The Beautiful Game - Closed for DeathsKnight

He looked over at where Lisa was busy with a group of children and then down at the little girl, he then looked up at Kat,

"I promised Lisa a softer ball, could I give it to Lisa to give to you to give to Lisa?"

He gave a small grin at the structure of the sentence, then he got to his feet, little Lisa seated on one arm.

"This little gal here tells me that ladies do not kick balls, that somebody older than her have told her so..."

He looked at Kat,

"Perhaps we should ask Lisa about this?"

The girl had her arms around his neck and he could see from the look in Kat's eyes that this was not normal. For him it was not normal at all, he never had a knack for children, the only children he ever worked with was the young fans who sometimes joined the teams on the field before kick-off. Usually some Reach-for-a-dream kind of organization which wanted to grant children their wishes.
 
Kat watched Ivan look across towards where Lisa was seated on the ground tying up her trainers, obviously still chatting with the children around her. It was obvious to her that there was obviously something going on between them.

"I promised Lisa a softer ball, could I give it to Lisa to give to you to give to Lisa?"

Kat laughed as Ivan spoke, his accent making his words sound even more comedic.

"Sure, I can pass one on, but we must have a soft ball around here somewhere..."

She told him.

"This little gal here tells me that ladies do not kick balls, that somebody older than her have told her so... Perhaps we should ask Lisa about this?"

Kat wasn't aware that and adult had told her that, but she knew the boys didn't take to the girls trying to take part in their game.

"I think some of the boys complain to their parents about the girls trying to join in ... maybe that's why they told her that ... "

She speculated.

"I can't leave Lisa alone, but she looks more than happy where she is right now ... "

Kat observed with a smile.

"So why don't you two go over and talk to your Lisa and I'll go search out a ball .... "

She turned to the little girl.

"You stay with Uncle Ivan, Lisa. I'll go get you a ball and then maybe you and Lisa can have a kick about? How about that?"

She offered, before leaving her in Ivan's care as she headed for the house.
 
He watched Kat as she left, then he looked at young Lisa and favored her a rare smile. Glancing over at Dean he could see the youngster talking to girls, clearly not from the inhabitants. He walked over to where Lisa sat and sat down next to her, gingerly moving young Lisa to sit on his lap,

"Lisa, we have a slight problem. Lisa's mother told her that ladies do not kick balls, but I told her that you play soccer every now and then."

He gave her a grin,

"So we are her to find if you are any less lady-like than any other lady that Lisa know."
 
Lisa looked up as Ivan approached, more sensing rather than hearing him. Her eyes widened at the sight of the little girl in his arms, even more so when she realised that Kat was nowhere in sight.

"Lisa, we have a slight problem. "

At the word 'problem', Lisa truly thought that something might be wrong, but Ivan merely continued.

"Lisa's mother told her that ladies do not kick balls, but I told her that you play soccer every now and then."

He spoke seriously as the little girl who was now comfortably settled on his lap gazed from first one to the other of them. Of all the children to take to Ivan, Lisa was the least likely.

"So we are her to find if you are any less lady-like than any other lady that Lisa know."

Two pairs of eyes were not focused expectantly on her. Both it seemed giving serious consideration to this topic.

"Well, Lisa ... "

She began knowing that she had to make this good.

"Lady-like isn't about what you do ... it's about what you are ... "

She explained.

"A long time ago, a lady used to dress up pretty, have people look after her and be nice and kind and polite ... "

Lisa glanced at Ivan to see how he was reacting to the story.

"But there were so many things they won't allowed to do that ladies got bored.
They wanted to have their own money, to go shopping and they wanted to have fun. They didn't think it fair that the boys and men got to do all the good stuff."


She smiled at Ivan as she watched Lisa listening so attentively.

"I do all the things I want to, even play football .... but I can still dress up pretty, still have people look after me, but I think that as long as I'm nice to people that I'm still as much of a lady ... "

She smiled at the little girl.

"What do you think, Lisa...?"
 
Ivan could see the intense concentration that went into young Lisa's thoughts,

"It's like uncle Ivan then? People say he's a big Russian bear, but inside he's a big Russian Teddybear."

Ivan could not help it, he had to laugh, he had been described as much things in the past, but a teddybear was new to him. He tickled her lightly, making her squirm and giggle,

"Yes exactly like that, no matter what you do to be active, you will still be a lady."

