Leopard Spots - 16. Chapter 16

“Neil! How was your night out?” Mrs. Rosewood dried her hands as she moved away from the sink.

“It was great, Mum.” Neil couldn’t help smiling. “I had a fantastic time.”

“That’s excellent!” She gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek. “I’m really glad. It’s about time you starting going out with your friends.”

The opportunity was too good for Neil to pass up. “Some of the guys are going to a football game this afternoon. They wanted to know if I was going, too.”

“What did you tell them?”

“I said I’d try, but I couldn’t promise. I wasn’t sure if you’d have any chores for me to do.”

She smiled as she returned to the sink of dirty dishes. “Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow. Go and have some fun. You’ll be back at school sooner than you realise, so relax while you can.”

Neil gave her a hug. “Thanks, Mum.” When he stepped back, Neil’s smile slipped. His mother had a peculiar expression on her face. “What’s wrong?”

Mrs. Rosewood wiped her eyes. “Nothing. It’s just been a long time since you’ve given me a hug. I thought you’d forgotten how.”

Neil froze, doing his best to keep his feelings from his face. The hug had been on impulse, inspired by the hugs that Todd had given him. He hadn’t realised it would be unusual enough for his mother to take note.

She smiled, though Neil felt there was an uncertain edge to it. “Well, put your dirty clothes in the laundry basket and I’ll get them washed. Will you be home for dinner?”

Neil thought quickly. He would love to go out with the guys after the game, but he didn’t know if they would want him to tag along. “I’m not sure. The guys may go out afterwards, but they didn’t mention it last night. I’ll ring you once I know.”

“That’s good. If you’re not going to be home, your father and I might go out for dinner. We haven’t been out for a long time.”

Neil grinned as he decided to go for broke. “Then why don’t we assume I won’t be home until late. If I’m back early, I’ll get myself dinner. That will mean you and Dad can go and enjoy yourselves.”

She smiled. “Thank you, Neil. That’s very thoughtful.” She paused. “When do you think we can meet some of these friends of yours?”

Neil swallowed. “I don’t know. Most of them work, and a lot of them have girlfriends, too. They all have other commitments on their time. I’ll ask today and see what they say.”

“That’s fine, dear. Whenever it’s convenient for them. Now, go and sort out your dirty clothes. I need to finish the washing up.”

Neil escaped to his room. He needed to work out what he could do to placate his mother without revealing too much. He couldn’t invite Jim, the person he worked with, because his father might recognise him from the TV reports. Todd was the obvious person to ask, but that may raise questions as to how they met.

He decided he would speak to Todd after the game. Earlier would’ve been nice, but he didn’t want to interfere with Sean’s AusKick, and after that, Todd would be getting ready for the game. Distracting him before a match mightn’t be appreciated.

* * *

“Cheer up, Sam. I think you’re making progress.” Marcus smiled across the breakfast table at his partner.

Sam pulled a face. “He was still abusive. He couldn’t resist kicking me whenever he could.”

Marcus snorted. “Deon’s a footballer. Kicking’s what he does best.” He paused until he caught Sam’s eye. “I don’t know if you noticed, but he called you ‘Dad’ at the airport and a couple more times in the car afterwards. It’s no longer the sarcastic ‘Father’ he used the last time we were down.”

“Some improvement.” Sam grunted. “I think Pamela’s on my side, but I don’t want her pushing him. He’ll just push back and then blame me for interfering in his relationship with his girlfriend.”

“He agreed to lunch tomorrow and to take us back to the airport. He wants to see you, Sam!”

“He wants to see me gone.” Sam dropped his head while picking at his food.

Marcus resisted gritting his teeth. Sam had been generally fine in the two weeks since they’d last seen Deon, but his emotional state had taken a sharp dive as soon as they’d arrived in Melbourne.

“Then why go out to lunch with you? It’ll just be the two of us, Deon, and Pamela. He could’ve done what he did last time and just pick us up when it was time to catch our flight. He’s taken another step. Okay, yes, he’s still a little shit with the snide remarks, but even there, he’s not the broken record he was last time. The things he’s picking on are smaller and less important. Don’t give up on him!”

Sam looked up and glared. “I’m not fucking giving up! He’s my son even if he doesn’t want me as his father!”

