Leopard Spots - 15. Chapter 15

Neil was quietly excited. He had done his best to be professional with Jim throughout the day, but now that it was Friday night, he felt he could relax. Oliver had picked him up from the store at five and had taken him back to the Bronson Avenue home Oliver shared with Todd and Paul. There, Neil had left his bag containing toiletries and clothes in Todd’s room. At Oliver’s suggestion, he had changed into a more casual set of clothing while waiting for Todd to arrive.

The four headed off to the club where the three players left Neil alone in the grandstand while they entered the change room to prepare for training. He’d taken a seat near the upper-right-hand corner, away from the other people who had gathered to watch the Leopards’ workout. Neil estimated that there were close to thirty people there taking cover from the weather.

It was still raining, as it had been on and off since Wednesday, and the ground was becoming a mud pool. Todd had told Neil that training outside was likely to be shorter than normal as they had a match the next day and the coaches would want to minimise the chance of an injury due to the slippery conditions. Todd had said to go into the clubroom and wait for him there once the guys had left the ground.

“Neil, isn’t it?”

Neil turned and stared up at the raven-headed voluptuous young woman of Mediterranean appearance who had addressed him. She glanced from him to the phone she had in her hand and then smiled as she put it away. “Hi, I’m Helena. Ollie told me you’d be here.”

“Hi.” Neil gave her a small smile. A friend of Oliver’s was not someone he wanted to offend.

Helena sat down next to him. “Ollie invited me to the party tonight and said that it was being given to welcome you to the extended Leopard clan.”

“Umm...I’m sorry, but I don’t know who you are.” Neil tensed up. He thought it was going to be dinner, not a party. If Helena was any indication, there would be others there that he would have to be careful not to accidentally offend.

She chuckled. “I’m Ollie’s current girlfriend. I don’t know for how much longer, but we’re both enjoying it while it lasts.”

Neil frowned. He didn’t how to respond.

Helena grinned at his confusion before answering the unspoken question. “Ollie’s not one for commitments. He and I are only together for the fun times, nothing serious. From what Todd’s told me, I’ve already lasted longer than any other girlfriend Ollie’s had, so I’m prepared for him to move on whenever he wants.” She cocked her head as she thought for a moment. “Actually, I’ve always been ready for that. He made it quite clear when we started going out he wasn’t after anything long-term.”

“Oh, I see.”

She laughed. “I doubt it, but you’re sweet to say so.” Her attention moved to the football oval. “Training’s starting.”

The two watched the players run out and start some drills. He frowned as he immediately noticed that Ty appeared to be picking on Jim. While everyone else ran through the exercises, Ty was doing his best to interfere with whatever Jim was doing.

Neil pointed this out to Helena. “Do you know what’s going on?”

She shook her head. “Whatever it is, the coaches aren’t stopping it, so it must be part of what they want.”

Julie’s exasperated voice drifted up to them. “Ty, read the play and anticipate! You know what he’s going to do. Stop him!”

Helena chuckled. “Yeah, it’s definitely planned, whatever it is. Those two are going to be covered in mud from head to toe by the time they’re finished.”

“They’re already pretty well covered.” Neil smiled as he daydreamed about helping Jim get clean in the shower afterwards.

“The rest of the team isn’t that much better.” She scanned the flood-lit oval. “Zach and Roger seem to have been able to keep their feet, but the rest aren’t exactly clean.”

“Where’s Ollie? I can’t see him.” While most of his attention was on Jim, Neil had also been keeping track of Todd. As well as wanting to be able to talk intelligently about the session afterwards, he honestly cared about his tall friend. Oliver hadn’t been someone Neil had thought to notice.

“Over there, near Roger.” Helena pointed to a small group by the southern goal posts. “He’s the smaller guy that’s got the most mud on him.” She chuckled. “A pity I’m not allowed to help clean him up after training’s finished. That’d be fun.”

Neil’s head snapped around to stare at her. The echo of his own daydream surprised him.

She blushed. “Sorry, Neil. Ollie and I have a very...playful...relationship and sometimes I forget that not everyone knows that.”

“That’s okay. Whatever keeps you both happy.”

To keep his discomfort from being too obvious, Neil turned and glanced around at the other spectators. He noticed one guy at the other end of the grandstand with a video camera who seemed to be talking to himself. “Do you know who that is?”

Helena glanced in the direction that Neil indicated. “No idea. Never seen him before, but there’s a lot of people involved with the club that I don’t know. He’s probably taking videos to help the coaching staff. An extra set of eyes that can be replayed at will, so to speak.”

“Makes sense.”

“Ollie didn’t tell me a lot about you, Neil. Just that you’d be here and that I should introduce myself.”

