s behalf. It was obvious this comment, from Roy’s own sister, was not sitting with her well. Her voice was clear and precise.
“Cause underneath his toughness, he’s kind. ‘Cause he wanted to take things slow. ‘Cause I knew enough about ‘im before anything happened between us. ‘Cause he expected better of me after I’d hurt his feelings when we were just friends. He made me feel accountable and I liked that someone cared enough to have those high expectations of me.”
This heartfelt plea softened Raina. Keeley already seemed to see through Roy’s shell, to see who he truly was, rather than what he tried to show to the world. “Roy does have a deep sense of right and wrong. He must have liked you from the start for him to get upset about your treatment of him.”
“I dunno. You’d have to ask him, but we were getting along at that point and I did something stupid and rash. Didn’t think about the consequences. He called me on it and I apologized but I appreciated that he did that. Even now, I don’t think he realizes the impact it had on me.”
Raina nodded her understanding, but looked hard at Keeley to see if this was all a show for her sake. However, she only saw genuine emotions in Keeley’s eyes: regret at hurting Roy for whatever it was she did, and appreciation for him being a man who held her in high enough esteem to expect more from her.
This woman before her was more than met the eye and Raina felt she’d underestimated her based on Roy’s past rather than giving her a fair shot. Perhaps she was what Roy needed. They obviously both had a lot of history to overcome but Keeley seemed to have grasped Roy’s inner goodness. There weren’t many people who got that. She was still suspicious though; her brother, as difficult as he may be, was a “catch”. And while someone may be able to figure out Roy’s armour was a defense mechanism, it didn’t mean Roy was going to let them in. She wouldn’t criticize nor would she get her hopes up, but at least she would be comfortable if Phoebe was once again brought to Keeley’s home.
Roy entered the living room with Raina’s girl in toe and gave each of the women a harsh look. “Oi, you lot got me all figured out? Not sure I should trust the two of you alone yet.”
“Your sister’s giving me all your dirty little secrets!” Her eyes full of mischief, Keeley laughed and winked at him, getting up to give him a quick squeeze. She looked from Roy to Phoebe and added, “How goes the cooking you two? Smells fantastic.”
“Just about ready. About to make the gravy. Phoebe's going to join you two for the last of it, if you don’t mind. She’s been careful, but I 'ave finishing touches and I don’t want her to know my real secrets yet.” Roy winked and the ladies understood, welcoming Phoebe and letting Roy get some time-sensitive steps finished before they could all enjoy his culinary talents.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dinner was less tense than Raina and Keeley’s earlier conversation. Delicious food and wine, combined with Phoebe’s presence, seemed to lighten the mood. Roy was cautious at first but he was obviously smitten with his girlfriend and had a hard time remaining his usual cranky self. He doted on Keeley and Phoebe, and even Raina, making up for his error and for taking away her moment with Phoebe.
After a few glasses of wine, Keeley finally asked what had been on the tip of her tongue for most of the evening. “So, Roy and Raina. I’m gonna assume those names are not coincidences? Wha’s the story?”
Genetics came into play at the moment as both siblings rolled their eyes and looked away in the exact same manner. Keeley laughed.
Raina looked to Roy with a smirk. “She noticed. She hadn’t asked you yet?”
“Noticed her side-eyeing me a couple of times when I mentioned you, but she’d never questioned it.” Roy shrugged his shoulders.
The two had never seemed more like brother and sister. It always happened when this observation was made.
“She’s your girlfriend, you can explain this time.”
“Right,” Roy began, looking unimpressed. “My mum picked the names. My dad wasn’t one who noticed that kind of shit and had no idea until it was too late. She’d pulled the wool over his eyes, apparently. He’d refused other names so he was stuck with these. Now it just always reminds him that his wife tricked him. Never lets her forget.”
“Wha’s the big deal?” Keeley asked, confused.
Raina sighed. “Roy never tells the whole story. Our mum loves the monarchy, like, ridiculously so. She loves all the pomp and circumstance and tradition. Has all the commemorative teacups too. Our dad is the opposite – thinks the Royal Family is a waste of money and that they’re useless pieces of … well, you know.”
