Leopard Spots - 36. Chapter 36

“Liam, are you free to talk?” Doug asked.

Liam glanced around to confirm he was alone. He had been busy hanging out the washing when Doug rang, but his parents appeared to be inside the house, not surprising considering the imminent rain. “Yeah, at least for now.”

“I’ve got an idea if you think you can pull it off. Monday, we’re getting a joint project that is due the following week. You’re going to have to come to my place next weekend to work on it. You might even have to stay the night on Saturday, too. How does that sound?”

Liam frowned. “That could work as long as my parents don’t ring yours to check on me.”

“Leave that one to me. I’m going to try to encourage them to go out that night, to leave us by ourselves. You’ll be able to slip out as soon as they’re gone. The fall-back position is that we don’t tell my parents that you’re staying the night. Instead of heading home, you go to the party. You’ll be fucked if we have to go with that option unless you can find someone to put you up for the night, but it’ll mean you won’t be missed until the next morning.”

“Thanks, Doug. I owe you one.”

“You owe me a lot more than that, mate. I just hope he makes you happy, because otherwise I’m going through a lot of pain and not seeing anything good coming out of it.”

Liam wasn’t sure how serious Doug’s comment was. “It’ll work out. It has to!”

“Yeah, I know.” Doug sounded resigned. “I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. In the meantime, think of what subject is going to give us that joint project and what it’ll be. My suggestion is English and something that requires us to present two sides to an issue, but maybe you’ll have a better idea.”

“Thanks again, Doug. I’ll give it some thought, and we can discuss it on Monday. As long as we keep our stories straight, it should work.”

Liam hung up the call and resumed his chores. After hanging out the clothes – something he was sure was make-work since it was forecast to rain and there was no way they would dry – he had to wash both cars, tidy the garage, mow the front lawn, and then report to his parents for the next set of chores. It was going to be a long, miserable day.

* * *

At lunchtime on Monday, Neil marched up to where Liam was sitting. He scowled down at his one-time tormentor.

Liam clambered to his feet and wiped his hands on his jeans. “Hi.”

Neil continued to scowl. “You know I don’t want you there.”

Liam gave Neil an apologetic smile. “Clarissa invited me. What was I supposed to do? Tell her no? I might be an idiot, but even I’m not that stupid.”

Neil knew that Liam was trying to lighten the mood. He was successful, but Neil didn’t want Liam to know that. Liam’s comment was reminiscent of the observations that Alf had made at times, and the memory gave Neil a twinge of disappointment that they no longer chatted. He turned to look at the girl in question, who, along with Mary and Evelyn, was staring in his direction.

Neil turned back and jabbed a finger at Liam. “I don’t want you hanging around me. I want you to leave me alone. Got it?”

Liam gave him a weak nod. “I’ll do my best.”

“You’d better do better than that.” Neil grimaced and then looked Liam in the eye. “You hurt me. I’m not going to let you do it again.”

Not waiting for a response, Neil stormed off.

When he joined the girls, Clarissa raised an eyebrow. “Can I ask why you spoke to the village idiot?”

Neil gave her a hard stare. “I told him that I don’t want him hanging around me at my party.”

Her eyes widened momentarily. “But he can go?”

Neil threw up his hands. “How am I supposed to stop him?” He glared at her. “You’re doing this deliberately. You’re trying to push us together. I’m telling you now that it’s not going to work.”

To his surprise, she gave him a gentle smile in return. “I can’t make anything work, Neil. I’m just providing opportunities.” She turned back to Evelyn. “Anyway, as I was saying, I’ve got the list of single guys on the team, but there’s one or two you shouldn’t harass. The others are, according to Karen, fair game.”

Evelyn grinned. “Sounds like it’s going to be a fun night.” She caught sight of Neil’s expression and gave him a sheepish smile. “No, Neil, I’m not as shallow as that sounds, but I don’t mind a purely physical, short-term relationship. It’s not what I’m looking for long-term, but I’m not thinking long-term at the moment. There’s plenty of time for that in the future.”

Neil frowned and looked away. When he found himself staring in Liam’s direction, he scowled and turned back to the girls. Unlike Evelyn, he wanted something lasting, but he wasn’t sure who that would be with. The only thing he could be definite about is that he didn’t want it to be with Liam.

When it came to Alf, though, Neil’s emotions were still a maelstrom of confusion.

* * *

Ty managed to avoid collapsing onto the muddy ground after he and Jim had finished their now-regular, Tuesday morning run, but it was still almost a minute later before he felt able to hold a conversation.

“How did we do?” he asked while still bent over holding onto the metal rail that ran around the outside of the football oval. The light drizzle was refreshing, though he was looking forward to a hot shower.

Jim, hands behind his head and breathing deeply, gave him a withering stare. “Why can’t you count the laps yourself, brat?”

Ty grinned despite the exhaustion. “Because I’ve got my dad to do the counting for me.”

Jim snorted, but a smile crept onto his face. “One more lap than last week, but we’re still a long way from reaching a half-marathon.”

“It’s the sprints that kill us.” Ty glanced in the direction of the building where the coaches had their offices. “I think Julie made us do them so we wouldn’t get to that target.”

Jim chuckled. “Probably more because the goal isn’t a half-marathon but to improve our ability to run during games. We can’t run at a steady pace during a match.”

“We don’t bloody need to run all game, either, but that’s what she’s making us do.” Ty straightened and rolled his eyes at Jim’s disapproval. “Yeah, I know. We need to do more in training than we would in a game so we don’t run out of steam before the end of the last quarter.”

