Page 166 of Playing By Ear

“I wish there was something interesting to describe here before the match,” John said to Perry once they and Ben had taken their places on the rickety stand beside the Stirling Hill Spurs’ pitch. “It’s your basic low-level football venue. Grass instead of turf, which is nice for the players’ joints but looks like hell after yesterday’s rain.”

“There are some low mountains in the distance,” Ben said to Perry’s right. “Though we won’t see them long if those clouds roll in.”

Brodie and Andrew soon arrived with the rest of the Rainbow Regiment, who had all ridden in the hired coach for the forty-five-minute trip from Glasgow.

Brodie, who once again sat behind Perry to his right, introduced him to his uni mate Lorna. “She’s the one who brought me to my first Warriors match.”

“Well done,” Perry told her as they shook hands.

“I was there,” she said, “when Brodie and Duncan originally became the world’s cutest couple.”

“Oi,” said a male voice beside her. “That’s not us, then?”

“The world’s cutest couple at the time,” she said. “Everyone, this is Russell.”

“Hey-oh,” Russell said. “I’m bisexual.”

“Oh, lovely,” John said with a laugh. “Welcome.”

“Russ, I told you,” Lorna said, “you’ve no need to prove your queer credentials here. The Rainbow Regiment welcome all sorts, including allies like me.”

“Just being straightforward,” Russell said. “Or bi-forward,” he added, to the amusement/cringing of all.

Brodie touched Perry’s shoulder. “How’s our Jamie? With his dad, I mean.”

“As well as can be expected. He’s putting on a brave face, but caring for his father has run him ragged.”

“He’s such a good man,” Andrew said. “It’s hard to believe—” He cut himself off. “Anyway, he’s a good man.”

Perhaps Andrew had put two and two together after the bombshell news of Martin’s terminal illness had broken over Glasgow. Police Scotland were on high alert for violence arising from any power struggle amongst Martin’s family, allies, and enemies.

Perry wondered which other friends had made the connection. They’d known for weeks that Jamie’s father had brain cancer, and they could no doubt see the family resemblance in photos online. Then again, most people probably didn’t pay enough attention to local news to make the connection. They wouldn’t figure it out until Martin died.

The game got underway, and it was soon apparent that the Warriors’ intensity had dropped not a whit. Within five minutes, they’d scored their first goal.

“Yaaaaaasss!” Though Perry couldn’t see the play, he cheered as loudly as those who’d witnessed every millisecond.

John touched his arm. “Colin scored an absolute screamer from outside the box. Thirty yards, at least.”

“Took everyone by surprise,” Ben added, “including us.”

When things had quieted a fraction, Perry dictated a match update to Jamie and sent it off. A minute later, his phone announced the reply: “Exploding-head emoji, red-double-exclamation-mark emoji.”

Under the Regiment’s excited chatter about the goal, Brodie said something about vision-impaired, no doubt to explain Perry’s use of his phone’s VoiceOver function.

Others’ curiosity no longer bothered Perry. But the response from Lorna’s boyfriend, Russell, chilled his blood:

“Feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”

That could’ve meant anything. Perry’s difference made him memorable.

The clouds must have thinned then, for the sunlight suddenly brightened. Perry put on his sunglasses.

“Oh my God,” Russell said. He and Lorna whispered words Perry couldn’t decipher.

Then Lorna exclaimed, “Wait, you watch those things?”

Perry’s breath stopped.