Football Crazy 4: A Point To Prove: Football Crazy, #4

By Yvonne Marrs

Justin feels like he isn't the only one with a point to prove, knowing that his brother was the best England Manager for years, if ever, and it is a waste of his talents to not be managing a team. Being one of those players who is considered beyond his playing prime days, there are many in the same boat - their clubs selling them for younger replacements, but experience and wisdom are things that cannot be bought.

 

It is a seemingly mad idea for Justin to have his own team of older players to lead to FA Cup glory. However, he lacks the necessary management training and experience - but Aiden would be a perfect candidate, if Justin can convince him to come onboard with the idea...

 

Would the idea work? An experienced older team to go from nowhere together to the ultimate final in British football?

• Language: English
• Publisher: WTSMP Publications
• Release date: Apr 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9798201674090

Yvonne Marrs

Invernesian Yvonne Marrs (1982-present day) has loved writing for as long as she can remember, moving to the London area at the age of 19 to pursue her dream of becoming a published author. Yvonne graduated from UHI (Inverness College) with an HND in Administration and Information Management, a set of skills she puts to good use to organise herself and her work - especially as she has her own publishing company, WTSMP Publications. Currently Yvonne has published several fictional series - the 'When The Sax Man Plays' series, the 'Football Crazy' series, the 'Aiden Lewis octet', 'Can't Buy Health' series and 'Undeserved'. Yvonne dreamt up the idea that formed the "When The Sax Man Plays" (WTSMP) series after falling in love with saxophone music, and being inspired by Leona Lewis' dream X Factor win. To throw an ordinary person in an ordinary job, with an extraordinary talent into superstardom is the story behind WTSMP. The central character, Jason Bottelli is such a person, although we soon discover he is far from ordinary! If you like your fiction easy going, entertaining, enthralling and heart-warming, you'll fall in love with the musical romance that is the WTSMP series. The ever popular "Football Crazy" series follows our central character, Aiden Lewis, as he rises through the football ranks. From club player to International sensation; through to his management career, leading England into the World Cup and then his brother's local team, the London Giants, from nowhere into the Premiership as the series progresses. Aiden's story continues with the 'Aiden Lewis octet', finishing with 'Undeserved'. There are standalone books as well as those in a series: 'Castiliano Vulgo' - a fictional work on 16th Century London life written using both Elizabethan English and Modern English. 'Inexorable' - a murder erotica written as part of the NaNoWriMo challenge in 2016. 'Putting the Visible into So Called Invisible Illnesses' - a work of 50 poems about living with invisible illnesses, as Yvonne does. 'Harbourtown Murder' - a murder mystery set in fictional Cornwall where a stray cat is the only witness.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Having battled for months with Leah's rehabilitation, Aiden voiced his idea. Leah loved Italy; and he was relatively unknown there (although the Italians were a great footballing nation). The warmer climate also would be more conducive to her recovery, so once she was strong enough to make the journey, he put the plan into action.

Their own secluded villa had ensured privacy, with the nearby small mountain town catering for their every need. What he hadn't accounted for was how much the journey would take out of her.

Now, he doubted his plan; he doubted the location; he doubted her strength and her diagnosis. He doubted everything.

He should be making more of an effort to take in what the medical professionals were saying to him, in their perfect if not a little clipped English. She couldn't tolerate light, of any brightness; it pierced her skull as if it were a red hot, sharp skewer. Her limbs were weak; and barely able to open her eyes for the pain.

What had he done? What was he thinking?!

Guilt ate away at him; his own selfishness: the thought of getting away, he'd let it overrun his mind. It nagged at him until he'd made the reservations; nagging until they were on that train, settled in their First Class seats, but not comfortable, not at all.

It was all his fault.

She would have recovered at home. That was the best place. They had the best surgeon in the country perform her operation, and the best after-care in the world at their disposal. And he took her away! Head in hands, he wanted to howl.

His overriding instinct was to get her home, as soon as possible. Day by day, she regained her colour, her appetite and her strength. Day by day, hints of normality returned. Why had it all gone so wrong so fast?

Her rapid, tumbling, downward spiral had been out of control. So completely out of his control. The doctor's words reached him, but he couldn't move. He could go in now.

They'd had to prise him away from her as he had carried her inside ...hours ago, days ago; he wasn't entirely sure how long he'd been sitting there, waiting and worrying, and berating himself, beside himself.

