Leopard Spots - 42. Chapter 42

Peter scowled at the assembled group. The Leopards’ Friday-night training session had just ended. “Okay, that’s enough. You’ve had your fun, but now it’s time to remember that Dad is one of your teammates. Some of you are coming very close to crossing a line, and if that happens you’ll be disrupting the team.”

Roger, standing on Peter’s left, nodded. “Dad is going to cop a lot of sledging at our next match, and you guys probably will, too. We need to be united and not leave him isolated. That means no more jokes at his expense.”

Ty grimaced. “Okay.” He turned to Jim. “Sorry, Dad.”

Jim scowled back. “One day, you’ll be the one who says something stupid. Just remember that, brat.”

“Enough!” Peter glared at Jim. “I don’t want to hear anyone referencing this again, and that goes for you, too, Dad. The topic is closed. Understood?” He swept his gaze across the group and received a variety of acknowledgements.

“Next week we’re playing Williamstown at their home ground. It’s not going to be an easy game, so I need everyone’s focus on playing as a team.” A smile appeared on Peter’s face. “But, for now, enjoy your weekend off. Deon, I believe you’ve got a flight to catch. Say hello to your dad for me.”

Peter gave the group one more stern look before heading inside. Will and Julie followed him, as did Roger, though at a much slower pace

“It’s good to see Roger more mobile,” Todd said as the team headed to the change room.

Oliver nodded. “Have you heard how long it will be before he’s back playing again?”

Todd shook his head. “Another six weeks, as far as I know, so it’s still August. He’s not going to risk coming back too early and making things worse.”

“Fuck. At least he picked the period when we’ve got three byes scheduled, so he’s not missing out on too many games. He’ll only miss three games in those six weeks.”

Todd gave him a sardonic look. “I doubt that was on his mind when he did his ankle. Don’t forget we’ve got three tough matches coming up over that time. Williamstown is merely the first. By the end, we’re going to be really missing Roger.”

Oliver shrugged. “Deon’s coming along well, and the brat is picking up a lot of the slack. We’ll cope.”

Todd snorted. “Aren’t you feeling well, Ollie? I didn’t hear your name mentioned in the list of forwards who are doing their best to cover for Roger’s absence.”

“Who, me?” Oliver tried to look innocent. He failed miserably. “I’m just doing my job.”

“The same could be said for Deon and the brat.” Todd gave Oliver a hefty whack on the back, momentarily staggering the smaller guy. “If you’re fishing for a compliment, consider yourself satisfied. You’re doing great.”

“Gee, thanks, Todd,” Oliver said with a heavy sarcastic lilt. “At least I was doing great until some big lump tried to break my back.”

Todd chuckled. “Serves yourself right.”

Oliver switched to a different tone. “Do you and Lorraine have any special plans for the weekend?”

“I’ll be at Sean’s AusKick tomorrow morning and then with Neil on Sunday afternoon. Other than that, we’ve got no plans.”

“Isn’t it about time you had her and the kids around to our place for dinner? I’ll cook if you make it tomorrow night.”

Todd smiled. “Thanks, Ollie. I’ll check with Lorraine, but unless there’s a problem, that’ll be great.” He grinned. “I presume Helena has something else on.”

Oliver shrugged. “A family function. I was invited, but I didn’t think it would be a good idea to attend.”

“Why’s that?” Todd thought it was interesting that Helena had invited Oliver to meet her family. His concern was that his friend might be getting cold feet about his relationship with the vibrant Greek girl.

“Hey, I’m the guy that’s been keeping her away from the rest of the family most weekends. Some of them probably resent me. I think I need to start small, like meeting one or two of them, not the whole, huge extended family in one hit.”

Todd chuckled with relief. He liked Helena and was quietly keeping his fingers crossed that Oliver would, for once, have a long-term relationship. Talking about meeting her family – though only a few at a time – implied that Oliver might be thinking the same way.

* * *

Deon ignore the proffered hand and gave his father a hug. “It’s good to see you again.” He repeated the gesture with Marcus before glancing around the airport gate. “So, this is Sydney airport.”

Marcus gave a snort of amusement. “Yeah. It’s almost like a second home at times.”

Deon winced. “You know you don’t have to keep coming down to see me as much as you do.”

“It’s not just you,” Sam said quietly. “There’s Jordan and Teresa, too. And your mum.” He glanced at Marcus before returning his attention to his son. “You’re all worth the effort.”

Deon’s smile was tentative. “But it’s cutting into your chance to do other things. It must be expensive to fly down so often.”

Marcus shrugged and then tilted his head back towards the main concourse. “Shall we go?”

Sam continued the conversation as they strolled. “Yes, it’s a little pricey, but Marcus and I can afford it. It’s only luxuries we’re cutting back on.” He smiled. “We do appreciate you flying here for the weekend, though.”

“I’ve got another football-free weekend in three weeks. If it’s okay with you, I wouldn’t mind coming up again.”

“That’d be great.” Sam then frowned. “Is that the first weekend in July?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Why?”

Sam grimaced. “We’ll have to work out the timing to make sure we have room. Jordan’s supposed to be coming up to stay with us for a week, starting that weekend.”

