Leopard Spots - 49. Chapter 49

Ty scowled at Jim across the kitchen table. “That’s it? The launch of a gay-supporters group? That’s all it was about? Why the fuck were you being so secretive?”

Jim couldn’t quite hide the smirk as he twirled some spaghetti onto his fork. “Because they asked me to keep it quiet.”

“You told Tony.” Ty glared at Deon and Ryan. “Back me up here, guys. Dad was a bastard for not telling us the truth. He led us on, making us think the Bombers were interested in him as a player.”

Ryan chuckled. “Who says they’re not? This was just about something else, that’s all. And I have to agree with him; it wasn’t his place to pre-empt the announcement.”

Jim jabbed his fork in Ty’s direction. “Brat, they asked me to not tell anyone. I asked them if I could tell Tony, and because he’s also gay, they said yes. I thought about letting Neil know, but I thought he had enough on his plate without asking him to keep a secret, too. You didn’t need to know. It doesn’t affect you at all, so there was no reason to tell you.”

“But you let me think it was about your football!”

Jim chuckled. “I have no control over what you think, brat. I don’t think I’d ever want to.”

Ty turned to Deon. “Come on, mate. Tell these two bastards that they’re wrong. Dad shouldn’t’ve kept things from us.”

Deon didn’t look up from his dinner, nor was he eating with his usual gusto. “Let it go, brat.”

“Deon, mate, what’s wrong?” Ty glanced at Jim and Ryan, both of whom also appeared concerned.

“You know how the AFL released the list of people invited to the national draft combine on Monday...”

Ty checked to see if Jim wanted to take the lead, but when Jim smiled and nodded his head towards him, Ty knew Jim was happy for him to continue. “Sure. They didn’t include anyone from the Leopards – which is wrong – but they don’t often include anyone from the VFL. What about it?”

Deon lifted his head. He looked at each of his three housemates in turn, grimaced, and then stared down at his food again. “I got an email today. From the AFL.”

Ty stiffened. He couldn’t stop himself from swallowing. Half-knowing the answer before he asked, he put a hand on Deon’s arm. “What was it about?”

“They’re going to release the list for the state-based combine next Monday.” Deon looked up. He looked distraught. “I’m on it.”

“Bloody hell, mate, that’s fantastic news! Why the hell do you look like someone just died?” Ty kept his own disappointment carefully hidden. He hadn’t received an email.

“What if I fuck up again?”

Jim broke in. “Then you fuck up again. There’s nothing you can do about that, so don’t worry about it. Just train hard so that when it comes to the draft camp, you just do things automatically.” He grinned. “When is it going to be?”

“October 4^th,, the day after the national combine finishes.” A nervous smile appeared on Deon’s face. “I hope this doesn’t put me off my game, but the way I’m feeling now, I’m not sure I can concentrate properly.”

“You’ve got a couple of days before we’re off to Ballarat. More than enough time to settle down.” Jim grinned at Ty. “Brat, can you let Julie know? She’ll get Deon focused on the Leopards again.”

“Hey!” Deon looked scared. “No need to do that. I’ll be ready for Saturday.”

Ty glanced at Jim. “Dad, do you think she might already know? She’s made Deon start on endurance work, which he’ll need if he’s to impress people at the combine.” He grimaced as he remembered the four-day national combine he had endured the previous year. “Those tests they do are pretty demanding.”

“I wouldn’t put it past her. She’s pretty cluey.” Jim turned and smiled at Deon. “This doesn’t mean you’re on your way to the AFL, but it’s a step in the right direction. From what I understand, it means that at least two AFL clubs are interested enough in you that they want to see more and to get a formal evaluation. Congratulations!”

Ty joined in the general celebratory mood, while mentally reminding himself that he didn’t get an invitation; the AFL clubs weren’t interested in him. He grimaced and then schooled his face back into one of cheerfulness. Deon was heading places, but all Ty wanted was to be part of a premiership-winning Leopards team.

At least that’s what he tried to tell himself.

* * *

Dave stared at the email and swallowed. He looked around the bedroom where he had almost accidentally killed himself a few months earlier and then back to his laptop screen. Accepting the invitation to the state combine would mean talking to people about what had been going on.

He’d had two discreet conversations with AFL recruiters in Peter’s office over the preceding month, but he had been careful to stay quiet on certain matters. If they were seriously interested in him, they would require access to his medical records, which would reveal his breakdown at Easter. Did he want to do that? If he declined the invitation, he’d never have a chance at the AFL. If he accepted, would his mental-health issues destroy that chance, anyway?

He didn’t know what to do.

After a couple of minutes of silent reflection, he decided to leave it for now. Nothing more would happen until after the end of the season. He would discuss the matter with Peter – the only other person who knew that Dave had been approached by the AFL – and with his psychologist. He wanted to find out what information the AFL clubs would receive if he let them read his file.

* * *

Peter glanced around the room as his players settled down. Their Friday-night training session had ended with a scare when Deon had landed heavily and then hadn’t moved for several seconds. It turned out the wind had been knocked out of him – he had slipped due to the rain and mud – but it reminded everyone how easily any of them could become injured.

“Tomorrow, we make the long trip to Ballarat. I want to remind you guys that they – and Collingwood – are sitting only one game behind us on the ladder. The Roosters are not to be taken lightly!”