In one automatic movement, he got up, and followed the doctor to her room. The shutters closed over the windows, the light fixed so that it would remain off. Even the equipment, the monitors in the room, were all darkened, covered for her benefit.

She was doing better now. Her condition had stabilised. He was to be careful with her.

Careful? His fury rose. He was always careful with Leah... The thought came to an alarming halt. This wasn't careful, his plan. The realisation hit him like a ton of bricks, taking his breath away.

Leah. He whispered her name.

They were alone. He could hear the faint pulses of the machines around her. He couldn't touch her, unable to bring himself to disturb her.

Instead, he stood and watched her, watching her face. It was at peace. He could barely follow the rise and fall of her chest as he listened to her shallow yet easy breathing.

Her face hadn't been at peace for months. If he closed his eyes, he could picture it. It had been the day he'd left with the England team to Brazil.

He almost choked on his emotion.

This wasn't her. This wasn't how she was. His Leah was strong and sensible. Passion flashed in her eyes. Her heart beat for him, and their family.

She'd sensibly said that they would see him when they saw him; that she was just a call away; that she'd message him before the matches.

She believed in him. She believed in his tactics. She believed in his love for the game ...and for her. She believed in the sensible notion of what was meant to happen, would happen.

She'd brought order to his chaotic life when they first met. She'd turned his head when his playing career was over and his recovery reached the maximum. She'd supported his decisions, whatever they were; whatever she personally thought.

She'd fought back when she'd slipped on that wet Italian dock. Italy! Why had he taken her to the place again? It was cursed for her, no matter how much she proclaimed to love it. She'd beaten the diagnosis when they stated she'd never walk again.

When she'd needed him, he was always there. But he wasn't, not that time. When she'd collapsed, alone; he was in Brazil, thousands of miles away. He'd felt something was wrong, that was true, and he'd got her help, that also was true. But it had nearly not been enough.

Would it have been different if he had been there? He didn't know. Nobody knew. Nobody could tell him that answer.

It was the same now. Nobody could answer his questions. Why did this happen? Why had it struck her so fast, when she was doing so well before? When would he be able to take her home? When would she be herself again? Would she be herself again, ever?

She'd sensed his presence. She could sense his pain, knowing she was the cause. Her feeble voice broke through his grief-stricken guilt. Then he was there; pressing her body close to his as he sobbed over her. There was nothing she could do but to sob back.

Chapter 2

He'd known he was right to be paranoid about her waking before they had arrived home. Despite the professionals' reassurance that she had enough sedative in her blood to make her sleep for the whole day, he knew she'd waken before she was meant to.

Lee?

The whole procession stopped as he leant over her, reassuring her.

It's okay sweetheart, I'm right here.

His voice was in her ear, his breath hot on her cheek, so she knew it wasn't a trick her mind was playing. Now she could feel his hand gripping hers. The rest of the world was fuzzy - and groggy, yes, groggy was a good word for how she felt.

We're at Heathrow, Lee. We'll soon be home.

He'd been speaking to her all the time, telling her where they were, who was there and what was going on. She was now vaguely aware his voice had been a running commentary in the background.

How are you feeling? He kissed her forehead, gauging her reaction.

She wanted to answer him. She wanted to tell him how she felt. Opening her eyes showed only weird shapes and faint outlines.

Leah?

It was never good when he used her full name. She swallowed hard, feelings of despair, fear, coldness and nausea sweeping over her in one.

It's okay sweetheart, you're going to be fine. He leant over her gently, desperately wanting to sweep her into his arms and hold her tightly against his chest.

The trembling was taking over, it was through her whole body. She hated it. Squeezing her eyes closed, she willed it to go away. It took all of her strength.

Leah?

There was a desperation to his voice now. But he was far away... Too far away for her to touch him.

This, they had anticipated. They'd warned him it might happen. They'd warned him it might be too much for her.

Aiden snapped awake, his heart racing. It took several minutes for his brain to kick in and sort out the reality from the nightmare, which was no mean feat considering his reality was a nightmare. 

Leah had recovered enough to travel home. The doctors had agreed she should be sedated for the trip, as it was in her best interest. There was a risk she could have a reaction or a seizure; worse, there was a chance she might not make it.

Her own specialist was waiting for her, in a private hospital room back in London. They'd hoped she would sleep