“Then why did you say it?”

Ty grinned. “Because I’m expected to complain, and I don’t want to disappoint my fans.”

“Fans?” Jim grinned back. “Do you have any?”

“Two that I know of: my girlfriend and Dad.” Ty cocked his head. “Can you think of any others?”

Jim chuckled and then grabbed his side. “Don’t do that to me while I’m still recovering, brat.” He took a few more deep breaths. “But I’m sure there are a few other people who aren’t quite sane who might like you.”

Ty smiled for a moment and then sighed. “Have you heard anything about how Dave’s doing?”

Jim shook his head. “He seems to be coping fine, but he’s keeping that wall up between him and the rest of the team. Charlie’s still the only one he confides in, as far as I know.”

“Fuck that bastard!” Ty glared indiscriminately around the empty oval. “I hope the police catch him and throw him in jail for the rest of his life.”

“It’s out of our hands, brat. At least Dave’s not as volatile as he used to be. If it takes him some time before he opens up again...well, I can understand that.” Jim smiled. “Let’s go in and get changed. We’ve still got a workout to do.”

The two headed inside to get changed but paused when they found Peter sitting on one of the benches, reading a newspaper. The Leopards head coach looked up as they entered. “About bloody time. I’ve been waiting.” He folded the paper and placed it next to him.

Ty exchanged a glance with Jim, who seemed as puzzled as he was. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?” Peter stood up, scowling. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong. You’re the problem, brat.” He jabbed a finger in Ty’s direction. “Because of you, I’ve had to reorganise things for the rest of this week!”

“I haven’t done anything!” Ty sent Jim a pleading look. “You tell him, Dad.”

“What’s happened?” Jim asked Peter.

Peter scowled for a moment longer and then grinned. “The brat’s excused from training on Wednesday, and hopefully Friday. Instead, he’ll need to be ready to train on Thursday night down at North Port Oval in Port Melbourne.”

“What?” Ty was confused and a glance to the side showed that Jim wasn’t any better.

“Brat, they’ve just announced the initial squad for the VFL side to play South Australia on Saturday. One Leopard made the list.” Peter’s grin broadened. “Congratulations!”

Ty’s mouth was hanging open as he stared at Peter and then Jim. He looked back at Peter. “You’re joking, right?”

Jim slapped him on the back. “Well done, brat!”

Peter chuckled. “No, I’m not joking.” He held up a hand. “This is just the initial squad. They haven’t announced the final list yet; they’ll be doing that on Thursday. When they do, I expect you to make the team, but if you don’t...,” he gave Ty a warning glare, “...you can expect Friday’s training session to be long and painful.”

Ty grinned as he started to recover from the shock. “Then I’d better make the state team.” He turned to Jim as a thought struck him. “Change of plans for Saturday. Neil’s birthday party starts with a football match.”

Jim laughed. “Okay, brat. I don’t think he’ll object.” He raised an eyebrow at Peter. “When and where’s the game?”

“Saturday, 2 pm, at North Port Oval.” Peter smiled at Ty. “If...sorry...when you make the team, I expect a lot of Leopards to be going to watch you play, brat.”

Ty still had trouble believing the news, but the painful memory of failing to be drafted chilled his euphoria. He hadn’t been picked yet; he’d only made the shortlist. There was no certainty that he’d make the state team.

Peter seemed to sense what was going through Ty’s mind as the Leopards coach reached over and put a hand on the young player’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll make the team, but simply making the squad shows something, brat. Just in case, I suggest you ring your employer and take Thursday afternoon off. Training for the state team will be at six that night.”

“Thanks, Peter.”

Peter smiled. “Good luck, brat.”

* * *

Glenda Williams looked up from her lunch as the front doors to the Leopards administration building opened. Two now-familiar people entered the reception area and waited. She noticed that they were carrying something in a large plastic bag. Putting her small, home-made salad down, she stood up and approached.

“Mr. and Mrs. Rosewood. How can I help you?”

Phil Rosewood lifted the plastic bag and placed it on the countertop. “Could you please pass this on to Neil? Tomorrow, ideally, but any time if you can’t get it to him then.”

Glenda glanced at Mary Rosewood who had started sobbing quietly. She did it every time she came to the club. Her expression was always one of determination when she arrived, but that never lasted.

“Can I ask what it is?” Glenda glanced at the bag, but all she could make out was that it contained a large but not very deep box.

“Neil’s birthday present.” Mr. Rosewood gathered his wife into his arms. “It’s something he’s been requesting for a long time. Please be careful with it. It’s fragile.”

“He’s having a party here at the club on Saturday. Would you like to give it to him then?” Glenda knew she was stepping over a line, but it had been almost a month since Neil had left home, and Glenda had been seeing the Rosewoods at least twice a week as they dropped off something or left a message for their missing son.

Mary gave a small cry and buried her head into her husband’s chest. Phil shook his head. “It’s his day. Being there would ruin that for him. We’d love to...but we can’t.”

Glenda couldn’t help feeling sorry for Neil’s parents. The despair in Neil’s father’s voice tugged at her heartstrings. “Maybe you can just drop in to give him the present and then leave?”

Phil shook his head again. “Thank you, but no. We’re slowly accepting that Neil’s not coming home. I made one mistake – one huge, fucking, unbelievable mistake – and I’ve lost my son. I’m hoping one day he’ll forgive me, but it’s too early to ask that of him now. Tell him that we love him. That’s all I ask.”