“Shit!” Deon scowled and then schooled his face into a more pleasant expression. “Sorry, that wasn’t for you. I just remembered I promised Jordan that he could spend some time with me during the school holidays. I’d forgotten about it.” He smiled at his father. “What dates will Jordan be here? I’ll have to ring Mum to get him to stay with me for a few days either before or after his trip here.”

“The dates aren’t finalised yet. Gary only rang me this week to start organising it.”

Deon frowned. “Who’s Gary? Is this someone Mum’s starting to see?”

The two older guys both laughed. Marcus grinned. “Matt and Gary are Jarrod’s sponsors. You know, the guys who let you drive one of their BMWs earlier this year. They’ve invited your mum to join them on a week’s holiday somewhere warm. She didn’t want to go because she needed to look after Jordan, so Gary suggested that Jordan comes here for the week. He’s organising the details to make sure she doesn’t back out.”

“Sounds cool. She deserves a holiday.” Deon sighed. “She hasn’t had a decent one for years.”

The three strolled past the small food court before reaching the doors that led out of the secure zone of the airport. Sam turned to Deon. “We’ll just get your bag, and then we’ll head home. I’m guessing you’ll be tired.”

Deon smiled. “A little, but I think I might be too excited to sleep.” He hefted the backpack that was slung over one shoulder. “This is all I brought. I wanted to travel light, especially since I wasn’t sure if training would run late and I’d have to rush. It was easier to not have any luggage to check in.”

“I take it you didn’t have any problems,” Sam said.

“None. I didn’t have to go home either. Dad...I mean Jim said he’d take my training gear home for me, so I was able to go straight from the football club to the airport.”

Marcus laughed as the three headed down the short escalator to the ground floor. “It must be confusing having two people you call ‘Dad’. Don’t worry about it. We understood who you meant.”

Deon glanced at Sam. “Dad?”

Sam smiled. “It’s okay, Deon. I’m just happy that you’re calling me ‘Dad’ again.”

Deon grinned. “So...what’s the plan for the weekend?”

“We’ve got two choices. One is to treat you like a guinea pig and see what sort of things I should be doing with Jordan when he comes up. Most of that will be touristy stuff like visiting the Rocks, Taronga Zoo, and the Powerhouse Museum. Option two, and Marcus’s choice, is to take you to a rugby match tomorrow. He wants to educate you on that other form of football...”

“A man’s game! None of this aerial ping-pong stuff.” Marcus gave Deon a cheeky grin. “I’ve put up with your games for so long, it’s time for payback.”

Deon laughed as they crossed the road to the car park that was situated between the two domestic terminals at Sydney airport. “Option three: Sydney is playing Port Adelaide at the SCG tomorrow afternoon. It should be a great match.”

Sam glanced at Marcus, a question in his eyes. Marcus shrugged. “How about we make it a really big day out? The Sydney Roosters are playing at Allianz Stadium tomorrow night, and that’s right next door to the SCG. We could see some lame football game in the afternoon, and then we could walk across and see a real match in the evening.”

Sam raised an eyebrow at Deon and received a grin in return. “Sounds good to me, Dad. Thanks, Marcus. Do you want some money for the tickets?”

Marcus waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it. It’s our pleasure to have you here. However, do you have a shirt with a collar? A polo shirt will be fine.”

Deon gave Marcus a quizzical look. “I do...”

“In that case, I’ll see if I can get tickets for the members’ area of the SCG.” When Deon’s eyes widened, Marcus smiled. “I’m a member, and if it’s not busy, it’ll be a great place to watch the game.”

Deon grinned. “Thanks, Marcus. That’ll be fantastic!”

* * *

Ty poked his head into the laundry. “What are you doing? I thought you’d already done your washing.”

Jim didn’t look up. “I have. This is Deon’s gear. I said I’d do the washing for him so he wouldn’t have to worry about it while he’s in Sydney.”

“While you’re washing Deon’s clothes, do you want to do mine, too?”

Jim snorted as he finished putting the next load of clothes into the washing machine. “Yeah, sure. I mightn’t do a good job, but I’ll look after them for you.”

Ty hesitated. “Exactly how will you look after them?”

“Does it matter?” Jim grinned.

“On second thoughts, maybe I’ll do them myself.” Ty leant against the doorframe. “Sorry, Dad.”

Jim paused and glanced across at his younger housemate. “What for?”

“The teasing got out of hand tonight. Peter and Roger pulled everyone into line at the end, but I shouldn’t’ve been encouraging everyone.”

Jim shrugged as he poured some washing liquid into the machine. “It happened. As Roger said, we’ll all probably cop it next weekend. I wouldn’t be surprised if the opposition makes comments about it to me for the rest of the year.” He gave Ty a wry smile. “It’s a self-inflicted wound, brat. I’ve got no one else to blame except myself.”

Ty frowned. “Still, we didn’t have to keep pushing it.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jim grinned. “By the way, whatever happened to keeping your teasing down to ten a week?”

Ty grinned back. “Maths was never one of my strong points. The number after five is ‘whatever’.”

“Brat.” Jim closed the lid on the washing machine and hit the start button. “Is there something else?”

“Yeah...” Ty smiled sheepishly. “I know it’s short notice, but are you and Tony doing anything tomorrow night?”

“We’re going to Tony’s place. Alex successfully laid a guilt trip on him on Monday, and so he’s trying to be home more often. Why?”

Ty frowned in thought. “Okay, never mind. I was going to invite you two out for dinner with Karen and me, but seeing Alex is important, too.”

