chapter 4

CHAPTER 4

 

A STAR IS BORN

 

As The Wanderers Team were all sat in the bar having a drink, Nathaniel Thomas the Club Chairman got up on a table to say a few words to the Players.

"Right everybody fantastic performance today and a great win, it puts us top of the table tonight with three games left to play" Nathaniel Thomas shouted out........

The local radio presenter Mathew Thomas was there reporting on the game for the local paper The Cronical, as he had often done during the summer Months and he wrote in his article for the following days issue.

The Wanderers have found themselves a new star in the name of Clinton James-Rowe or Radford as he know would like to be known as a mark of respect to his late father Wanderers player James Radford who was a star himself many years ago.

Radford came to the wicket when the score was one hundred and forty for six and was still on zero, when he was joined by Rail Patel at the fall of the ninth wicket with the score on one hundred and sixty one for nine. Clinton Radford and Rail Patel then made easy work of scoring runs, Radford himself taking Hamilton Junctions 6ft 8in West Indian Joel Henderson for twenty one in one over which included two sixes hit out of the ground and two fours that were stroked to the boundary with some class effortlessly, the two sixes being hit out of the ground by some way never before seen at the Town Oval before............

Clinton Radford stroked and smashed his way to a fine eighty four not out, he showed in glimpses some effortless grace in his shots and The wanderers ended up on two hundred and eighty one for nine in there fifty over’s, a very competitive total to say the least ..........................

This was not the end of the Clinton Radford story, with the Hamilton Junction score on ninety five for naught, Radford pulled off what only be called one of the greatest catches ever seen at the Town Oval, when he caught Hamilton Junctions opening batsman Robbie Mitchell at cover point...........

The ball was hit no further than six inches off the ground and going like a bullet to the boundary and diving to his left one handed like a salmon to pouch the catch...

Radford then came on to bowl what can only be described as mixed spin, a mixture of off-spin and the occasional leg -spin......................................

It was with his ninth that Radford had Hamilton Junction's number Three batsman bowled around his legs by a leg spinner, next to go was number four batsman who was caught off his bat and pad at short leg with a sharply spinning ball that bounced for naught, the hat trick duly came when Radford had Hamilton Junction's number six batsman bowled with a classic off spinners delivery, the ball pitching just outside off stump and bowling the batsman through the gap between bat and pad, but that was not the end as Radford picked up Hamilton Junction's number seven batsman caught a backward square leg sweeping for naught .......................
Joel Henderson came in and took twenty four off a Radford over, hitting the last four balls high over the boundary for four sixes, Hamilton Junction then put together a partnership of sixty five before the big hitting Henderson was undone by a Radford leg spinner caught at long on for fifty eight, number nine was then bowled around his legs for naught, John Gill then polished off the tail with the last three wickets to end the match with four wickets and the debutant Radford picking up six wickets and The Wanderers won by seventy two runs .......................
Unaware of the article in the following morning’s paper, Clinton, Isabella, and the rest of the team enjoyed a good night of laughter, chat and drinking.......................

Chelsea was sat with Oliver Kennedy reminiscing about their old school days; Clinton thinking all the while, how happy his mother looked tonight with Oliver Kennedy alongside her and was Oliver Kennedy his mother’s knight in shining armor, only time would tell..................................................
“Chelsea” Oliver Kennedy asked….

“Yes Oliver can I help you” replied Chelsea with a smile on her face ……

“Chelsea you know I have always had a thing about you” Oliver said with a great big smile ……

“Well, I did have a feeling you did when we were in school” Chelsea replied with some embarrassment but joy in her voice …..

“O is that right you did, did you, are you doing anything next Friday night” Oliver replied with a smile on his face knowing full well Chelsea was doing nothing ……

“Why do you ask Mr. Kennedy” asked Chelsea with a great big smile on her face knowing full well why he had asked ……

Well Chelsea, I would like to take you out for dinner if you are up for it” Oliver said with a chuckle and smiling all the while ……

“No I’m not doing anything next Friday Mr. Kennedy, but remember I am still a married woman, but yes I would love to” replied Chelsea smiling all over her face with glee ……

“Well from Monday I don’t think you will be” Oliver replied …..

“What do you mean by that” replied Chelsea ……………

“Well I have heard what has happened the last week and I have made you an appointment with a divorce lawyer by the name of Miss Heather Middleton-Roberts at J.P.O’Sullivan solicitors, I hope you don’t mind me helping” replied Oliver to this question asked of him ……

“No I don’t mind and thanks and what time Monday and next Friday” said Chelsea

“The appointment on Monday is at eleven thirty in the morning and seven thirty in the evening Friday I’ll pick you up from your parents yes” replied Oliver ……

“Great and yes from my parents’ house thanks” replied Chelsea

Chelsea just looked at Oliver in the eyes and nodded her head and carried on drinking her vodka and coke while have a great time …..

Clinton looked at her and thought he had never seen her, this happy before …..