“Neither are the Leopards!” Ty called back, raising grins and cheers of agreement from his teammates.

Peter smiled as he waited for the noise to die back down. “No, neither are the Leopards. However, it’s still going to be a tough match. Not only do they have the home-ground advantage, but we also have the burden of almost three hours on the bus to get there. We’re leaving at eight tomorrow morning, so don’t be late. I want to make sure we arrive in plenty of time to loosen those muscles after the long drive.”

Peter continued to run through the plan for the next day’s game, highlighting key opponents, and the tactics to be used. He was winding up, twenty minutes later, when he paused and smiled. “Deon, would you care to stand up?”

Deon hesitantly rose to his feet. He looked uncertain as he glanced at Peter, the rest of the team who were grinning at him, and then back to Peter.

“As I’m sure you’re all aware by now, Deon’s been invited by the AFL to attend the state combine at the end of the season.” Peter smiled as the rest of the players either shouted their congratulations or slapped Deon on the back. As soon as the ruckus died down, Peter scowled. “This is the first and last time I want it mentioned here at the club. While we wish Deon all the best, our attention needs to be on our games. We’re here to win a premiership not only for ourselves but also for all the sponsors and members who have shown their trust in us by putting money into this club to keep us afloat. We’re not interested in what happens afterwards. That’s for later, and anyone I catch wondering about the future will be finding themselves on the bench.”

He glared around the room. “Have I made myself clear?” When there was a quiet muttering of agreement from the players, he repeated himself in a louder voice. “Have I made myself clear?”

This time the response was louder. Peter nodded. “Okay, no more talk of combines, drafts, or the AFL. We’re Leopards. We’re here to show the VFL what we’re made of. Everything else waits until after the grand final.”

Peter smiled to himself, though he was careful to not let it show on his face as he cast his gaze over the assembled players. He had done what he could. He only hoped that the players would take the hint and not pester Dave when the news was released on Monday that Deon wouldn’t be the only Leopard attending the end-of-season combine.

* * *

Clarissa shivered as she dropped into the car seat. “I hope this thing has good heating, because it’s bloody freezing out there!”

Liam chuckled as he carefully checked his rear-view mirror before backing out of her driveway. “It’s decent, and hopefully the day will warm up before we arrive.”

“Unfortunately, not likely. I checked the forecast last night; it’s only supposed to get to 10 in Ballarat.” Clarissa shrugged. “I suppose it could be worse. At least the rain has stopped.”

There had been a fairly constant drizzle for the last two days of the school week, but this day was supposed to stay dry.

“Remind me again why I agreed to get up at some ungodly hour of the morning on a weekend?” she asked.

Liam decided against pointing out that it was almost 9:30 am, not early at all, in his opinion. “Because I told you that since I passed my driving test, I was going to go watch the Leopards play today, and you said you’d like to come, too.”

“That was before I found out it was in bloody Ballarat!”

“But you still agreed to come.” Liam tried his best to keep the smirk off his face. He knew the real reason was because Deon would be there. She had admitted during the week that she was going on a date with him that night after he had returned from his football match.

“Too much time associating with you guys. It’s been lowering my intelligence.”

“Right.” Liam would’ve said more, but he wasn’t stupid. He hadn’t put in as much sarcasm into that one word as he thought it deserved since they had an over-two-hour trip ahead of them, and he still wanted to be on speaking terms with Clarissa by the end.

Unexpectedly, Clarissa chuckled. When Liam threw her a questioning glance, she explained. “Your poor boyfriend. From what he told me, he and the other guys should’ve left on the bus more than an hour ago. He would’ve had to have gotten up even earlier than us.”

“They have to get there well before the game starts, and the bus isn’t going to be as quick as a car, but they weren’t too late leaving, so they should arrive before us.”

“You got a text from Neil?”

“Just before half-past eight this morning. He’s excited. It’ll be the first time in months that the Leopards have had a full team available to play.” Liam flicked Clarissa a grin before returning his attention to the road. “Oh, and just so you know, Neil told me Deon has a date tomorrow afternoon.”

“He what?”

Liam could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. “Someone from the St. Kilda Football Club, I think Neil said.”

Clarissa sat silent for several seconds. “It’s what he wants. It’s sounding more and more likely that he’ll be drafted at the end of the year. I wonder where he’ll go?”

Liam grimaced. He had been trying to tease her, but her tone sounded more melancholy than annoyed. “I heard that his last girlfriend broke up with him because she didn’t want him in the AFL.”

Clarissa snorted. “Please.... I’m not sure if you’re just gossiping or trying to do some match-making, but either way you’re incompetent. Unlike you, I have the complete story of what happened with his last relationship, and it’s nothing like what you just said.”

“Really?” Liam’s eyes darted to where Clarissa was scowling. “How do you know?”

“Girls talk. Both Karen and Helena have filled me in as well as encouraging me to go out with him. They’re both a lot better at this than you, so just butt out and concentrate on your own relationship. You almost lost him once; make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

She’d hit a nerve. Liam gnawed on his lower lip. “I don’t know what caused it the first time. Do you?”

“Sorry, that wasn’t fair. No, neither do I. I’ve tried pressuring Neil, but he won’t talk, and I don’t want to come down heavy on him; I still think he’s fragile even if he’s getting stronger.”