Marcus smiled. “Then stop worrying so much. As I said, I think you’re making progress.”

* * *

Paul glanced at the clock. It was eleven-thirty. Their game was at two. “You’ve back early.”

Todd shrugged. “I’ve got something I need to discuss with you and Ollie. You’re off to work tonight, and Ollie will probably have plans for tomorrow, so now’s the best time to get both of you together.”

“What is it?”

“Wait until Ollie’s here.” Todd moved to the hallway leading to the bedrooms. “Ollie!”

Oliver stuck his head out of his bedroom door. “You’re early!”

“Yeah, I know. Can you come and join Paul and me for a few minutes?”

“Sure, just give me a sec.” The bedroom door closed again.

Todd glanced at Paul. “Helena’s still here?”

Paul grinned. “Yep. While you were out at AusKick, from the sounds I heard, Ollie’s been doing some last minute cardio work.”

“I hope he’s not too tired to play. Peter will kill him if he is.” Todd frowned. “He’s usually pretty good about things like that.”

“If you want my opinion, I think our little Ollie’s smitten, and he doesn’t want Helena to go. It’s not all sex; he’s been going out a fair amount with her, too.”

“Ollie? When’s this been happening?”

“While you’ve been with Lorraine.” Paul raised an eyebrow. “You haven’t exactly been around here a lot recently.” He held up a hand. “I’m not complaining. I think you and Lorraine are great for each other, but it means you haven’t been here as much as you used to be. Ollie’s found someone else to hang with.”

Todd pulled a face. He hadn’t meant to cut off his friend, but Lorraine had been his priority.

Oliver slid into the room, wearing socks and jeans, and a shirt that he was still buttoning up. “What’s up, Todd?”

“What did you two think of Neil last night?”

Oliver frowned. “This is what’s so important?”

Todd glared at his friend. “Yes, this is what’s so fucking important! The guy needs help, and I’m hoping we can give it to him. You can play with your dick whenever you want. He only gets one chance to finish school.”

Oliver was about to explode when a new voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Listen to him, Ollie.” Helena entered the room, wearing one of Todd’s old T-shirts as a dress. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on with Neil, but Todd’s right, he needs help.”

Oliver’s anger deflated while he stared at his girlfriend. He grunted and turned back to Todd, crossing his arms in the process.

“Thanks, Helena.” Todd ran a hand through his hair. “Neil expects to be kicked out of home as soon as his parents find out he’s gay. With everything going on, he doesn’t expect that he’ll be able to keep it a secret until December when he finishes school. He was planning to drop out and get a job, but Jim’s convinced him to stick it out...if we can find him somewhere else to stay.

“For various reasons, it’s not a good idea for him to stay with Jim, so–”

“Why not?” Oliver asked, still belligerent.

“Because, Ollie, Neil’s got a crush on Jim. Putting them together would be a bad move for everyone.” Helena gave Oliver a quick peck on the cheek. “Trust me, it would be a disaster.”

Todd blinked and then gave Helena a smile. “I didn’t realise you knew.”

She shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “I worked it out. He was spending most of his time watching Jim at training, he’s gay, and he practically snarled anytime he saw Tony with Jim last night. Jim’s also the only person at dinner he had trouble looking in the eye.”

Paul frowned. “You want him to stay here?”

“Yes, but only if you two are comfortable with the idea. It hopefully won’t be for a while, but if he knew he had a place to live, it’d make it a lot easier to convince him to stay at school.”

“The house will be cramped with an extra person,” Oliver said. He glanced at Helena, who reached out and took his hand. “But we could manage, if we had to. If that’s what you want.”

Todd smiled. He had been worried with Oliver’s initial attitude, but his friend had come around quickly. “Thanks, Ollie. Paul, what do you think?”

Paul grimaced. “To be honest, I’m not happy with the idea, but...” he caught Todd’s eye to forestall the protest, “...I trust you. If you’re vouching for him, I’m willing to consider letting him stay here, but I’ll need to know him better before I say yes. If we’ve got time, I want to use that to learn what he’s like. That’s my only reservation; he’s still pretty much a stranger.”

Oliver nodded. “Same for me. I’ll take your word for it, Todd, but I’d prefer to make my own opinion on what sort of person he is.”