“You could join us.”

Ty shook his head. “We were planning on somewhere closer to home.” He grinned. “We’re trying to get back to that Indian place in Ringwood. I still haven’t had that vindaloo.”

Jim laughed. “If that’s what you want...”

“I really want to find out if it was a hot as Neil’s father made out.” Ty’s smile faded away. “I don’t know what to think about that situation.” When Jim frowned, Ty explained. “Neil’s going to see his parents on Sunday. Todd and Paul are going with him, but he asked that I not go.” He gave a snort of laughter. “Neil spent five minutes trying to explain why he didn’t want me there before he stopped talking long enough for me to say it was okay. But I’m worried.”

“I haven’t seen his father since that confrontation in the boardroom, but his mother seems genuinely concerned for him.”

“Yeah, I know. Glenda tells me that Neil’s dad appears the same when he comes to the club. But still...”

Neither guy said anything more on the subject, but the body language of both indicated that they had worries.

* * *

The next morning, Ty collapsed onto the football oval grass. He stared up at the overcast sky for a few seconds and then rolled his head to peer at where Jim was standing.

“Whose...” Ty swallowed and tried again. “Whose stupid idea was this?”

Jim grinned between gasps. “Yours.”

Ty raised a shaking arm to point at Jim. “The extra ten minutes wasn’t mine.”

The two had just finished another one of their half-marathon attempts. This time, they’d run for longer, and that additional effort had taken both of them back to the state they’d been at the end of that first run with Julie.

Jim walked over and held out his hand to help Ty up. “It’s doing us good.”

“If it doesn’t kill us.” Ty rose to his feet and then went pale. He swayed in place until the dizziness had faded. “Maybe we tried too much.”

Jim stretched his back, his hands behind his head. “We got through it. That’ll make up for no game today.”

After a few minutes of recovery and mild stretching, Ty turned to Jim. “What’s next?”

“Another run?” Jim grinned when Ty glared at him. “I was thinking a light workout, shower, and then get ready for the afternoon.”

“Sounds good to me.” Ty cocked his head. “Have you finished being spiteful?”

“What do you mean?” Jim’s cheeky expression showed he knew what Ty was talking about.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on with the Essendon Football Club? You rang them during the week, but you won’t tell me what’s happening. The teasing’s over, so you don’t have to keep it from me anymore.”

“I told you, brat, it’s confidential. They asked that I don’t tell anyone, so I’m not.”

Ty narrowed his eyes. “You’ve told Tony, though. I know you did, because he clearly knows about it.”

Jim shrugged. “They said I could.”

“Then why won’t you tell me?”

Jim grinned. “Because, as I said, it’s confidential.”

Ty growled up at the sky. “This isn’t fucking fair!”

Jim laughed. “You don’t need to know, brat. I will say that while they’re showing me around – and I’ll probably meet some of the players – they’ve not said anything about a possible draft pick at the end of the year.”

“They normally don’t.” Ty grimaced at the memories. “They talked to me lots, but no one ever said anything about drafting me. At the time, I thought it was how they operated, so that’s why they didn’t mention it. Now, I don’t know. If they’re introducing you and letting you get to know what the club has to offer, they must be considering you, Dad.”

Jim shook his head. “I doubt it. If they’re looking for someone, there are better players than me.” He gave Ty a wry smile. “One, in particular, that I can think of.”

Ty turned away so Jim wouldn’t see the frustration. “This isn’t about me. Skills aren’t enough; I know that now.” He stood there for a moment and then jumped when an arm was draped across his shoulders.

“You’ll get there, brat. Just be patient. They can’t ignore a talent like yours forever.”

Ty didn’t respond. He quashed the hope that Jim was feeding. Being disappointed once was bad enough. If he let his dreams fly too high, the disappointment when they crashed a second time would destroy him.

* * *

“Deon?”

Deon looked up from his seat in the members’ area of the SCG and then grinned. He stood up and stuck out his hand at the young man who had spoken. “Kev! How have you been? I think the last time I saw you was probably eighteen months ago.”

Kevin was a muscular young man, slightly shorter than Deon, with thick, shoulder-length, curly, dark-brown hair. He was wearing a Sydney Swans Football Club jacket, and he had a compression bandage around his left wrist. An older couple stood behind him, both with expressions of amusement and bewilderment.

Kevin ignored the hand and gave Deon a hug instead. “That’d be about right. That’s when my parents moved and I had to change clubs.” He let go and grinned back.

“Our midfield wasn’t the same without you. Congratulations, by the way. I did see your name on the draftee list last year, but I was a bit down in the dumps from missing out and forgot to send you a text.”

“That’s okay.” Kevin grinned. “What are you doing in Sydney? I never knew you were a Swans supporter.”

“I’m not. I’m here to visit my dad.” He glanced back to where Sam and Marcus were seated. “Dad, Marcus, this is Kevin Scanlan. We played in the same junior football team for about five years until his parents moved to the other side of Melbourne.” He smiled at Kevin. “It was never explicitly stated, but I had the impression it was to make you eligible for a different team in the TAC Cup.”

Kevin shrugged. “It was. They thought I’d do better in the Calder Cannons. I don’t know if it helped, but I was able to make enough of an impression for my name to get picked by the Swans.”

“And make the TAC Cup grand final. I saw the match; you did well.”