Young Lisa looked up at him,

"May I go sit on the bouncy castle steps?"

Ivan nodded,

"Just out of the way, don't let anybody fall on you."

She jumped up and walked to the smallest castle, taking a cross-legged seat and happily bounced along. Ivan looked at Lisa,

"She's got osteoporosis, doesn't she? That is why kicking that ball hurt her foot."
 
"It's like uncle Ivan then? People say he's a big Russian bear, but inside he's a big Russian Teddybear."

Lisa wondered where Lisa had gotten that idea from! Surely Kat had said something? She certainly hadn't. She smiled as Ivan laughed loudly, pleased that he was amused by the little girl's words and watched as he tickled her, not missing just how gentle he was with little Lisa.

"Yes exactly like that, no matter what you do to be active, you will still be a lady."

There was no doubt that she had really taken to Ivan, big Russian bear or not.

"May I go sit on the bouncy castle steps?"

It was Ivan she asked, Lisa noted incredulously.

"Just out of the way, don't let anybody fall on you."

They both watched as the girl scooted off and sat on the inflatable bouncing happily.

"She's got osteoporosis, doesn't she? That is why kicking that ball hurt her foot."

Lisa shook her head and watched little Lisa as she replied.

"She's had an infection in her bones. I think that's probably why she's been told that football isn't ladylike. Her family don't want her to hurt herself or put herself at risk ... but there's no reason she shouldn't, not now ... "

Turning back to Ivan she laughed.

"Uncle Ivan? Teddy bear?"

She teased.

"You seem to have a fan ... She's usually so shy too ... "

She looked across at where Dean was running the shoot out and noticed that Kat had returned there.

"Is there no end to your charm, I wonder...?"

Lisa asked knowing that Kat would have had to have trusted him to leave the little girl in Ivan's care ... it seemed he was winning popularity all over ... not least with Lisa herself ...
 
He gave her a grin,

"Well to be honest that was the only thing that came to mind which I knew would not scare the poor girl. The teddybear reference I have no idea where that comes from."

He arched an eyebrow,

"My charm? I have no charm that I am aware of, usually I am just me. You must be the first one to ever be charmed by that. Usually it scares people away."

He looked over at where Kat was busy taking down names and scores,

"It seems to me that Kat is a close friend of yours, she also seems to believe that there's something between us."

He gave her another grin,

"That is an interesting thought."
 
"Well to be honest that was the only thing that came to mind which I knew would not scare the poor girl.
The teddybear reference I have no idea where that comes from."


Lisa chuckled, but did not tell him that she herself had mentally compared him to a great bear, and not just because of his Russian roots.

"My charm? I have no charm that I am aware of, usually I am just me.
You must be the first one to ever be charmed by that. Usually it scares people away."


She followed his gaze as he looked across at Kat.

"Sometimes just being you is the most charming way to be Ivan...."

Lisa told him. She could understand how people might be intimidated, even scared by him, but ... there was much more to Ivan than his physique, though Lisa found nothing to fault in that area either.

"It seems to me that Kat is a close friend of yours, she also seems to believe that there's something between us.
That is an interesting thought."


Lisa met his gaze with a mock innocent gaze.

"Interesting? ... is it?"

She asked with a smile.

"Well ... she isn't to know that the kiss was just ... compensation ... "

His kiss had been playful, but undeniably public.

"I can put her right, if you want me to ... explain that this is just ... business ... or an extension of that ... ? "

She offered, though Ivan seemed far from worried at Kat's 'misunderstanding'.
 
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He turned to her, then he shook his head,

"Let her believe so if she wish. I would not mind if that was true, but as a man who have learned hard lessons I leave that up to you to decide."

A call reached him and he saw Kat motioning for him, it seemed like a new group of people had shown up.

"I have to go, keep Lisa under eye..."

He paused and then chuckled,

"I don't need to tell you that. Sorry."

With that he left, as soon as he took over from Kat, she retreated towards where the two Lisas were.
 
"Let her believe so if she wish. I would not mind if that was true, but as a man who have learned hard lessons I leave that up to you to decide."

She wondered what those hard lessons were, but had no time to respond or ask before Ivan was called over.

"I have to go, keep Lisa under eye..."

She raised an eyebrow at his instruction.

"I don't need to tell you that. Sorry."

She laughed actually impressed at how solicitous he was about the little girl.