“All he’s ever said is that he’s sorry and that it won’t happen again.” Liam gritted his teeth. “I don’t even know if it’s something I did or if it was someone else that made it happen!”

“Life’s short.”

Liam flicked her another puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

“Something that Helena said to me once. Life’s short, so we shouldn’t waste time worrying about things we have no control over. We should just enjoy what we’ve got.” Clarissa chuckled. “Of course, this is from the girl who’s been in a short-term relationship – and I mean by that that it was supposed to only be for a few weeks – for almost six months.”

Liam was completely confused. “You’ve lost me.”

“Helena and Ollie. They agreed when they got together that it would be for a short time only – a mutually enjoyable physical arrangement until it was time for one of them to move on. Neither of them seems keen to get to the moving-on part.”

“From what Neil’s told me, I think they’re happy with the mutually enjoyable physical part.”

Clarissa sat there for a few seconds and then chuckled. “I couldn’t say this to many people – and you’ll get castrated if you repeat this, so think of Neil before you open your mouth – but Helena and Ollie sometimes make me wonder what I’m missing out on by not having sex.”

Liam concentrated on his driving for a moment as he turned onto the Maroondah Highway before resuming the conversation. “What are your reasons for waiting?” He tried to keep his tone gentle.

Clarissa sighed. “There’s a few...and we’re still in the don’t-repeat-this-if-you-don’t-want-to-be-castrated mode. One is I don’t want a reputation as a slut. Another is that I don’t want to risk getting pregnant or picking up some disease. I also don’t want to regret my first time. It’s something special, and I’m trying to treat it as such. That’s probably the main one.”

“Can’t see anything wrong with that.” Liam hesitated for a moment before confiding in her. “Neil and I are going slow for that reason, too. We want our first time to be something we’ll always remember fondly.”

“You haven’t already...?” Clarissa gave a snort of laughter. “I’ve been assuming you two were having sex whenever you had a chance.”

“Do you really think Neil’s ready for that?”

There was silence for several seconds. “You know, for a village idiot, sometimes you’re not too stupid.”

“Thanks...I think.” Liam grinned. “Back on the original topic: your sex life. You know if you found the right guy, you wouldn’t have to wait to marry him. I think you’re smart to not rush into things, but finding the right time will be tricky. I think your wedding night is too late.”

Clarissa shrugged. “I never said I was waiting for marriage. I’ve only ever said that I’m waiting for the guy I’m going to marry.”

“What sort of guy are you looking for?”

“I’m not really sure. I know what I want: someone caring, thoughtful, not stupid...” she turned and gave Liam a hard glare, “...and not gay.” She grimaced. “Other than that, I’m looking for some sort of connection. What that is, I won’t know it until I find it, but I think it’s something like what you have with Neil.”

Liam chuckled. “Since Neil doesn’t meet the ‛not gay’ requirement, we’re not going to be competing. Otherwise, he’d be perfect.”

“Okay, there’s more, now that you mention that.” Clarissa smiled. “Neil’s too passive for me. I want someone who I can interact with, who gives as good as he gets.”

“Neil’s not passive! He’s just...shy. When he’s out of his shell, he’s anything but passive.” Liam pursed his lips for a moment. “Doug gives as good as he gets.”

“Doug is also a bully.”

Liam’s response was soft. “So was I.”

Clarissa reached over and placed a hand on Liam’s arm for moment. “You’ve changed, and all in a good way. Doug hasn’t.”

“I met the right person. Maybe that’s all he needs, too?”

Clarissa shook her head. “It won’t be me. I tolerate him because he’s your mate, and I recognise that he’s very loyal, but otherwise I’ve no interest in him.”

“What about Deon, then?” Liam flicked his gaze to the side to gauge the reaction to the suggestion. He wasn’t disappointed as Clarissa blushed.

“Enough of this. How long is it going to take us to get there?” Clarissa asked, her expression stony.

“About two-and-a-half hours because I want to avoid the toll roads. Dad told me that if I take them, I’ll have to pay the tolls myself.” Liam smiled. “We’re taking the Eastern Freeway to Alexander Parade and then heading down King Street through the city to the freeway and the Westgate Bridge. From there, we head to the ring road and the Western Freeway that will take us all the way to Ballarat.”

“And if we were taking the toll roads, how long would it be?”

“It’d be about two hours.”

Clarissa crossed her arms. “So, because you’re a cheapskate, I’ve got to spend another thirty minutes in this car that I wouldn’t’ve otherwise needed to.”

Liam shrugged. “Don’t forget, I don’t have a job anymore. I need to save everything I can just in case I have to go to Sydney next year.”

Clarissa’s eyebrows rose. “Is that still on the cards?”

“Neil hasn’t had a better offer. Things are improving with his parents, but he’s wary about committing to living with them for another four years. His mum still can’t accept that he’s gay and that he has a boyfriend. Going to Sydney seems like the best bet for him...and that means I’m probably Sydney-bound, too.”

Clarissa nodded slowly. “Okay, in that case, I suppose your suggested route is acceptable.”

“Gee, thanks!” This time Liam allowed himself to lace his statement heavily with sarcasm.