Glenda watched the two leave the building. She peeked inside the bag, but the present was already wrapped. Putting curiosity firmly in the corner, she took the bag up to Tony’s office. She knew he exercised with Neil most nights that the players trained, so he could give Neil the present on Wednesday night.

* * *

Neil was sitting opposite Clarissa in the coffee shop. “You said when we started these Tuesday after-school coffees that I can ask any question I like.”

She nodded. “That’s right, and while I’ll try to answer honestly, there are some things I won’t talk about.”

Neil narrowed his eyes. “Why did you invite him to my birthday party?”

Clarissa frowned down at her coffee. “There are a few reasons. One is because I knew he wanted to go.”

“And you also knew that I wouldn’t want him there!”

“I know...” She looked up and gave him a half-smile. “But he’s not going to be. It’ll be the one you like, Alf, who will be there.”

“Who’s Alf?” Neil gave a vague wave of the hand. “I know who Jerk Face pretended to be, but who is it that’s going to show up?”

Clarissa sighed. “I don’t know. That’s probably the hardest part of all of this: not being sure about what’s going to happen.” She looked away. “But I think it’ll be good for both of you if he’s there.”

“I can stop him from showing up if I want to.”

Clarissa turned and frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you telling me I can’t invite who I want?”

Neil smirked. “The village idiot sent one of his deep and meaningful emails to me last night. He confessed that his parents have forbidden him to go to my party.”

Clarissa blinked. “But he told me...”

“He’s going to lie to them. He and Doug have cooked up a plan that will allow him to go. All I need to do to stop him is to contact his parents, give them the details, and then he’ll be grounded for the rest of his life.”

Clarissa stared for a moment and then lifted her cup to her lips. She took a sip while keeping her eyes focused on Neil. “But you’re not going to...are you?” It was more a rhetorical question than one that sought an answer.

It was Neil’s turn to look away. “I don’t know.”

She reached across the table and took his hand. She squeezed slightly. “And that’s another reason why I invited him. He does something to you, for you, but you don’t understand it. You’re not giving yourself a chance to find out what that something is.”

Neil jerked his hand away. “I...” His shoulders slumped. “He hurt me. I don’t want to give him the chance to do it again.”

“If he means nothing to you, he can’t hurt you. You can only get hurt if you have feelings for him.”

Neil was silent for several seconds. He looked up at her. “What’s the real reason why you invited him?”

“Because he cares for you. He can be a good guy, I learnt that from when we were going out, but what he feels for you is so much more than what he ever felt for me.” She pulled a face. “He’s so desperate that I feel sorry for him. I think if you and he can sort out your differences, he’ll be good for you...and you’ll be good for him. He’s starting to learn some responsibility. He’s starting to grow up.” She paused and dropped her eyes. “As for you, he’ll be someone you can share things with, someone to go to when you need someone to hold you. Someone who can...”

Neil glowered. “Someone who can take whatever I give him and trash it.”

“Do you think he’ll do that? Do you truly believe that? The old Liam, yes, but the new guy? The one who’s been sending those emails each night? Do you think he’ll do that to you?”

There was a long silence. “You’re trying to be honest with me. I’m not sure if I can do the same in return. I’m not ready to tell you how I feel.” Neil grimaced. When it came to Liam, his mind was in a spin. The nightly emails showed him a person he didn’t know. The brutal honesty with which Liam admitted his faults was painful for Neil to read.

Clarissa smiled. “That’s okay. The first person you have to tell is yourself, and I think you’re not ready to do that yet, either.”

Neil’s body slumped down in his seat. “You might be right...”

“Is there anything else you’d like to talk about? Something less personal, maybe?”

Neil sat for a moment and then straightened. “Actually, there is. Ty’s been shortlisted for the VFL state team. If he makes the squad, we’ll be going to see him play on Saturday afternoon. Would you like to come? The game’s at two, and it’ll be a rush to get from Port Melbourne to Lilydale in time for the party, but if you’d like to go...?”

Clarissa grinned. “Sounds great to me. I’ll just need somewhere to get changed afterwards, but I suspect I won’t be the only one. Unless I’m very much mistaken, Karen will be going, too.”

Neil chuckled. “I haven’t been told, but I expect that’s true. Okay, I’ll ask around to see who else is going and can give us a lift. Assuming he makes the team, of course.”

“When will he find out?”

“According to the text he sent me, it’ll be Thursday. I don’t know what time.” Neil grinned. “I hope he makes it, because seeing Ty play for Victoria would be a great birthday present.”

Clarissa’s brow wrinkled as she thought. “Who are they playing? I haven’t seen anything about it on the TV, so it’s not being well advertised.”

“Yeah, I know. I checked up after I got the message, and they’re playing South Australia. It’s going to be shown on the ABC, but otherwise there doesn’t seem to be a lot of publicity.” Neil shrugged. “The VFL doesn’t attract the same level of attention as the AFL. That’s life.”

Clarissa smiled. “Well, I hope Ty makes the team, and I hope they win. If they do, that’ll make a fantastic start to your party.”

* * *

Liam poked his head into the laundry where his mother was busy sorting out clothes. “Mum, can you help me?”

“Sure. Give me a couple of secs and I’ll be with you.” Beth Bellweather sorted the last pieces of clothing into three piles and then stood up. She pointed to the piles in turn. “Whites, gentle wash, and regular wash. Make sure you don’t mix them up.”

