Chapter 5

The next day he met with his mother's closest friend.

Dr.Katherine "Kat" Haggelton was a few years older than Alicia and was a 35 years old Irish born Psychologist.

She worked in Homerton University Hospital; she had become friends with Alicia after Akin's father died in a terrorist attack.

Alicia had just given birth and was hospitalised at Whipps Cross University.

Akin's father, Joseph, had been on duty when a group of violent protests broke out into a riot; he was caught in an explosion.

After discovering Joseph had died, Alicia had fainted, and in the days following, she was in shock.

Kat had been her placement at Whipps Cross and had heard the nurses talking because Alicia was still relatively young, just entering her 20s.

No one had once visited her after she was widowed; Alicia did not have anyone. After moving to the UK, she married and became a housewife.

Kat soon began visiting her whenever she was free; the two would talk about how she met Joseph, why she moved to the UK, and what were her dreams before marriage. Eventually, they became close friends ds. Alicia began opening up about her worries about a single mother, feeling trapped by her circumstances, angry at Joseph, at the Police, at the world.

Kat, in the end, was able to help her through the pain; after talking to her, Alicia was able to hold Akin for the first time and made her his godmother. However, Akin has no prior memory of her as he was not originally from this world.

Of course, in the end, both Alicia and Kat chalked it up as Akin being too young to remember her; Alicia teased her friend, believing this to be the case.

"You see, your godson cannot recognise you because you have not been paying him attention!"

Kat laughed sheepishly as she pulled Alicia into a hug and pat Akin's head dotingly.

"I'm so sorry, babe! You know how much I love you both, but after I finished my placement,t I had to do my residency, and I was drowning in the shit with the shift they gave me."

Alicia smacked her arm before playfully covering Akin's ears and admonishing her.

"Don't spoil my baby's ears with your foul language! You're supposed to be setting a good example."

This caused Kat to giggle as she sat at the edge of her desk, her arms crossed under her arms as a mischievous glint entered her eye.

"Oh please, this one probably says worse when he's with his mates."

Alicia gasped in mocking offence as she pressed her hand to her chest.

"Never! Not my baby!"

Akin coughed awkwardly at the interaction, his eyes studying the unfamiliar woman; Kat was a head shorter than Alicia.

Her face was pretty, while she had a curvy figure, with her hair in brown ringlets.

Honestly, the Alicia he knew in his past life never had any friends she would interact with like this; his mother dedicated too much of her free time to raising him, so he was curious.

Kat noticed his curious eyes and grinned cheekily, opening her arms wide in invitation.

"What's the matter, peanut? too big to hug your Aunt Kat?"

The nickname threw Akin as his face scrunched up, one part confusion, one part outrage.

"Peanut?!"

They heard the anger that caused both women to laugh uproariously after sharing a glance between them.

Alicia wrapped her arm around his shoulder as she hugged him to her side, stroking his head as she fondly recounted.

"Your Aunt Kat has always caused you that ever since you were a baby."

Kat nodded, her eyes misty as she fell back into the memory.

"You were so tiny, such a small little thing; I remember being so flustered that I blurted out ', He's smaller than a Peanut!'"

The exclamation made Akin grimace, and he shuddered in disgust.

"There is no way I was that small; I'm one of the tallest in my Year!"

Kat grinned at him as she nodded her head, seemingly mocking him.

"Sorry, Peanut, you were a tiny little thing; I cannot believe how much you shot up, your gonna be taller than your Mam, I can tell."

Alicia nodded along, beaming, her eyes shining.

"He's growing well because he is so active, always active, actually Kat, that is why we're here."

Hearing this, Kat sobered up, her expression seemingly softening from a cheeky aunty to a comforting professional.

However, there was a hint of concern in her eyes.

"Right, you mentioned on the phone that he needed to talk to someone; what was the issue?"

They all sat down in her office, Alicia and Akin sitting opposite her as Alicia began to speak.

"Well, as you know, Akin has been playing football for a while now, and he has been doing pretty well since he began."

"I remember you mentioned he had been accepted in a football academy?"

Hearing the question, the widowed mother nodded affirmatively and continued.

"Yes, but instead of playing with his age group, he was placed in the U15, which means he is physically outclassed when playing with the older kids."

Kat nodded in understanding and expressed herself thoughtfully.

"That makes sense; your physical strength will not grow as quickly because your younger body will not be able to handle too much too quickly."

She turned her attention to Akin, who had been quiet, with a small encouraging smile.

"So why don't you tell me what the problem is? How can I help?"

Akin glanced at Alicia, who nodded supportively, before sighing and meeting Kat's gaze.

"When I play in games, I avoid the bigger boys; I make mistakes…."

As she listened to his concern Kat, to nod and responded.

"So, what do you wish to do about it?"

Akin matched her gaze with one of conviction as he leaned forward.

"I want to be more confident, stop shying away from confrontation and play at my proper level in games."

Kat studied him carefully and then smiled.

"Then why don't we get started?"