Fear No Foe
The 12th instalment of my book Fear No Foe, hope you are enjoying the book.
Chapter 12
Shay hadn’t been to the bank in years as he used to let Emma deal with all the finances. He went to the counter and told the bank clerk what had happened, she got his account up and told him the reason his card had been declined was that it had reached its limit.
Shay looked at her confused and said “How can I have maxed my card out I never use it? I want to see the manager”.
The bank manager came over and took Shay into his office; Shay explained what had happened with the card and what the bank clerk had told him. The bank manager got his details up and confirmed the bank clerk was right.
Shay then realized that Emma must have gone and maxed it out after she left.
Shay wasn’t too bothered, he just said to the manager “O.k well can I pay that off from my account”.
The bank manager looked at Shay very seriously and replied “Mr Dempsey your bank account is 5000 pounds over drawn”.
Shay replied in a very shocked voice “Fuck off there should be over 100 grand in there”.
The bank manager went through all the transactions with him, over the years there had been money taken out for trips to London, Paris, Italy and even America. There were also transactions for over 50 grand that had been used over the years in designer clothes stores, jewelry shops and for beauty treatments. Shay couldn’t believe this; he had been paying for Emma to have an affair.
He said to the manager “None of that’s me, my ex girlfriend has spent all that money”.
The bank manager replied “Well Sir, it is a joint bank account, so you’re ex girlfriend could take out what she liked”.
Shay sat there shaking his head, he hadn’t had to worry about money in years and now he had only 40 pound in his pocket an owed the bank and credit card company 15 grand. He left the bank gutted, he called Emma’s mobile phone to have ago her, but the number no longer existed, to say the least Shay was pissed off, he thought about calling his Mom and Dad then thought better of it as he wouldn’t want to worry them. Shay ended up going down the gym; he went into Kenny’s office and told him what Emma had done.
Kenny couldn’t believe it, he said to a well stressed Shay “Where’s it all gone?”
Shay replied “I got 40 pound to my name Ken and I owe the bank 15 grand”.
Kenny shook his head and said “That Emma has done a right number on you Son”.
Shay put his head in his hands and said “Yeah Ken tell me something I don’t know”.
Kenny got on the phone to Dexter and told him what had happened to Shay, Dexter told Kenny to tell Shay to come over to the club and he would sort something out.
When Shay got to the club, Dexter took him into his office.
Dexter said to him “I hope you learn something from this mate, always keep eyes on your money”.
Shay who had; had probably 2 of the most stressful days in his life didn’t really want another lecture.
Dexter then went over to a safe in his office wall, he took 3 sealed bundles of cash out of it, he put them on the table in front of Shay and said “Be thankful I have got a lot of faith in you son, there’s 30 grand there, take it as a down payment for when you sign with me after the title fight”.
Shay looked at the cash and then at Dexter and said “Are you sure Dext? That’s a lot of money to hand out”.
Dexter just laughed and replied “Like I have said to you Shay I think you have a great boxing career ahead of you and we are going to make a hell of a lot of money together”. Dexter then said smiling “anyway what’s 30 grand between friends, now pay the bank off and make sure you take her name off the account, and focus on the fight, we have all got faith in you Shay”.
Shay smiled as he put the money in the inside of his coat pockets and said “Thanks Dext, and I won’t let you down. I’ll give it my all on Saturday”.
Dexter smiled and replied “That’s all anyone can ask of you Shay”.
Shay went straight to the bank and paid them and changed the account in to just his name, when he got home it was really starting to dawn on him what this women, who he still loved, had done to him, he still couldn’t believe that she could have done this.
He sat on the sofa alone and feeling very sorry for himself, he looked over at the drinks cabinet on the other side of the room and could see an unopened bottle of Jack Daniel’s. He knew it was not the right thing to do, but walked over to the cabinet and went to open the bottle. As he did the house phone rang, he answered it, and it was his mother making sure he was alright as he hadn’t been in contacted for a few days. He told her that him and Emma had split up, but didn’t tell her about any of the details about why. His Mom didn’t ask him any questions about why or what had happened, she knew if he wanted to tell her he would.
His Mom just said to him “Come over to the house tonight your Dad wants to see you, I will cook you dinner, and don’t worry about Emma I’m sure it will sort its self out”.
He said to his Mom “O.k I’ll be over later, how are you anyway? How’s Dad?”
His Mom replied “I’m o.k. Son and your Dad is the same as ever” Shay said “Ahh that’s good” and told his Mom he would see them later.
