Saturday Book Club
Fear No Foe
Chapter 26/27
By public demand Saturday book club is back, starting back with chapter 26 and 27 of the boxing story of Shay Dempsey and his boxing career.
CHAPTER 26
They landed in New York later that day and where met by another one of Dexter’s people who took them to Dexter’s luxury penthouse where they were stopping for the duration of the training camp. They got settled in and enjoyed an early night together as they had the whole penthouse to themselves as Dexter was staying in England to make sure everything was running smoothly over there. The next day Shay and Kelly went over to Paddy’s gym to see Paddy. He welcomed them and took them into his office, they sat down and Shay told him all about the crap that had been written in the British press and about him hitting Britain at the press conference and his windows being smashed on his house. Paddy sat there and listen and then shook his head and said “All this because of a picture, well I can tell you now kid, over here it has been reported a lot differently. You got a lot of support over here. There’s a massive amount of Irish descendents in America and they loved seeing Britain being knocked on his ass for disrespecting your Irish roots, I’m proud of you kid, real proud”. Shay smiled and said “Well it’s coursed loads of trouble over in England; I just want to get down to training for the fight and smashing Gary Britain up”. Paddy smiled and replied “That’s good to hear kid; we will start training at the end of the week when Kenny comes over”. Paddy the looked at Kelly and said to them, “Enjoy the next few days kids, because after that it is all about the fight nothing else”. Shay and Kelly went back to the penthouse and enjoyed a really good evening soaking in the hot tub and enjoying being away as a couple. Over the next few days they done all the things that couples do when they are in New York, they went and saw all the sights again, they
even went in a horse drawn carriage around Central park, they looked like a couple who was so in love with each other. The one thing that did keep happening while they were out were people recognizing Shay and asking him for his autographs and taking pictures of him, Shay was more famous and popular in the U.S than Gary Britain could every dream of being.
Shay and Kelly really enjoyed their 3 days together and used their nights to the fullest as when Shay went into his 3 months of training they both knew it was all going to be about the fight. Kenny arrived at the end of the week and after a day getting over the jet lag set to work with Paddy formulating a plan to beat Gary Britain. Shay was back at Paddy’s gym training hard, sparing some world class boxers they had got in and doing some murderous secret training for his fitness.
Paddy and Kenny were in Paddy’s office watching video’s of old Gary Britain fights and discussing how they thought Shay should fight him. They mainly watched him against Bruno and Tarnna and both came up with the conclusion that Bruno’s style had been the more effective against the champ.
Paddy said to Kenny “The way Shay fights now is more like Tarnna, Britain seemed to deal with Tarnna’s style pretty well, but with that Bruno he didn’t seem to like it when the Beef roughed him up”. Kenny smiled and replied “Yeah your right Pad, I got something to show you”.
Kenny then put on Shay’s 2 fights as an amateur against Britain. Paddy watched the tapes in silence. When they had finished Paddy smiled and said “Well if Shay can fight like that this, that’s how we will fight him, rough him up early and hope Shay knocks him out”.
Kenny nodded his head and said “I got no doubts he will knock him out, Shay has been waiting years for this chance”. For the 3 months Shay trained in New York, it all went perfectly, his dancing had been replaced by a lot more bobbing and weaving and getting on the inside and roughing up his opponent. Kelly had been busy as well, talking to Nike who at one point were talking about pulling out of there sponsorship deal until they realized that sale may
have gone down in Britain but had risen a hell of a lot more in the U.S. For their last few weeks in New York Kelly hadn’t been feeling too well, Shay had told her to go and see a doctor, but she said it might just be a bit of food poisoning.
There were only a few days to go to the fight when they flew back to England with Kenny and Paddy, Sparky picked them up from the airport in Shay’s car and drove them home. Paddy was stopping at Kenny’s house until after the fight. When they got to Shay’s, they went in and Shay told Sparky all about what he had done in New York.