“Don’t complain.” Clarissa grinned. “You’re supposed to drive me to wherever I want to go. You’re my chauffeur, after all.”

“When did that happen?”

“When I decided to allow you to take me to Ballarat.” She waved a hand. “Now, keep your eyes on the road. We don’t want to have an accident.”

* * *

“Where the bloody hell did all this traffic come from?” Peter scowled out the front window of the bus.

“I’m guessing that there’s been a car crash somewhere up ahead,” Will said. “The question is how far ahead? If the traffic is backed up too much, we might be late.”

“I bloody well hope not.” Peter knew that, if needed, the start time of the match could be delayed. It wouldn’t be the first time that something outside of anyone’s control had disrupted a team’s arrival, though it was fairly rare. However, if that happened, the Leopards wouldn’t be given much time to get ready. Peter wanted the team to have at least a full hour to prepare, preferably more – time that was already at risk with the delay they were experiencing.

Peter rose from his seat and carefully moved the couple of steps needed along the aisle until he was next to the bus driver. “Any chance of taking an exit and finding an alternative route?”

The driver shook his head. “Not around here. The only option would be to go back to Bacchus Marsh and then take the back roads to Ballan. I wouldn’t want to risk the bus on anything except a significant road. There’s too much chance of getting stuck, otherwise.”

Peter grunted. He wasn’t happy with that response, though he had been half-expecting it. They were well into the Victorian countryside, and the terrain was hilly. The Werribee Gorge State Park was to the south, and the Lerderderg State Park was to the north. Neither had a major road crossing east to west apart from the Western Freeway that they were on.

“It’s not that bad. The traffic is at least moving steadily, if slowly. I think something’s happened to close one of the lanes up ahead, and once we make it past that point it’ll be smooth sailing.”

“Yeah, but how far to that point?”

The driver shrugged. “No idea, but I don’t think it’ll be too long. If the traffic was banked back a long way it would’ve been reported, and I haven’t heard it mentioned on any traffic reports so far.”

“Okay, thanks.” Peter grimaced as he made his way back to his seat. “We’re going to have to keep going. There’s no viable options for going a different way,” he said to Will and Julie.

“What will we do if we’re late?” Julie asked.

“I’ll check with Jackie if she’s got any concerns or suggestions, but we’ll need to get the players warmed up and ready to play as quickly as possible. The worst case is that we’ll have twenty minutes after we arrive before the game starts.”

Julie frowned. “After a three hour, or longer, bus trip, that’s not a lot of time.”

“I know,” Peter said and he dropped into his seat. “I know.”

* * *

Clarissa scanned the text message she’d just received. “Karen says that a caravan lost a wheel just the other side of the Myrniong turn off. The police are directing traffic past it, but the freeway’s down to one lane. She said that the road’s clear past that point.”

Liam nodded, his lips tight-pressed. He had an SUV tailgating him, trying to get him to close the handful-of-metres gap Liam was trying to maintain from the vehicle in front. The impatient driver behind them wasn’t helping his stress levels. “How far away is that?”

“The GPS should tell us.” Clarissa waited a moment while Liam concentrated on his driving. “Do you want me to check?”

“Please. I need to keep an eye on this arsehole behind us.”

A minute later, Clarissa smiled. “It looks like it’s not far. Maybe another ten minutes?”

“Okay.” Liam’s tone was short.

Clarissa played with her phone. Shortly afterwards, she received another text message. “Karen said that Tony’s going to stop at Ballan for a short break. They want to know if we’d like them to wait for us, so we can continue the rest of the trip together.”

Liam nodded. “Sure.” His father had drilled into him that he needed to take a break every two hours or so. He had thought he’d be able to make it to Ballarat in one shot, but the traffic delay meant he would need to do it in two. Ballan was as good as anywhere to stretch his legs.

“Okay, I’ll let them know.” Clarissa returned her attention to her phone.

Liam gritted his teeth. “We’re going to be late.”

“We’ll get there when we get there.” Clarissa smiled. “We might miss the start, but we’ll still be there in plenty of time for the rest of the match. Relax!”

“It’s not that easy to relax when you’ve got a bloody, great-big SUV stuck up your bum!” Liam glared at the rear-view mirror.

Clarissa chuckled as she turned and stared out the back window of the car. “He’ll be gone as soon as we’re past the blockage.” She resettled herself in her seat. “Would you like someone else to drive for a bit?”

“You don’t have your license yet.”

“No, but Karen does. I can ask her if she’d like to drive your car, and you can relax in Tony’s while he drives you the rest of the way.”

Liam was tempted, but he shook his head. “Dad said I could use his car. I don’t think he’d like someone else he doesn’t know driving it unless it’s an emergency. And while the guy behind me is a pain in the arse, I don’t think that qualifies.”

Liam wished that it would, though. This wasn’t the way he wanted the day to go.

* * *

Peter scowled as Leopards scrambled for the ball after a throw-in by the boundary umpire. “Come on, Jarrod. Stay in front of your man. You can’t get the footy if you’re behind him.” He grimaced when a handball from a North Ballarat player found a teammate, who kicked the football towards the Roosters forward line.

“They’re not doing too badly, considering the reduced time to get ready,” Julie said.