The following morning as the Thompson family was sat at the dining room table for breakfast; Chelsea looked up at the rest of the family and then proceeded to say.

Oliver has got me in to see a divorce Lawyer tomorrow; I'm going to file for a divorce from Curtis of the grounds of battery"

"Not before time my girl" replied her mother Georgia...

"Have you got the photos of the last attack mother" asked Clinton....

"Yes I do thank you Clinton, don't worry" replied Chelsea....

"That's good Mother" replied Clinton.....

"What time is your appointment Love" Asked Georgia...

"Eleven thirty in the morning, at J.P.O'Sullivan & Co Partners in Law, with a woman by the name of Miss Heather Middleton-Roberts" Chelsea replied....

"Is Oliver going with you" Asked Clinton....

"Yes he is my dear" replied Chelsea.....

"Is this Lawyer any good" Asked Reg in a deep husky voice......

"I believe she is; she dealt with a female client of Oliver's divorce, so yes I believe she is good" replied Chelsea with a smile.....

And with that the Thompson family started to eat their breakfast before the day ahead, which for Clinton was to start with a nice surprise......

Clinton had arranged to meet Isabella in the afternoon and go for a picnic at the lakes and was getting himself ready, when there was a knock at the front door, his mother Chelsea answered it and it was Mathew Thomas the cricket correspondent for the local paper.

A voice shouted "CLINTON IT IS THAT REPORTER FROM THE LOCAL PAPER HE WANT'S TO DO AN INTERVIEW WITH YOU ABOUT YESTERDAY'S GAME IF THATS OK" Asked Chelsea .....

"OK I will be down in a moment" replied Clinton as he was looking in the mirror brushing his hair.....

"OK" Chelsea relied with a shout.....

Chelsea then turned to Matthew Thomas and said "Please do come in Mr. Thomas, Clinton will be down in a moment" with a smile....

"Thank you Mrs. James-Rowe" Matthew Thomas replied.....

Clinton finished brushing his hair and then came down the stairs from his room and into the study to me Matthew Thomas.....

Clinton then proceeded to walk over to Matthew Thomas and shook his hand...

"Hi Mr. Thomas very nice to meet you and how you doing this bright and sunshiny Sunday morning" said Clinton with some glee and joy in his voice....

"I am fine Mr. Radford or is it James-Rowe or do you mind if I call you Clinton" replied Matthew Thomas to Clinton's question.....

"Clinton will do just fine and it is Radford as from yesterday and I am a bit pushed for time I have a lunch date, so what can I do for you" replying to Matthew Thomas' question with a great big smile on his face ..

"This won't take long, just a short interview for tomorrow's edition, to go with the report on the game I have done" Matthew Thomas replied with a smile.....

"Ok what; would you like to know" Asked Clinton as they both sat down.....

"Well question one, how did you get into the game of cricket" asked Matthew Thomas....

"Well it's quite simple, it was while I was playing in the garden here at my Grandparent's" replied Clinton with a bit of a chuckle....

"Good, Good, How did you feel about you performance against Hamilton Junction on your debut on Saturday and taking on Joel Henderson" asked Matthew Thomas with some anticipation for the answer....

"Well it was very intimidating, he sure is a big guy" Clinton replied with a laugh and a smile....

"Yes, he sure is that" Matthew Thomas replied....

"But how did it feel to hit him out of the ground, not once but twice for six" asked Matthew Thomas chuckling to himself....

"What is so funny Mr. Thomas" asked Clinton.....

"Nothing" replied Matthew Thomas....

"I felt on top of the world, it felt brilliant, He is a very nice guy to" replied Clinton with a laugh and a smile on his face....

"So then what are you ambition" asked Matthew Thomas.....

"To one day play for England in the Ashes" replied Clinton

"That's some ambition, do you think you can do it" asked Matthew Thomas

"Well some of us have to have high expectations of ourselves and yes I think I can do it" Clinton replied with some joy in his voice and a big smile on his face....

"We sure do" replied Matthew Thomas with a chuckle in his voice....

"Right then Clinton, I think that's all I have and thank you for the interview" Matthew Thomas said....

"You’re welcome" replied Clinton....

With that Clinton showed Matthew Thomas to the door and shook his hand and said "Thank you"

"No thank you" replied Matthew Thomas and with that they parted ways....

Clinton shut the front door and then smiled and started thinking about the wonderful afternoon he was going to spend with Isabella the beautiful woman in his life....

That afternoon Clinton and Isabella went out for a romantic picnic at the local lake, a picnic that his mother Chelsea and his grandmother Georgia had done for him of sandwiches, cakes, some fruit and some soft drinks in a lovely new picnic basket that his grandmother had given to her for her birthday.

It was a lovely mid-August afternoon and the sun was shining brightly and Clinton and Isabella were sat eating their picnic, laughing and joking with each other, it was at this picnic that they discovered that they really were in love with each other.

