PENALTY by Annika Sturm (best contemporary novels TXT) 📕

on to his back. He started undressing him but suddenly stopped short looking at the red scar on his side. He carefully stroked and kissed it. 'Are you alright?' Tom asked him hesitantly. 'Yeah, I..., I just...' He shook his head. 'Hey,' Tom hugged him tightly, 'it's okay. I'm still here,' he kissed him, 'look, you haven't lost me.' He smiled at him gently. Alex was taking deep breaths. 'Sorry.' He laughed quietly. Tom kissed his forehead and held him.

Alex’s mobile rang and both boys sighed and giggled. 'Great timing.' Tom joked as Alex reached over him to get to his phone. 'Hello?' Alex sounded slightly annoyed. 'Good evening Mr Hanisch. Sorry to disturb you at this time.' 'Who is this?' Alex frowned. 'It's Hamburg police sir. We have been notified by our colleagues in Frankfurt that they just arrested four men in connection with the attack on you and Mr Stiller in Dortmund a few weeks ago.' Alex froze. 'Alex? What happened?' Tom asked concerned as he realised how pale his friend had turned. 'We need you and Mr Stiller to identify the men in Frankfurt tomorrow Mr Hanisch.' Alex gulped. 'Tomorrow?', he hesitated as he was thinking this through, 'Tom is still recovering. A long trip and the stress could have a negative effect on his health.' Alex explained looking at his friend. Tom had grabbed his hand as he was watching him with a frown. 'We understand. We will make the necessary arrangements Mr Hanisch. You will be flown there and back on the same day. If you wish we will arrange for a doctor to accompany you in the police plane too.' Alex took a moment to gather his thoughts. He pensively stroked Tom's scar again. 'What time?' He said emotionless. 'A police car will pick you up at 7 o'clock in the morning. You should both be back in Hamburg for early evening.' 'That's fine. We'll be ready.' He hung up.

'They've arrested someone. Am I right?' Tom asked and looked at Alex seriously. Alex nodded. He dropped the phone on the floor and hugged his friend tightly. He took deep breaths and closed his eyes, kissing Tom's chest again and again. 'Don't worry about me,' Tom whispered, 'I'll be fine.' He smiled at him. 'They'll fly us all the way to Frankfurt. It'll be a tough day for you.' Alex grunted and shook his head. 'But we'll get it over and done with. About time they caught them,' Tom kissed him lovingly, 'hey, come on. Relax,' he said gently and stroked his friend's cheeks. Alex looked into his eyes, 'now,' Tom said and smiled at him cheekily as he started kissing him again, 'where were we?'

The boys landed in Frankfurt mid-morning the next day. The media were eagerly reporting about these new developments and policemen had to get Alex and Tom through the crowds of journalists that had gathered outside the main police station. The boys were shaken when they finally had to face the four suspects. Tom had to help Alex control his anger as he recognised their faces and all the memories came back yet again. They both identified the men as their assaulters but had to learn that all of them denied any involvement in the attack. Frustratingly, the questioning was going to take weeks if not months and any trial would not start until after the World Cup.

Still, they were relieved when it was over. Both attended a press conference afterwards and expressed their content that the men had finally been caught. 'We can move on with our lives for now and focus on our work and the World Cup.' Alex said and smiled at Tom. 'Will you be fit to play then Mr Stiller?' 'I hope so,' Tom laughed, 'that's what I'm working towards anyway.' 'What is your message to those football fans who still give you grief about your homosexuality during training and big games?' Tom smiled. 'To deal with it. It's just the way it is. We won't hide away just because we happen to be a gay couple.' He looked at Alex, who nodded and beamed at him. 'He's mine. Sorry people.' Alex said and Tom and all the journalists laughed out loud.

‘But you both play in different football clubs currently, how will you be able to maintain your relationship?’ One of the journalists had stood up, pushing the boys for an answer. Alex’s heart sank. He didn’t know himself how they would be able to see each other more often next season. He had tried not to think about it as yet. Tom hesitated a moment and then gave the journalists a cheeky smile. ‘We’ll make it work,’ he looked at Alex gently, ‘I’ve come to realise that the North isn’t so bad after all. I kind of miss it,’ Alex stared at him with wide eyes, ‘I would have thought one of the clubs up here will be interested in me.’ Tom gulped and smiled at his friend nervously. ‘What?’ Alex exclaimed in disbelief. The boys could feel the heat of the camera flashlights on their faces as all journalists were desperate to capture this moment of surprise. They gazed at each other. Alex’s heart was racing with excitement, he was lost for words. ‘Don’t you think?’ Tom asked him shrugging his shoulders. Alex started beaming as he was shaking his head at Tom. ‘You’re crazy,’ he mouthed at his friend, ‘he’s lost his mind everyone!' He shouted towards the journalists. And the whole room was roaring with laughter.


Three weeks later

'Max!', Alex shouted into the garden from the kitchen, 'easy baby, we don't want Uncle Tommy to be too exhausted to play again in a few weeks.' He laughed as he was preparing his son's lunch.