Neil swallowed, then turned to her with a smile. “He didn’t tell me anything about you.”

She chuckled as she returned her attention to the football field. “Not a lot to tell. Third-generation Australian Greek girl who met a handsome young footballer at a nightclub back in February. I’m a secretary at a medium-sized shipping company, but I aspire to doing more in the future. For now, I’m just enjoying life...and Ollie.” She grinned at Neil before looking back at the players.

Neil chuckled, though he felt a little intimidated by her blatant sexuality. He was just glad it wasn’t directed at him. “I’m a Year 12 student at a school not too far from here. I met Todd a couple of weeks ago, and he’s been introducing me around. He’s a great guy.”

“Todd? But you’ve been watching the midfielders, not the defenders...” Helena stiffened momentarily. “Sorry, Neil. It’s none of my business. Just ignore me.”

Neil grimaced. “No. It’s Jim I’m watching. I’m gay.” He was finding it easier to say those words, at least in what he perceived as the safe environment of the Lilydale Leopards football club.

“Ollie didn’t think to mention that to me.” She sounded irritated.

“Should he have?” Neil sighed and dropped his eyes to the back of the plastic seat in front of and below him.

“No, he shouldn’t’ve. Sorry, Neil. I didn’t mean to be offensive.”

Neil glanced up at her contrite tone. She had a hand out, plainly unsure as to whether to express her apology tactilely as well as verbally. She snatched it back when he noticed.

“It’s okay. I’m still getting used to things myself. It’s only people here at the club who know.”

“Which is why Ollie didn’t tell me.” She smiled. “He’s not completely tactless. He knew it was something that you needed to do if you wanted to.”

“Thanks, Helena.” Neil shrugged. “You probably would’ve found out tonight, anyway.” He frowned as he recalled her earlier comment. “I thought it was going to be just dinner, not a party.”

She grinned sheepishly. “It’s probably just dinner, but I’ll be staying the night, so for me and Ollie it’ll be a party, too. Let’s compromise and call it a dinner party.”

Neil chuckled, feeling relaxed for the first time since she’d sat down next to him. “My parents would tell me that pizza isn’t appropriate food for a dinner party.”

“Mine, too.” She chuckled. “We’ll just have to make sure we don’t tell them.”

Neil smiled and nodded. There was no way he’d be giving any details of the night to his parents.

* * *

Will and Julie followed Peter towards the coaches’ meeting room, leaving the team to shower and change. They had thirty minutes before they’d be meeting with the players again to discuss the next day’s game.

“How did Ty go?” Will asked as they walked along. “I was busy with the forwards and couldn’t pay too much attention to what he was doing.”

Julie smiled. “Not too bad, but I think he got frustrated by how often Jim eluded him.”

Peter glanced over his shoulder. “Fill us in on the details once we’ve sat down.”

Julie and Will both flinched. “Sorry,” Will said. “My fault for asking.”

Peter snorted. “No harm done. I just want to hear the answer, too.” He opened the door to the small room and waved his assistant coaches in.

Once they were all seated, Peter turned to Julie. “Well?”

“Ty started getting it near the end. He began by trying to do to Jim what Jim did to him on Wednesday, but he quickly realised that the different conditions meant different tactics had to be used. By the end of training, he was blocking Jim about half the time, but I’ve a suspicion that Jim wasn’t trying as hard as he could.”

“He wasn’t; I could tell. Dad did enough, but he knew if he pushed Ty in those conditions there was a risk of an injury. We’ll see how they go when it’s not so wet and slippery.” Peter fixed Julie with a stern gaze. “Charlie?”

“Charlie did well. Jackie hasn’t fully released him to play, but she told me that we could use him as a sub for tomorrow as long as the shoulder is well strapped and we promise to keep his time on the ground to a minimum. Her preference is that he doesn’t play, because if he hits that shoulder the wrong way, it’ll aggravate the injury.”

“She told me the same thing.” Peter made a note. “Ryan?”

The three went quickly through the team, knowing that they’d have more in-depth review later. When they were finished, Peter glanced at his watch. “We’ve got five more minutes. Anything else you want to bring up?”

Julie frowned. “Who was the guy videoing training?”

Will grinned. “I don’t remember his name, but I’ve seen him before. He’s good news for someone. Possibly more than one.”

Peter chuckled. “His name’s Rick, and he’s a part-time recruiter. Pardon me, but I’d prefer not to say for whom. It’s been a while since he’s visited the Leopards, but it means that there’s an AFL team interested in one of our players.” His expression went sober. “That is not to leave this room. I don’t want the team distracted at this point in the season. It’ll eventually become obvious to everyone, but for now, keep it under your hats.”

