Soccer Queen
by Andrew ( anr )
Chapter 16

David turned from the door and looked at his sister. They seemed to be getting along better now that she thought of him as her sister. And he did love her; all the tormenting he had done was out of a twisted desire to show how different they were.

After hearing Coach Everrett describe all the different types of transgenderism, he thought that it may really have been envy.

****

At the Hewlett Packard offices, Andrea McCall answered the phone for what seemed like the thousandth time. The phones had been ringing all morning, giving her little time to learn the rest of her duties.

She hoped that she would be able to perform well enough in all her duties to keep this job. They needed the money, and Bob's medical care would be impossible without the insurance cover from HP.

"Hello, Hewlett Packard. May I help you ?"

"Good morning. This is the police. May I speak to Andrea McCall, please ?"

"Speaking. How may I help you ?"

"Mrs. McCall, I am Officer Hunter. I have been reviewing accident reports received over the last week. I am sorry to tell you that we made an error when dealing with your husband's accident.

"The officer on the scene saw how drunk your husband was, and placed all the blame on him. Fortunately, his partner was more observant and noted the state of the truck.

"The rods it was carrying were not secured properly. While I am sure that your husband's drunken state would have led to a crash anyway, the severity of his injuries would have been much less if the rod had not come loose.

"I apologise for not informing you of this earlier; I didn't receive the reports until this morning. There was obviously a mix-up at the scene of the accident.

"If you decide to sue the construction company, I will be happy to send the name and address of the company to your lawyer."

"Thank you for telling me this. I'll consider taking legal action against the company, but I've just moved into the area and don't have a lawyer. I'll have to engage someone if I decide to sue the company. Can my lawyer contact you at the station ?"

"Certainly, madam. I am on duty 9 to 5 Monday to Thursday and 5pm to 1am over Friday night/Saturday morning. Please tell your lawyer to contact me at any time within those hours."

****

David and Gail sat watching television until Samantha came round. She had her skating gear with her.

They went to the skating park, where they stayed until lunch time. A quick lunch at a local hamburger joint proved that fast food didn't necessarily mean good food.

David mentioned visiting their father that afternoon. Gail agreed that this would be a good idea, though Samantha could not stand the thought of seeing her friends so upset. She excused herself and returned home.

David and Gail skated to the hospital, being careful to avoid pedestrians and when crossing roads. Having seen their father put in a coma by a traffic accident, they had great respect for the dangers of roads.

They spent the afternoon holding their father's hands and talking to him. Eventually, the weeping pair were escorted out at the end of visiting hours.

For the remainder of the afternoon, they watched TV. Deciding to give their mother a treat on her first day at work, they started preparing tea at 4.30, guessing she would be home by 5.30 at the latest.

****

After the call from the police, Andrea returned to learning her duties and the routine of the office. Throughout the day, as her duties allowed, she thought about what the officer had said.

At lunch time, she had discussed the situation with her co- workers. They had all recommended that she sue. They had also provided her with a list of lawyers names.

Deciding that, since everyone gave the same advice, it might be a good idea to pursue legal action. Before her lunch-break ended she had used the public phone in the canteen to go through the list of lawyers she had been given.

The fourth name on the list was a local company calling itself Smith Whiteman. Their receptionist was very efficient when Andrea phoned and asked for an appointment.

Fortunately for Andrea, there had been a cancellation for the following day and the junior partner, Mr Whiteman, could see her at 11:30. Andrea decided that she would ask her boss if she could get an early lunch tomorrow in order to keep the appointment.

When he heard the reason for her request, he had been most agreeable. His only stipulation was that she be back at her desk in an hour.

The rest of the day was spent answering phones and becoming accustomed to her duties. The time went fast, and soon it was 5 15 and finishing time for Andrea. She handed over to her replacement, then picked up her handbag and headed for home.

She arrived home at 5.30, parking her car in the driveway. She was surprised and delighted to smell cooking when she entered the house.

"Just sit at the table, Mum," called Gail. "We've cooked tea for you, since this is your first day at work."