Clinton and Isabella looked into each other’s eyes, with Isabella whispering to Clinton “I love you” with a great big smile on her face …..

Clinton stared back nodded his head and said “don’t you know when I hold you I feel the same, I love you to Isabella Thomas” with a great big smile on his face and his eyes glinting as he was welling up, they then came together in a passionate embrace and their lips locked together and they kissed passionately ……

As the afternoon wore on their love for each other becoming more and more evident as they held hand and kissed like a young couple in love, Clinton then turned to Isabella and said.

“Your eighteen soon aren’t you” Clinton asked with a smile on his face …..

“Yes I am on twenty sixth of September” replied Isabella with joy in her voice then asked ….

“And you are seventeen the day after why do you ask” Isabella replied …..

 

“Well I was wondering if you would like to come to Ireland for a few days, just the two of us” Clinton replied with joy in his voice and a great big smile on his face ….

Isabella then replied with a great big smile on her face “I would love to” ….

Clinton then replied “Ok I’ll get mother to book it tomorrow” smiling all over his face at the thought of spending a few days with the love of his life and the most beautiful woman in the world….

It would also give Clinton a chance to catch up with his best friend and old school friend by the name of Russ Jones, who had moved to Ireland some six months before after they had finished school, It would also give Clinton a chance to achieve one of his dreams and visit The giant’s Causeway a beautiful place that it is….

Clinton and Isabella then enjoyed the rest of their afternoon and romantic picnic, before spending the night watching a film at the cinema ……

The following day Chelsea took a visit with Oliver Kennedy to see divorce lawyer Miss Heather Middleton-Roberts about getting a divorce from Curtis James-Rowe.

Chelsea and Oliver turned up at J.P.O’Sullivan & Co partners in Law and were lead straight into the office of Miss Middleton-Roberts ….

“Hello Heather how are you doing today” asked Oliver with a brisk sharp voice ….

“Hello Oliver I’m fine thank you” replied Miss Middleton-Roberts ….

“And you must be Mrs. James-Rowe” Miss Middleton-Roberts asked turning to Chelsea ….

“Yes and it is Chelsea thanks, if you do not mind” Chelsea replied with a smile ….

“OK Chelsea it is then, please take a seat and we will have a chat and make a start on things” Miss Middleton-Roberts replied ….

“Oliver here tells me you would like a divorce from your husband” Miss Middleton-Roberts asked…..

“Yes that is correct, he has been beating me for years and my eldest boy Clinton to” replied Chelsea with anger in her voice to the question asked of her.…

“Right OK, do you have any evidence to the beatings you have had with you” asked Miss Middleton-Roberts ….

“Yes I do, I have some photos of the last attack last week, and my son took them” replied Chelsea with a quiet voice and some sorrow ….

“OK may I see them” asked Miss Middleton-Roberts ….

Chelsea then pulled a large brown envelope out of her handbag and handed it over to Miss Middleton-Rowe, her hand shaking all the while as the nerves had got to her.

“Ok, I see very nasty, well on this evidence alone I believe you have a good case for divorce on unreasonable behavior” replied Miss Middleton-Roberts ….

“Right then Chelsea, I’ll do all the paperwork this afternoon, pop it around to you for you to sign while I’m on my way home and file it with the court in the morning and we will take it from there OK” said Miss Middleton-Roberts ….

“Thanks for all your help” Chelsea replied with some relief in her voice ….

“And Oliver has already paid the bill in advance, so no need to worry about that, so see you later and we will take it from there” Miss Middleton-Roberts said ….

Chelsea turned and looked at Oliver and said “You shouldn’t have paid, mum and dad would have given me the money” with a look of shock in her face ….

Oliver then replied “It was my pleasure, if only to get you away from that beast of a man” With some anger in his voice ….

Oliver and Chelsea both got up and shook Miss Middleton-Roberts by the hand and left the office to go back to the Thompson household.

Back at the Thompson household the family was sat around the table having afternoon tea with Isabella, when Clinton turned to his mother and asked ….

“Mother please could you do me a favor and book myself and Isabella a trip to Ireland we only need a flight and transfers to Donegal as I’ll give Russ Jones a call tonight and see if we can stay with him at his parents farm while we are there”

“Yes, Ok son I will do that tonight for you over the internet, what date’s do you want and I hope you have a great time” replied Chelsea …

 

“Twenty fifth September to Twenty ninth September, so we will be away for both out birthdays” Clinton replied ….

“Ok Clinton no problem, I will do that for you, but just make sure it is Ok with Isabella’s parents” replied Chelsea ….

“It’s fine with my parent’s Mrs. James-Rowe, I have already asked them

Yesterday when Clinton asked me to go with him to Ireland” replied Isabella

With a very happy look, on her face.

“Ok no problem consider it done and don’t worry about paying for it, it is my treat and no arguments” Chelsea replied with a smile …..

It was a trip that both Isabella and Clinton would remember for the rest of their lives and Clinton would spring a big surprise on Isabella on her eighteenth birthday….