Julie pursed her lips. “Ty?”

“Probably, but it could be one of the others, which is another reason to stay quiet. All rookies take it hard when they don’t make the draft, but the brat took it harder than most because his expectations were higher. I don’t want him to get his hopes up just to see them dashed again. Deon’s playing well, Dave is dominating the wing when he plays, Jim’s had a noticeable improvement in his game, and Zach’s doing admirably. Even Ollie could be attracting attention if someone’s looking for a small forward with potential. Hell, it might even be your brother, if someone is after a strong defender with a proven record against AFL-level players.”

“Paul?” Julie’s jaw dropped.

“The point is, we don’t know. We don’t say anything because anything we say could be wrong. We wait until the recruiters approach us or the player in question.”

Julie nodded. “Understood.”

Peter smiled. “At this time, they’re only looking. If they want to speak to any of the players, they’ll probably go through me first. I’ll keep you both informed, but so far, none of the AFL clubs has officially asked. If the players ask – and they may; some will remember the last time we had a draft-ready player – the official line is that they’re Leopards, and if they want to think about the draft, they do it on their own time, not ours.”

Will frowned. “You said officially. Has someone asked unofficially?”

Peter smiled. “An old work colleague has approached me, asking how things are in the club. I get the impression he’s fishing for something, but he’s been cagey about what he’s after. Even who he’s after. We’re going out for drinks after the game tomorrow, and I expect he’ll pump me for more information then. That’s why I wasn’t surprised to see Rick at training tonight.” He glanced at his watch. “That’s enough for now. Time to go through the game plan for tomorrow with the team.”

* * *

“Brat, Roger, I’d like to see both of you in my office.” Peter turned and walked away.

Ty frowned and looked at his captain. Roger smiled. “It’s okay. Peter and I often go through things on Friday nights after training. Part of being the team captain. You should start expecting to do the same.”

Ty glanced at where Jim was gathering his gear. “I’m supposed to be going out tonight.”

“Relax. Let Dad know, and I’ll drop you around to Todd’s place myself. Better than having him wait around. Sometimes the meeting will only take a few minutes and sometimes it can go for a while.”

Ty grinned. “Thanks, mate.”

Five minutes later, Ty and Roger were sitting opposite Peter in the head coach’s office.

“Brat, I should’ve told you before tonight, so my apologies, but Roger and I go through team issues on a regular basis. Most of the time there’s little to discuss, but the start of the season is usually different. I want to know of anything that has the potential to disrupt the team or things that can be done better. One of the reasons we picked you as vice-captain was because you’ve got a good rapport with the rest of the team. Between you and Roger, practically everyone now has a conduit through to me.”

Ty frowned. “What do you mean ‛picked’? Wasn’t the position voted on by the team?”

Peter grinned. “Lesson number one. Yes, you were voted on, but if Roger hadn’t made his sales pitch, do you think the vote would’ve been that clear? We set things up and then let the team decide. As expected, they voted the way that Roger wanted them to vote.”

“So, my job’s a sham.”

Roger shook his head. “No. Only the voting was rigged, and I could only rig it because you’re perfect for the job. If I hadn’t nominated you, someone else would’ve put forward another name, and the voting might’ve been split. That could’ve disrupted team unity, and the whole point of the exercise was to enhance team spirit, not split it.” Roger smiled. “If you could’ve picked someone else, who would you’ve voted for?”

“Dad.” Ty hadn’t hesitated.

“And he would’ve probably gotten a good number of people to vote for him. He wouldn’t have swung everyone behind him, though, and that’s something you did.”

Ty gave it some thought. He appreciated that both Peter and Roger let him think. “Okay, it’s done. I’m not happy, but I suppose you had to do it.” Ty fixed Peter with a steely gaze. “What do you need from me?”

Roger grinned as he slapped Ty on the back. “That attitude, for starters. Did you hear yourself, brat? You said ‛need’, not ‛want’. You’re putting the team first, and that’s exactly what a captain or vice-captain should be doing.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Everyone should be doing it, but, yeah, especially you two.” He returned Ty’s gaze impassively. “Have you got any concerns about the team?”

Ty glanced at Roger, who nodded encouragingly. Ty turned back to Peter. “Dave’s attitude. He’s not a team player, and he’s pissing off a lot of people.”

Peter frowned. “I understand, but you’re going to have to trust me on this one. Leave him alone. We’re working on the issue, and he needs space. He’s been a solid team player in the past, and we’re hopeful he’ll make it back there in the future.”

Roger nodded. “Charlie told me the same thing, brat. I don’t know what’s going on, either, but Peter wants us to give him room, and Charlie’s keeping Dave in touch with the rest of the team.” Roger’s eyes flicked to Peter for a moment. “For now, we trust Charlie and Peter.”