"That's ok Uncle Ivan. Good to know you care about your little fan."

She commented as he went over to the shoot out area and watched as he and Kat swapped places. A quick glance over to check Lisa was still seated, happily bouncing lightly and seeming to be humming away to herself she looked up at her friend and greeted her.

"You left Lisa with him. You must approve?"

Lisa asked Kat.

" ... approve of what? ... of him being able to look after the child? Yes. Of him and you ...?"

She broke off laughing.

"Oh please ... don't even bother to deny ... "

They both looked across at where Ivan was now busying himself at the shoot out.

"I do like him. A lot."

Lisa said.

"And he likes you?"

Kat's words were part statement rather than question.

"He seems to ... so far ... "

She turned towards the woman who rolled her eyes.

"... nothing like taking it slow..."

Kat teased in exasperation and Lisa hushed her.
The two women stood up and headed towards little Lisa.

"I got you a ball Lisa."

Kat told her seeing her eyes light up.

"Time for a little game, then you need to rest a bit, ok?"

The child nodded obediently and stood taking Lisa's hand this time as the three headed off into a quiet corner where Kat had left the ball and even set up two markers as goal posts. Gently the 3 kicked the ball between them until finally Kat was persuaded to be in goal whilst Lisa instructed her younger charge on how to kick the ball so that it went in the right direction and even on one occasion went past Kat.

Only when the little girl tired and asked Lisa to have a go did Lisa step up and take several shots, each sailing past Kat as she complained that it simply wasn't fair which drew laughter from all three of them!
 
As the day drew to a close Ivan had to admit that Dean had surprised him, not only how he worked with the children, but his overall friendliness and work ethic. Of courde the young man seemed tireless, but Ivan could see the strain the constant keeping had on him. As promised it was time to find out who had won the shoot-out, the prize was kind of adjusted, some of the girls had demanded an evening with Dean and so Ivan had given in to that. As he looked through the list of names and scores he just had to grin, it seemed like Lisa was quite a favorable prize. He looked up at the people gathered around,

"First off, I wish to thank each and every one who took part of this shoot-out, I believe we all had fun and in the end we all leave this as winners. You can now say that you kicked penalties against a semi-professional goalkeeper. I would like to give a hand to all of you."

Ivan tucked the board under his arm and clapped hands, most people joined in, when the applause settled down, Ivan continued,

"Now there is just two more things, first of all we have a prize here...she had offered to go on a date with a gentleman who wins. Lisa if you please?"

He grinned at her and the people good naturedly pushed her forward, encouraging her with applause, Ivan suppressed a laugh at the look on her face, then he held out the clipboard,

"Stephen Fringe, he scored five goals from five attempts. Come forward Stephen, Lisa got to know who her date is this week end."

One of the centre's children stepped forward, Ivan gave Lisa a sly wink.

"I heard Stephen likes milkshake, I think you have your work cut out for you Lisa."

General applause followed, the grown-ups knew what it was all about, Ivan held up a hand,

"But it came under my attention that boys kicks harder than girls, that means that the young ladies also need their prize. Now all of you had met Dean, our goal keeper, it seems like he will be spending some training time away from the pitch, Susan Collins is the lady who got him into trouble with me."

Laughter followed as one of the girls that Dean have spoken to during one of his breaks stepped forward, a blush spreading over her cheeks.

"But there's been some debate, people have been asking who between Lisa here and myself would be the best at goal kicking. So how about it? Does everybody wish to witness who wins?"

More good nated applause followed, Ivan turned to Lisa and motioned to the set-up as Dean took up his place,

"Ladies first."
 
The event seemed successful. It certainly flew by and was well attended.
Lisa and Ivan both were occupied with different activities, but Lisa couldn't help but glance across at the shoot out to see Ivan and Dean busy with an amazing number of participants. It wasn't until the final quarter of an hour that people seemed to be moving across to the shoot out, no doubt gathered by Ivan and Dean; and of course Lisa joined them. Little Lisa had long returned inside as had the rest of the children in Kat's care, but once they were settled, Kat had returned to Lisa's side, just in time for Ivan's announcement.

"First off, I wish to thank each and every one who took part of this shoot-out, I believe we all had fun and in the end we all leave this as winners. You can now say that you kicked penalties against a semi-professional goalkeeper. I would like to give a hand to all of you."

Lisa was impressed by how charming Ivan was and how those around joined him in applauding the participants.

