Page 9 of Playing the Game

They all sniggered.

“I don’t care really,” he added. “As long as he’s healthy. That’s all that matters.”

Goran’s son, Petar, had come into the world early and given everyone a scare. Now he was a bouncing three-month-old baby who was the apple of his father’s eye.

“You’ll have to bring him in,” Colin, the youngest player in the squad said. “He’s well cute.”

Goran and his soap star wife, Paloma, had held a summer party to introduce everyone to their new child. Paloma had made sure every player held the baby. Poor Colin had been sweating the whole time.

She’d made headlines for not having a nanny while she was on maternity leave. The media had accused her of being performative. Paloma simply loved being a parent. So did Goran. Adam had never seen his friend so happy.

Ewen stood. “Aren’t we going to talk about the fact we’re meeting our new colleagues today?”

He went to the mirror. Ewen had famous hair the press always commented on. His centre parting framed his handsome face perfectly.

Slowly he put a hair band in place. Whilst he never shied away from getting into the action, Ewen made it clear that didn’t have to result in a ruined hairstyle.

“Don’t worry,” Adam said. “They’ll think you’re gorgeous.”

“Who doesn’t?” Ewen replied.

Adam threw a balled-up sock at Ewen. It bounced off his head.

“Hey,” Ewen snarled. “Anywhere but the head.”

Edi, the other baby of the team, came through from the showers. He sat opposite Adam, seemingly preoccupied with something. Having lived his life in Kenya, Edi was still adapting to living in England.

“What’s up?” Adam asked.

Adam took his squad’s welfare seriously. His position created a buffer zone between the team and the management.

“Nothing,” Edi said.

Adam frowned. “There’s something wrong with you, so out with it.”

“Don’t jump down my throat,” he began. “My father says I shouldn’t have to play with people like…”

“Like what?” Ewen said, scowling.

Adam held his hand up. “Let him speak. Go on, Edi.”

“Gay,” he said quietly.

All eyes were on Udo. Adam had had enough of this last season. Of course, they would still be under scrutiny. Yet he’d expected the locker room would return to being a safe space for anyone.

“Right,” he said, walking into the middle of the room.

The team went silent.

“This is a one-time speech, okay? I know that it was a shock when we found out about Udo and Steven.”

Udo dropped his head.

“I think we went through enough shit last season. This is a new start. Certain people have gone and I’m not having any more division.”

He focused on Edi. “I understand what you’re saying but you should have come to me in private. How do you think Udo feels hearing that?”

Edi had the good grace to look embarrassed. “Udo, I’m sorry. I keep forgetting you’re gay.”