"Well, thank you, girls. Now what do you want, I wonder ? You normally don't do anything in the kitchen without being bribed or coerced."

"Nothing, Mum," answered David, coming up behind his mother and giving her an enormous hug. "We just thought the new working girl deserved a treat."

"Well, this is unexpected. And I am most appreciative. I've had some good news today, and this is just icing on the cake."

The children served the tea for their mother in silence. She was surprised to find it consisted of boiled potatoes, baby carrots and a mince and onion pie, which she suspected was store-bought.

After tea, Andrea sat Gail and David down and explained to them what the police had told her. She also described her co- workers attitude and advice.

When they heard that she was going to see a lawyer the next day, they were both extremely worried.

"Isn't that going to be expensive, Mum ?" David asked.

"Apparently not; I've heard that most lawyers here operate for a percentage of any award. There will be an initial fee, but I should be able to cover that from the sale of our house in Edinburgh."

They discussed the ramifications of the new information about the accident. If they won the lawsuit, they might be awarded enough money to solve any money worries for good. On the other hand if they lost, they might end up with a large award against them.

Andrea decided that they did not know enough about the American legal system, and that further discussion of the subject could wait until after she had seen the lawyer.

The doorbell rang, bringing the conversation to a halt. When David answered it, it was Samantha arriving as arranged.

David welcomed her and they walked towards his room, calling out for Gail to join them as they passed. Once the bedroom door was closed, they started chatting about what had happened that day after Samantha left them when they visited their father.

"How's your father ?"

"The same," replied David. "He's still in a coma, but his wounds appear to be healing. I don't know what he's going to do when he wakes up. Oh God, I hope he wakes up soon."

Gail hugged her brother, agreeing completely with the sentiment. "What did you do today ?" she asked Samantha to change the subject.

"Becky and I went to the mall. We didn't have any money, so we spent our time window-shopping and scoping out the boys. When dinner time arrived we headed home, and here I am."

Gail looked at Samantha slyly and asked "Were there any cute guys at the mall today ?"

"A few," Samantha replied. She returned Gail's look "We were only window-shopping today, you know."

David and Gail dissolved in giggles at her joke. While they were still laughing, Samantha flopped back on David's bed. She felt utterly relaxed and content with her new friends.

After recovering from their bout of giggles, Gail told their friend about their mother's news. When she heard what the police had to say, Samantha immediately agreed with their mother's proposed course of action.

"Sue the pants off the construction company. Even if your father was drunk, I'll bet they have been told before about improperly loaded trucks. You're bound to make a mint.

"Now, what else are we going to do tonight ? I don't feel like sitting round doing nothing all evening."

After discussing the options, they decided to have a game of football in Samantha's garden, though she insisted on calling it her 'yard'.

David immediately changed into his strip while sending Gail to her room to change. Samantha ran to her house to get her own strip.

Rotating the position of goalkeeper, they had a great time playing one-on-one. Samantha and David took the time to show Gail some moves, which improved the quality of the game as she started playing better.

By the time they were called in by their mothers, they were all hot and sweaty. Samantha called a cheerful "goodnight" as she entered her house.

Gail and David raced each other for a shower, a race Gail won because she started nearer their house. David sighed and sat down in front of the television with a cup of tea while he waited for his turn.

After his shower, David changed into his night gown. Walking into the living room, he kissed his mother and Gail goodnight.

Lying in his bed, he reflected on the events of the day. It had certainly been eventful.

First, Coach Everrett had revealed secrets from her past and offered her help and support. That meant a great deal to David, and he found that the respect he already viewed her with was changing to the kind of love he felt for his mother.

Then his mother had informed them of the phone call from the police, and the resultant appointment with a lawyer. He hoped that nothing bad came from that visit - he had little experience dealing with lawyers. He only knew that his parents had grumbled at the size of the fees charged by the lawyer dealing with the sale of their house. Samantha's confidence made him feel better, though.

Sighing at the complexity of it all, he rolled over and fell asleep.

More Soccer Queen Soon!