“Thanks!” Kevin turned to the couple behind him. “Mr. and Mrs. Wembley, this is Deon. I played junior football with him before we lost contact at the start of last year.” He smiled at Deon. “Deon, the Wembleys are the host family I’m staying with. They’re looking after me while I settle into playing for Sydney.” He grinned back at the two. “I don’t know where I’d be without them. They make sure that I can spend all my time concentrating on my football and not on other things.”

Mr. Wembley reached past Kevin to shake Deon’s hand. “Pleased to meet you, Deon.”

After a few minutes of pleasantries, Kevin and Deon were sitting next to each other, waiting for the match to start, while the Wembleys, Sam, and Marcus were chatting amiably nearby.

Deon glanced down at Kevin’s wrist. “What did you do to yourself?”

Kevin grimaced. “Sprained my wrist during training earlier this week. That meant no game for me, so the Wembleys suggested I come here to watch the AFL team play.”

“You’re in the seniors? I don’t recall seeing your name listed.”

Kevin laughed. “Me? No way, though I’m trying my hardest. I’m still in the reserves team playing in the NEAFL. I haven’t broken into the big time...yet.”

Deon knew that the North East Australian Football League is the equivalent of Victoria’s VFL for the north-eastern states. Just like Collingwood, Richmond, Geelong, and the Western Bulldogs, the Sydney Swans fielded a reserves team for those players who weren’t playing at the seniors level. He grinned. “Good luck with that. Let me know when you make the AFL team.”

“I will.” Kevin pulled out his phone. “I’ve changed phones twice since I last saw you. I’m not sure I still have your number, so if you could give it to me again...” After exchanging contact details, Kevin settled back in his seat. “What have you been doing with yourself? At uni, or out in the workforce?”

“I’ve got a part-time job, but my main focus is still football. I’m playing in the VFL, trying to make enough of a name for myself to break into the AFL.” Deon grinned. “It’d be cool if the Swans picked me at the end of the year. I wouldn’t mind playing in the same team with you again.”

Kevin chuckled. “That’d be fantastic if it happened, but don’t expect anything from me. I’ve got no say in who they pick. Which team are you playing for?”

“One of the unaffiliated clubs: the Lilydale Leopards.”

Kevin’s brow wrinkled in thought. “That name sounds familiar.”

“One of my teammates made the news earlier this week, though I don’t know if you would’ve seen it up here.”

“The only news I remember was...” Kevin stiffened. “You’re playing with that gay guy?”

“That’s right. Jim Henderson.” Deon smiled. “He’s also one of my housemates.”

Kevin had a faint frown on his face, though he also seemed eager to find out more. “What’s he like?”

“Jim’s a great guy. A bit reserved at times, but he’s been much more outgoing since he came out of the closet.” Deon chuckled. “He hates the media attention, though. He copped it from the rest of the team during the week over that last TV interview he did. He just wants to be a footballer and doesn’t think being gay makes him something special.”

Kevin nodded thoughtfully. “The guys were speculating during the week as to what it would be like if he was on the team. Most said it wouldn’t be a problem, but a few said they were uncomfortable with the idea. Nothing concrete, just uneasy.”

“Jim’s a very much respected member of the team. Our captain is currently out of action with an ankle injury, and Jim’s one of the guys filling in for him.” Deon hesitated for a moment. “There’s been some minor problems, but nothing that’s important.

Kevin grinned. “What are you doing after the match? How would you like to meet some of the guys? Given the talk around the club earlier this week, I can introduce you as one of Henderson’s teammates and let them ask you about him.”

Deon grinned. “That sounds good. I just need to check that that’s okay with Dad and Marcus.” He turned around. “Marcus, how much time have we got after the match?”

“A bit under two hours. Why?”

“Kev’s invited me to meet some of the players.”

Marcus smiled. “Go for it. If we’re late for the rugby, it won’t be the end of the world.”

Kevin raised an eyebrow. “Rugby?”

Deon shrugged. “I’m doing my best to educate Marcus on a proper game of football, but it’s hard going. However, he’s the one with the member ticket that got us in here, so I can’t complain too much.”

“Okay, then it’s settled. I’ll take the three of you down to the change room after the game, and I’ll introduce you around.” Kevin winked. “I’ve got no influence with the recruiting team, but maybe you’ll impress someone who does.”

* * *

Oliver grinned as he spooned pasta into a bowl and then carefully placed the sauce over the top. “There you are, Sean. Spaghetti and footballs.”

Becky frowned as Sean started to stuff his face. “Isn’t it supposed to be spaghetti and meatballs?”

Oliver winked. “When I make them, they’re little footballs.” He repeated the process and handed Becky her bowl. “See?”

Becky scowled at her dinner and then picked up her fork. She stabbed one of the meatballs and lifted it up so she could examine it critically. “I suppose it looks a bit like a football.”

Oliver rolled his eyes as Todd, Paul, and Neil chuckled.

“Becky, be nice. Ollie’s cooked you something special.” Lorraine gave her daughter a hard stare. “The least you could do is to thank him.”

Becky’s expression didn’t change immediately, but then she gave Oliver a blatantly false smile. “Thank you, Ollie.”

Oliver gave her a theatrical bow. “My pleasure, Becky.”

Becky stared for a moment and then giggled. She smiled more naturally and started to attack her food in a manner not too dissimilar to the way her younger brother was eating.