“Okay.” Ty glared. “You want to keep me in the dark.”

Peter sighed. “No, I don’t, but I think it’s best. If you really want to know, I’ll tell you, but it doesn’t leave this room. Understood? To show you how seriously I consider this, if I hear that either of you leaked the information, you’re off the team for good. No debate. You’re out on your ear, and we’ll find a new captain or vice-captain. I don’t care what that does to the team or our chances for the season; this is too serious to mess around with.”

Roger held up his hands and stood up. “I don’t need to know. I accept that. If you think you need to tell Ty, I’ll step outside until you’re done.”

Ty’s mouth had dropped open at Peter’s ultimatum. He glanced up at Roger and pulled a face. “Okay, I don’t need to know, either.”

Peter leant forward. “Brat, I will tell you if you feel you have to know. There’s nothing you can do about what’s going on, but it will help explain things and might make you more comfortable with the situation. It’s your call.”

Ty’s eyes flicked between Peter behind his desk and Roger standing next to him. After several seconds, he sighed. “Roger, sit back down. What’s next?”

Peter turned to Roger. “What’s happened with showers after training this week?”

Roger grimaced. “Mixed news. Dave’s still not showering with the team, but Charlie’s making an effort. He’s stayed in the shower for a short time before leaving. Jim also told me that he’s cool with Charlie and to not give the kid a hard time.”

“Jarrod told me a couple of weeks ago that Charlie is doing his best,” Ty said. “Whatever he’s doing seems to be working. It’s no longer blatant that Charlie leaves when Dad arrives.”

Peter nodded. “Good news on Charlie. Brat, so you know, Dave’s starting to use the coaches’ shower. I organised that with him last week. We’re keeping it low key.”

“So that’s where he went on Wednesday! I noticed he’s showered before the meeting, but I didn’t know when or where.”

“That’s right. If he can’t slip away easily, one of the coaches will send him to see me. That’s just a cover so he can shower in peace.” Peter smiled. “Back on Charlie. How’s he handling his recovery?”

Ty shrugged. “He’s disappointed that he hasn’t been able to play. He’s hoping to play tomorrow, but he’s a realist. He knows it’s an outside chance.”

“He’ll get there in the end. I prefer for him to be fit so he can play for the rest of the season than risk a more serious injury by playing him too soon.”

Ty grinned. “He knows that. He’s just finding the wait frustrating.”

Peter grinned back. “Unless there’s something else you want to raise, I believe you’ve got yourself a small party to go to.”

Ty frowned. “How did you know about that?”

Roger laughed. “I told him, brat. Peter won’t interfere unless he has to, but he likes to know what everyone’s doing.”

It was only as he and Roger were walking to the car that Ty realised that Peter hadn’t mentioned anything about the need, as vice-captain, to set an example. Without being told, Ty knew it was because Peter didn’t think he had to.

* * *

Todd looked anxious. “Are you sure about this, Tony? I heard what happened that time with Jim...”

“It’ll be fine.” Tony smiled. “The very fact that the website recommends that anyone who’s a coeliac to not use their service tells me that they’re aware of the issues. The problem for almost all restaurants is cross contamination. That website states that they’ll use separate utensils and they will do their best to keep everything away from the rest of the pizzas. I can’t ask for more than that. The only alternative would be that everything I eat is home-cooked, and I’m not going to go that far.” He shrugged. “Sometimes, I get caught out, but most of the time a best-effort by the restaurant will be fine.” Tony gave Todd a mock glare. “Now, order the bloody pizzas!”

Ty was walking past carrying a tray of bruschetta that Oliver had made. “Tony can have whatever he wants on his, but I’ll have mine without blood.” He grinned over his shoulder for a moment as he continued moving to where Neil was sitting next to Oliver and Helena.

Todd smiled as he called out. “Brat!”

Ty didn’t look back, but raised his middle finger, anyway.

“Okay, Tony. I’ll order two gluten-free pizzas so you’ll have a choice. I don’t know how big they’ll be; I’ve never ordered from this place before.”

“One would be enough, but thanks.” Tony smiled and headed off to join Jim who was chatting with Paul.

Todd was about to place the order when the doorbell rang. “Who’s that? Everyone’s already here.”

“I’ll get it!” Ty yelled out as he jumped up from his chair.

Todd scowled as he realised what that meant, making Ryan, who had been standing nearby, chuckle. “You get used to it, Todd. Ty does things his way.”

“He could’ve mentioned it to me. Now I need to see if I have to order more pizzas.”

“At least you were told when I was invited.”

