Chapter 11

The rest of the bus trip was far less exciting. I made a quick dash to the men’s room to clean up as best as I could, and when I returned, I found Nao in my seat, leaning against the window, already snoring softly. I sat trying to watch the rest of the movie but failing miserably as my brain replayed the feeling of Nao in my arms, her breath against my neck and the sound of her voice over and over again.

The bus shuddered to a halt as we arrived back at the campus parking lot. The lights came on and people began making their way off the bus. I gently shook Nao’s shoulder.

“Hmmm?”

“We’re here. Time to get off.”

“Okay, okay.” She stretched and yawned, then looked at me expectantly. “Well?”

“‘Well’ what?”

“You’re kind of blocking the way out.”

“Oh, uh. Sorry.” I stood. She got up and bounded down the aisle. As I followed her down the stairs, I looked over her head, trying to find my parents in the crowd of supporters that had arrived ahead of the bus. After a moment I spotted them, talking to some other parents. After I grabbed my bag from the pile that had been unloaded, I headed towards them.

As I drew near, I slowed to a crawl. The short lady my mum was talking to was Mrs MacRae, Nao’s mum. So, the tall man my dad was talking to was...

“Jim!” my dad called out. “Great work, great work!” He waved me over. I trudged over, a strange feeling of foreboding growing. As I drew near, my mum threw her arm around my shoulder.

“Fantastic result, Jimmy. We’re so proud of you!” she beamed.

“Congratulations, James,” smiled Mrs MacRae. “You swim very well today.”

“Thanks,” I said, cautiously.

“You’ve definitely got some talent, James. Now I understand what Nao has been talking about the past few weeks,” Nao’s dad smiled, extending his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” He had a soft Gaelic accent, barely perceptible but for the hardness of his Rs.

I swallowed, hopefully imperceptibly, and took his hand. It was firm and dry. We shook. The thought flickered across my mind: would he be smiling if he knew where my hand had been two hours earlier?

“Nice to meet you too, sir. You must be very proud of Nao. She was awesome this weekend.”

“We are, thank you. She’s worked very hard. You all have.”

“Daddy!” Nao came running up, dropped her bag on the ground, and threw her arms around her dad’s neck. He was tall enough that she had to reach up and could still kind of hang off his shoulders. I tried to avoid staring at her bum as her sweats stretched tight across her buttocks. “I thought you were working away this week!”

“I’m leaving early tomorrow morning. I couldn’t miss your first big meet. Such a wonderful result!” he said with a laugh.

Nao released her grasp on her dad and then, as if she’d suddenly noticed I was there, grabbed me by the hand and dragged me forward.

“Daddy, this is James.”

“Yes,” he said, nodding at me with a slight smile. “We just met.”

I didn’t know what to say. I just nodded. As if sensing my embarrassment, my dad stepped forward.

“Well, we’d better get this guy home. It’s been a busy weekend and I’m sure these kids didn’t get too much sleep last night. I remember what away games were like when I was in high school.”

“Oh yes,” said Nao’s father with a laugh. “Hopefully swim meets are a little more sedate than rugby tours.” He shook hands with my dad, then turned to me. “Well, I’m not around as much as I’d like to be, but I hope to see you next time I’m back home, James.” We shook hands again, this time he stared a little deeper into my eyes. It was slightly unnerving.

“Oh ... yes. That would be great.” That would be great?!

Nao jumped in.

“You can come for dinner! Is that okay, mum?”

“Of course. You come to dinner next time Andrew is home,” Nao’s mum agreed.

“Look forward to it then. Best let you folks head off. We’d better get going too. I have an early flight tomorrow,” said Nao’s father, picking up her bag.

Nao looked at me, biting her lower lip nervously for a moment. Then she stepped forward quickly and hugged me.

“See you tomorrow. I had such a good time this weekend. Thank you,” and she kissed me softly on the cheek before turning away to follow her folks.

I stood there stunned. She’d kissed me in front of her folks. And mine.

“Earth to Jimmy. Hello? I think she broke him,” my mum giggled.

“Huh?”

“Hey, Romeo, come on,” my dad slapped me on the back. “Time to get going.”

We were given Monday off from training, and as a bonus it was a public holiday which I spent sleeping, dreamless but for glimpses of bright brown eyes beneath straight cut bangs and the feel of Nao’s warm body in my arms. I was tempted to call her, but I didn’t want to appear too desperate despite her obviously welcoming what had transpired on the bus.

It didn’t hit me until Tuesday morning at training that Nao hadn’t just kissed me in front of our parents, as demure a peck on the cheek as it was, but she had kissed me in front of our parents, our teammates, their parents, and the coaching staff.

“So, I hear you scored well in more than one way this weekend,” said Derek, leaning against my open locker with what I guess he thought of as a sly grin. It came across as more of an attempt at a leer by someone who had just had a wisdom tooth removed, but the anaesthetic hadn’t yet worn off.

“What’s wrong with your face?”

“Huh?” He was confused.

“You look like our old cat did right before she puked everywhere.”

He closed his locker door.

“Well, you look like the cat that swallowed the canary.”

“Excuse me?”

“You and Nao last night, snogging in the car park in front of everybody, her parents even. Almost enough to make me puke.”

“Uh, I think you’re exaggerating. It was ONE kiss. On the cheek.”

“Whatever. I didn’t see you putting up much of a fight.”

“Why would I want to fight her?”

“Oh, stop being so obtuse. Spill.”

“Ah, a gentleman never tells.”

“Bullshit. I told you loads about me and Sarah.”

“Yeah, but I never asked, you volunteered. Despite my protests. And you aren’t a gentleman.”

“Last I checked, you weren’t an Edwardian land holder, and this isn’t a Jane Austen novel. Oh yeah, I finished the English assignment before we left,” he said to me as I looked at him in surprise.