Liam grimaced. While it didn’t require a lot of effort, doing the washing, including hanging the clothes out and bringing them back in, was now one of his regular chores.

“What did you want help with, dear?” Beth asked as they left the laundry.

Liam couldn’t look at her. “Tomorrow’s Neil’s birthday. I know I can’t go to his party, but I was thinking I could bake a cake or something to take to school to give to him.” When that was met with silence, Liam glanced across to find his mother looking surprised. “What?”

“I thought his birthday was on Saturday.”

“His party is on Saturday. His birthday is tomorrow.” He tried to smile. “Can you help me?”

“Of course!” She smiled and headed to the pantry. “I think we have a packet mix for cupcakes in here somewhere. That’ll be easiest for you.”

Liam swallowed. “I thought...that is, that you might...”

Mrs. Bellweather raised an eyebrow and gave him a cheeky smile. “You asked for help, not for me to do it all for you. You’re going to do the cooking, and I’ll supervise. We both want Neil to survive his birthday, after all.”

“Hey, I’m not that bad! You even said so yourself on the weekend.” Liam thought his mother was teasing him about his cooking, but he wasn’t sure.

She laughed. “No, you’re not that bad, but you want to create a good impression. Something simple that is almost guaranteed to work is your best option.”

A few minutes later, Liam was gathering the handful of ingredients he needed to add to the packet mix. “Are you sure you don’t want to do this?”

His mother shook her head. “You do it. That way you can tell Neil you made them yourself. You might earn a few brownie points if you do that.”

Liam grimaced as he pulled out the mixer. “I could do with all the brownie points I can get, at the moment.”

“Things not going well with Neil?”

Liam sighed and dropped his head for a moment. “Not particularly. Sometimes, I get a hint that he might like me, but most of the time he brings up how I’ve hurt him in the past.”

“You know that it might be best to let him go. If he doesn’t want you, you can’t force him.”

“No!” Liam reined in his emotions. “I know he can like me. He liked Alf. He even told me he could’ve come to love Alf. I’m Alf in every sense that matters. I just have to get past this roadblock and get him to spend time with me.”

“That roadblock may be too sturdy to bypass.” Mrs. Bellweather put a hand on Liam’s arm. “If he doesn’t help you tear it down, I don’t think you’ll make any progress.”

Liam sighed. “I know, but I’m not giving up just yet.”

His mother smiled. “That’s fine. All I ask is that you learn to recognise when it’s time to stop. You mightn’t be there now, but you can’t keep chasing him forever.”

Liam didn’t respond. He recognised the good advice his mother had provided; he just didn’t want to accept it.

* * *

Clarissa and Neil entered the schoolyard together. She had met him at the train station, and the two had chatted as they walked to school. Clarissa had told him that it was an extension of their Tuesday afternoon coffees, but it was her turn to ask questions. So far, Neil was happy that she had been using the time to simply get to know him better. He wasn’t sure what his favourite colour and lucky number had to do with anything, but she seemed pleased when he had given her the details.

“Village idiot alert. He’s heading this way,” Clarissa murmured as they strolled to their lockers.

“I see him.” Neil knew he was safe from Liam. Indeed, he felt safer when the former bully was around, because the low-level jibes that he still received for being openly gay tended to disappear when Liam was in the vicinity.

Neil frowned as Liam swung his backpack off his shoulder and rummaged one-handed in the bag as he approached. When he reached them, Liam pulled out a medium-sized plastic container. “Happy birthday, Neil.”

Neil stared. He could see through the translucent top that it contained six cupcakes.

“Is your birthday today?” Clarissa asked Neil. “I thought it was on Saturday.” She gave Liam a punch on the arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Liam put down his backpack and rubbed where she’d hit. “I assumed he’d told you.” He pushed the cakes closer to Neil. “Here you are. I made them for you. I thought you could share them with your friends at lunchtime.”

Neil reluctantly accepted the gift. “Thanks.”

Liam grinned. “My pleasure.”

Neil stared at the cakes for a moment and then looked up at Liam. “Are these going to put you in prison?”

Liam blinked and then chuckled. “No, but if you’re going to be my cellmate, I’ll see what I can do. I take it your housemates are still alive?”

Neil smiled back. Liam remembered the conversation they’d had when both were learning to cook, the night that Neil had come out to Alf. He then scowled. “They’re fine. Now piss off.”

Liam’s smile didn’t fade as he nodded. “Okay.” He took a step away.

“Wait!” Neil grimaced and then took a deep breath as Liam glanced back at him. “You can join us for lunch, if you like.” He glared. “But don’t read anything into that. I’m just being polite.”

“Gotcha.” Liam grinned broadly. “Thanks, Neil.” He turned and walked away with an almost skip in his step.

“What was that all about? Prison, cellmates, housemates, and then inviting the village idiot to lunch?” Clarissa glanced at where Liam was disappearing and then back to Neil. “It was like you two were talking in code.”

Neil scowled. “It’s private.” He wasn’t in the mood to talk to her about Alf. He glanced at the cakes again. “I hope these aren’t poisoned.”

“They won’t be. But if you want to prove you’re paranoid, give the first one to the village idiot to eat.”

Neil looked at her and then grinned. “Or, I could do the decent thing, and make it ladies before gentlemen.”

Clarissa laughed. “Okay, you win. Put those away, and let’s get ready for school. We’ll celebrate at lunchtime.”