Peter glanced at the scoreboard. The Leopards were up by five points. “We should’ve been a lot further in front. The guys were stiff, and they’re just starting to loosen up now.” He nodded to himself as Paul won a contested mark against his opponent, stopping the opposition’s forward push.

Paul took his time and then launched the ball towards the middle of the ground with a fifty-metre-long kick. Zach jumped up to try to take the mark but was unable to hold onto it. Jarrod rushed in, collected the football, and then snapped a quick stab pass to Dave.

Dave glanced up the field, spotting Roger starting to break free from his defender. Dave took two steps and kicked the ball long. The football found Roger, but he fumbled the mark, and the ball spilled to the ground. Roger picked it up before any of the North Ballarat players could get to it, but he found himself with limited options. Knowing he was about to be swamped, Roger sent a long handball to Oliver who, despite being off balance, immediately kicked the ball towards the goals. The ball wobbled through for another goal to the Leopards.

Peter turned to Will. “Roger’s being tentative. Hopefully, we can leave him in, but if the game gets tight, we might need to move the brat forward.”

Will nodded. “I don’t think he’ll object to a short break from time to time. How about we take him off for the last five minutes of the quarter? Just to give him a breather and more time to settle his mind.”

Peter nodded. “We’ll make it the last five minutes of the half. He can stay on for all of this quarter.” He glanced at the scoreboard. “But we need him to fire up soon. We can’t afford to lose this match.”

* * *

“Finally!” Clarissa rolled her shoulders as Liam pulled into the Ballarat Showgrounds car park. She pulled out her phone and checked the time. “It’s quarter to one. I hope they have some decent food here, because I’m starving.”

Liam knew how she felt. He hoped that the trip home would be a lot less stressful. Despite wanting a beer to settle his nerves, he knew he had to stick to non-alcoholic drinks. New drivers, like he was, had to keep to a zero blood-alcohol limit for the first three years of their license.

Tony pulled up next to them, and both cars emptied.

Karen lifted her head and listened to the noise from the nearby Eureka Stadium. “It sounds like the game’s already begun.”

“It was supposed to start at 12:30,” Tony said as he locked his vehicle. “Come on, let’s go get a seat.”

“And some food.” Clarissa smiled at the others. “I’ll get it if you tell me what you want.”

A few minutes later, Tony, Liam, and Karen were seated in the grandstand next to Anne and Jonathan Flintlock.

“How did you manage to get here on time?” Tony asked Anne.

She chuckled. “We arrived yesterday. Jonathan and I decided to make a weekend of it, so we checked into a motel, and we don’t leave until tomorrow afternoon.”

“Have we missed much?”

“A couple of goals, though there’s been a lot of chances that have gone begging. The guys are trying to feed Roger the ball, but he’s not up to his usual form.” She grimaced as North Ballarat kicked a goal after a free kick was awarded against Todd. “We’re in front, but we’re not able to pull away.”

“It’s still early.” Tony glanced around and then stood up. “Excuse me, but there are a few sponsors I need to say hello to.” He turned to Liam. “Can you ask Clarissa to hold that food for me? I won’t be long.”

“Sure.” Liam turned his attention to the game while also keeping half-an-eye on his boyfriend down by the coach’s box.

A few minutes later, Clarissa returned with not only the food but also some hot drinks. “Apart from Liam, I had to guess what people would want.” She handed Liam a black coffee and then glanced around. “Where’s Tony?”

Anne chuckled. “Working. He decided he needed to talk to some of our sponsors who are here.” She stood up and stretched out a hand. “I’m Anne, the club’s financial controller.”

“Clarissa.” She passed the food and drinks to Liam and then shook Anne’s hand. “Pleased to meet you. Did he say when he’d be back?”

“No, but he said he wouldn’t be long.”

* * *

After talking with the sponsors for a couple of minutes, Tony was about to return to join the others when he spotted two men he’d noticed at a couple of previous games, though rarely at the same match. After a quick mental debate with himself, he approached.

“Hi, I’m Tony Hills. I’ve seen you both at a few of the Leopard games this year, so I thought I’d introduce myself.”

The first man, who was wearing a red-plaid jacket, stood up and offered his hand. “Brendan Scholls. You’re young Henderson’s partner, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.” Tony grinned sheepishly. “I’m guessing we’re not as low profile as Jim would like.”

Brendan laughed. “I don’t know about that, but there’s a number of people who know who you are.” He turned to the prematurely grey gentleman next to him. “Isaac, are you going to introduce yourself?”

Isaac grinned as he also shook Tony’s hand. “Isaac Long. Pleased to meet you, but I suggest you take anything this guy says with a grain of salt.” He indicated Brendan with his thumb. “He usually doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

Brendan scoffed. “And you do?” He grinned at Tony. “Ignore him. Isaac’s a nice guy, but sometimes he’s full of it.”

Tony smiled as he gave each guy a quick good look. He decided to play a hunch as he sat down next to them. “If it’s not a rude question, which team do you guys work for?”

Brendan gave a start of surprise, but Isaac chuckled. “It’s teams. We work for two different clubs. What gave us away?”

Tony shrugged. “You’ve been to Leopard games before, so I didn’t think you were here for North Ballarat. You’ve come a long way to watch the Leopards, but I haven’t seen you mixing with the other supporters, and I can’t see a family resemblance to any of the players, so I guessed you had a different reason for being here.”

