The Axelridge Series Book 4 Griff's Red Card

(Chapter song ‘Frantic Feathers' by The Snake Charmer, ‘Hot Mess' by Epic Score)

GRIFFIN

The best thing about living in a sports city is the extra locations of potential stadiums. With a little extra effort, I was able to turn Jax's old Lax stadium into a pitch. It was almost perfect anyway and it’s down from the hockey rink so, traffic will actually be much better than my old one.

For the opening games, I invited everyone. The Bulldogs are back and coming in red hot. We missed the championship this year with everything, but we're gearing for a comeback.

I do up my cleats as I listen to the crowd in the 10,000 seat arena. We obviously changed the grass. Made it a wee bigger and fixed up the fans seating. It has a glass roof, of course. And now sports an Axelridge Bulldog sign out by the main courtyard. The plumbing still a bit sketchy, but the workers are doing a grand job of rerouting the water and other utilities around the lake.

They finished sealing it with the tunnel to Atlas open. I don’t know the details, but they managed to encase all the walls of the hole in concrete. Hopefully, it will stand up. It’s no longer leaking into Lake Ontario and we got the fish out. Now, it’s just a magical bowl of water. Will we ever use it? I don’t know, but we'll protect it just the same.

As for the city itself…the flood damage is almost gone. They’re rerouting roads around the lake and Finn is thinking of putting a bridge over it. It won’t be inside the dome, but the dome will be around it like a tunnel.

It’s been a few weeks since the moon and Ivy and I have barely left the house. We're just living the best life or at least trying to. She’s received a few phone calls from Philip. She won’t answer them and I won’t push her. I have, though. He didn’t like what I had to say.

The announcers call us out and the Bulldogs take the grass. We wave as we run out and take our positions.

The Toronto Reds take the field from the other side.

Facing a major league team feels so good after so long. Hearing the fans go insane is even better.

We won the coin toss before the game and the ref sets us up.

Avery and Fergus get in the their forward positions and Jonson, Patrick and O'Neal stand as mid fielders.

McDonald is stretching in our goa with the defenceman in front of him.

I’m a taker and will be starting this kick off off right.

Mallory takes the center circle. He’s my striker. My goal guy. We all have power legs, but his was made for scoring.

The Reds get ready.

Mallory kicks it to me and send it on its way to Fergus.

He runs as the Reds move in and spread out. He kicks it to our corner defender to passes it to Avery. Avery kicks a long ball into the oppositions half.

We run for it as Mallory gets into postion.

I possess the ball and a defender pushes on me. I stop, kick it around and run around his other side, catching the ball and running with it. Fergus creates a wide area and I pass. He dribbles the ball spinning circles around the Reds mid-fielder’s. He comes in from the right and kicks it in the air.

Is flies over the Reds heads arching down to meet Mallory’s head. He jumps, slams it and it flies top left into the net.

The crowd roars as we rush each other in a quick group hug until the ball is put back in play.

Mallory puts the football in play at the next kick off to Avery. He runs with it up the field, then kicks it back to Fergus in left field. He passes to me on the right. I run up to the wall of Reds, stop the ball and run back down.

I pass to Avery and he runs up the side line. Jonson runs into the space mid field and Avery boots it. Jonson receives it and is immediately over taken.

The Reds dig and we try give him an out.

“HERE!” Mallory yells.

Jonson slams the ball with his heel backwards and it bounces to Mallory. He takes off running.

The defenders slam up the wall so tight, Mallory can’t make a shot.

He kicks it back around to Patrick who tries from the side. It’s kicked back and I grab it before the opposition can. I spin and land a kick on the side of my cleat. It flies in the air, a defender tries to take it, but it skips across his chest and to the goal.

It happened so fast the Keeper couldn’t make it out. The ball crosses the line and hits the net.

The stadium explodes and the ref indicates a corner kick.

My favorite.

“Yes!!” I jog with a bounce to the right side corner.

Mallory has the scoring skill, but I’m a master corner kicker.

“Come on, Griffy!” My team yells.

The ball is placed in a tiny arched marking at the corner beside the goal.

I’m to put the ball back on play, but we all know what we do here.

I eye the ball, glance at the goal a distance away beside me to my right as I face the open field. My eye works out what I want and take my kick.

The ball shoots off the toe side of my laces, rises in the air, curves back around in a giant sideways arch and dips under the top bar. The keeper jumps and completely misses.

I jump in the air, pump a fist and meet my lads in the field who are screaming just as loud as the fans.

The first half was setting the mood of the game. The Reds weren’t having any more of us and we spent the last of the 45 minutes on defense. In the end of the first half the score was 4-3

We rested, drank and strategized our next plays. We know the second half is going to be war.

As I drink with me lads, the announcers stop the intermission.

“IF EVERYONE COULD LOOK AT THE JUMBOTRON, PLEASE! WE HAVE SOME FAN ANNOUCEMENTS!”

We watch the giant screens around the roof of the stadium as they run through birthdays and anniversary then they throw up Ivy.

“What the feck?” I smile as I walk out to the sideline with my hands on my hips.

“Eh, Griff. What’s going on?” Avery motions to my beautiful Ivy blushing and fixing her hair.

“THE LOVELY LUNA FORD HAS SOMETHING TO SHOW HER ALPHA! GO AHEAD, LUNA!”

She holds up a picture of ‘Griffin + Ivy’ in a heart.

Ok?

She flips the paper and it says ‘Love Forever.’

The crowd awes and I kiss two fingers to her. She beams a beautiful smile.