"Now there is just two more things, first of all we have a prize here...she had offered to go on a date with a gentleman who wins. Lisa if you please?"

Shocked at his announcement, Lisa blushed and tried to disappear behind Kat. They had discussed a private wager, she hadn't realised that Lisa was going to be presented as the 'prize'. Yet hiding wasn't an option. Kat laughingly pushed her forward. It was as if her friend had been 'in on' Ivan's plans. Having been well and truly 'set up'. Despite her blushing confusion, Lisa allowed herself to be encouraged to join Ivan, giving him a warning glance and a slight shake of the head wondering if he understood that she was going to get her own back on him, sometime ... somehow ...

"Stephen Fringe, he scored five goals from five attempts. Come forward Stephen, Lisa got to know who her date is this week end."

Lisa smiled broadly as one of the children, a relatively new resident came forward.

"I heard Stephen likes milkshake, I think you have your work cut out for you Lisa."

Lisa crouched down and gave the little boy a kiss on the cheek. He was only around 7 and still finding his feet and quite shy. She whispered in his ear telling him that he should think about what he wanted to do one afternoon and she'd see what she could do; after all a prize was a prize ... and she was more than happy to get to know him better ..

"But it came under my attention that boys kicks harder than girls, that means that the young ladies also need their prize..."

Ivan was still talking. Standing up again, she wondered where this was going?

"Now all of you had met Dean, our goal keeper, it seems like he will be spending some training time away from the pitch, Susan Collins is the lady who got him into trouble with me."

Lisa smiled at the shy goalkeeper as he blushed.

"But there's been some debate, people have been asking who between Lisa here and myself would be the best at goal kicking."

Lisa's attention snapped back to Ivan. God, he was going to go public with this!

"So how about it? Does everybody wish to witness who wins?"

She shook her head at him, but it seemed those who had gathered had different ideas.

"Ladies first."

Dean moved in position, Ivan stood back and all eyes were on her.
Tame though the kick-about with the little girl had been she had at least had a basic 'warm up', though she doubted that this would equip her for this amount of pressure.

With no other option, Lisa took the ball and took her place. She was bound to miskick; bound to do something stupid. She took a short run up, kicked and the ball went sailing past Dean and into the net ... She was relieved. A combination of beginners luck and the fact that Dean had been overworked all day and had to get back in the goalkeeping 'zone'. Lisa could only hope that his skills were well honed by the time Ivan took his turn rather than be overtired when being faced with his own manager; an intimidating prospect in itself.

"How many are we doing, Ivan? 3? 5?"

She queried good naturedly, all to aware of the onlookers as she retried the ball and then handed it to him.

"Let's make this interesting ... Penalty shoot out? Can you match me?"

She challenged with a sassy grin.
 
He watched her kick, it was a good straight forward kick, one that Dean would have struggled with under any circumstance. He met her sassy grin with a slight smile,

"We go best out of five, in the event of a draw the first miss loses. And since you want a proper penalty shoot-out, I do believe it's my turn."

He gave her a wink and deftly caught the ball Dean tossed at him, he took two steps back from the spot and placed the ball down, three more paces further back and looked at the goalmouth, then at Dean, then at the ball. He wasn't worried about losing, he was not an active player, this was not a final and whomever wins, the result will be the same in his eyes. With his eyes focused on the ball and not looking up at the goalmouth, he took a deep breath. Took a step back and rushed forward, bringing his foot through. As he connected he knew it was a good one, by his standards the ball travelled slowly, but it left Dean standing cold, unable to move in time, from the onlookers' gasps he took that they saw it as fast. He gave Lisa an imitation of her sassy grin,

"One all I take it?"
 
Ivan smiled at her words.

"We go best out of five, in the event of a draw the first miss loses.
And since you want a proper penalty shoot-out, I do believe it's my turn."


It wasn't that she had forgotten about the people watching, but this was definitely more than just a shoot out between the two of them. Lisa tried not to be charmed by the wink and stood back to watch Ivan take his kick. He was amazing, as she had known he would be. Faultless, poised and with such strength in his kick that she doubted that Dean would be able to save any of his shots. But of course she wasn't going to let any of that show on her face.

"One all I take it?"

He asked giving a parody of the smug grin she had given to him.