“Fair enough. I’m hoping to have him around regularly if he can get away from home that much. Next time, it’ll be with a lot fewer people. Last night got out of hand with the numbers. I’d originally intended it to be so you two would get spend some time with him, but we had too many people for that to work.”

“Where did you plan on him sleeping?” Oliver asked.

“My room. With me, initially, and later on by himself.”

Oliver’s eyes narrowed. “You’re moving out.”

“Yes, but not just yet. I’ve spoken to Lorraine, and when the time’s right, I’ll move in with her, leaving my room for Neil.”

“What about the club?” Paul asked. “They organised the house.”

“Jim’s already investigated that. The club won’t have a problem, but I’ll be the one held responsible if something happens since I’m the one inviting Neil to stay.” Todd pulled a face. “It’s a risk, and you guys will be bearing part of it. If he robs the place, we could lose everything we own.”

Paul winced. “Yeah...trusting someone too much can cause big problems.”

“Sorry, Paul, but you’re right. You trusted Rochelle, and look what she did to you. It’s not fair that I ask you to trust Neil after that, but I don’t want him homeless.”

Helena frowned. “What’s this about Rochelle? That’s Paul’s ex, is it?”

Oliver looked at Paul who nodded. Oliver turned to his girlfriend. “That’s right. She got him to sign as guarantor on a car loan, and then she defaulted. That’s why he works the second job on weekends. Paying off a car that’s not even his.”

Helena reached over and put a hand on Paul’s arm. “I’m sorry.”

Paul shrugged. “It happened.” He stared at Todd. “You’re asking a lot.”

“I know. We’ve got time, I hope, but I want you and Ollie to think about it. I’m not saying anything to Neil until you both give the okay. The backup plan is that Neil moves in with Jim, but, as Helena pointed out, that’s not ideal.”

Paul glanced at Oliver and Helena. He dropped his gaze to the floor for several seconds and then looked up at Todd. “I’m a conditional yes. I need to know him better. It might be paranoid, but we might also want to install keyed locks on the bedroom doors, so they can be locked when we’re not here.”

Todd smiled. “I’ll pay for them if we do. We’ll need to check with the owner first, though. He might not want us to modify the house.”

“Fair enough.” Paul grimaced. “Sorry, but I’ve been burnt once. I don’t want to be burnt again.”

Helena left Oliver and moved over to Paul. She put her arms around him and gave him a hug. “Just don’t lose the ability to believe in people, Paul.” She reached up on tiptoes and gave Paul a kiss on the cheek.

Paul smiled down at her. “Thanks, Helena.” He glanced across at Oliver and mock-glared. “You look after her, Ollie. She’s special.”

Oliver grinned and shrugged. “Are you trying to tell me something I don’t know?” He frowned at the clock. “Fuck! It’s time to start getting ready for the game.” He pointed a finger at Todd. “You owe me, buster.”

“For what?” Todd grinned. He had a pretty good idea what his summons had interrupted, even if the finer details weren’t known.

Helena slipped back under Oliver’s arm. “Don’t you remember, Dr. Todd? A few weeks ago, you prescribed plenty of big hunky guy time for me. Ollie’s been very diligent about following doctor’s orders.”

Todd laughed. He’d forgotten about that incident. It had been the first time he’d met her. She’d been sitting at the kitchen table wearing the same T-shirt she was currently wearing while Oliver was making pancakes. Todd had teased her and Oliver by suggesting she needs some big hunky guy to give her some quality time, only to have her pick Ollie for the purpose.

Todd had a smile on his face as he watched the two return to Oliver’s bedroom. He was beginning to suspect that Paul was right, and his best friend had finally found someone to share his life with, at least for a while.

* * *

Rick Molesworth set up his video camera on the opposite side of the oval to the grandstand. He would’ve preferred to have had the height advantage that the grandstand provided, but he had been instructed to be discreet. There was too much risk of being asked questions if he was near where most of the Leopard staff and supporters were located. He was sure some of them already knew who he was, but he didn’t want any official confirmation. He had been told that the longer it was before the word got back to the other AFL teams, the better. At least the rain that had been persistent for the prior three days had ended, and there were no showers forecast for the day.