“You’ve got a good memory. It’s been over a month since I was last at one of your matches.” Isaac smiled. “I’m with Hawthorn, and Brendan works for North Melbourne. Your coach knows who we are, but he generally leaves us alone.”

Tony took the hint, smiled, and stood up. “Okay.”

“Thanks for stopping and saying hello.” Brendan grinned. “It’s time we got back to doing what we’re here for.”

“I don’t suppose you’d care to tell me who...?” Tony let his voice taper off.

The two men exchanged glances. Isaac shrugged. “I don’t think it’s any secret that Deon Bradshaw is attracting a lot of attention.”

Brendan nodded. “It’s not up to us, though. All we do is report what we see and make our recommendations. It’s the guys back at the club who make the final decisions.”

“Fair enough.” Tony smiled and nodded his thanks. “I’ll leave you two alone, then. I hope you enjoy the game.”

After having that sentiment echoed by the two men, Tony headed back to join Karen, Clarissa, Liam, Anne, and Jonathan. He had the feeling that both men were interested in more than just Deon, but he didn’t know enough about AFL scouts to know if that was normal or if they were trying to keep something a secret.

* * *

After the first half, where the Leopards had held a narrow lead throughout, North Ballarat started the third quarter with a bang, kicking three quick goals to put them in front for the first time in the match. The Leopards responded, and the lead started to alternate between the two teams.

“Runner!” Peter waited for Neil to appear next to him. “Tell Dad he’s on the ball and the brat is back in defence. Jarrod’s to come off for a breather. Go.”

As Neil headed onto the ground, Peter glanced to his interchange bench. “Charlie, get ready to go back on. You’ve got the centre; make sure you get that ball before your opponent!”

It was about halfway through the third quarter that Peter noticed that a number of his players were slowing down. It wasn’t significant by itself, but he took that as a sign that the fatigue from the overly long bus trip was beginning to take a toll. He had immediately started swapping players in and out, giving them each a short rest before returning to the game. Two exceptions to that policy were Jim and Ty. Instead, Peter was alternating them between following the ball around the ground and giving them a break by dropping them back into defence.

“Any suggestions?” Peter’s question to Will and Julie held more than a hint of frustration. The game was in danger of getting away from the Leopards as their opponents were not showing the same signs of fatigue.

“It’ll be risky, but you might consider pushing the brat up forward, and have Dad play in the midfield. Between him and Dave, most of the middle will be under control, and the extra target on the forward line should open up more opportunities and allow a couple of quick goals,” Julie said.

Will shook his head. “The problem is that the Roosters are kicking long. Half the time it’s going over the midfield and our guys there aren’t getting involved. Our defenders held them off earlier, but they’re no longer keeping up with them as much as they should. We need the brat or Dad in defence – they’re key to stopping those long kicks.”

“Will’s right,” Peter said, “but if we’re down near the end, we’ll go with Julie’s suggestion. As she said, it’s a risk, but we might need to take it.”

If there was one part of the team that wasn’t raising a concern with Peter, it was the forwards. Roger was working his way back into form and Deon was making life for the North Ballarat defenders difficult. It was the rest of the ground where the Roosters were matching it with the Leopards...and were slowly coming out on top.

* * *

Brendan turned to Isaac. “Have you seen enough?”

“I think so. The Leopards faded at the end and let the game get away from them. They took a gamble by making a big push into attack, but lost.”

“Yeah...” Brendan stood up and stretched. “Both teams fought hard, though.”

“Who do you think were the standout players?” Isaac asked as he rose to his feet.

“Flanders was the best on ground, without a doubt. After that, Warren for the Roosters.” Brendan grinned at his fellow scout.

Isaac snorted. “Warren’s off my radar since you guys already have him.” North Ballarat fielded a number of North Melbourne AFL players each week. That game there had been six such players on the field, one of which was the defender Max Warren.

The two strolled towards the exit. “Well then, who impressed you?” Brendan asked.

“Kiel for the Roosters did a great job of shutting down the Leopards captain. He didn’t completely succeed, but he made me sit up and take notice with how much he restricted McDowell. Other than that, Flanders and Bradshaw were the two standouts for the Leopards and George for the Roosters.”

“That pretty much agrees with my assessment, too.” Brendan sighed. “I wish there was something we could do about Flanders. There’s something wrong with a kid having that much talent but not being draftable.”

“Do you want to try to talk to him again?”

Brendan shook his head. “You were there for the state game against South Australia back in May. He walked out on the team at the end of the match without even bothering to get changed. He’s not going to fit into an AFL club, and that’s a real tragedy.”

After a few steps without speaking, Isaac glanced at Brendan. “What did you think of Henderson?”

Brendan frowned. “I’m not sure. If he was eighteen, he’d be a good draft prospect, but he’s twenty-one. Any club that picks him will already be down three years on his longevity.”

“I don’t think you can compare him to a raw draftee. He’s more advanced than a new kid, so there’s less time required to develop him. You’re right, but I’d personally say only one or two years down.”

Brendan shrugged. “It’s academic. There’s too many other comparable midfielders out there. Henderson’s not outstanding enough to push one of the younger kids aside.”