“But that was Jim and Tony. They pointed out that with Deon heading off to the airport, you’d be home by yourself. It made sense to invite you along.”

Ryan shrugged. “If Fiona didn’t have other plans, I’d’ve gone out with her.” His girlfriend was out on a girls’ night out, something that had been planned for weeks.

Both guys looked up as Ty returned with his arm across the shoulders of one guy. Another young man stood behind him. Jim and Tony immediately groaned.

Ty grinned broadly. “For everyone who didn’t meet him last Friday, I’d like to introduce my new best friend, Alex, and his boyfriend, Ethan. Guys, I’ll let you mingle and introduce yourselves.” Leaving the two newcomers, Ty pulled two twenty dollar notes out of his wallet as he approached Todd. “Here you are. Sorry I didn’t tell you that I’d invited them, but I didn’t want Dad and Tony to find out.”

Todd frowned at the money. “You don’t have to...”

Ty put the cash on top of the laptop keyboard. “You didn’t expect extra people, and Alex eats almost as much as me, so you’ll need the money. Order another large pizza – it doesn’t matter what – and another serve of garlic bread.” Ty took in Todd’s frown and chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, I know, but I wanted it to be surprise. After the way he treated me at training on Wednesday, I promised Dad I’d get him back. This is how. Plus...” Ty lowered his voice and glanced over to where Neil was sitting with Oliver and Helena. “...Alex can talk to Neil about some of the single gay guys at uni. It might give him an added incentive to stay at school.”

Todd blinked and then smiled. “Smart thinking. Okay, you’re forgiven...this time.”

“Of course I am! I’m always right; didn’t Dad tell you?”

Todd gave him the finger. “Brat.”

* * *

“Ryan, this is Neil. Neil, this is Ryan. He’s one of Jim’s and my housemates.” Ty smiled. “Our other housemate, Deon, isn’t here tonight. He’s off to the airport to pick up someone.”

“Hi, Ryan. Pleased to meet you.” Neil surreptitiously wiped the snack crumbs onto the leg of his jeans before holding his hand out for Ryan to shake. “Who’s Deon gone to collect?”

“G’day, Neil. He’s gone to pick up his father.” Ryan smiled before frowning at Ty. “I’m still not sure that’s wise, but it wasn’t my decision.”

Ty nodded, his expression neutral. “I didn’t think it was a smart thing to do, either, but Tony okayed it when Deon said he’d be taking Pamela.”

Neil seized on the chance. It was the first time he’d heard anyone in the club speak ill of Tony, and he couldn’t let it get away. “What’s that about? Is there a problem?”

Ty grimaced and looked at Ryan. “I’m not sure what I can say...”

Ryan shrugged. “Deon’s becoming more open about it, and if there’s anyone who should know, it’s Neil. Deon wouldn’t want him to make the same mistake.”

Ty grunted. “Okay.” He turned to Neil and took a breath. “Deon’s parents divorced around ten years ago. His father moved to Sydney and stayed there. While they’d spoken occasionally on the phone, Deon hadn’t seen him again until a couple of weeks ago. Deon still hasn’t forgiven him for what he’s done, but despite that, he volunteered to pick his father from the airport.”

Neil frowned. “Then why did Tony give the okay for Deon to go to the airport?” Neil wanted to ask why Tony had any say in the matter but didn’t know how to word the question.

Ryan grimaced. “Pamela’s Deon’s girlfriend. She’ll keep him under control...I hope.”

“What this got to do with me? What’s the mistake I shouldn’t make?”

Ryan and Ty exchanged glances. Ty pulled a face. “Deon’s father is.... That is, when he left Deon’s mum, he immediately moved in with someone else. Another guy...”

It took Neil several seconds to work it out. His jaw dropped open. “I don’t date girls!”

Ty put a hand on Neil’s shoulder as he smiled. “I know. But from what Dad’s told me, it’s very tempting when you’re trying to hide who you are. Dad did the same thing with his girlfriend. At least he told her the truth before they had any kids. Deon’s father had three before he told his wife.”

“How does Deon...I mean, does he...?” Neil couldn’t find the words to ask the questions in his mind.

“Deon gets along fine with his father’s boyfriend, but he doesn’t get along with his dad. Despite that, he volunteered to pick them up from the airport, so I really don’t know what’s going through his mind at the moment.” Ryan glanced at Ty. “Do you have any idea?”

Ty shrugged. “He’s spent years hating his father. He’s not going to give that up easily. He’s talking to him again, though, so that’s progress.” Ty frowned. “I really don’t know what to make of the situation. Sam comes over as a decent guy, but Deon’s told me that that’s just a mask. I can’t tell if that’s the truth or if that’s Deon’s history talking.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see.” Ryan grinned at Neil. “Deon’s a cool guy. I think you’ll like him. Are you coming to the game tomorrow? If you are, we’ll introduce you to Deon after the game.”