“I’ll be back in a sec with our meals,” Oliver said as he left the table.

Lorraine turned to Todd. “He didn’t need to go to all this trouble. Something simple would’ve been fine.”

Todd snorted. “Ollie doesn’t do simple. He enjoys cooking, and he makes an art of it.” He winked at Neil. “That’s when we can get him to cook in the first place, of course.”

“This dinner was his idea, Lorraine,” Paul said, “and he’s made a bit of a production out of it.” He glanced up and smiled as Oliver returned with the first two plates. “As you’re about to see.”

“Here you are, Lorraine. And for the next most important person in the house...” Oliver made a show of eyeing the other three guys before putting the plate in front of Neil. “Here’s yours.”

“What is it?” Lorraine asked, clearly impressed.

“Veal scaloppini with creamy mushroom sauce, pan-fried asparagus, and butternut-pumpkin risotto.” Oliver shrugged. “Something simple, I think you asked for.”

“Ollie!” Lorraine stared at food and then up at the grinning young man. “This is too much!”

Oliver shook his head sadly. “Sorry, no returns or refunds. If you don’t want it, you’ll have to give it to Todd.” He headed back to the kitchen.

“Todd, you didn’t tell me he’d be cooking something like this!” Lorraine stared back at her food in disbelief.

Todd smiled. “Ollie does what Ollie wants. He wanted to cook you and the kids something special. In my defence, I didn’t know what he was doing. He hasn’t let anyone in the kitchen all afternoon.”

Oliver returned with Todd and Paul’s plates. “Todd, there’s an open bottle of wine on the kitchen bench. Why don’t you do us all a favour and pour everyone a glass?”

“Not for me,” Neil said quickly. “I’ll just have water.”

“Try a bit, Neil. You might like it. It’s not the cheap stuff that Todd buys.” Oliver grinned at his taller teammate.

Neil glanced at Todd and received a smile in return. “Give it a go. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to finish it.”

A few minutes later, they were all enjoying their meal. Neil had followed Oliver’s lead and had taken a small sip of the red wine that had been poured into his glass.

“Thank you, Ollie. This is delicious,” Lorraine said.

“It’s my pleasure.” Oliver smiled at her and then Todd. “I’m hoping this will mean that you two will be coming back here from time to time after Todd moves out.”

Lorraine looked anxious. Todd guessed she was concerned about his housemate’s reaction to him moving out. He smiled at her and then gave Oliver a weary look. “I haven’t left yet, Ollie.”

“It won’t be long, though. I can tell.” Oliver lifted his glass to Lorraine. “And I can’t think of anyone better he could move in with. Thank you.”

Lorraine seemed puzzled. “What for?”

“For making my best friend happy.” Oliver glanced at where Sean and Becky were enjoying their dinner. “And for giving him a family.”

“Ollie...” Todd’s expression was one of exasperation. “Don’t rush us.”

“Who, me?” Oliver shrugged. “Enough of the soppy stuff. Enjoy your meal, peoples. Just remember to leave room for dessert.”

Lorraine stopped, her fork halfway to her mouth. “I couldn’t...”

Paul chuckled. “You’ll have to. Knowing Ollie, he’ll have something big planned.”

Oliver grinned. “Who, me?” he repeated.

* * *

Ty glanced at the other three people around the restaurant table. “Well, here goes nothing.” He lifted the fork of lamb vindaloo and put it in his mouth.

Karen and Charlie both grinned when Ty stiffened, and his face went red. Beads of sweat appeared on his brow.

“How is it?” Charlie asked, not trying to hide his amusement.

Ty waved a hand for a couple of seconds before replying. “Fine,” he squeaked as he grabbed a glass of water.

“Bread’s better at helping with spicy food,” Stacey said as she pushed some garlic naan towards Ty. She frowned at Karen. “You don’t need to giggle.”

“I know, but his expression was so funny. He can’t say he wasn’t warned. The waiter made a point of telling him, but Ty still said he wanted it, and he wanted it as hot as possible.”

Ty gave Stacey a smile of appreciation as he chewed on the naan bread. “Thanks, Stacey.” He wiped his forehead. “Wow...that was some experience.”

“You’ve got lots to go.” Karen grinned at Ty’s pained expression. “There are starving kids in India who are probably dying for good food like that.”

“Fine. Get me their address and I’ll send them some.” Belying his words, Ty broke off another piece of naan and dipped it in the vindaloo sauce. He took a bite, and while he winced, his theatrics were not as great as with the first mouthful.

“Jim should’ve been here to see this,” Karen said as she mixed her chicken korma with some steamed rice. “It’d make up for the teasing that someone has been giving him all week.”

“Hey, I’ve stopped!” Under Karen’s steady gaze, Ty revised his statement. “Okay, slowed down.”

Charlie grinned. “I don’t think you’ll ever let him forget what he said.”

“No one else will, so why should I?” Ty shrugged. “But it’s only for fun. None of us really means it.”

Charlie winced. “But we don’t know about the opposition teams. Some of them will use it to try to put Dad off his game.”

Ty scowled. “If they try, they’ll have to answer to me, too. I won’t let them do that to him, not with a possible AFL draft chance in Dad’s reach.”

“You really think he’ll be drafted?” Stacey asked.