He put the phone down and then looked at the bottle of J.D in his hand, he thought about his passed and all the times he had seen his Dad stressed out and every time his Dad would reach for a bottle or go down the pub, and he always remembered that this didn’t solve the problem it just made it worse. Shay put the bottle back in the cabinet and went to get changed to go to his Mom and Dad’s house.
As soon as he walked through the door into his Mom and Dad’s house he could smell his favorite meal cooking, his Moms homemade Irish stew, the aroma took him back to when he was a kid, and gave him a real happy warm feeling inside. He went into the kitchen and his Mom was there cutting up some fresh crusty bread for them to have with the stew.
Shay gave his Mom a kiss on the check and said “Ahh wicked Mom, you know I love your stews, but I can’t have much of it, I got to watch my weight for the fight”.
His Mom replied “O.k. Son, but you got to make sure you eat, I don’t want you becoming one of those anorexics”.
Shay laughed and said “No Mom I’ll try not to”.
He went into the living room to see his Dad. His Dad was sitting in the chair he always sat in watching the telly. The telly was on quite loud to drown out the noise of the machine that pumped oxygen into him. Shay sat down and said “Alright Dad, how you feeling?”
His Dad turned the telly down, all you could hear was the humming noise from the life giving machine and replied in-between breaths “Hello Son, yeah I’m fine, nothing a good pint wouldn’t fixes”.
Shay smiled as he always tried to be positive around his Dad, but the sound of the machine was killing him inside.
Shay replied “Now come on Dad you know that wouldn’t do you any good, you going to be watching the fight on Saturday?”
His Dad said “Of course I will Son, it’s going to be the proudest day of my life seeing you fight for the title, I wish I could come”.
Shay’s Dad then took a deep breath and said “So what this your Mom has told me about you and Emma splitting up?”
Shay replied “We are finished Dad, its over, don’t worry about it I’m fine”.
His Dad then said “Son I know how much you love her, all I can say is that you shouldn’t let it get in the way of you reaching your goals and winning the title”.
Shay nodded in agreement and said “I know Dad I have been told that by a few good friends and I won’t”.
His Dad then took another deep breath and said “Anyway she was to skinny for my liking pretty but to skinny”.
Shay smiled and laughed. His Dad continued “Just think Son your great, great, great uncle Jack Dempsey will be looking down on you when you win the title”.
Shay smiled at this as he never believed they were related to the great Jack Dempsey but just replied “Yeah Dad he will”.
His Mom came in with a big bowl of stew and crusty bread for his Dad, she heard what his Dad had told Shay and said “Is he going on to you about Jack Dempsey?”
She then looked at Shay’s Dad and said “You’re not related to him Mickey”.
His Dad replied “And how would you know you silly cow”.
Shay’s Mom replied jokingly “Because you aint, now eat your stew or I’ll unplug your oxygen”.
She smiled at Shay and gave him a wink, Shays Dad looked at him and said “You see what I have to put up with Son, you’re better off without a woman around you”.
Shay’s Mom shouted from the kitchen “I heard that”.
Shay’s Dad just lowered his head and tucked into his stew.
Shay chuckled to himself, he could see where he got his sarcastic sense of humor form, Shay’s Mom then came in with a massive bowl filled to the brim with stew for Shay.
He said to his Mom “Mom I can’t eat all that I told you I got to watch my weight”.
Shay’s Mom replied “I know son that why I have only given you 1 piece of bread and butter, now eat your dinner”.
Shay just shook his head and tucked in to his stew.
Shay spent the night at his Mom and Dad’s house, when he got up in the morning he went to the bathroom to have a wash. He washed his face and brushed his teeth; he then stepped onto his Mom’s scales and couldn’t believe his eyes. He looked down and the digital read out said 12 stone 3 pounds, Shay was 3 pounds over the weight limit for the fight and the weigh in was tomorrow. Shay was well stressed about it; his Mom could hear him going mad in the bathroom to himself and went up to see what was wrong.
When she asked him he said “I’m 3 pounds over Mom and it’s all because of your stew”.
His Mom replied “Don’t you go blaming my stew, 3 pounds that’s nothing, go to the toilet you’ll be fine”.
Shay just shook his head as his Mom left the bathroom, he said to her as she went down the stairs “Mom that won’t work and I have to weigh in tomorrow”.
His Mom just shouted back up to him “Well don’t blame my stew”.
Shay did go to the toilet and as he thought it didn’t make any different, he gave Kenny a call to ask him what to do.
Kenny said to him “Shay relax Son, I thought you might be a bit over”.
Shay interrupted Kenny and said “So shall I come down the gym now”.
Kenny replied “No Shay I don’t want you straining yourself, look only eat light today and go and have a swim and then go in the steam room after, that will get the weight off”.
