Chapter 7: Daniel
It was seven a.m. on Saturday morning and ten-year-old Daniel Quintock and his family were making the final preparations for their holiday. Five years before they bought a ‘time-share’ chalet-bungalow just outside Brighton and they holidayed there in the same week every year. A substantial two-bedroomed chalet, it was painted gaily in white with red doors, yellow windows and a green felt roof. When they first saw it Daniel and his eight-year-old sister, Bethany, nicknamed it ‘The Beach Hut’.
The Quintocks always travelled on holiday together but this year was different. Daniel’s mother, Mary, was driving down to Brighton with Bethany, while Daniel and his father, James, were going first to a very special event – on average a once-in-five-years event, if history was anything to go by – before continuing their journey to Brighton. They had got tickets to watch Hull rugby league football club, Hull FC, the ‘Black and Whites’, play Wigan ‘Warriors’ in the final of the Challenge Cup at Wembley Stadium. Despite no longer living in Hull, Daniel’s father was a passionate lifelong supporter. He took Daniel – and sometimes Mary and Bethany – to as many games as possible. Mary enjoyed the songs and the convivial family atmosphere on the terraces while Bethany loved the cheerleaders and longed to participate when she was older, but it was James who shared his father’s passion for Hull FC and, as the famous rugby league football song described it, for ‘The Greatest Game of All’.
Daniel listened to his father humming the traditional Hull FC song ‘Old Faithful’ as they packed the last items into the car’s boot: beach paraphernalia, a hamper of ‘dry’ foods and suitcases. Daniel was trying to look cool and nonchalant, but inside he was so excited he wanted to run around the lawn wheeling his arms like an aeroplane.
James was also pretending to be calm. A Wembley final was the stuff that dreams were made of and he couldn’t wait to stand proudly on the terraces with his son and the other Hull supporters.
Soon they were ready to leave and had piled everything into the car, with Mary driving, Bethany beside her, and Daniel and James in the back. She dropped ‘the boys’ at the local railway station and they boarded a train for London St. Pancras, then took the underground to Wembley Stadium.
James and Daniel mingled with a swelling, cheerful crowd of Yorkshiremen and Lancastrians as they crossed the White Horse Bridge from the underground to reach the stadium. Most were declaring their allegiance by wearing their black and white or red and white supporters’ jerseys. Some sported matching crazy hats, painted faces or carried flags and banners. Daniel couldn’t stop smiling as he proudly displayed his black and white jersey and matching jester’s hat while his father exchanged banter with fellow Hull FC supporters.
James bought a programme, two cans of Coke and two hot dogs. He checked their tickets and located entrance K to access their seats. Then, just as he was about to present their tickets to the usher, Daniel suddenly said, “Dad, I need the toilet.” They found the nearest ‘gents’ and Daniel headed for a cubicle at the far end, by a window. He took off his hat, placing it on a high windowsill in the cubicle.
Reaching up to collect it a couple of minutes later, he was surprised to find he had put it on top of a small parcel half-hidden in a V-shaped recess of the windowsill. He looked at the brown paper parcel and sees it’s for ‘Dad’ at an address in Nottingham. Wow! he thought, What should I do with this? I’d better ask my Dad!
Taking it to the basins, Daniel washed his hands, picked up the parcel, and walked into the corridor to meet his dad by Entrance K. “Dad! Dad, look what I’ve found! Someone’ll be really upset to have lost this. What shall we do with it?”
Dad shook the parcel and it rattled quietly. “There’s no clue what’s in it. It’s not very heavy and it doesn’t seem dangerous,” James said. He looked at the address. “That’s interesting. Nottingham. My head office is based in Nottingham. Pity there’s no name or I’d see if any of my colleagues might know who ‘Dad’ is. Here, put it in this plastic bag for now. We’ll think what to do later. Let’s go and enjoy the game!”
Daniel clung onto the plastic bag. As he entered the arena he looked in awe at the vast crowd around him, and soon forgot about the parcel. The people on the other side of the pitch seemed so small, like matchsticks. Everyone was getting in the mood for the game, standing up and singing, ‘Oh when the Saints go marching in’ while the cheerleaders swung their batons to the music of a brass band.
The game began. Sadly, for Daniel and James, it did not live up to their perhaps unrealistic expectations. Hull FC had reached the final of the Challenge Cup, otherwise having a mediocre season and they lost the match 16-0. Still, James and Daniel agreed that Wembley had been a great experience and, as they walked back across the bridge to the underground to continue their journey to Brighton via Victoria station – Daniel clutching the plastic bag containing the parcel – the atmosphere between rival supporters remained calm and friendly.
As they journeyed on, they discussed the parcel and decided to post it to ‘Dad’ the following day. Mary and Bethany met them off the six o’clock train and they drove to the bungalow. It was a warm, sunny evening and, rounding the final corner of their journey, the colourful ‘Beach Hut’ appeared, set on one side of a small bay. “Hello again!” Daniel said.