* * *

Mary smiled at Liam after she was handed her cake. “They look delicious.”

He shrugged. “I didn’t know if anyone else was going to do something for Neil’s birthday, so I thought I should.”

Clarissa snorted. “That’s because both of you guys avoided mentioning the actual day to anyone.” She mock-scowled at Neil. “You’re not off the hook, either. Surely it wasn’t too big a task to tell me the date?”

Neil dropped his head. “I didn’t want anyone to make a fuss.”

“Friends make fusses. That’s what we do.” Clarissa chuckled. “Don’t be upset. It’s no big deal.”

Mary frowned. “It’d be even nicer if we had candles. It doesn’t seem right to have birthday cake without the candles.”

Liam put his cupcake down and reached into his backpack. He pulled out a small packet of candles and a box of matches.

Evelyn grinned. “Someone must’ve been a boy scout.”

Liam smiled but shook his head. “No, but I thought I’d bring them just in case.” He smiled sheepishly. “To be honest, I suspect the school probably doesn’t allow people to bring matches, but I thought I would, anyway.”

Mary frowned. “Given the no-smoking policy you might be right, but I don’t think they can ban them, because they can’t stop students from lighting up as soon as they leave the school grounds.” She smiled at Liam. “Regardless, it was very thoughtful.”

Clarissa gave Neil a nudge. “Well?”

Neil scowled at her before schooling his expression into a more pleasant one. “Thanks, Liam.”

“Okay, just in case some killjoy comes along to ruin the moment, let’s get this done quickly.” Clarissa took the candles and matches off Liam. “One candle on one cake will have to do.” She glanced at Neil. “How does that sound?”

It took her a few matches, and it was only when Liam helped Clarissa by shielding the candle with his hands that she was able to get it lit. “Okay, everyone, before the wind extinguishes it again...Happy birthday to you...”

After they had finished singing, Neil leant forward to blow out the candle but was beaten by a sudden gust. He chuckled. “I think the wind just turned eighteen.”

“Who cares?” Clarissa moved over and gave Neil a quick kiss on the cheek. “Happy birthday, Neil.” Mary and Evelyn followed suit.

As the girls opened up a space around him, Neil found himself staring at Liam. Both guys hesitated, Neil bit his lower lip, and Liam visibly swallowed. Before Neil could say or do anything, Liam stuck out a hand. “Happy birthday, Neil.”

Neil smiled with relief, though he wasn’t exactly sure what he was relieved about, and shook the hand. “Thank you.”

Liam smiled and then stepped back, pulling out his phone in the process. “Can I get a picture? You and the girls, maybe?”

Neil allowed Liam to take a few photos, and then they all ate the cupcakes. The consensus from the three girls was that they were delicious, though Neil declined to give his own opinion. Instead, he made an effort to avoid making eye contact with his old enemy. He wasn’t sure what would happen if he looked.

* * *

Neil stared at the box and then at Tony. “Did they really say that?”

Tony shrugged. “I’m just passing on the message from Glenda. I wrote down what she told me, but the only ones who can tell you for sure what they said are your parents.”

“I’m not talking to them!” Neil glared indiscriminately around Tony’s office, though he avoided looking at Jim’s boyfriend. He had been asked to come up there before he started exercising with the excuse that Tony had something for him. It was only when he arrived that he learnt that the ‛something’ was really from his parents.

“Do you think it’s about time you had a short chat? You can use my phone,” Tony said, waving a hand at the phone on his desk.

Neil bit off his first response. He stared, still not quite believing his eyes, at the present. “What do you suggest?”

“Ring them. Don’t talk about being gay. Don’t talk about being away from home. Thank them for the present and leave it at that.”

“Should I open it first to find out what it is?” Neil closed his eyes. “Sorry. I’m procrastinating.”

Tony chuckled. “Perfectly normal. When do you want to open it? If you’re going to do it today, I’d suggest opening it before you speak to your parents. If you want to wait until Saturday, then you can tell them that.”

Neil stared at the gift-wrapped box and then at Tony. He pulled a face and then started to rip off the paper. It didn’t take him long to work out what he had been given. “A new laptop!” His eyes were wide as they flicked between the present, Tony, and the phone on Tony’s desk.

“I think they care, Neil. They haven’t written you off.”

Neil grimaced. “He hit me!”

“And he says he’s sorry.” Tony put a hand on Neil’s shoulder. “Keep the communication lines open, Neil. Despite everything that’s happened, they’re still your parents. They’re doing their best to stay in touch. Loosen up a little and take a step towards reconciliation.”

“I can’t go back.” Neil couldn’t look Tony in the face. His eyes were moist as he struggled to deal with conflicting emotions.

“No one is suggesting you do. From what Glenda told me, even your parents have realised that. But that doesn’t mean you can’t talk to them.” Tony smiled as he tilted his head towards his desk. “Go on, call them.”

Neil took a deep breath and then nodded his head. After a moment’s hesitation, he sat in Tony’s chair and picked up the phone. “What am I going to say?”

“Thank them for the laptop, and leave it at that. You can talk about other things another time.”

Neil dialled the number. He licked his lips nervously as he waited for someone to answer.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Mum. It’s Neil.”

“Neil!” Her voice became less distinct for a moment. “Phil, it’s Neil!” She sounded happy as she returned her attention to her son. “How are you doing? Is school going okay?”

“School’s fine. I got your present. I really didn’t expect anything, so thanks.”

“How could we not give you something for your birthday? Here’s your father.”