Shay couldn’t believe how calm Kenny was, but knew if Kenny wasn’t worried he shouldn’t be. He told Kenny he would do what he said and asked him what time he was going to pick him up tomorrow? Kenny told him that he would pick him up about 9 in the morning and not to worry they could get 3 pounds off him no problem.
Shay gave Kelly a call and told her about the weight and what Kenny had said about swimming and asked her if she fancied coming with him. Kelly was a keen swimmer and told him she would as she had the day off and to meet him at the leisure centre near her house in Great Barr.
They met outside the leisure centre and the first thing Kelly said to him was “Come on fatty let’s get rid of that stomach”.
Shay laughed and replied “Stop taking the piss, you brought your arm bands with you?”
Kelly just looked at him and smiled and said “Shay you might be a top boxer, but I would beat you any day at swimming”.
Shay smirked and said “well we will just have to see about that”. They went and got changed; Shay got changed first and dived straight into the pool. It was early in the day and apart from a few old people the pool was empty. Kelly came out 5 minutes later and Shay was gob smacked, she had on a one peace swim suit that hugged every curve of her body, Kelly’s body looked amazing. Kelly climbed down the ladder into the pool; she looked at Shay and asked him what he was staring at?
Shay smiled and said “Fuck me Kell you have got one killer body, have you got that from swimming?”
Kelly replied with a smile on her face “Well it helps, it’s the only exercise I do, and anyway you ready to be beaten by a girl?”
Shay laughed and said “No chance Kell. I’m a professional sports man, you got no chance”.
Kelly smiled and replied “Well we will see about that”.
Kelly got into the lane next to Shay’s and told him that they would race over 50 meters “that’s 2 lengths of the pool Shay”.
Shay looked at Kelly and said “I do know you sarcastic cow, now how much of a head start do you want”?
Kelly said “I don’t need one, right you ready set go”.
From the start of the race Shay was on a loser, Kelly slipped though the water like a fish and beat Shay easy.
When Shay finished the race, Kelly was full of herself, saying “Told you I would beat you”.
Shay couldn’t really say anything sarcastic to that and just replied “Yeah well it’s been a long time since I’ve been swimming”.
Shay and Kelly swam lengths of the pool for over an hour, they then went into the steam room. Kelly sat down on the bench and relaxed in the heat, they were the only ones in there and Shay had a brainwave and started shadow boxing in the middle of the steam room. Kelly looked at him like he was mental, but knew he was trying to get the weight off so encouraged him to keep it up. As Kelly looked on she thought to herself where Shay was going to lose this weight from. There didn’t look like there was an ounce of fat on him, as he moved his arms back and forth shadow boxing on the spot she noticed his ripped muscles and 6 pack and thought to herself that her friends were right Shay is fit.
After about 10 minutes Kelly got out of there, Shay stayed in there for another 10 minutes. When he got out they both went and got changed, Shay weighed himself just before he got dressed. He was 12 stone 1 pound. He was more confident about losing a pound before the weigh in tomorrow and really didn’t feel too drained after his swim.
Shay hardly ate anything for the rest of the day; he asked Kelly how she was getting down to London on Saturday? Kelly told him she was going to drive down on the day and book a hotel for the night.
Shay asked her “Why don’t you come down with me and Kenny tomorrow, I’m sure I can get you a room at the Savoy ”.
Kelly replied “Won’t I just be in the way Shay with the weigh in and all the other stuff you have to do”.
Shay replied “Look Kell I could really do with a friend with me down there, don’t get me wrong I love Kenny, but if I have to listen to one more of his stories about the good old days I’ll kill myself”.
Kelly smiled and said “O.k. Shay I’ll come down with you and Kenny”.
Kelly went home packed a bag and came back to Shay’s and stopped the night as Kenny was picking him up early. They had a real good night; they really enjoyed each other’s company taking the piss out of each other and just having a good laugh.
They got up early the next morning and the first thing Shay did was go to the bathroom and weighed himself. He was shocked to see that he had lost the extra 1 pound and was now bang on his weight limit of 12 stone. He was chuffed to bits and really felt like this was an omen and thing were going to start going his way. He called Kelly who was getting ready in the guest room to come and see the scales, Kelly went into the bathroom.
Shay said “Look Kell, look at the scales I’m bang on the weight” Kelly looked at the scales and then looked at Shay and said “That’s great Shay as least you don’t have to stress about that now, but can you please put some clothes on, I really don’t need to be seeing that so early in the morning”.
Shay had stripped naked to weigh himself and in his excitement forgot to cover himself up before he called Kelly.
Shay grabbed a towel and put it round himself and went and got ready for when Kenny came to pick them up.