Neil dropped his eyes. “I’m hoping to, but I can’t promise.” He didn’t know if his parents would place any hurdles in his way, given that he wasn’t going home that night, so they may want him home all day Sunday.

Ty gave him a friendly slap on the back. “No one can ask for more than that.”

“Apart from Peter,” Ryan said with a chuckle.

Ty laughed. “Yeah, apart from him.” Neil glanced up. Ty must have read the confusion on his face, because he explained. “Peter’s our head coach, and his view is that we have to do better than humanly possible at all times.”

Neil chuckled nervously. “Did anyone tell him that’s impossible?”

“No. No one’s game.” Ryan grinned at Ty. “Do you want to try?”

Ty held up both hands. “No fucking way! I might be a brat, but I’m not insane.”

* * *

Pamela glanced at Deon’s cold expression and cringed. It was as if a different person had taken up residence inside her boyfriend. It had started on the way to the airport, with the happy times fading away the closer they got to Tullamarine. After parking the car, they had headed through security to await the flight from Sydney. By the time they arrived at the gate, Deon was like a focused block of ice.

“The plane’s landed,” Deon said, his voice flat and hard.

Pamela slipped her right hand into Deon’s left. She gave a small sigh of relief when he allowed it. She had been half-expecting him to refuse.

“What was the sigh for?” Deon asked, sounding surprised.

“You’re scaring me.” Her voice was soft, and she didn’t look him in the eye. “You’re acting like you’re about to go to war.”

Pamela found herself engulfed in a hug. “I didn’t mean to. He just...does something to me.”

She rested her head on his chest. “You promised. No scenes.”

“I know.” Deon let her go, put a hand under her chin, and gently lifted her head so she could see his smile. “Kick me if I do something wrong. I don’t completely trust myself around him.”

“Then why did you want to come to get him?”

Deon pulled a face and looked away. “I don’t know, okay! I just...don’t know.”

“You want to get to know him, but you also don’t want to, because of what happened.”

Deon’s head jerked up and down in a single nod.

Pamela slipped her hand back into his. He squeezed once and gave her a half-hearted smile. “This mightn’t’ve been such a great idea.”

She smiled back. “We’re here now. Next time, though, I’m bringing steel-capped boots. If I’m going to kick you, I need to make sure I get your attention.”

Deon chuckled, though to Pamela’s ear, it still sounded forced.

Pamela frowned as she realised what she’d said. “Is there going to be a next time, Deon?”

He shrugged. “Probably. Possibly. Who knows?” He stared at the air-bridge doors that were being opened by the flight staff. “He’ll be back, I’m sure of that, but whether I’m here to meet him...that’s what I don’t know.”

“You’re still trying to work out what he means to you.”

“Yeah...”

Pamela leant against Deon’s arm as they both watched the business-class passengers disembarking. “Can I ask for a favour?”

Deon kissed the top of her head. “What is it?”

“Can I stay the night at your place?”

Pamela felt the jolt that went through her boyfriend’s body. “Sure! But why.... Sure!”

She smiled up at him. “I think you’ll need someone with you tonight.” She raised a finger to make sure she had his attention, though it wasn’t necessary. “But it’s for sleeping. You’ve got a game to play tomorrow.”

Pamela found herself being swallowed by another hug. This one lasted longer and was only interrupted when a voice spoke to them.

“Hello, Deon, Pamela.”

Deon let go with one arm, keeping the other securely around his girlfriend. “G’day, Marcus.” There was a slight pause before he continued with considerably less enthusiasm. “Dad.”

“Hi, Sam, Marcus.” She grinned at the two older men. “Deon’s given me instructions to hit him if he plays up. I also take bribes if you think he needs a kick up the backside.”

Marcus laughed, but Sam didn’t look like he’d heard her. His eyes were focused on his son, searching for something. Deon’s gaze didn’t waver. His cold expression was fixed on his father.

Pamela kicked Deon in the shin. He started and glanced down. “What was that for?”

“You were ignoring me. Now that everyone’s here, let’s go get their luggage.” She smiled, slipped out of his embrace, and started strolling towards the exit. “How was the flight, Sam?”

Deon’s father shrugged. “Nothing special.”

Pamela paused and gave Deon a pointed frown, tilting her head towards Marcus. She considered the best option was for her to keep Sam occupied while letting Deon talk with Marcus. That would keep arguments to a minimum until they were all in the car and headed towards Sam’s and Marcus’s hotel.