Ty and Charlie exchanged glances. Ty shrugged. “I don’t know. The fact that first Carlton and now Essendon have asked to meet him is promising, but we won’t know for sure until the end of November.” He glanced down at his plate. “You three continue the conversation without me for a bit. I’m going to try another bite of Indian fire.” While the other three laughed, Ty ate another piece of lamb. He waved a hand in front of his face in a desperate attempt create a breeze.

“While Ty’s silent and I can get a word in edgewise,” Charlie grinned at his teammate, “I’ve had a text from Deon. I think he sent it to the brat, too, but Deon was saying he was with some of the Sydney Swans players. I’m not sure what happened, but it seems he knows someone who plays for them.”

Ty gulped down another piece of naan and followed it up with half a glass of water. “Kevin Scanlan. The Swans picked him up with a third-round pick, from memory.”

“How do you know that?” Karen asked.

Ty shrugged. “Deon sent me a picture of him and Kevin at the SCG. I recognised him, since we were both in the Vic Metro team for the national carnival. A good player.” He grimaced.

Karen put her hand on top of Ty’s. “Keep trying, Ty. You’ll get there, too. Have faith.”

Ty sighed and then gave Karen a wry smile. “If only it was that easy. I found out how tough it can be in the AFL on Monday when I was at Carlton with Dad. If it hadn’t been for the extra training that Julie’s been giving us, I don’t think either Dad or I would’ve finished.” He glanced across the table at Charlie. “I hear that Julie’s got her claws into you, too. What’s she making you do?”

“She wants me to be more aggressive, more of an inside midfielder.”

“Inside midfielder?” Stacey frowned. “What’s that?”

Charlie waved a hand towards Ty to answer, but Ty glanced down at his plate. “You’ll have to take it, Charlie, because I’m about to lose the ability to speak for a few minutes.”

Karen and Stacey both laughed as Ty made a pretence of being afraid of his food. They then turned to Charlie.

“Midfielders are the ones who are most involved when there’s a stoppage in the play, such as when a pack forms around the ball. When that happens, some midfielders go into the pack, trying to get the ball out, while others wait outside to receive the ball. Inside midfielders are the more aggressive, stronger players getting the ball out of packs. Dave’s a good example. I usually play as an outside midfielder, receiving the ball once it’s out of the pack. Some midfielders, like Dad, can do both, though he plays as an outside midfielder more often, given his speed and agility. Julie wants me to be able to do both, which is why she’s got me training with Dave.”

“Isn’t he the one who hurt your shoulder?” Stacey asked.

“He is, but that was before...” Charlie grimaced. “Anyway, he’s more controlled now, and he’s pushing me hard.”

Ty had recovered enough to be able to join in. “If that’s what Julie wants you to do, do it, Charlie. Somehow she knew that Dad and I needed endurance work, and she’s got Deon’s kicking sorted out. If she’s telling you to do something, listen to her. I haven’t seen her set a foot wrong so far.”

Karen frowned. “Isn’t she the one you call a bitch?”

Ty shrugged. “I do, but don’t forget I’m a brat. She’s good at what she does.” He grinned. “Just like I’m...” He waited expectantly for them to complete the sentence.

Karen laughed. “You’re a brat...who knows a little bit about playing football.”

Ty gave her a mock-frown and then shrugged. “I’ll take it. Not quite what I was looking for, but it’ll do.”

Karen grinned. “Brat.”

* * *

Deon yawned as he ambled into the small combined kitchen and dining area. “Morning, Marcus.” He glanced around. “Where’s Dad?”

“Still asleep.” Marcus smiled as he nursed a mug of tea. “I’m more of a morning person, so I’m usually the first one up. Sleep well?”

“Yeah, I did.” Deon made a beeline for the kettle to make himself a cup of coffee. “I had a great time, yesterday.” He smirked at Marcus. “Even the rugby game wasn’t that bad, though I noticed the Swans crowd was a lot bigger.”

Marcus shrugged. “If you add up the attendances at all the NRL games in Sydney yesterday, I’m sure they’ll be a lot higher than that of all the AFL games.”

Deon laughed. “Probably. But you can’t deny that the Swans-Port Adelaide match was a great game.”

“True. I thought that Port were going to come back in the end, but they ran out of time.”

“Buddy Franklin made the difference.” Deon’s expression became wistful as he thought back over the spectacular goals that the Sydney forward had kicked at critical times.

“That’s who you’d like to be,” Marcus said more than asked. “He’s who you model yourself on?”

Deon shook his head. “I’d like to win matches like he did yesterday, but Julie’s convinced me not to try to copy him. I’ve got a different kicking style, and what she’s told me to do is starting to work. I want the same end results, but I’m going about it a different way.” He poured himself a cup of coffee and joined Marcus at the table.

“I noticed you didn’t speak to him after the game, though you looked like you wanted to.”

“I did, but I couldn’t make myself go up to him. It’s not a big deal.” Deon shrugged. “The Sydney players that Kev introduced me to were great. I had a good time chatting with them.” He grinned. “They certainly had a lot of questions about Jim.”

“You handled them wonderfully. I noticed you declined to answer some of the questions, saying that the matter was private and none of anyone’s business but Jim’s.” Marcus nodded his approval. “Well done.”

“Dad deserves his privacy.” Deon grinned. “If he hadn’t made that slip of the tongue on Monday, I don’t think those questions would’ve been asked.”