It was a bright April day. The sun had come out and it felt like spring was truly on its way now. Tom was chasing Max around the garden and threw him into the air whenever he caught him. 'Got ya!' Tom shouted as he lifted him above his head and the child was squealing with excitement. 'Tommy, seriously, don't overdo it.' Alex said as he was leaning against the door frame. 'Oh since when have you become so boring?' Tom laughed and carried Max on his shoulders towards his friend. Alex gave him a look and kissed him gently.

'Right, lunch time young man,' Tom said and was about to sit Max into his high chair when the doorbell rang, 'are you expecting anyone?' He asked Alex. 'Not a soul, do you want me to go?' Alex peeked his head out of the kitchen. 'It's alright. I'll get it.' Tom said and went to answer the door with Max on his arm.

Tom froze when he saw his brother staring at him. Marco had his hands deeply buried in his trouser pockets and smiled at him nervously. 'Hey.' He said and looked at Max somewhat confused. Tom was lost for words he was that surprised. He gulped and held Max closer to his chest. 'What are you doing up here?' He finally asked his brother suspiciously in a cold tone of voice. 'Hey, hey,' Marco laughed and held his hands in the air, 'I wanted to see how you are doing. Is that a crime? You're my brother after all.' Tom didn't feel comfortable. 'Who is that?' Max looked at Tom with big eyes. Tom kissed his hair and smiled at him. 'Someone I used to know very well.'

'You alright down here? What's going...' Alex looked over Tom's shoulder, '...on?' He stared at Marco. Tom kissed his friend's cheek and passed Max to him. 'This guy must have got the wrong house number.' Tom said and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Alex and Marco stared at him. 'Tommy,' Marco shook his head, 'I'm not here to argue. I just want to talk to you, see how are you are. That's all,' he took a deep breath, 'Jesus, come on.' He forced a laugh. Tom didn't move or say anything.

'Do you want to come in?' Alex asked Marco quietly. Tom looked at him in disbelief. 'You invite him into your house? After everything he has done to you?' 'He's your brother Tommy,' Alex whispered and looked into his eyes. He held his son close to his chest, 'I'll go and give Max his lunch. As I said, he's welcome to come in.' He squeezed Tom's hand and went inside. Tom turned back to Marco. He still had his arms crossed and took a deep breath. 'What do you want?' He asked him. 'Talk man. Just talk. I've driven all the way from Dortmund up here,' he laughed and ran his hand through his hair, 'I was hoping you would at least offer me a beer?' Tom hesitated. Then he nodded. 'Okay,' he took a deep breath again, 'come in.'

He walked ahead and Marco followed him upstairs. While Tom went into the kitchen to get a beer out of the fridge, Marco was staring at Alex feeding Max at the dining table. 'Alright?' Alex asked and looked at him. 'Yeah. Fine.' Marco said and nodded. He looked bewildered by the whole situation. Tom came out of the kitchen with a bottle of beer and a glass of orange juice. He looked at Alex in passing and smiled at him gently. 'Ah, still not drinking, hey?' Marco joked when he saw Tom's orange juice. 'No, the preparation for the World Cup is too important and I'm still on medication anyway.' He passed his brother the bottle and nodded towards the sofas.

The boys sat down and Marco took a sip. 'So, I see you are recovering well. That's a relief.' He looked at him nervously. 'Yeah I'm well looked after.' Tom smiled towards Alex, who was still busy feeding his son. Marco nodded and took another sip of beer. 'Mum would have loved to do just that.' Tom rolled his eyes. 'Is that why you're here?' He asked him annoyed. 'No, no,' Marco said gently and looked down at his hands, 'I saw you two at the first charity concert on TV the other day. Looked like it was quite cool.' Tom nodded. 'Yeah it was good fun, quite a turnout. Thousands of people were there, quite overwhelming really,' he drank his orange juice, 'it's just a handful of people that still think it's all wrong. Most of them are in football stadiums every week unfortunately.' He gave his brother a look. Marco avoided his eyes and stood up. He looked into the garden through the window. 'Nice place.' He said. Tom joined him. 'Not bad,' he agreed, 'so how come you don't even call me for weeks and then you just turn up out of the blue?', Tom asked him. Marco started walking up and down nervously and Tom felt uncomfortable again, 'why are you here Marco?' He asked his brother quietly.

Marco took deep breaths. 'Because I want my brother back,' he looked at Tom, 'I miss you man. We all do. Mum and dad are beside themselves.'
He gulped. Tom buried his hands in his trouser pockets as he cast his eyes down. 'You were the ones who pushed me away.' He said quietly. 'We didn't push you away Tommy. We love you.' Marco's voice was full of emotion. Tom laughed. 'You love me alright. As long as I conform to your expectations,' he looked his brother in the eye, 'if you have come here to start another argument about me and Alex, then I can tell you now you have wasted your time.' Marco walked towards him and took a deep breath. 'Are you absolutely sure that this is the sort of life you want? Move back up North, be in a relationship with Alex, play daddy with a boy he had with his girlfriend? No matter if the world laughs about you? No