* * *

Ethan glanced across to the passenger seat of his car. “You’re quiet.”

Alex stopped staring out the window and turned to his boyfriend. “Just thinking. Ty asked me if I knew anyone who’d make a good boyfriend for Neil, and I’m trying to work out if I know anyone suitable. Neil’s a bit of an odd fish. Not the sort of person I’d normally hang out with.”

“Matchmaking?” Ethan chuckled. “Not one of your normal activities.”

“I know, but Ty asked. He told me that Neil’s been bullied a lot and needs someone whom he can trust.”

Ethan frowned. “I had the impression he wasn’t out to many people.”

“He’s not. The bullies don’t know he’s gay. He’s been picked on for other reasons.”

“Have you come up with anything?”

“Not so far. I did tell Neil that I’ve lots of gay friends, many of whom are single. Ty wanted me to encourage Neil to go to uni next year, and the incentive of potential boyfriends might help. As it turns out, Neil wants to do engineering, so I’d be able to help him if he goes to Melbourne Uni.”

“It might be best to introduce him to some of the others and let matters take their own course.”

Alex pulled a face. “Except that if Neil’s as vulnerable as Ty implied, some of the guys I know would be a disaster. Love’em-and-leave’em isn’t something that would be good for Neil.”

Ethan grimaced. “Yeah.... Been there. Done that. Don’t want to go there again.”

Alex reached over and rested a hand on Ethan’s thigh. “You won’t. Not if I have any say in the matter.”

Ethan gave his boyfriend a quick smile before returning his attention to the road. Alex had shown up at just the right time in his life. Giving love one more chance had turned out to be the best decision Ethan had ever made.

* * *

“Thanks, mate. You didn’t have to do that.” Todd’s smile showed they weren’t just empty words of appreciation.

“It’s okay. Cleaning up after dinner is one of my chores at home. This was easy.” Neil grinned. All he’d had to do was stack a few dishes into the dishwasher, toss some scraps in the trash, and put the pizza boxes in the recycling bin. There were some leftovers, but not as many as he had expected, which were all in the fridge. Paul and Todd had handled collecting the glasses and putting the leftover soft drinks and fruit juices away.

It had been one the surprising things for Neil. Given how much beer had been consumed at the club after the last game he had attended, he had expected similar that night. Todd was the one to explain that team rules allowed one or two drinks the night before a game, but most of the players stuck to water or fruit juice. The only people who had alcoholic drinks that night were Alex, Ethan, and Helena, and none of them had more than two.

“Time for bed.” Paul stretched and yawned before giving Neil and Todd a grin. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Night, Paul.” Todd waited until Paul had disappeared, leaving him alone with Neil. Oliver and Helena had disappeared earlier as the clean-up had started, but Todd had told Neil that was fine, because Oliver had prepared all the pre-dinner snacks.

“I’ll get my bag,” Neil said as he headed towards Todd’s room.

“Okay. You’ve got three choices for where to sleep, Neil. You can sleep on the couch, but the lounge room still stinks of pizza. There’s an airbed set up in my room, but it’s not particularly comfortable because it’s got a slow leak that we never get around to fixing.” Todd grinned as he walked beside Neil. “I know, I’ve used it before when we’ve had guests.”

Neil frowned. “What’s the third choice?”

“I’ve got a queen-sized bed. You can share it with me, as long as you don’t mind.”

Neil stopped and stared. “What do you mean?”

Todd smiled and draped an arm across Neil’s shoulders. “I mean, we both sleep on a nice comfortable mattress, as long as you don’t think anyone will tease you for sharing a bed with another guy.”

“But...but, I’m gay!”

“And I’m straight. So what? I’m not asking to have sex with you, Neil. I just want you to have a good night’s sleep.” Todd cocked his head, listened for a moment, and grimaced. “Speaking of sex and a good night’s sleep, hopefully Ollie and Helena won’t keep us awake.”

Neil paused, and then he heard the soft moans and giggles coming from behind one of the closed doors down the hallway. “Are you sure? I can sleep on the airbed, if you like.”

Todd shook his head as he held open the door to his bedroom and gave Neil a gentle push forward. “What I like is for you to have a good sleep. What’s the problem? If you’re not comfortable sharing a bed, just say so, and I’ll use the airbed. You’re the guest; you get the comfy bed.”

Neil scowled. He didn’t believe Todd could be that obtuse, so he had to be playing some sort of game. He had trusted Todd, and it looked like that trust had been misplaced.

Todd frowned. “Is it you don’t trust me, or you don’t trust yourself? I trust you. Do you?”

Neil stared. “I’m gay, Todd!”