Neil tensed. He swallowed once as he waited for the abuse to start.

“Happy birthday, Neil. I’m sorry we’re not there, but your mum and I are both thinking of you. You’re a man, now, so congratulations.”

Neil blinked. The words and tone were not what he had been expecting. “Er...thanks, Dad.”

Neil looked up at Tony and gave him a tentative smile while he listened to first his father and then his mother wishing him all the best.

* * *

Ty grinned as he glanced at the other players gathered at North Port Oval who had made the final squad of twenty-five players. He was excited at being included in the state team, even though he knew the rule about no current AFL players meant that there were better footballers who hadn’t been picked. Being selected meant that he was considered by the selectors, at least, as one of the top players in Victoria outside of the AFL, and that was enough to make him happy.

It was obvious that Ty was the youngest player there, with most of the players being in their early- to mid-twenties. Ty had overheard enough to realise that several of them had been previously listed with an AFL club, and others had been considered candidates for the previous year’s AFL draft as mature-aged draftees.

His focus firmed as the coach detailed his expectations from the players. Ty was pleased but not particularly surprised to learn he had been assigned to a position in the back line as a defender, but he took note that they were going to list one of the defenders as an emergency, meaning that the emergency would only get to play if one of the other guys was unable to play.

As the meeting broke up and the training drills were about to start, Ty found himself stumbling forward as one of the other state players gave him a hefty bump.

The other guy was several years older than Ty, with a dark, military-style haircut. He sneered as he moved past. “Out of the way, you useless pack of shit. I don’t know what you gave the selectors, but you shouldn’t have been picked. There are better men than you who’ve been left off the team.”

Ty scowled, but he made an effort to keep his mouth shut. He stared after the stranger for a moment and then noticed one of his state teammates scowling at the same person. “Who was that prick?”

The other guy snorted. “Craig Roach. He’s pissed off because his best mate didn’t make the cut, and it looks like he’s blaming you.” He smiled and held out a hand. “Corey.”

“Ty, but my friends call me the brat.”

Corey grinned. “So I’ve heard.” He glanced around and then grimaced. “We’d better get a move on. They’re about to start.”

It was a tough training session, but nothing that Ty couldn’t handle. He knew that there was the risk that he would be named as one of the three emergency players, but he didn’t want that to happen. That meant trying as hard as he could throughout the session.

After one contested drill, Ty found himself with a face full of grass.

“You shouldn’t be in this team.” Craig Roach’s comment was too low-voiced for anyone else to hear. “You don’t deserve to be here.”

Ty kept quiet as he picked himself up. Roach gave him a heavy nudge as he passed, but Ty had been expecting something and maintained his footing. Internally, Ty was seething, but he knew he’d cop it from Jim if he let his temper get the better of him.

Corey stepped up next to him. “He’s a bastard. Watch yourself, Ty. I wouldn’t put it past him to deliberately injure you so you can’t play.”

Ty nodded. “I worked that one out for myself, but I’m not going to let him get to me.” He grinned at his new friend. “But the name’s brat, not Ty.”

Corey chuckled. “And Roach is going to learn how much of a brat you really are, right?”

Ty put on an innocent expression. “Who, me? I’m just here to play football.” His eyes flicked to where Craig Roach was scowling at them. “We’re all here to play football, even if someone doesn’t remember that.”

* * *

“Mum, Dad, Doug just rang me about this English assignment we’ve got. He wants to spend some time on the weekend working on it. Is it going to be okay if I go over there so we can get this finished?” Liam mentally crossed his fingers. He had told them about the project on Monday night, and he hoped that by visibly working on it on Tuesday he had set an expectation that it was going to be a lot of work. He had tried to judge when the best time to approach his parents was, and he decided on Thursday after dinner. It would give them the appropriate sense of urgency while not leaving many options other than the weekend to do the work apparently required.

Liam’s father frowned. “When were you thinking of?”

“Saturday night and Sunday morning. That’ll give us the afternoon in case it drags on more than we’re expecting. If I stay there overnight, we’ll be able to work late.”

Beth gave Liam a hard look. “Why not all day on Saturday?”

Bruce shook his head as he answered his wife’s question. “Even though Liam’s off the team, Doug still has a footy match on Saturday afternoon.” He turned his attention back onto his son. “Is this going to be an excuse to goof off once you’re away from here?”

“No! We need to have this assignment done by Monday. If we goof off, we’ll both be in trouble.”

“In more ways than one.” Bruce Bellweather stared at his son for a couple of seconds while drumming his fingers on the armrest of the chair. “Okay, but I want to see this project of yours on Sunday when you get home. If it’s not up to scratch, you’ll be working late Sunday night, too.”

Liam suppressed the urge to swallow. He knew he was now committed to completing a fictitious project in addition to his normal homework. “Sure. Can I tell Doug I’ll be there around six?”

His father nodded. “Just remember, Liam, that you’re there to do homework, not play. If this wasn’t for school, you wouldn’t be going.”

Liam nodded. “Yeah, I know.” He took a step away. “I’ll go tell Doug now.”

A minute later, Liam was in his bedroom and on the phone to Doug. “They’ve okayed my staying at your place Saturday night.”

“Excellent. I’m trying to encourage my parents to go out that night, which will give you the chance to leave without anyone knowing. Sneaking you back in after the party might be a bit tricky, but I think we can get that done, too.”