Rick loved his football. While he was given some monetary compensation for what he was doing, that wasn’t the reason he did it. His part-time job as a scout meant he didn’t get to see his team play as often as he would like, but he was happy that, in his own small way, he was contributing to the long-term success of his AFL club.

He wasn’t sure why he had been instructed to watch Number 17 of the Leopards, as he hadn’t been impressed by the performance of the young Ty Flanders at training the night before. For someone who was clearly training as a tagger, he seemed very inexperienced. He certainly hadn’t trained with the flair that Rick remembered from the previous year’s TAC Cup matches.

However, Rick had his orders, and he knew better than to second-guess the experts at his club. He would keep the camera focused on the play while hopefully enjoying the match. Keeping a running commentary of opinions as the game progressed was something he could do naturally. While he knew that Patrick O’Malley wouldn’t listen to them, preferring to form his own opinions based on what he saw, the others in the recruitment organisation would.

* * *

Neil slipped up behind his target and gently tapped him on his shoulder. When Sean spun around, Neil grinned. “Want a lift up?”

Sean’s momentary panic disappeared, and he smiled shyly. “Yes, please.”

Neil reached down and lifted the young boy onto his shoulder, as he’d done two weeks earlier. While they waited for the players to come out of the change room, Neil couldn’t help reflect on how much had changed in that time. Because of the impulsive action of lifting a young kid up so he could greet the players, Neil had made friends for the first time in many years.

“Ty!” Sean called out, reaching forward to hold out a hand to be slapped.

Ty was second out onto the field behind Roger. The new vice-captain grinned as he reached out to slap Sean’s hand. Ty also caught Neil’s eye and gave him a nod.

“Todd!”

Neil chuckled as the scene was repeated, this time with Sean’s main hero.

“Okay, Sean. Down you go.” Neil lowered the young boy to the ground and watched as he ran to his mother. Becky was scowling nearby, something that she’d done every time Neil had seen her, though from what he knew, that was probably because Todd was also around. Neil didn’t know all the details, but he knew the ten-year-old girl didn’t like Todd.

Jim was one of the last players out. He smiled and nodded to Neil as he ran past. Neil grinned back. He was happy.

* * *

“Sam, Marcus, it’s good to see you again.” Matt frowned as he stared at the young woman next to them. He waggled a finger at her. “Don’t tell me...” He clicked his fingers. “Pamela! Last name: Anderson.”

Pamela laughed. “Right on the first, wrong on the second.”

Matt made a face. “You’re right. How could I be so stupid? You’re much better looking than her.”

She smiled. “And you’re gay, so I’m not sure how much I can trust your judgement.”

Matt straightened and crossed his arms. “My judgement? I’ll tell you, young woman, that being gay means I’m completely unbiased. Big breasts don’t do anything for me, but a beautiful personality charms me every time.” He glanced around and then looked back at Sam. “Mandy and the kids not here today?”

“Mandy had other things she needed to do, but the kids are here. Teresa took Jordan down to watch the players enter the ground. He was a bit reluctant this week.” Sam glanced around. “Is Gary here?”

“Getting the drinks. He considered that the priority.” Matt sat next to Pamela. “Have you managed to convince Deon he needs a BMW?”

She chuckled. “Not yet, but as soon as we win the lottery, it’ll be one of the first things on our list of things to buy.”

Matt grinned. “Excellent! That boy needs a decent car. He’s got a good future ahead of him.”

“Do you really think so?”

Matt responded to Pamela’s serious tone and dropped the light-hearted tone. “Honestly, I don’t know. I think he’s a great player, but I’m not in the AFL. I don’t know what they’re looking for.”

Pamela mused for a moment and then smiled. “He either makes it or he doesn’t. Either way, I’m going to stick with him.”

“Good on you! Regardless of what happens, he’s an exceptional young man.” Matt looked up and scowled. “About time!”

Gary ignored his partner’s mock outrage and handed him a beer. “There was a queue.” He slipped into the seat on the other side of Matt from Pamela.

“So? Didn’t they know I was about to perish from thirst?” Matt took a long swig from the open can. “Ah...that hit the spot.”

Gary smiled past him. “G’day, Pamela. Nice to see you again.”

Pamela raised her eyebrows. “You two have got good memories. We only met the once, and that was three weeks ago when Deon and Jarrod had that test drive.”