"One all, not bad ... "

She told him calmly. He had impressed everyone watching as well as Lisa, but she wasn't going to let Ivan know that. She was up against a master, but she wasn't going to let him phase her. She could kick a ball between two posts, she knew she could. All she had to do was not give in to pressure.

Setting the ball down, she took her kick once more, sending the ball into the top right hand corner, her third straight down the line as Dean went left, a fourth to the right once more. And of course Ivan matched her goal for goal. With apparent ease he powered the ball home, burying it each time.

"Sure you don't want to agree to a draw, I'd hate to ruin your rep?"

Lisa asked him as Dean got into position for her fifth and final kick.
Laughing and knowing that she'd be lucky to get 100% success, Lisa put the ball down and stood for long moments deciding just which direction to send this attempt. She thought she'd overthought it, thought she had given Dean the chance to read her intentions and indeed as the ball flew to the left, Dean too sprang in that direction. It was close, so achingly close. His fingers got to the ball, the contact changing the direction of its flight, but the force was not enough to deflect it beyond the goal mouth. And so the ball just evaded him and ended up in the back of the net.

"Yessss!"

Lisa could not hold back her glee - and of course relief.
Doing a victory dance, she headed back towards Ivan, the widest smile on her face.

"Your turn, I believe?"

She told him with saccharin sweetness ... knowing that the pressure was on him now.
 
He was enjoying himself, the occasional cheer from the gathered crowd made it obvious that they were enjoying it too. He knew that if he thumped in this shot, the chance increased of Dean reading her next shot. His second shot had curved beyond Dean's reach, the third one went straight into the left ground corner and it was with the fourth one that Dean got to see the mystical movement attributed to Ivan, the ball curved right and in mid-flight changed direction to the left. To Ivan it was just plain wind resistance and spin on the ball, to goalkeepers it seemed like magic.

He looked at Lisa, he was a competitive man, he wanted to win, but in this case if he lost he still won and like he had told himself earlier, there was no pressure. He stopped the ball with his foot that Dean rolled back to him. Was it really necessary to win this simple shoot-out? There was no need to force the issue that he was the better footballer, this was a charity event wasn't it? With a smirk, he leaned forward to her,

"What rep is that? A retired footballer who came here and is now managing a club?"

He gave her a grin, then straightened up, with a slight flick of his foot he settled the ball in place. He took his place, focused on what he wanted the ball to do, rushed forward and kicked. First it seemed like the ball was heading straight to Dean and then it started to curve, Dean dove, but it was clear that the ball had beaten him...then it rebounded from the upright! Ivan hid the smile he had inside as his plan worked, it looked genuine enough and he added a slight air of disappointment as he gave Lisa a hug and rose her hand in victory,

"There you have it ladies and gentlemen, the better shooter is Lisa!"

This draw a good applause, amidst the ruckus Ivan leaned close to Lisa's ear,

"That also means that you will have to pick a date for your meal with me."

He slipped an arm around her and suddenly hoisted her onto his shoulder, with a huge grin he started chanting and soon enough some of the men and children joined in,

"Lisa! Lisa! Lisa! Lisa!"

After what he saw as a proper victory celebration he allowed her down from her perch on his shoulder.

"I will have to help Dean, thank you Lisa, I really enjoyed my day."

With that he returned to the shoot-out area to help the exhausted Dean to break down the set-up and get everything packed.
 
"What rep is that? A retired footballer who came here and is now managing a club?"

He had asked her and of course Ivan looked cool and confident as he stepped up to take his last shot. Lisa knew it would go in. She secretly wondered just how many rounds it would take before she slipped up, but she was determined to give Ivan a good run and thought that she had proven herself beyond a level that he, or even she (if she were honest) suspected.

She stood aside and watched the ball head into the net. Again that miraculous curve and she wondered, not for the first time, just HOW he did that!!? The rebound was totally unexpected, it took long moments for Lisa to realise that Ivan had failed to score. She blinked as he congratulated her. For a fleeting moment she wondered if he had thrown the competition and let her win? But how could he have planned for the ball to behave like that, surely it wasn't possible?

"There you have it ladies and gentlemen, the better shooter is Lisa!"

He hugged her and held her hand up as the people applauded.

"That also means that you will have to pick a date for your meal with me."

She smiled at his words and had no time to respond before he had her up on his shoulder and led the others in a victory chant. Lisa couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head at his exuberance, catching Kat's eye as she raised her eyebrows expressively, Lisa knew that Ivan wanted her to celebrate her unexpected victory.

