Legends' Lair by Joe O'Brien

Author:Joe O'Brien [Joe O'Brien]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781847179012
Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Published: 2016-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Surprise!

Charlie banged the last of the muck from his football boots and threw them into his bag. His mum and granny were out the front waiting on him. They were going to look after the shop while his dad went to watch Charlie play for his new team.

‘Are you right, Charlie?’ his mum called.

‘I’m coming, Ma,’ Charlie appeared at the front door.

Granny had a big smile on her face.

‘What’s so funny?’ Charlie closed the front door and threw his training bag over his shoulder.

‘Come on and you’ll see,’ chuckled Granny.

Charlie hadn’t seen his grandmother in such good form since Granddad’s passing.

He could see his dad peeking out the window of the shop. As soon as he spotted his family coming, he disappeared in a flash.

‘What’s Da up to? What’s going on? It’s a surprise, isn’t it?’

Mum smiled at Charlie and nodded.

‘Beast!’ said Charlie.

‘That’s a new word!’ chuckled Granny.

‘Is it new football boots?’ asked Charlie as they approached the door.

Mum shook her head. ‘You only got new boots a few months ago.’

Charlie pushed the door open with his back. He was still hounding his mum and gran to let him in on the surprise.

‘About time!’ said his dad.

Charlie spun around, ‘What’s me surprise, Da?’

Charlie noticed that the three old men that he met at Granddad’s funeral were in the shop and they were smiling and one of them was nodding toward the far wall to the side of the magazine stands.

Charlie glanced over to see what he was nodding at. The wall was covered with a sheet. ‘What’s going on?’

Charlie’s dad grabbed a hold of the sheet. ‘Are we ready?’

‘Go on, Tom’ cheered Paddy, Granddad’s old pal.

Charlie’s dad pulled the sheet down, revealing three shelves lined with Granddad’s old trophies. They were polished and gleaming, and sitting up on show for all to see. Above them hung a framed picture of Granddad and his old Ballyorchard team.

Charlie was gobsmacked and speechless.

‘Well? What d’you think, son?’

Charlie slowly walked toward the magnificent display, reading every inscription on every trophy.

‘Your granddad would be chuffed to bits, Charlie,’ said Paddy.

Charlie turned around. ‘It’s deadly. I love it.’

‘I knew you’d be happy, son,’ said his dad. ‘You didn’t want them stuck in the back.’

‘D’you think Granddad will mind?’ worried Charlie.

Charlie’s dad shook his head.

Charlie noticed that there was a small shelf beside the others, with nothing on it. ‘What’s that for?’ he asked

‘This is the best bit, Charlie’ said dad and he nodded toward Paddy. ‘Will I tell him Paddy or do you want to?’

Paddy stepped forward. He had cramp from leaning on the counter., ‘Oh, Jaysis – me hip,’ he moaned. ‘No, I’ll tell him, Tom.’

‘We’ll be here all day,’ laughed one of Granddad’s other pals.

‘The boy has a match to get to,’ joked another.

‘Okay,’ said Paddy. ‘I won’t harp on.’

Charlie sat up on a counter. He was all ears.

‘The match,’ Paddy began. ‘The one that trophy in the middle was for.’

‘Don’t be talking in riddles,’ chuckled one of the old men.

‘Will yiz let me tell him,’ snapped Paddy.

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