Marcus chuckled. “Probably not.” He cocked his head. “A few asked about your own football skills. You were fairly modest in your responses.”

“Yeah...” Deon pulled a face. “How am I supposed to answer them without sounding like a pretentious, egotistical prick? I don’t want to get a FIGJAM rep.”

Marcus frowned. “Fig jam?”

“It stands for ’Fuck I’m good. Just ask me’. A few people tried to pin that label on Ty last year. He had that sort of attitude – he didn’t actually boast much; it was more an aura of being the best and everyone should realise it – but too many people liked him for the label to stick.” Deon scowled. “It’s not a career killer, but it’s not viewed as a positive.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” Marcus smiled. “I think you managed to avoid that trap without being too modest. We’ll just have to see if you’ve attracted the attention of any of their recruiters.”

“I wish. I wouldn’t mind playing for Sydney.” Deon sighed.

Marcus snorted. “Let’s be honest. You wouldn’t mind playing for any AFL team.”

Deon laughed. “True.... But playing with Kev again would be great.”

“You’re going to stay in touch with him, aren’t you?”

“Yeah. I shouldn’t’ve lost touch in the first place, but last year was stressful for both of us. Football and Year 12 at school. He had the additional pressure of a new school, too, and having to make new friends. At least we’re back in touch again. He’s going to let me know when he plays his first game in the AFL. If it’s in Melbourne and there’s not a clash with the Leopards, I promised him I’d go.”

‘How likely is he to get moved up?”

Deon chuckled. “Not likely. Firstly, breaking into the Sydney top 22 is going to be tough; they’re a very strong team. He told me that it might not happen this year, though that’ll be stressful for him if he doesn’t. He’s only on a two-year contract – standard for new draftees – so if he’s not good enough by the start of next year, his contract mightn’t be renewed. Even if he does move up and that game is in Melbourne, there’s still a good chance the Leopards will either be playing at the same time or training if it’s a Friday night.” Deon pulled out his phone. A minute later he looked up. “Sydney only have three more games in Melbourne before the finals, and one of those is next week. Kev didn’t think he was that close to being selected.”

“Well, I wish him all the best.” Marcus raised his cup as a salute. “The same goes for you, too. I hope you have a good season, and I wish you all the best for impressing people well enough to get drafted.”

Deon smiled, his face red. “Thanks, Marcus.”

* * *

Neil smiled nervously as the front door opened. “Hi, Mum. Hi, Dad.” Paul and Todd were standing in front of him but slightly to either side so they weren’t obstructing the meeting between Neil and his parents. Liam and his father stood behind Neil.

“Neil!” His mother glanced at Todd and Paul, and then stepped forward to give Neil a hug. “It’s good to see you again. Come in.” She smiled at the others. “Come in, all of you.”

“Thanks, Mrs. Rosewood,” Todd said as he waited for the doorway to clear.

“Please, call me Mary.”

She stepped back inside, but no one else moved. Everyone’s eyes were on Neil and his father, who were staring at each other.

Phil Rosewood was the first to break. He grimaced, and his gaze flicked to Todd and Paul. “I supposed this is my fault. You don’t trust me anymore.” He looked back at Neil and gave him a sad smile. “I can’t say you’re not justified. I’m sorry for what I’ve done, Neil, but I can’t take it back no matter how much I want to.” He stepped back and waved a hand. “Come in, everyone, and make yourselves at home. Mary’s organised an afternoon tea.”

Todd and Paul entered first. Neil took Liam’s hand and squeezed tight as they entered next. Liam’s father brought up the rear.

“Mum, Dad, I’m not sure if you remember Liam from school. He’s my boyfriend.” He swallowed once as he waited for the reaction.

Mary gave a small gasp and had trouble tearing her eyes from the boys clasped hands. Phil frowned and then grimaced. “So, he’s the one who...” He waved a hand in a vague gesture.

“No!” Neil scowled. “We’ve only been going out since the start of this week.”

Phil held up both hands. “Please, I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought...” He pulled a face and then indicated the door to the lounge room. “Let’s all sit down.”

“I’ll get everything from the kitchen.” Mary disappeared down the other exit from the foyer.

Bruce stepped forward as the boys, no longer holding hands, moved past Neil’s father. “Hi, I’m Bruce, Liam’s dad.”

Phil shook his hand. “Hi. How long...I mean, how do you...?” He grimaced, as he was obviously unable to find the words he wanted to say.

Bruce smiled. “I’ve only known that Liam’s gay for a couple of months now. I’m still processing what it means, but I know he’s my son and I love him. I’ll work out the rest of the stuff in time.”

Phil followed Bruce into the lounge room. Todd, Neil, and Liam had taken the couch, with Neil in the middle. Paul was in the chair next to Liam. Phil and Bruce took the two kitchen chairs that had been brought in, leaving one lounge-room chair next to Todd for Neil’s mother.

Phil’s lips were pinched as he stared at where Neil and Liam were holding hands again. “Do you have to?”

“He’s my boyfriend, Dad. You wouldn’t object to me holding hands with a girlfriend.”

“I know, but it’s going to take time to get used to the idea.” Phil gave Neil a pleading look. “For your mother’s sake, could you not...?”

Neil stared back for a moment and then let go of Liam’s hand. When Liam seemed puzzled, Neil smiled. “I can accept that it’ll take them time. We don’t have to shove their noses in it.”