Sparky asked him “So when you moving to your new place then?” Shay replied “It will have to be after the fight”. Shay then went into the kitchen to make them all a drink, Sparky then looked at Kelly and asked her how she was feeling?
Kelly replied “I feel really good, I felt a bit ill when we were in New York, but I feel great now”. Sparky then said “Well you look great Kelly you have got a glow to you, being with Shay seems to agree with you”.
Kelly smiled and replied “Yeah I think it does”. As she said that Shay came back in and said “Kell we got no milk”. Kelly replied “I’ll pop down the shops and get some while I drop Sparky home, I’ll pop in and see your Mom on the way back to make sure she is o.k. Shay smiled at Kelly and gave her a kiss then looked at Sparky and said “I love this woman”. Sparky smiled and replied “It’s just good to see you happy mate”. Kelly dropped Sparky off at his home in Kingstanding then headed to Shay’s Moms in Newtown. As soon as Kelly walked through the door his Mom was looking at her funny, Kelly asked her if everything was alright. Shay’s Mom replied “I’m grand Kelly, now tell me, is it me or have you put a bit of weight on?” Kelly was a bit shocked that his Mom had asked such a question, but replied “Yes Brenda, I have put a few pounds on, I think it’s all them big portions in America”.
Shay’s Mom smiled and stared at her and then said “Now you’re sure you’re not a bit pregnant, when was the last time you come on?” Kelly didn’t know where to look she was stunned at what his Mom had just asked her.
Kelly then thought for a while and realized that it had been just before they went to New York, by the look on Kelly’s face Brenda knew she had missed one or two. Shay’s Mom then said “be Jesus, Mary and Josiah, you are, I could tell when you came in, Shay will be so happy”.
Kelly looked at his Mom and said “Brenda, I don’t know if I am, but if I am we can’t tell Shay until after the fight, he needs to focused on that”. Brenda nodded her head and replied “Yes Kelly your right, now go get one of them tests so we know for sure”.
Kelly went and got a couple of them, when she got back to Shay’s Moms house she done all of them and they all came back saying the same thing, Kelly was pregnant. Kelly worked back to the last time Shay and her were together and from that could see she must be over 3 months pregnant, Brenda told her to make an appointment at the doctor to get it confirmed, but Kelly knew that she must be gone at least that long. Brenda agreed not to say anything to Shay and Kelly promised to tell him straight after the fight.
Kelly went to the doctors the following day while Shay went down to London and got weighed in for the fight. Shay weighed in perfectly on the weight in an empty room at Wembley Stadium, Dexter had arranged that they had a separate weigh in and that there were no press at Shay’s.
The doctor confirmed to Kelly that she was pregnant and he reckoned that 3 months was about right, but would have to book her in for a scan. The doctor told her they would send her a letter with her scan date in the next few days. Kelly thanked the doctor then headed down to London to be with Shay.
She met him in there hotel room and Shay gave her a big hug and a kiss; she looked at Shay and could tell he was nervous. She asked Shay how he was feeling, he looked at her and smiled and replied “I’m feeling good Kell real good, I’m in the best shape of my life”.
Kelly shook her head and said “Shay I’m not Paddy, Kenny or a reporter so don’t tell me your o.k. when you’re not”. Shay bowed his head and said “Well I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit nervous, as much as I don’t like the bloke, I got to admit that Gary Britain is a great boxer. He’s got all the support of the British public; I’m just worried I’m going to let everyone down”. Kelly grabbed him and kissed him softly on the lips, then she said “Shay your fighting for the World titles, there’s no one in the world you can let down, win or lose the people closest to you will know you have gave it your all, but I know you’re going to do it”.
Shay looked at her and said “How can you be so sure?” Kelly smiled and replied “Because you are Irish Shay Dempsey, Irelands great hope, descendent of legend Jack Dempsey, you’re the man who has beaten Sam Magson, Bruno Beef, Mason Mathews and the first person to stop Jimmy Tarnna, it is you destiny to win the world titles and beat Gary Britain, that is how I know”. Shay looked at Kelly and smiled and said “As always Kell you know exactly what to say”. He kissed her passionately and then said “It’s a shame I’m fighting tomorrow, I want you so bad”. Kelly smiled and replied “I know, but I’m not getting the blame if you’re shattered when you get in the ring”. Shay laughed and said “o.k. then after the fight” Kelly laughed and replied “defiantly, I’ll wear the belts”. They both laughed and then got into bed for a good night’s sleep.