“I’m not too fussed if I’m caught on the way back in. I’ll either be depressed or ecstatic, based on what happens with Neil, so getting into trouble after that point isn’t going to matter.”

“Let’s see if we can manage to avoid that if we can, mate. I’m just glad your parents bought the story. I was half expecting them to say that I had to go to your place to study.”

Liam grimaced. “They didn’t buy it completely. Dad says I have to show them what we’ve done when I return home on Sunday to make sure it’s been done properly.”

“Oh, fuck. You mean we’ll actually have to do some work?”

“No. I’ll do it. I’ll start tonight. I can’t ask you do anything more than you’ve already done. If necessary, I’ll come clean on Sunday night.”

“You can’t do that! You’re already in trouble. Confessing would just make it all that much worse.”

Liam stared at the new wallpaper on his laptop, a cropped copy of one of the photos he’d taken at lunchtime on Wednesday that showed a smiling Neil. “It’s okay, Doug. I’m doing all of this for one reason and one reason only. If it all works out, the price will be worth it.”

* * *

Brendan Scholls was wearing his favourite red-plaid jacket as he edged his way along the grandstand seating. He had spotted an old friend and wanted to join him for the game.

“Brendan! Long time, no see.”

“G’day, Lionel. January last year, I think it was, when I took the family to Adelaide for a holiday.”

Lionel Alderson grinned. “That’s right. How’s the wife and kids doing? Has your daughter finished her degree yet?”

The two AFL recruiters spent the next twenty minutes catching up. They had known each other for almost twenty years, since the days when they had both played district-level football. Both had continued their love of the sport by acting as part-time recruiters, originally for the same club but now for rival teams after Lionel had moved to South Australia when his nephew had been drafted by the Adelaide Crows.

“Are you here to watch anyone in particular?” Brendan asked eventually.

Lionel grinned. “Brett Eddy, but I’m going to keep an eye open for anyone else that strikes my fancy. What about you?”

Brendan smiled. “Eddy, eh? I’d heard a rumour that he’d improved since he played in Collingwood’s VFL team, but I haven’t been keeping up on what’s been going on in the SANFL.”

“Improved is an understatement. He’s significantly better than he was this time last year – so much so that he’s attracting a lot of attention.” Lionel raised an eyebrow. “Are you trying to be coy by not answering my question?”

Brendan chuckled. “No. I was just surprised, that’s all. Adam Marcon’s the main one I’ll be looking at, though there’s a young guy that I’ll be watching that I expect will frustrate the hell out of me.”

“You’ve got me intrigued.”

“Ty Flanders was one of the top players from last year’s Academy, but he never got drafted. He had a chip on both shoulders that was big enough to crush a normal guy, which is a pity because the kid can really play. Whenever I get the chance I watch him play, but until he fixes his attitude we’ll never draft him.”

“No one’s tried to speak to him about it?”

Brendan rolled his eyes. “Lots of clubs tried last year. I think there was something like ten teams that interviewed him at the combine, but no one got through to him.” He shook his head. “He’s a dream player, but he’ll never make it to the AFL, which is a real pity.”

“He’s what, eighteen? He’s still got a lot of maturing to do. He might change.”

“I know, which is why I’m going to try to speak to him after the game, but I’m not hopeful.” Brendan stood up. “Would you like a beer before the game starts? My shout.”

“Thanks, mate. That’ll be great.” Lionel glanced down to where the players were entering the oval. “Don’t take too long.”

Brendan headed off, straightening his plaid jacket as he went, while hoping the queue at the bar wasn’t going to be too long.

* * *

“No!” Deon slammed his fist onto his thigh as South Australia scored again. The game had been close for three quarters, but South Australia was on a run of three unanswered goals.

Neil glanced at the scoreboard. “Is there time for them to get back in front?”

A large number of Leopards players, partners, and friends were gathered in a group at one end of the North Port Oval grandstand. More supporters were scattered along the fence that surrounded the football oval.

“It’s always possible,” Jim said from behind Neil, where he was sitting with Tony, Sam, and Marcus, “but it’s a tough ask against a strong opponent. They’ll need to go on the attack straight from the centre bounce and then kick a goal quickly. That might shift the momentum back in Victoria’s favour, but if I was the South Australian coach, I’d be flooding players back into defence to protect their lead. There’s not that much time left in the game, so they’ll want to run down the clock.”

Clarissa slipped her arm through Neil’s. “Regardless, it’s been a good game, and I’m glad I came. I’m a bit surprised at the numbers, though. I would’ve expected more people.”

Deon smiled past Neil to Clarissa. “Unfortunately, the VFL doesn’t have the same appeal as the AFL. This is a decent crowd for one of our games.” He glanced over his shoulder. “How many would you say are here, Dad?”

Jim and Sam both started to answer. They looked at each other and then laughed. Jim grinned at Deon. “Who were you asking?”

Deon shrugged. “Does it matter?” He grinned back. “How about answering the question?”

Jim scanned the crowd gathered around the boundary fence. “I’d say around the two-thousand mark. As you said, a decent crowd but nothing special.”

“Here we go,” Karen said as the centre umpire lifted the football high in one hand and blew his whistle to indicate the restart of play. She was sitting on the other side of Clarissa from Neil. “Come on, Victoria, you can do it.”

“Yes!” Neil watched nervously as the ball was handballed to a loose Victorian player and then kicked towards their forward line, only for it to fall free as the South Australian defender blocked the mark.

“At least Ty’s doing well,” Clarissa said to Karen.