“So? I used to sleep with a dog when I was younger, but I never had sex with it. I’ve even shared a bed with another guy on a football camp once, and I used to do that with my big brother all the time. Our house wasn’t that big, so whenever we had visitors stay the night, Scott and I would end up together while the visitor got my bed. It’s not a big deal...unless you want to make it one.” Todd stared down at Neil. “Nothing’s going to happen, but you don’t believe me. Okay, I’ll sleep on the airbed.”

Neil was confused. He didn’t understand what Todd was up to, and it made him nervous. He sensed that Todd wasn’t playing games, but it still felt like he was.

Todd entered the room, closing the door behind him. He sat down on the edge of the bed and patted the spot beside him. Neil, slowly, reluctantly, sat next to Todd.

“Neil, you’ve been hurt by a lot of people. You don’t trust your parents, and you don’t trust anyone at school. I thought you were learning to trust me. I’m pushing – I recognise that – but I wouldn’t be suggesting it if I thought it was wrong.” He chuckled. “Not that long ago, I had a discussion with Ollie about you, and I told him that I needed to make sure you knew that all I’m offering is friendship. Nothing more. I know my offer made it look like I was trying to seduce you, but I’m not. You’re like the little brother I never had. What I’m trying to do is to let you learn that you can relax with me. If I ever hurt you, it won’t be because I meant to. I don’t want you hurt, but I do want you to feel safe. Do you understand?”

Neil stared. After several seconds, he cautiously nodded.

“Good.” Todd smiled as he stood up. “In that case, it’s time for bed.”

Neil sat and watched as Todd pulled out the air mattress from under the bed. It had already been made up with a couple of sheets and a thick doona. Todd grabbed a pillow from the bed and dropped it at one end. He then undressed. Once he was down to his boxers, Todd slipped on a T-shirt and then slipped under the doona on the air mattress. “Night, Neil.”

“Night, Todd.” Neil moved to his bag and pulled out a top to wear. He quickly stripped down to his underwear. A glance told him that Todd had rolled over and had his back to Neil. Neil put on the top, moved around the air mattress, and climbed into bed.

He lay there for several minutes, wondering at the trust that Todd had shown him. He knew he couldn’t trust anyone in the same way. He’d been burnt too many times to allow it, but Todd didn’t have any hesitations.

When he heard Todd roll over again, Neil grimaced. “Todd?”

“Yeah, Neil?”

“You can get in here if you want.” Neil swallowed after making the offer.

“If you’re sure...”

Neil didn’t say anything for several seconds. Todd was giving him a chance to change his mind. He screwed up his face, trying to resist the temptation. Acting before he could think about it too much, he called back, “I’m sure.”

Neil rolled over to make sure his back was to Todd. He was tense and knew he wasn’t going to get to sleep anytime soon, but he held onto a small sense of pride. Neil knew that he’d just taken another significant step towards letting someone into his life again.

* * *

“Rise and shine!”

Neil rolled over and blinked the sleep from his eyes. He was disoriented for a moment before he remembered that he’d spent the night at Todd’s house. He stared up at a smiling, and already dressed, Todd.

“Time to get up, Neil. I’m dropping you off on my way to Lorraine’s place, remember? Sean’s AusKick starts at nine, and we need to be there before then.”

Neil smiled. “Can’t disappoint the little guy.” Neil hesitated, waving a hand that he hoped would indicate he’d like some privacy. “Er...could you...”

“I’m about to get a bite to eat for breakfast. There’s a towel on the chair over there. Ollie told you where the shower is yesterday, didn’t he?” When Neil nodded, Todd grinned. “I’ll leave you be. You need to be ready to go within thirty minutes.”

Neil lay there for a couple more minutes before he dragged himself out of bed. He took a quick shower and then joined Todd for breakfast. He was smiling the whole time.

“You’re happy,” Todd said as they finished up.

Neil grinned as he put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. “Yeah, I am. Thank you.”

Todd’s brow wrinkled. “What for?”

Neil shrugged. “For doing all of this for me.”

Neil found himself being hugged by Todd. “You needed it. No...you deserved it. It’s about time things started going right for you, Neil.”

Neil sighed and rested his head on Todd’s firm chest. He had a fleeting wish that Todd be secretly gay but then rejected the idea. He didn’t want Lorraine, Sean, or even Becky, hurt. “Thanks, Todd.”

Todd pushed him gently away, giving him a smile as he did so. “We’ve got just enough time for me to clean my teeth; then it’s time to go. Is your bag packed?”

Neil nodded. “I did that after my shower.”

“Then let’s get going.” Todd gave Neil a friendly slap on the back before he headed down the hallway to the bathroom.

Neil stared after him. He might not have a boyfriend, but Neil was beginning to believe he had a friend.