CHAPTER 27
The show at Wembley Stadium didn’t start until 10 o’clock on the night and the title fight wasn’t going to be until 12 o’clock so it could be shown at a decent time in America. It was a sweltering hot July day, Shay got up and gave Kelly a kiss and said “Good morning gorgeous what do you what for breakfast, I’ll call room service”. Kelly smiled and said “Whatever you want Shay, I’m not hungry” Shay ordered a massive full English breakfast for himself and some toast for Kelly. Shay ate the lot and when he had finished asked Kelly if she fancied going for a walk so he could stretch his legs, Kelly told him that she didn’t feel like it, but he should go. Shay left the hotel room and got the lift down to the lobby, as he walked out of the hotel he heard someone call his name. When he turned around he was stunned to see Emma standing there. Emma walked up to him and said “Hello Shay, I just thought I’d come by and wish you good luck for tonight”. Shay stood there shocked to see her and replied “What the fuck do you want?” Emma smiled and said “Like I said, I came to wish you luck”.
Shay looked at her in disbelief and replied “What would Gary say if he knew you were here wishing me luck”.
Emma shrugged her shoulders and said “Gary’s is a nightmare, all he has gone on about for the last year is the World title, and he bores me”. Shay smiled and said “Well you’re marring the dickhead this year aint you”.
Emma smiled at Shay and replied “Not if I get a better offer Shay, I know we have had our ups and downs, but we could make it work”.
Shay cracked up laughing and said “You are mental Emma, I’m with Kelly now and even if I wasn’t I wouldn’t go near you again”. Emma then said “Yeah I’d heard you were with that, I always knew there was something more going on between you and her. I saw her in a picture of you and her not so long ago, it looks like she has put on a lot of weight”.
Emma then opened her coat to reveal a tight hugging dress that showed off her toned thin body and her new fake breasts and said “Wouldn’t you rather wake up to this every morning instead of something like that?”
Shay looked smiled and then shook his head and replied “Emma like I said I wouldn’t be with you even if I wasn’t with Kelly, and to tell you the truth I like the way Kelly looks. She’s a really women not a Barbie doll like you, but thanks for dropping by and wishing me luck. Now please do me a favor, go back to Gary and leave me the fuck alone”.
Emma’s smile then turn to a frown, well it would have if she hadn’t had all the Botox done to her face and said nastily “Well you have had your chance, anyway Gary is going to beat you tonight, he’s got the whole of Britain behind him, and everyone hates you”.
Shay smiled as he walked back to the lift and replied to Emma by saying “Emma if you thought Britain was going to beat me tonight you wouldn’t be here, now please leave me alone”. Before Emma could say anything else Shay got into the lift and went back up to his room, when he got in there Kelly said “That was a short walk”.
Shay smiled and told her what had just happened. Kelly asked him worryingly “Have you still got feelings for her?” Shay laughed and gave Kelly a big hug and said “Kelly I don’t feel nothing for her anymore, I love you and I always have and no one especially a faked breasted gold digger could ever change that”. He then kissed her.
Kelly hugged him and said “I hope so Shay because I want you with me for life”. Shay smiled and replied “Yes gorgeous, me too Kell, me too”. They relaxed in their hotel room for the rest of the day, Shay had brought 1000 tickets for the fight, they were all in one block right next to the ring, he had given most of them out to friends and family so he knew he would have some supporters near the ring. Kelly and Shay went down to the restaurant to have a meal, they met up with Paddy and Kenny and Shay had his now customary steak. Shay was quiet, but looked quite relaxed, but the time was getting closer to when they would leave for Wembley Stadium