little ficlet
Title: Planning for the Future
disclaimer: All made up
Summary: John has the future planned out. Random thing i wrote while trying to take my mind of flying the other week.
“Right so Georgie’s gonna lead England to win the world cup, marry Isla and then produce many footballing offspring?”
“Yeah and then Luna’s gonna be the first intelligent fashion model with her own clothes line and perfume and everything”
“Right…so what about Summer?”
“Summer’s gonna settle down, with a nice family in a big house in the country”
“Isn’t that a bit…mundane?”
“Well she will be an astronaut on the side, of course!”
“Of course! Silly me for asking, first person on mars I suppose”
“Yup”
They went back to watching the kids, who had now moved on from making castles in the sandpit, to trying to dress up one of Frank's dogs by chasing it around with a rather flattering dress and straw bonnet, flattening the flowerbeds in the process.
“And what will become of us then?”
“Well I’ll be the world’s oldest footballer, and still be on the Chelsea and England starting eleven ‘til I’m 56, lifting the world cup at 37, 45 and 53.”
“Really? And me?”
“You? Well you'll retire mid-thirties, put on a bit of weight and epitomise your nickname, "Fat Lamppost" and become a has-been, trying to scrape onto low budget, cable sports shows, occasionally being asked onto a question of sport or match of the day as a desperate last minute appointment."
"Thanks..."
"Sorry mate, the future is not in my hands"
"Hm but what about US us?"
"Eh?"
"As in like you and me"
"Oh right. Well... of course when Elen notices your weight gain, she'll leave you for a man half your age and half your clothes size. Then you'll dispair and spend your days faffing round not knowing what to do"
"Great can't wait"
"Aha but that's when I swoop in, rescue you and offer you residence at my mansion, we'll live a pleasant life and, being the decent gentleman I am, I will see through the layers of flabber and still love you for the man underneath and we'll still manage to sneak around when the wife's out.”
"Oh how galliant of you"
"Aye, but I will still drop hints of diet tips 'cos I mean c'mon there's only so much one can handle. But anyway football and you will wear me out and so Toni'll get fed up and leave me for a younger more energetic man in the bedroom, which leaves us together to live together. On the outside it'll just look like two mates who moved in together to keep each other company after the departure of their wives. But we'll both know otherwise"
"And that’s how we'll live for the rest of our lives?"
"Mmhmm"
"Well you've certainly got it all sorted haven't you? Doesn’t sound too bad"
"Nope, not at all"
Frank moved closer against John side and discreetly took his hand,
"Well then, I don't mind becoming a desperate has-been, putting on weight and letting my wife disgrace and leave me if it means that I'll end up with the one I truly love at the end of it. For you, everything is worth it!"
John laughed and called him a soppy git, but planted a kiss on the top of his head to let him know it was all in good humour, because, well after all, he knows that he too would do anything to have the life with Frank he so desperately craves.