Eventually he let her down.

"I will have to help Dean, thank you Lisa, I really enjoyed my day."

She nodded.

"He must be exhausted. Please thank him for me."

She just had time to respond before Ivan turned away, his focus now clearly upon dismantling and gathering the equipment together.

"He's a strange one, isn't he?"

Kat's voice drew Lisa's attention away from Ivan.

"Yes ... unique ... "

Lisa sighed still not quite sure what had happened there.

"And you're smitten...."

Lisa fully gave Kat her attention then.

"Am not. I like him, but ... "

She shook her head in denial.
Kat didn't say a word and merely went off into peals of laughter to which Lisa could offer no response.
 
When all was said and done, Ivan helped with the larger chunk of the work and retired with the totally drained Dean. He dropped the young man off at home, excusing him from practice and then went to the club grounds to return the equipment, when that was done he headed home, there was still some time left and he actually had an order which he could spend time on and so he did just that. He took out spare pieces of wood he had and started on making the next batch of furniture. He thought back at the charity event and found that it had been a day of firsts for him, he even gave up a competition to not impress anybody, but only to help people feel part of the better things in life. He wondered about something then, then he took out his mobile phone and sent a text to Lisa

"Hi Lisa, could you tell me what young Lisa's surname is?"

He started working on an off-cut piece of wood as he waited for the reply
 
Lisa didn't actually see Ivan again. Leaving him and Dean to sort out their equipment, she went inside and agreed to accompanying Kat on her 'round' to check on the children before actually leaving an hour or so later. She found she was exhausted when she finally got through the door, but everything had gone so well at the hospice and as far as Ivan was concerned, well, from what she could tell he seemed interested in her and she had her date to look forward to, although she had lost track as to what the prize was exactly. Were they going out or was he going to cook for her? She had lost track. She carried out a quick exploration of her fridge and freezer and took out a pizza which was all she could be bothered to prepare that evening. Putting it in the oven she decided to resist the urge to have a lingering bath and opted instead for a shower. She was sat in a robe, her hair wrapped in a towel, eating pizza and sipping wine when her phone bleeped with a text.

"Hi Lisa, could you tell me what young Lisa's surname is?"

It was a curious question and so typical of Ivan to be short and to the point.
Putting the phone down, she could not help but wonder just what he was up to.
She managed to concentrate on eating all her pizza and drink a glass of wine before picking up the phone and calling him.

"Hey... it's Lisa ... "

She announced as he answered.

"Our little Lisa's name is Mason. I just called to check about this prize I'm supposed to have won today. Are we going out or are you cooking?
I lost track of what agreement we came to."


She asked casually.
 
"Hi Lisa"

He listened to her and muttered under his breath

"Mason"

as he wrote it down, he transferred the phone to his hand to the rest of her sentence,

"Well then, I can make it anything I please then since the lady forgot."

He gave a short chuckle,

"The agreement was that I cook you a meal if you win, all that I will need is a time and date that suits you and I can prepare a little something special for you."

He stepped out of the garage and sat on the bonnet of the car,

"Of course that means that I will have to get out my apron and that is a sight to scare many a fair maiden."
 
"Well then, I can make it anything I please then since the lady forgot."

She laughed with him.

"I think you complicated the terms of our wager. Who knows what you got me to agree to?"

"The agreement was that I cook you a meal if you win, all that I will need is a time and date that suits you and I can prepare a little something special for you."

Lisa sipped at her wine and tucked her legs under her smiling as Ivan spoke.

"Of course that means that I will have to get out my apron and that is a sight to scare many a fair maiden."

She laughed and gave an exaggerated "hmmmmmm" sound.

"That could be rather sexy ... "

She teased.

" ... gotta love a man in a pinny."

She giggled finding him increasingly easier to chat and joke with.

"So, when do you have time to get culinary? You have an away game the day after tomorrow and at sometime you wanted me to talk to your team about the sponsorship ... "

She was mentally going through their diaries.

"Ivan ... ?"

She hesitated before continuing.

"This meal, you and me ... I know Dean was fine today, but ... well you've put a lot into your team. I wouldn't like to mess up any dynamics between you and them ... so ... if seeing me causes a problem then you only have to say ... "

She chuckled despite her serious words.

"And you know I can be professional and business like ... if that's how you need me to be."

