League of His Own Ch. 10

The first thing I organised for the family was to go away on holiday once Kim and Wendy had finished their studies for the year. I wanted to leave the shores of Australia, eventually agreeing to spend a couple of weeks relaxing on an island in the Pacific, easily affording the sort of large cabin that could fit seven adults and two children.

My six girls did pick up that I was feeling a little low in the couple of weeks after that loss. My kids spent nearly their entire time trying to make me laugh. For such young children, they were remarkably in tune with the mood of everyone in the house, and they loved nothing more than clambering up onto the couch for snuggles with Daddy. Kyla and Aimee would spend time in the evening making me smile, while Kim, Wendy and Rebecca seemed to have formed some sort of triumvirate about ensuring I was kept smiling the entire time we were on holiday.

Off-season for me and no studying for Kim and Wendy, plus Rebecca being on holiday from teaching, meant they were completely relaxed at the same time, and my mother and sisters gave us plenty of privacy.

The only slight disappointment at the end of the season was being overlooked to represent my country in the yearly test matches against either England, New Zealand or one of the emerging nations. The incumbent Brisbane and Queensland halfback was chosen, and if I was being completely honest, he definitely deserved to wear the green and gold.

Returning home after two weeks away has everyone feeling revitalised. The kids had enjoyed themselves. Mum was smiling and more relaxed than I'd seen in years. Kyla and Aimee admitted to being eager to have more children soon. Kim needed the break as the rest of the year was exhausting. Wendy had now graduated and looking forward to working though I knew wanted to start having children too. And Rebecca... She told me that she was simply happy with her life, in love with me, and loved our rather unusual family.

Lying back with Kim and Wendy to either side of me during our first night back home, I couldn't help but think back about my life over the past few years and could only hope that good fortune would continue to smile on us all going forward.

*****

A/N - This story was written in early 2024 before that year's State of Origin series, and I consider these later chapters as being set in the near future (perhaps three or four years after the year of writing). The last time Queensland was held scoreless was in 2021, Game Two, held at Suncorp Stadium. Queensland have also been scoreless in 1994, Game Two, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and in 1990, Game One, held at the Sydney Football Stadium.