“Thanks, Neil,” Phil said. He frowned at the door from the kitchen and stood up. “I’ll go see what’s keeping your mother.”

Bruce turned to Neil and Liam as soon as Phil was out of the room. “Good call, Neil. They look like they need time to come to terms with things. Don’t push them too hard.”

“Did you have any problems when Liam came out?” Todd asked.

Bruce made a face. “I did.” When Liam stiffened, he smiled. “I still do, in actual fact, but I know where my priorities lie. As I told Neil’s father, Liam’s my son first. Getting used to the other stuff will come later...and isn’t as important.”

“Dad, you never said anything like this before.” Liam glanced at Neil before returning his attention to Bruce. “Why now?”

“It didn’t matter before. This is about me, not you, and that’s why I never said anything.” He glanced at the kitchen door as Phil and Mary reappeared, each carrying a tray, but continued speaking. “I don’t understand what it means for you to be gay, Liam, but I recognise it’s who you are. I can’t change it, and I shouldn’t try. I just have to love and support you like I do for all my children.”

Liam shook his head. “Being gay isn’t who I am, Dad. Being gay is part of who I am. It doesn’t define me; it’s only a portion of what makes me me.” He turned and smiled at Neil. “It affects who I fall in love with, but it doesn’t impact on how I play sports or what I study at school. It doesn’t control my interests, apart from who I want as a life partner.” He looked back at his father. “Does that make sense?”

Bruce smiled. “Yes, it does. I knew that...I just didn’t say it as well as you.” He glanced at where Neil’s parents were standing and stood up. “Do you need a hand with that?”

The tray of cakes, biscuits, and slices that Mary was carrying was shaking. “N...no, we’re fine.”

“Let me.” Bruce eased the tray out of her hands. “Tell me where you’d like it to be put.”

“Over there.” Mary waved a hand towards the small table next to the couch but didn’t look in that direction.

It wasn’t long before Neil’s mother was in the chair closest to Todd, while his father was pouring drinks. Paul stood up and helped Mr. Rosewood distribute the teas and coffees, and then the tray of food, before they all sat down. Phil moved his chair next to his wife and reached over to hold her hand.

“How is school going, Neil?” Phil asked in a clear attempt to steer the conversation into safer territories.

“Pretty good. My class work is up to date, and I’m starting to get involved with some of the other students, too. I have lunch with Clarissa and her friends each day and coffee with Clarissa after school once a week. Liam and I are also studying together. I’m helping him with his maths, and we’re helping each other with English and Chemistry.”

Bruce snorted. “Liam could use a lot of help with his maths. Thanks for that, Neil.”

Liam scowled, but a faint shake of his father’s head had him settle back without saying anything.

“That’s nice,” Mary said, looking at Bruce and not at the trio on the couch next to her. “Neil’s always done well in that subject.” Her eyes flicked for a moment towards Neil, and then she seemed to relax slightly. “The only things that Neil’s never done well in are art and sports. He’s always been more the intellectual type.”

Bruce chuckled. “Liam’s never been a fan of art classes, but he enjoys physical activities. But I understand that Neil’s started to attend a gym regularly.”

“The one at the Leopards club.” Neil smiled at his father. “I’m going three times a week. I was told I shouldn’t try to do more just yet, but later on I’ll expand to four or five times.”

Phil smiled back. “That’s good, Neil. I always tried to get you to go, but you never would.” He nodded to Todd and Paul. “Thanks, guys, for encouraging him.”

“It wasn’t hard. He works out when we train, usually with one or two of the admin staff from the club, and then we all head home together.”

“Does he do his share of the chores?” Mary asked Todd. Her gaze drifted past him to Neil, but when he met her eyes, she quickly brought her attention back to Todd.

“He does. He’s in charge of the cooking two nights a week as well as doing his own laundry.” Todd turned and winked at Neil before looking back at Mary. “His cooking’s improved. He managed a very credible roast on Monday.”

“Liam helped.” Neil glanced past Todd to his mother. “But even Ollie says I can cook a decent meal now. Paul’s the only one still complaining.”

“Hey, I was only joking when I said that.” Paul chuckled. “That was when we went to Liam’s place for dinner and I was expecting a home-cooked meal from his mother. I was informed that Neil and Liam were cooking instead. That’s when they did the roast.”

Mary turned to Bruce. “Your wife is...encouraging them?”

Bruce smiled. “Yes, she is. She thinks they’re good for each other.” He gave the two boys a contemplative stare. “Neil’s certainly good for Liam. I’m still not sure of the other way around.”

“Dad!”

Bruce chuckled. “I’m only joking.” He smiled at Phil and Mary. “When I see those two together, I see a couple. Beth saw it before me, but I’m seeing it now, too.” He frowned at Neil and Liam. “That doesn’t mean you get any special privileges. You’ve both got a long way to go before I accept you’ve got a stable relationship.”

The cup of tea in Mary’s hand rattled as the saucer she was holding started to shake. Phil quickly retrieved it and put it on the closest side table. “Neil, why don’t you tell us about what you’ve been doing at the football club?”

Neil paused before doing what he was asked. His father hadn’t said a lot, but Neil had the impression that his father was further along in accepting him than his mother.

Either that or his father was better at hiding his feelings.