She had made the offer, given him a chance to back out, but she so hoped that he wouldn't ...
 
He gave her words consideration, not that he did not think that it could work, he was looking to see if it was a way for her to try and get out, but he only found that it was aimed at him,

"You seem to understand and respect that I put the team first, if you can accept that even if we are seeing each other, then I do not see any difficulty."

He paused,

"If you have the time, we can have our dinner date when you come to talk to the team. It falls into the week and have no impact on the training."

He glanced into the garage, he had to buy wood,

"I have just thought about something. Back in Russia terminally ill children were given a chance to meet a team or player that they liked and even went on to the field with them. I do not know of such a thing here, I think something like that will draw the community and even give us a slight bit of extra media coverage."

He shrugged, aware that she could not see the movement,

"Just a thought really."
 
"You seem to understand and respect that I put the team first, if you can accept that even if we are seeing each other, then I do not see any difficulty.
If you have the time, we can have our dinner date when you come to talk to the team. It falls into the week and have no impact on the training."


That seemed logical and after all training had to come first. Lisa had know that it must.

"I have just thought about something. Back in Russia terminally ill children were given a chance to meet a team or player that they liked and even went on to the field with them. I do not know of such a thing here, I think something like that will draw the community and even give us a slight bit of extra media coverage ... Just a thought really."

She knew he was trying to be kind, but it seemed he had forgotten her ground rules already.

"No Ivan."

She said.

"I don't want the team linked to the hospice in any way."

She sighed.

"Today wasn't too bad as it was something that you arranged, so it was a gesture from you, not the team."

Although she had noticed Ivan commenting about Dean being a semi-professional goalkeeper, but she let that go, for now ...

"If you want us to find a worthy cause for publicity purposes then that shouldn't be difficult to do. All subject to approval from my company. Sponsor ship at this level has it's restrictions."

She wondered if he really had any idea what his team had been tied in to?

"But Sunny Rise is off limits for any kind of publicity.
It's too personal. I thought I'd explained that."


She told him wondering for the first time if she'd made a mistake taking him there today.
 
He almost laughed, he should have known her thoughts would turn to Sunny Rise immediately,

"Lisa, sometimes you are too fast on your feet. I know that Sunny Rise is private to you and I loved sharing it with you. I was thinking about the other children, those in hospital, those laying in beds after serious accidents, even the local schools."

He smiled despite himself,

"I would never think about Sunny Rise as a team thing, well unless they learn of it through another channel and wish to volunteer, but that will mean they have free time and that would mean I'm not training them enough. But as I said, it's just a thought, think about it, I'm sure we can discuss it later on."
 
She was surprised by his response. His laughter rumbled down the phone at her.

"Lisa, sometimes you are too fast on your feet. I know that Sunny Rise is private to you and I loved sharing it with you. I was thinking about the other children, those in hospital, those laying in beds after serious accidents, even the local schools."

She had misunderstood him and yet he wasn't offended by her assumption, merely amused for some reason.

"I would never think about Sunny Rise as a team thing, well unless they learn of it through another channel and wish to volunteer, but that will mean they have free time and that would mean I'm not training them enough."

She smiled at the dedication he demanded from his team.

"But as I said, it's just a thought, think about it, I'm sure we can discuss it later on."

She supposed it was a direction they could pursue, though perhaps once they were through this first 'trial' period.

"I'm sorry, Ivan. I should have known better than to think you were talking about Sunny Rise."

Honesty compelled her to offer an apology.

"And if that's a direction you're interested in, then I'm sure something could be arranged if we continue to do business together as we both hope."

She sighed.

"I guess I'm too used to keeping myself to myself these days. I usually keep myself to myself these days. Besides the people I work don't need to know what I do with my time off or anything about my family."

She was sociable enough when business made it necessary, but she couldn't remember the last time she had let someone get close.

"I'd best let you go. I'm sure you could use some peace and quiet after today.
I have a day at the office tomorrow."


She grimaced. She was planning to go in a bit later than usual, but no lazy Friday afternoon for her, she was planning to work late.

"Thanks for everything Ivan. You were so brilliant today.
Everyone had so much fun."


And she had loved being 'with' him, even by association.
And he had definitely been a hit!
 
He smiled,

"It was a fun day, thank you for sharing it with me."

And again he was surprised at how easily she was able to make him smile,

"I hope you sleep well and we will see you at the game yes?"
 
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