Isaac nodded. “Yeah, but it’s almost worth it just to see how everyone handles a gay AFL footballer.”

“What are you on about?” Brendan scowled. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Nothing.” Isaac shrugged. “At least that’s the way it should be in a perfect world. Unfortunately, that’s not the world we live in.”

Brendan’s forehead wrinkled as he considered Isaac’s comment. “You seem keen. Are the Hawks considering it?”

Isaac started. “What? Fuck, no. I haven’t put his name forward, though I can’t speak for any of the other recruiters. No, it’s my nephew who prompted the question. He asked me if I’d pick Henderson if I had the choice.” Isaac smiled. “Josiah looks up to him as a role model.”

* * *

The bus trip back to Lilydale, while quicker than the outbound journey, was much more subdued. With four losses in their last five matches, the Leopards knew that their hopes for the finals were dwindling. It wasn’t unusual for a team to have a slump during the season, but the late timing and length of this one didn’t augur well for the Leopards. They now only had three weeks left to turn themselves around before the finals, assuming that they would even make the final eight.

The bus was travelling over the Westgate Bridge on the way into Melbourne when Ty stood up. He moved to the front and, holding onto the luggage racks on either side, faced the team.

“I know I’m usually the one to get us going again, but I’m not going to do that today.” Ty scowled at his teammates. “We’re going to need everyone to do that, because we really need to get ourselves into gear. Roger’s back, but we didn’t show him how much we appreciate him on the oval this afternoon.”

“They were just too good for us, brat,” Jai said.

“Bullshit!” Ty glared at the team’s backup ruckman. “There’s no team in this competition that’s too good for us. We proved that when we defeated the Hawks. We just have to play like that every game, not just some of the time.”

Peter clambered out of his seat and stood just behind Ty. “The brat’s right. Our problem isn’t that we’re not good enough. Our problem is that we’re not consistent enough. All of the top teams, apart from the Box Hill Hawks, have beaten us...but there wasn’t a single one of those games that we couldn’t’ve won.”

Ty nodded, his expression still serious as he tried to catch the eye of all his teammates. “So, how are we going to get more consistent? How are we going to show Sandringham next week, Werribee the week after, and then Geelong that we’re a team of winners? That we’re a team to be reckoned with?”

Peter smiled. “You already know the answer to that one, brat. You told everyone on the bus back from Geelong after our first loss of the season. What was it that you told us to focus on?”

Ty opened his mouth as he looked over his shoulder at his coach. He couldn’t remember what he’d said back at the start of April.

“Next time.” Roger called out. “Next time we beat them. We focus on the next game, not the one that’s just finished. We need to keep looking ahead, not behind. We can do it. We can work together, and then watch out the next time we face those teams.”

“Right! Next time!” Ty started to make his way down the aisle of the bus. “We learn our lessons from today, and then we look ahead. We’ve a goal; let’s go for it! I want the other teams to wet themselves when they know they’re facing us. Who’s with me?”

The response was better than half-hearted, but it wasn’t enthusiastic from everyone. Ty glared. “Who’s with me?” he repeated in a stronger voice.

This time he got what he was looking for. He turned around and stared back at where Peter was still at the front of the bus. “Tell us what you need from us, Peter. We don’t want to lose again.”

Peter smiled as his gaze drifted over the players. He nodded once. “Monday night, everyone. Be prepared, because we’ve got some work to do.”

* * *

“Home, sweet home, even if it’s not ours,” Tony said as he pulled into the Tenterfield Street driveway.

Karen chuckled. “At least you’ve got a key so we can get in and get things ready for the guys.” She sighed. “I don’t expect them to be in a good mood.”

Tony shrugged as he switched off the engine. “They’ll have had a couple of hours to calm down. Jim’s never happy when they lose, but he tends to go quiet rather than angry. We were planning a night in, but I think I’ll take him out, instead. What have you and Ty got organised?”

“A quiet dinner somewhere. But first we have to make sure Deon gets ready.” She grinned. “Clarissa’s finally agreed to go on a date with him. I’m hoping that will be enough to dispel any lingering negativity from the game.”

The conversation was momentarily interrupted as the two left the car and headed to the front door.

“I hope it goes well,” Tony said as he located the house key that Jim had given him. “Deon hasn’t been the same since Pamela broke up with him.”

“Yeah, I’ve noticed. There’s nothing wrong, but he’s seemed a little...needy.”

Tony shrugged as he pushed the door open and let Karen into the house. “Or it could be that the two of us like to read too much into things.”

Karen laughed. “A psychologist’s occupational hazard, I suppose. With a bit of luck, I’ll have that under control by the time I finish my degree.” She smiled at Tony. “Would you like a drink before the guys get here?”

“Sure! I take it Ty’s going to be the designated driver tonight?”

“Pretty much all the time, now. He’s gotten really serious about watching what he eats and drinks. He said he’ll have a drink at birthdays and weddings, and maybe after a victory, but otherwise he’s staying dry until the end of the season. The only time he’s not fussy about what he eats is immediately after a game.”

Tony chuckled as he followed Karen into the kitchen. “Yeah, Jim’s the same. When the season started, I didn’t realise how much Jim’s football would impose on other parts of his life. He told me he hasn’t been as strict in previous years as he is now, but the prospect of making the finals has galvanised him.”