Gary chuckled. “It’s a skill that’s useful in our business. Remembering people creates a good impression, and it makes them more likely to buy a car from us. It’s a pleasure to be able to apply it socially.”

“How do you think the guys will go today?”

Matt frowned as he stared across the oval. “The place is a mud pool. It’ll probably be a scrappy affair and not particularly high scoring. The Casey Scorpions finished fourth last year, so they’re not going to be a pushover. I’m hoping for a win, of course, but I don’t think it’ll be easy.”

* * *

Rick was forced to admit his initial impression was wrong. Ty Flanders had shown him why the recruitment team wanted to keep an eye on the young player. The kid was completely different from the guy he’s seen at training the night before. Whenever the ball was in Ty’s vicinity, he was there either gathering it up, or terrifying his opponents. It was more often the former than the latter, because his opponents rarely touched the ball.

Despite, or maybe because of, the slippery conditions, Ty kept eluding his opponents. His pickups were always clean, and he collected the loose ball from the packs too often for it to be an accident. It didn’t matter if he was playing defence or as a forward; Ty was dominating, no matter where he was.

“Haven’t seen Flanders take a mark above his head yet, but in these conditions that’s probably just playing smart,” Rick told the microphone on the video camera. “He also appears to be weak on his left side. Almost all the kicks and handballs I’ve seen so far have been on the right side.”

Rick watched another passage of play in which Ty played a small part. “He’s got a good eye for what’s about to happen. He’s making opportunities where I wouldn’t think there were any. I’d like to see him in dry conditions, but he can certainly play in the wet.”

Rick glanced at his watch. The three-quarter-time siren should be sounding soon. He was dying for a toilet break after having had a little too much coffee from his thermos.

* * *

Jordan ran down to the fence to yell at the players who were gathered around their coach.

“We need more goals, Deon! You can do it!”

Sam smiled at his youngest son’s actions. “Didn’t you say he was reticent to come today?”

Teresa chuckled. “He was. He still remembers Deon going off at him in the club after the game, but that appears to have slipped his mind at the moment. If they win today, I think Deon will be back at the top of Jordan’s hero board.”

“Should I say something to him?”

“Which one?”

“Either.” Sam rested his elbows on his knees as he leant forward. He’d been sitting so long his back was beginning to stiffen up.

“Probably not. Jordan still doesn’t know you, and so he wouldn’t listen. Deon just wouldn’t listen, period.”

Sam grimaced. “Yeah, I know.”

“Hey!” Teresa put a hand on her father’s arm. “Jordan’s got nothing against you, but he only knows you as the voice on the other end of the phone a couple of times a year. If you’re going to come down regularly, he’ll warm to you. Trust me.”

Sam needed a change of topic. “Is your mother picking you up immediately after the game, or will you be sticking around for a while?”

“She said around six, so we’ll be sticking around. I think she’s trying to give us a chance to get to know you.”

* * *

There was a mad scramble through the mud on the Leopards’ forward line with little time left in the game. The Casey players were desperate to stop a last goal, and the Leopards were eager for one.

Deon dove forward, getting a fist on the ball and punching it away. A Casey defender picked it up, only to find himself being tackled by Ty before he could do anything. The ball fell out of the defender’s hands, but he was able to get a boot to it and the ball flew towards the boundary line.

Most of both teams were in the Leopards’ half. They knew there wasn’t long to go in the game, and with only three points separating the teams, a goal by the Leopards would snatch a last-minute victory.

Jarrod was the first to the ball. Sliding through the mud as he picked it up, he handballed it to Roger. The Leopards’ captain didn’t have time to kick the ball, so he passed it on to Oliver who was running past. Oliver kicked it towards the goals, but was off balance and the ball passed to the right of the goal posts for a behind: one point. There were now only two points separating the sides.

“Come on, everyone. Pick’em up!” Ty took his own advice and dogged a Casey player on the left-hand side of the forward line.

The Casey defender who had the kick-in after the minor score looked around desperately. Finding no one clear, he let loose a long kick up the middle of the ground, only to find Dave out-muscling his opponent for a one hand grab of the slippery ball.

