JONATHON - Book 2

Chapter 5

Jonny and Bea looked up as Patrick walked towards them. Jonny gave a wry chortle.

‘Patrick!’ remonstrated Ria.

‘It’s family tradition,’ Patrick insisted, raising the cricket bat aloft.

‘What....?’ began Bea uncertainly.

‘No, I’m not going to t’ump him,’ Patrick assured, accentuating his Irish accent. ‘Though he could do with it at times.....’

‘Watch it,’ warned Jonny good-naturedly. ‘There’s always a game of cricket after our family barbies,’ explained Jonny.

‘Are you up for it, Bea?’ asked Liam.

‘Liam...’ warned Patrick, but Jonny said nothing, he merely looked at Bea.

‘You can pick a runner....’ offered Liam.

‘Liam,’ said Patrick again.

‘Jonny’ll run for you, won’t you bro?’ Liam continued unabated. Jonny regarded Bea, he couldn’t read her expression but he had a gut feeling....

‘If you want me to, sweetheart?’ he offered.

‘Yes Jonny, I’d like that.’ she said sweetly.

Oh boy, he could see the wheels turning from where he sat. Liam took it upon himself to explain and instruct Bea on all that was involved. Jonny watched, fascinated, as Liam dug the pit for himself deeper and deeper. Bea copied Liam’s grip on the bat and stance at the wicket.

‘That’s great, Bea; she learns real fast don’t she Jonny?’

Liam seemed completely oblivious of the little shocked, warning intakes of breath, Patrick’s groaning sigh, his womenfolk’s outrage. Jonny just grinned wickedly and nodded and he and Bea exchanged non-committal glances.

Everyone joined in fielding and Jonny stood in line with Bea, ready to run if she should ever hit the ball. Liam wanted to bowl first. No one demurred. Jonny winced as Liam delivered a soft, slow, condescending underarm ball to her. He didn’t know how she would undertake it but Jonny knew with utter certainty that Bea was going to punish his patronising younger brother with exquisite severity.

They all soon found out. Her drive was perfect as she thrashed the ball for six. Jonny reared back and his shout of laughter rolled round and round the garden.

‘Like that, Liam?’ she asked sweetly, innocently as Jonny and the rest of the family doubled over with mirth and pointed the finger and mocked.

Liam stood there open-mouthed, as their derision went on and on; it had been a soft delivery but he’d been well and truly stung and then he gave her a little bow.

‘Ma’am.’ he acknowledged and walked back for his second delivery.

He’d see how she coped with the next one. As he turned for his run up Jonny called out.

‘Liam!’ he threatened and held up a warning finger.

Liam was a fierce fast bowler and he had just been made a complete fool of, but Jonny would stand no acts of retribution from him – someone could get hurt. Liam bit his lower lip and then nodded; even now they did as Jonny said.

He bowled fast and hard, but only as he would have done to any of the others and Bea whacked it for four, to laughter and admiration. Jonny ran a couple of singles for her, but the rest were sixes and fours. Whatever was served up to her, she flogged all over the field. Liam had been thoroughly and mercilessly rebuked

At the end of her innings Jonny ran to her and picked her up and swung her round and kissed her.

‘You amazing, priceless woman. Where did you learn to play like that?’ he wanted to know.