“And that’s rubbed off on Ty. Ty told me he’s doing it because Jim’s doing it.” Karen frowned. “I hope Deon doesn’t try that tonight. He wants to create a good impression on his date.”

* * *

Deon and Clarissa faced each other over a small candlelit table. Clarissa had a starched napkin in her lap; Deon’s was pushed aside onto his side plate.

Clarissa raised her glass of soft drink. “Thanks, Deon. You didn’t need to go to this much trouble.”

Deon smiled as he lifted his glass of water in return. “Why shouldn’t I for someone like you?”

The two were sitting in an upmarket restaurant near Ringwood. Clarissa had internally recoiled at the prices shown on the menu and had consequently insisted that she only needed a main course and no starter. She’d also successfully vetoed ordering what she considered to be overpriced wine by pointing out that she wasn’t eighteen, and Deon needed to be alcohol-free as he was still on a probationary license.

“Interesting question.” Clarissa’s expression went serious. “I’m impressed by everything you’ve done tonight – especially after the loss today and the long trip back, which I found particularly tiring – but I think it’d be best for both of us if we cleared up a few things. Like what you’re looking to get out of this.”

“I was hoping for another date.” Deon’s smile became tentative. “This was to show you how much I appreciate you.”

“You barely know me.”

He grinned. “Isn’t the whole point of dating to get to know the other person?”

A reluctant smile appeared on her face. “Okay, you win that one.” She grinned back. “Don’t make a habit of it. In case you haven’t worked it out, I don’t like being told I’m wrong.”

Deon shrugged. “I wasn’t trying to do that. I’m trying to get to know you better, that’s all.”

“Yes, but why?”

Deon seemed puzzled. “I was hoping we could start going out regularly.”

Clarissa sighed and leant forward. “Okay, let’s put a few things on the table. One, I know that you’ve been approached by a number of AFL teams and that you’re a prospect to get drafted at the end of the year. That means that there’s a good chance that by the start of next year, you could be living in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth or Fremantle. How are we supposed to go out regularly if you don’t even live in the same state as me?”

“That hasn’t happened yet, and it might never happen. I don’t–”

“I haven’t finished.” Clarissa narrowed her eyes until it was clear that Deon was going to stay quiet. “Two, I’m fully aware that your last girlfriend left you because football is your top priority, not a relationship.”

Deon winced.

“Lastly, I’m aware of the reputation footballers have. I thought I made it clear that I’m not sleeping with you or anyone else until I’m ready to get married. So, back to the beginning. What is it that you’re trying to do? Why are you trying to date me?”

There was silence for a couple of seconds and then Deon took a deep breath. “Starting with the last point, no I’m not after sex, at least not mainly. I’m after a friend. Someone who I can spend time with. Someone who, hopefully, understands me and supports me in what I’m doing. That ties into your second point. Pamela couldn’t support me, and that’s why she left.” Deon scowled and looked away. “I understand why she did it, but that also made it clear that I need someone particularly special in my life.” He turned back and locked eyes with Clarissa. “I need someone who can stand on their own two legs, who doesn’t need me, but instead only wants me.”

He opened his mouth to continue and then screwed up his face. “That didn’t come out right. What I’m trying to say is that I want a partner. Someone who wants to be with me, to spend time with me, but doesn’t need me. Someone who will do things with me because she wants to.” He gave Clarissa another tentative smile. “Like what you did for me at Neil’s birthday. You protected me so I wouldn’t be harassed when I was vulnerable. You didn’t have to; you chose to.”

Clarissa frowned, though it was more in thought than because he had upset her. “Are you sure you’re still not vulnerable? If you are, you’re doing the same thing that your ex did, being dependent on the other person. In your case, for protection.”

Deon grimaced, stared at the restaurant tabletop, and then looked up. “Okay, there may be a bit of truth to that, but, no, I don’t think so. I’m over Pamela. It’s you I’m interested in. I’ve really enjoyed the times we’ve had together, and I’d like more of the same. As to how serious we are, I’m happy to be guided by you. I’d like it to be serious, but I accept you might wonder if I’m ready.” He gave her a crooked half-smile. “How about we keep things at the not-quite-serious level until that first point you raised gets resolved? If I’m not drafted or I get drafted by a Melbourne club, then we can talk then about whether we want to take things to a deeper level. If I end up interstate...” He shrugged.

Clarissa sat back on her chair and considered Deon’s proposal. She watched him fidget in his seat as he waited for her response. Twice, she thought he was about to say something, but then he stopped himself. That sign of consideration was enough to allow her to make a decision.

“Okay, I can live with that. We’ll see how things are near the end of the year.”

Deon grinned. “Thank you.”

Clarissa smiled back while wondering if she was going to get her heart broken again by picking the wrong guy. She had been telling everyone that she was concerned that Deon was still on the rebound. She never told anyone that she was worried that she was, too.

* * *

The Leopards learnt the consequence of their loss when the rest of the round was complete on Sunday afternoon. The Leopards had dropped to eighth on the ladder, one game clear of Geelong who had a better percentage than they did. If both teams won their next two games – by no means certain, as they each had challenging matches ahead – the last game of the home-and-away round between the two teams would determine which one of them made the finals.