Not waiting to take an unchallenged kick after his successful mark, Dave snapped a stab pass across the ground to Jim on his left. Jim took the mark comfortably, and immediately played on. He took four quick steps towards the goals before attempting a kick, but was slammed in the side as he did so.

Ty was already moving. The ball fell to his right and stopped in the mud rather than bouncing. Ty scooped it up and, knowing instinctively there was a defender on his tail, slipped away to the left. The first defender landed in the mud that Ty had just left, but another was fast approaching. Ty didn’t see any free teammates, so he took a risk. With a single glance over his shoulder, he dropped the ball onto his left foot, and kicked it over his head. Despite the narrow angle, the ball flew true. The goal umpire never moved as he watched the football sail over his head.

An ecstatic Ty was jumped by three of his teammates with more approaching. Ty grinned as he found himself slipping and landing in the mud again. After accepting a hand up from his captain, Roger and Ty exchanged smiles. As one, the captains turned to their teammates.

“The games not over, guys! Back to your positions and don’t give them another chance!” Roger swung his gaze over the teammates, who immediately started to head in different directions.

“Another goal will seal it, guys! We can do this!” Ty looked around and decided that he was better off on the back line as a defender. If the ball moved forward, he could follow it, but he didn’t want to risk Casey getting a quick response.

They didn’t. Thirty seconds after the umpires tossed up the ball in the middle of the oval, the siren sounded to end the game. The Leopards had won by four points.

* * *

Roger made sure he was first to the gate from the oval. There he stopped and waited for the other players to make their way towards the exit.

Dave was the next to arrive. He frowned at Roger before nodding and taking up position opposite. Roger smiled. Even if he wasn’t communicative, Dave knew what needed to be done.

Slowly, the other players lined up, half on one side, and half on the other. They were all grinning as they glanced back to where Jim was escorting Ty.

“What’s going on?” Ty asked as he reached the two lines of Leopards, the open space between them leading towards the gate from the oval. His eyes opened wide. “You’re fucking kidding me!”

Roger and most of the team laughed. “We’d be carrying you off on our shoulders, but with all the mud you’d probably just slide off. Well done, brat, on your first game as vice-captain.” He started to clap, and the rest of the team followed suit, accompanying the applause with cheers of congratulations.

Roger glanced up to the grandstand as Ty made his way through to the exit. Many of the team supporters were also applauding the player who kicked the winning goal.

When Roger finally entered the change room, the noise was deafening. Ty was still receiving slaps on the back and bumping fists with the other guys. Roger waited for Dave to gather his gear and then nodded to Peter, who, along with Julie and Will, was on the other side of the room.

Julie’s piercing whistle drew everyone’s attention. “Okay, not a bad effort, but you’re going to need to do a lot better than that by the end of the season.”

“A win’s a win!” Greg Chambers yelled back, which immediately started a happy chorus agreeing with him.

Julie whistled again, though this time she let Peter talk in the silence that followed. Roger noticed that Dave had slipped around the edge of the room and was now by the exit that would take him out to the coaches’ room.

“Yes, but we need to make sure we don’t keep winning with a lucky shot.” Peter raised his voice as the protests started. “Yes, the brat’s last goal was pure magic...” Peter nodded his head towards Ty, “...but he shouldn’t have needed to do that. We should’ve been at least two or three goals up by that stage. We’re still sloppy in wet-weather conditions, and it’s only April. If we don’t improve in the next couple months, we’ll be lucky to survive when winter hits and we get more wet days than dry.”

Peter continued with a quick review of the game, praising where appropriate and admonishing as needed. Roger noticed that as Peter was finishing, Dave slipped out, largely unnoticed by the rest of the team.

“Okay, guys. Feel free to celebrate tonight, but we’re going to be working hard on Monday night, so don’t overdo it.” Peter nodded to Julie, who opened the outside door to let the supporters in.

Roger grinned as he saw his partner, Steph, enter with their two kids. The smile on her face was the only reward he needed for the hard-fought victory.