Karen chuckled. “I’m guessing you probably know as much as I do about football. He’s not getting a lot of the ball today.”

“He’s doing his job,” Jim said. “His opponent isn’t having a lot of impact because of him. The brat is getting enough touches and making enough tackles that he’s pulling his own weight. He’s doing okay.”

* * *

“Seen enough?” Brendan asked his good friend and friendly rival as the time for the final siren approached.

“Yeah. It was a good game, and the better team is going to win.” Lionel grinned. “As it should be.”

“You’re only saying that because it’s your bloody South Australians.” Brendan put away his notebook. “I can see why you wanted to keep an eye on Eddy. He did well.”

“So did Marcon. I’d say he was one of the better players for Victoria, today.” Lionel rolled his shoulders. “I have to say that you were right about Flanders playing abilities. Our guys stopped sending the ball to his opponent because Flanders wasn’t letting him get to it. Are you sure he’s not draftable?”

“I’d love to be wrong, but I think you’ll see the answer for yourself when we go down to the Victorian change room.” All of the recruiters at the game had been given an open invitation to the change rooms for after the match. Some would wait until afterwards before they spoke to any players they were interested in, but most would head to one of the two change rooms immediately after the match ended. “Are you sure you don’t want to speak to Eddy first?”

Lionel chuckled. “Are you trying to keep me away from your precious Victorians? No, I’ll talk to him later. I want a word with Flanders and make my own decision as to whether he’d fit into our club.” He grinned. “Not that I don’t trust you...”

Brendan grinned back. “But you’re not taking my word for it. As I said, I’d love to be proven wrong. If someone can knock some sense into the kid, he’s got a bright future ahead of him. As it stands, though, he’ll never fit in. He’s not a team player; things have to be done his way or he’s not interested.” He glanced at his watch and then stood up and fastened his red-plaid jacket. “Come with me. We’ve got time for a quick drink before the game finishes and we head to the change rooms.”

* * *

Ty joined the rest of the state team as they trudged into the change room. He had thought that his Victorian teammates were in with a real chance when they hit the lead in the last quarter, but too many unanswered goals by the South Australians had seen them pull away for a twenty-two point win.

In some ways, the style of the game had suited Ty, but in other ways it had worked to his detriment. With minimal time beforehand to blend together as a team, there was little focus on strategy and more on just trying to kick goals. This played to Ty’s strengths, but the lack of teamwork experience between the Victorian players meant that many of the footballers tended to kick the ball to the guys they knew, either from their own club or those they’d played against for years. Ty, as a newcomer to the VFL, was an unknown to many of his teammates. Ty had worked hard for possession of the football, but it hadn’t been enough.

“Wundke killed us,” someone said, referring to Michael Wundke, the South Australian tall forward who had kicked five of the South Australian eighteen goals. A former AFL player, he dominated the forward line. “We needed someone like him at the other end.”

“What we needed was someone who could’ve shut down Wundke. Instead, the selectors picked a newbie defender who didn’t have a chance of stopping him.” Craig Roach sneered in Ty’s direction.

Ty glared. Roach had been making snide remarks ever since they’d first met at training on the Thursday night. “For your information, cockroach, I wasn’t assigned to Wundke. I kept my man out of the game; what did you do?”

“More than you! You were a waste of space, and a blind monkey could’ve blocked your opponent. You should’ve been able to help out your teammates, too, but you didn’t have a clue as to what you needed to do. Your name should be Flounders, not Flanders.”

Ty took two quick steps forward and grabbed Roach’s jumper. “I did my job!”

Before the situation could escalate, several of their Victorian teammates separated them. “Steady on, guys. Everyone did their best. They were just too good for us,” one of them said as he stood between Ty and Roach.

“They wouldn’t have been too good if we’d had an extra decent defender and not that pillow biter.”

Ty’s anger went cold as he glared at Roach. “What did you call me?”

Ignoring the comments from his teammates to shut up, Craig Roach sneered. “You heard me. I’m sure you offer your arse to your good friend Henderson all the time. Everyone knows how ‛close’ you two are.”

Ty lunged forward but was prevented from reaching Roach by several players. They pushed him back while others did the same to Craig Roach. When they were separated by the width of the room, the state coach stepped into the gap.

“I don’t give a fuck as to what you two think you’re playing at, but you had better cool down or you’ll be facing a disciplinary hearing next week. Got it?” He glared at both Ty and Roach. “We lost, and I can understand that we all want someone to blame, but everyone did what they had to. No one laid down on the job.”

“For pillow biters, laying down is part of the job.” The tone of the anonymous voice from the crowd indicated that it was supposed to be a joke, and several players chuckled in response while others scowled.

Ty didn’t find it funny. Neither, apparently, did the coach, but Ty didn’t wait to find out what happened next. He flung open his locker and pulled out his bag. Not bothering to have a shower or even to take off his football boots, he grabbed his gear and headed for the door.

One of the assistant coaches grabbed him by the arm. “Hey, you’re not supposed to be leaving yet. We’ve got people coming in and then the awarding of the Frank Johnson medal. You need to stay until then.”

Ty shook his arm free. The Frank Johnson medal, awarded to the best player for Victoria in each interstate match, didn’t interest him. “Do you think I’d stick around with these cretins? Fuck that! I’ve had enough. I’ve got somewhere better to be.” He headed out, scowling as he pushed past a number of men who had entered the change room. One of them, wearing a red-plaid jacket, was sadly shaking his head.