Raina glanced at Keeley. She may have sworn like a longshoreman when arguing alone with her brother but she'd learned to keep her language in check, especially in front of her daughter. “Right. When Roy was born, Mum wanted to name him Charles. Yes, Charles. The future king. Dad, knowing exactly why she wanted that name, thankfully refused, and after they discussed several options, Roy was chosen – a good, hearty working class man’s name, right? There was a strong, young lad that worked with Dad named Roy. So, that’s what my dad thought of it, never really thinking of the actual origin of the name.”
“I think it fits,” Keeley gave a flirty glance over to the man in question. Raina noted that Roy gave Keeley a side-eye, but she could tell he ate up any compliment his perky girlfriend gave to him.
“And then? What about you?” Keeley pushed on.
“By that time I was born, Mum knew better. So, she suggested the usual: Victoria, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and then Raina and Terry. You know he wouldn’t go for the royal names and he knew Terry was her ex-boyfriend’s name, so that was also a no-go. He casually asked about Raina and she told him she’d read it in a book and thought it was pretty. He agreed. Didn’t think about it again until Roy’s seventh birthday when our Aunt shouted out for the King and Queen to get their photo taken and the women all laughed. Later he asked Mum what the joke was and she admitted the truth. He near had a fit.”
“To be fair, Mum kind of made him feel like an idiot,” Roy piped in.
“True,” Raina conceded. “But it was vague enough that people don’t always clue in, like him. And we weren’t that close in age so there wasn’t a connection.”
“Most of all, he didn’t like that he was fooled by her to get her way,” Roy summarized.
Phoebe couldn’t help but giggle. “But Nana was smart to get what she wanted.”
“Wasn’t she?” Keeley turned to Phoebe. “Your Nana sounds brilliant. We know where your mum gets it now!”
They shared a laugh and a few conspiratorial giggles and Raina couldn’t help but be charmed at Keeley’s natural kindness and inclusion of Phoebe. She then looked over to her brother and caught him transfixed by the two. The look on his face staggered her. It was raw, exposed adoration. She hadn’t seen his guard let down that far since he was a boy.
Keeley obviously had some kind of mystical power. She was well on her way to taming the beast. Raina just hoped it was magic pixie dust in Keeley’s bag of tricks rather than a poisoned apple. Was she truly worthy of this tough man with the soft heart? Raina hoped so, for all of their sakes. At this point of his life and career, she didn’t know if her brother would survive should he also end up with a broken heart.
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A week later…
He was not getting up. Roy was injured. He was magnificent for a moment, a glimpse of his heyday in front of the Richmond crowd as a swan song, a last hurrah before crumpling to the ground.
Phoebe and Raina held hands tightly as they watched him writhe in agony. The crowd, bless them, started to cheer him on. That damned vulgar cheer that Roy secretly loved, that Raina secretly loved as well, and the tears flowed down her cheeks unfettered. She was devastated for him and so proud of him and no one knew how much it was killing him inside as much as she knew right then.
She waited until after the game to text him, to see what she could do. She was a doctor, after all. He told her to go home and he’d be in touch when he knew more. He said he was being well looked after and that he was going to her hospital for X-Rays and tests and to see the specialist. The team had taken care of the details.
Like hell she wouldn’t see him. It wasn’t just about her being a doctor. Raina dropped Phoebe at a friend’s house and headed straight to the hospital. She knew exactly where to find him and she raced through the hallway, knowing he’d need someone who understood, knowing he’d be stoic and tense and that rigidness wouldn’t help a body in pain. And should he blow, should he finally let the physical and mental pain out, he would be full of festering anger and bitterness, and that, sure as hell, wouldn’t help the nurses and doctors caring for him, nor would it make him any new fans in the treatment area.
Raina inhaled deeply before walking around the corner where the X-Ray waiting room was in site. She scoured the room to find Roy and stopped in her tracks. Keeley was with him. She was holding his hand, stroking his cheek, an expression of pure kindness and love on her face. She made him smile through his pain and sadness. She whispered something in his ear and he even chuckled, but suddenly clenched his teeth and grabbed his leg. Moving to help readjust him, she then held him a moment and looked directly in his eyes and a shocked Raina saw Keeley wipe Roy’s tears away before she kissed his lips tenderly. He returned the favour, wiping wetness off her face as well and held her gaze as his face relaxed again.
Raina watched the scene in awe. Roy had let someone see him cry. Roy had let someone dry his tears. Roy had someone he trusted, someone who understood him and who wanted to be there at his darkest hour, when his soul was blackest and his heart was crushed. He would be okay. They would be okay. She was worthy.