* * *

Ty frowned. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, guys, but I’ve always been annoyed with what you’ve just done. Yeah, the forwards are the ones that attract the most attention, but they’re not the only ones on the ground. I’ve spent most of my playing life as a defender. If it wasn’t for us, it doesn’t matter how many goals the forwards kick, because the other team will score more if we don’t do our job. Todd, Paul, and Ward played their hearts out to keep Casey from scoring. Their efforts kept us in the game, giving the forwards a chance to catch up. ”

Matt and Gary exchanged glances. Ty was hoping he hadn’t offended them, because the offer of a BMW to drive for a day was very generous, but the reason – that last goal of his – wasn’t one he found acceptable.

Roger glanced at his vice-captain. “You still think of yourself as a defender, brat?”

Ty shrugged. “I’m whatever the team needs. If Peter wants me to be a forward, I’ll be a forward, but I’m not going to forget how important the job of a defender is to the team.” Ty glanced over to where Jim was talking with Tony and Neil, “Midfielders, too. Everyone’s needed if we’re going to win.”

Matt chuckled as he turned to his partner. “How does it feel to be told off by an eighteen-year-old?”

Gary shrugged and grinned. “When he’s right, what difference does it make how old he is?” He raised an eyebrow at Ty. “So, who do you think deserves to test-drive a new BMW?”

Ty held up both hands. “Don’t ask me! I only saw my parts of the game. I wasn’t in a position to see what everyone else was doing. Peter’s the one who should make that call.”

Roger frowned at Matt and Gary. “Guys, if it’s not a rude question, how often are you going to do this? It’s extremely generous, but it’s also got the potential to cause disruptions within the team if it’s not done consistently.”

Gary smiled. “A good question and a legitimate concern. We intend to come to most of the games, but we can’t make it to all. Our idea was to reward players in the close games, not to offer a car to drive for every game. Our main constraint is that for most of the players we’re not covered by insurance when they’re driving. That means we have to be cautious, because the more times we do this, the more chances we have of bearing the cost of damage to the vehicles.” He glanced at Matt. “If it helps the team, how about we make it once a month, with the test drive going to whoever the coaches pick as most appropriate based on their performance over the preceding month.”

Roger glanced at Ty. “Brat?”

Ty grimaced. “I’m still not happy with that, but I think it’s heading in the right direction. Would it work better if the player was picked by the team, rather than the coaches? That’d reduce ill will from those who don’t get picked.”

“That’s still got the potential to cause problems if players feel they deserve it more than whoever is selected.” Roger smiled at Matt and Gary. “If you’re still keen to offer a BMW to test-drive from time to time, can we get back to you as how it’ll work? I think the brat and I will need to sit down with Peter to sort out the best way to do this.”

Matt nodded. “That sounds fine to us. We’re sorry; we didn’t think that the offer could cause problems, though we can both see that now.”

Ty grinned. “Thanks, guys.”

“The car’s still on offer if you want it.” Gary smiled and winked.

Ty pulled a face. “I think I should pass. I’d love to, sometime, but I’ve already got plans for tomorrow.”

“Well, Jarrod’s got our number if you change your mind. As long as you give us enough notice, we can have a car available for you for a few hours.” Gary turned to Matt. “It’s time we left and gave these guys a chance to clean up.” He smiled back at Ty and Roger. “A great game, guys. We’ll hopefully see you again next week.”

Roger slapped Ty’s back as Jarrod’s sponsors left. “Congratulations, brat. I’m impressed.”

“By what?”

“By the way you stood up for your teammates. You didn’t even have to think about what you were doing. You just did it.”

Ty dropped his head and lowered his voice. “I wasn’t thinking of them. I was thinking of all the times I got annoyed when the forwards got all the accolades and the defenders weren’t being noticed. The coaches notice us, but most of the spectators don’t.”

Roger smiled. “That’s life, brat. Sometimes you just have to be happy with how well you know you did. As long as the key people know what you’ve done, that’s all you can ask. The big names may attract the attention, but the good ones also know how important everyone else on the team is, too. Like you did just now.”

Ty looked up and grinned. “Did you just say I’m one of the big names?”

Roger laughed. “Brat.”

* * *

Sam and Marcus moved towards where Deon and Pamela were engaged in a quiet conversation in the corner of the club room. Sam wiped his hands on his pants as they approached.

“Good game, Deon.” Sam’s tone was soft.

“What would you know?” Deon’s sneer dropped away as he gave Marcus a half-smile. “G’day, Marcus.”

