[The Bus. 21:24 BST.]
Mama on the seat next to me. Mateo and Iza behind us, Mateo with his leg out in the aisle and the crutch on the floor. Wayne with his daughters two rows ahead. Nya with Olise because Olise was staying with him until Nya's mum got to the hotel.
The bus pulled out at twenty-five past.
Mama had been on the phone for ten minutes in French to his father in Massy.
He hung up.
Did not say anything for a minute.
"Daniel."
"Yeah."
"My father is going to die before the end of the year. The cancer is back."
I did not say anything for three seconds.
"Mama."
"He was diagnosed in March. He did not tell me until tonight because he did not want me to play the season with it. He came from Senegal to France when he was eighteen. Worked at the Citroën factory in Aulnay until he was sixty. He has watched every Palace match I have played on a small television in the flat in Massy. He has six months."
The bus moved through Brent.
