Page 36 of Playing for Keeps

“Thanks. I’ll see how I go.” There was a thumping noise behind Char and she turned to look. “Here’s Theo,” she said.

And suddenly the screen was filled with my son’s face.

He was all clean from the bath and dressed in his Superman pajamas. My heart did a little dip because I couldn’t be there to tuck him up in bed.

I’d discussed with Jacob and some of the other guys who were dads how this part of professional rugby sucked. Being away from your family so much. Missing milestones.

“You’re all ready for bed?” I asked.

“Yup. Mummy’s going to read me at leasttwochapters of Harry Potter.”

“Wow. You’re lucky. Did you watch the game?”

“Yep. I saw Uncle Luke score a try,” Theo said.

“I know. I saw it too.”

“He’s really good.”

“Yeah, he is.”

We chatted some more, but there was a limit to how much meaningful conversation you could have with a six-year-old over FaceTime. And I knew he was eager to get to his book.

“I’ve got to go have my dinner otherwise all the food will be gone. Be good for Mum, okay?”

“Okay,” Theo agreed solemnly.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Sleep tight.”

I’d been honest when I’d said to Luke at training camp that Theo reminded me of him. The intense way he approached life sometimes, as if it were a puzzle you needed to find a solution for.

Funny how I’d ended up with a kid who was me on the outside and Luke on the inside.

I headed down to the function room, my ready-to-schmooze face on. My stomach rumbled with hunger.

Unfortunately I was right. The buffet had been cleaned out like crops devoured by locusts in the plague.

I scanned the room. Luke was tucked away at a table in one corner with Jonesy, Zach and Reuban.

I automatically headed over. The seat next to Luke was free, so I sunk into it.

“Hey, I saved you some food. They had pork bao buns, so I grabbed you a few of those.” Luke pushed a plate piled with food toward me.

I looked at the plate and a lump sprang into my throat.

“Thanks,” I croaked out.

“No worries. How’s Theo?”

“Good. Char has just started reading Harry Potter to him.”

Luke smiled. “I can’t believe he’s old enough for Harry Potter.”

“I know. It’s exciting though. Harry Potter taught me some important life lessons.”

“Oh yeah, like what?” Reuban asked.

“Like it’s all about the quality of your wand.” I gave a lewd wink and everyone at the table either snorted or groaned.