She flips the paper ‘Now we can both love…'

I’m really confused.

She flips again ‘What our hearts created’.

I twist my lips and think. What’s she on about?

She flips another and it’s just a plus sign.

The crowd roars in cheers and I’m still confused…then it clicks.

My face fills with shock and my smile reaches ear to ear. “Oh my God.” I slam my hands into my hair and almost lose my balance. The cameras focus on me as my boys crowd around me. My eyes are glued to Ivy as the boys shake me and give me claps to my back and shoulders. I double over and lean on my knees as I process this.

“ATTA BOY, GRIFF!”

“DADDY, GRIFF!”

“FAIR PLAY, MATE! GOOD ON YA!!’

I shake my head then break into a run. I sprint across the field like my life depended on it. The crowd cheers more as I leave the inner wall that’s holding the protective net over the fans. I climb up to the seats and leap over the railing. I’m still smiling and overcome with emotion as I climb through the stands without a care. I need my Ivy.

I feel slaps on my back as I squeeze past fans, hopping over the seats.

Four rows up, I get to Ivy. I throw the papers she’s holding out over the heads staring at us. I lift her to her feet and kiss her within an inch of her life.

I’m practically in tears as I break the kiss and hold her head to mine. “A wee bab?” I ask quietly. I can’t believe it. I really can’t.

“Yes.” She laughs through her own tears of joy.

“I love you so much right now. I can’t stand it!” I hug and kiss the life out of her as the stadium cheers us on.

She laughs on my lips then pushes me back. “Go. You have a game to finish.”

“This one’s for Griffin Jr.” I grin as I go to leave.

“We'll discuss names later.” She shakes her head and folds her arms.

I spin around and wave at everyone before hopping back down through the seats. I jump the wall and make my way around the inner field wall to the pitch. I jump, hop and celebrate my first born like it’s the only kid born on the planet.

My boys and even the Reds rushed me in the middle of the field, celebrating with me.

Ivy gave me everything I wanted and a whole bunch of other things I didn’t think I needed.

As messy as it was, my story ended up being absolutely perfect.

****

Our first game ended up as a loss of 5-4 in sudden death, but I don’t care. As far as I’m concerned, I won the championship.

Don’t worry. The Reds will get only one. I promise you that.

Now, I’ll focus on my life with Ivy and play football because I love both. My babies will have the best dad.

Yeah, I said babies. Triplets. Who knew? It'll be a big job, but I’m here for all it. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I wanted a big family and I’m off to a great start.

I just gotta keep my head and keep up my strength. I’ve got a family to protect and no one’s getting through me.

“I’m glad you’re taking initiative, Griff.” Marcus grins as we walk down the hall to the door to the Security Complex’s indoor gym. He pushes it open and we walk through.

“I thought about what Jax said and agree that me legs could use some work.” I grin at him as he holds the door.

“Your legs. Yeah, OK.” He snorts.

I give him a shove and he laughs.

As we enter the main gym, our ears are hit with loud grunts and growls. I look to Marcus and he shrugs. We didn’t know anyone would be here.

I drop my bag on the floor at the doorway to the main gym and watch Eddie pounding the tar out of one of the punching bags. He’s really putting the work in. Not that he needs it. He’s already massive.

He's dripping in sweat, clenching his teeth as his gloved hands hit the bag that causes it to shake violently. He’s really letting it have it.

I smile as I approach. “EDDIE! Lad, I haven’t seen ya since the moon! What’s the craic?” I stop and cross my arms.

He doesn’t even look our way. He hits the bag in a series of fast, hard combo shots.

Marcus cinches his brow. “Ed?” He walks around behind the bag so he can see his face.

From what I can see, he looks down right raging. This can’t be good.

“Eddie, what’s wrong?” Marcus asks with the same level of concern as I have.

Eddie Manning pissed off is never a good thing.

He continues to punch the bag and act like we don’t exist.

Marcus grabs the bag from behind. “Eddie!”

I step to him. “Edward!”

His punches get more intense and I can see the bag is about to give.

We both yell out to break his focus. “EDDIE!!”

He stops and Marcus almost falls with the bag.

His head is down and his shoulders are heaving. Beads of sweat run like rivers down the mounds of arm muscles. He’s breathing trough gritted teeth.

I lean to see his eyes. “Ed?” I whisper.

As soon as I finish, he turns on us like a rabid dog. He whips his angry eyes to me and throws his cheat to mine.

“WHY YOU GET YOURS, HUH?! WHY YOU GET YOURS?!” He thumps a finger in my chest and shoves me back hard.

“HANG ON!” I scowl and yell back.

“EDDIE!” Marcus slams a hand on his chest and pushes him back.

He directs his anger to Marcus. “YOU!! WHY YOU GET FUCKING TWO WHEN MINE…THROWS ME…IN THE FUCKING TRASH!!!”

He shoves Marcus with his chest and Marc stumbles back with a shocked scowl.

“EDDIE! WHAT’S EATING YA?!!” I shove him back with two hands.

He throws a finger at me. “FUCK YOU, FUCK YOU...” He points to Marcus. “AND FUCK HER, TOO!”

He slams his fist into the bag which rips, spilling the grit inside all over the floor. He slams my shoulder as he pushes by me and storms out of the gym.

I rub my shoulder as I turn to the door. Marcus joins my side, rubbing his chest.

“What the feck was that?” I say with confusion.

Marcus shakes his head. “I don’t think the moon went so good.”

We both look at each then back at the door.

“SHIT! EDDDDIIEEE!!”

We bolt out of the gym after him.