Mary, helped by Bethany, had already prepared a simple meal of cold ham, pizza, salad and ice cream. Daniel dumped the plastic bag with the parcel on his bed and headed to the living room. When their meal was over, he rushed down to the sea with Bethany, again forgetting about the parcel.
An hour later, Daniel and Bethany returned to the chalet and amused themselves until bedtime. It was only when cleaning his teeth that Daniel remembered the parcel. He picked up the plastic bag from his bed, pulled out the parcel and took it into the living room. His mum and dad had just finished the washing up.
“Mum, look what I found in the toilets at Wembley Stadium. It’s addressed to ‘Dad’ in Nottingham. Dad thinks we should post it to the other ‘Dad’ tomorrow. What do you think?” Daniel then added in a grown-up voice, “It might be very important.”
Mary looked at the parcel. “We could post it to ‘Dad’ or – I’ve got a better idea; we could take it to him on the way home. It would only take a few days longer to reach him and that way we can make sure he gets it, and it would be nice to see the dad’s face when he gets it. Maybe he’ll open it when we’re there and see what’s inside!”
“Oh, can we, Mum? That would be great. I’d like to meet the man called ‘Dad’ and he’ll be pleased we’ve taken so much trouble.” Daniel was already dreaming about his next adventure!
“That’s a good plan,” James agreed.
“Problem solved!” Daniel replied. “I’m going to put the parcel in my bedside cabinet now to keep it safe.”
He stowed the parcel away and jumped into bed. Soon he was fast asleep and dreaming that he was knocking on the door of a house in Nottingham. A kindly old man with a white beard would invite him in and start to open the parcel, but before Daniel could find out what was inside, he was woken by the ringing of his mother’s mobile phone.
Daniel looked at his watch. It was nine o’clock the next morning and Bethany’s bed was empty and he had overslept. He could hear his mother answering her mobile and he could hear a one-sided conversation through the open door. His mum sounded first surprised, then upset. He got out of bed and crept into the living room to hear the conversation better.
“Yes, yes, of course we’ll come home,” Mary was saying. “Don’t worry, Mum, try and keep calm, Dad’s in good hands… I’m sure he’ll be okay.” Daniel’s mum was trying to sound positive. “Hold on a minute,” she said, “I need to talk to James.” She walked out onto the terrace and Daniel followed her, unseen. His father was sitting in a deckchair reading a newspaper. “My Dad’s had a stroke,” Mary’s voice was shaking. “He’s in the Royal Hospital... Mum’s with him… she wants me to come home.” Daniel’s mum was trying not to cry.
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His dad put his arms round Daniel’s mum’s shoulders. “We’ll pack up and leave as soon as possible. Tell your mum we’ll be with her by…” He looked at his watch. “I think we can make it by three. I’ll go and tell the children”.
Mary returned to the living room. “Hi Mum. We’ll be with you as soon as we can – should be there by three. Go home and get some rest. I’ll take you back to the hospital when we get there”. Daniel’s mum rang off and sat down to collect her thoughts.
James spotted his son standing by the French windows and realised that he already knew about his grandfather. James looked for Bethany and found her trying on Mary’s makeup in the bathroom. He sat down with the children and explained that they had to go home because their grandpa George was ill, then gave a simplified description of what it meant to have a stroke.
Daniel and Bethany felt miserable. George was their favourite grandparent; he knew how to talk to them and had a wicked sense of humour. Their father hadn’t let on just how ill their grandfather was but they knew it was serious because they’d had to go home that day. They were sad to be leaving the bungalow but wanted to be with their mother. They gave her a big hug. Mary hugged them back, appearing to stop any tears.
Everyone pulled together to repack their belongings and load the car; then they cleaned and tidied ready for the next arrivals. Daniel grabbed his clothes from his chest of drawers and threw them into his case along with some shells he’d found on the beach. In his haste and distress, he forgot all about the parcel he’d stowed in his bedside cabinet.
They left mid-morning. Wistfully, the children glanced back at the chalet. They were sad to say goodbye but they knew they’d be back again the next year – maybe earlier if their parents could arrange a swap with another time-share owner.
On the journey, Mary phoned her mother. Grandpa George was ‘stable’ but still on the critical list.
They arrived home and Mary set off again to pick up her mother and go to the hospital. James tried to distract the children with a visit to the local park. They got fish and chips for tea, then watched TV.
Daniel was getting ready for bed. As he cleaned his teeth, he suddenly remembered the parcel. On top of all that had happened that day – his grandpa’s illness and the lost holiday – the pain of knowing that he had left the parcel behind in ‘The Beach Hut’ was almost too much to bear. What if ‘Dad’ gets ill like Grandpa George and he never gets his parcel? Daniel worried. It’ll all be my fault!’ He burst into tears. His mum had not yet arrived home and in any case he didn’t want to upset her further so he went in search of his dad.
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