Marcus chuckled. “He knows more than me. I’m still getting my head around what’s going on during the match.”

Deon grinned. “You’ll get there. Did anyone sit with you to explain things?”

“Matt and Gary were with me again. Pamela explained a few things, too, though mainly about what you were doing.”

Deon glanced down at the girl on his arm. “You did what?”

She chuckled. “Is it such a big surprise that I know a little bit about football?”

“No, but...” Deon grimaced. “Was he there, too?”

Pamela slipped out of Deon’s embrace and took the two steps necessary to move next to Sam. She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “You’ve got a wonderful son, Sam, but he can be incredibly stubborn at times.”

Sam’s smile was weak. “Mandy can take all the credit for how he turned out.”

“And don’t you forget it!” Deon scowled. “You abandoned us and left Mum to deal with everything by herself!”

Pamela poked Deon in the chest. “Drop it! You and Sam will have your chat tomorrow at lunch. Until then, be nice.”

Deon’s face went through several expressions before he settled on contriteness. “Sorry.”

Pamela stared at him for a couple of seconds before smiling. “Now that that’s over and done with, how’s Jordan? I had the impression he didn’t want to see you.”

Deon grinned. “He’s cool. Mum’s taken him home already, but not before the two of us had a chance to catch up. He’s asked me to tell Dad he’s sorry. I don’t think he’s ready to tell him himself, but the apology seemed sincere.”

Marcus glanced at Sam and then back at Deon. “Dad?”

“Jim. Dad’s his nickname, given to him by the brat. More and more people in the club are using it.” Deon chuckled. “I never realised how much respect he has in the club until the nickname started to spread. A lot of people have told me it’s very appropriate.”

“None of that’s changed since he came out?”

“Actually, the name didn’t really start spreading until after then. Some of the players were using it before then, but now most of the admin staff also use it.” Deon glanced at his father. “Some people could take lessons from him.”

“Deon!” Pamela poked him again. “Leave it until tomorrow.”

“Sorry.” Deon made a face. “Thanks for the text last week, guys. I appreciated the thought.”

Sam’s eyes went wide. He glanced at Marcus, asking for silent confirmation that he’d heard Deon correctly.

Marcus smiled. “No problem, Deon. Sam and I enjoyed watching the game on TV, even if you didn’t win. Give me a bit of time, and I might even come to like aerial ping-pong.”

Deon laughed. “We’ll convert you eventually. You’ll have no choice in the matter.”

Marcus grinned. “That sounds like a challenge. Okay, you’re on. Sam and I will be down here as much as we can, and in exchange, you do your best to turn me into an AFL convert.”

Deon’s smile slipped for a moment as he glanced at Sam, but it returned when he looked back at Marcus. “Done.”

* * *

Todd smiled. “Lorraine and I could drop in to say hello when we pick you up tomorrow, Neil. Would that keep your parents happy?”

“I think so...” Neil glanced at Lorraine and then dropped his head. “But if they ask how I know you...”

“I’ll tell them that I’m friends with one of your workmates. Which happens to be the truth, so it’s easy to say with a straight face.” Todd made a face as he turned to Lorraine. “Does Becky know that Neil’s gay?”

“I don’t think so. It’s not something I’ve mentioned in front of her.” Lorraine scanned the club room until she spotted her ten-year-old daughter standing with Roger and Steph. “I don’t know if anyone else has said anything to her, though.”

Neil grimaced. “If she does, and she says something in front of my mum and dad, I’ll be screwed.”

“Maybe it’ll be best if only you go inside, Todd, and I stay in the car with the kids.” Lorraine grimaced as she glanced at her tattooed arm. “I probably wouldn’t create a good first impression anyway.”

Todd glared. “Stop doing that! You’re a lovely person, and anyone who spends time with you knows it. Do I need to get a matching tattoo to prove to you that you’re fine as you are?”

Lorraine gave a nervous chuckle, not meeting Todd’s eyes. “I don’t think flowers will look good on you.”

Todd put his hand under her chin and gently made her look at him. “They look good on you. I wish you’d learn to see that. If I have to get the same to drive the point home, I will.” He grinned at Neil. “What do you think about me getting a tattoo of colourful daisies and roses down one arm?”

Ty, who had been walking past, spared Neil the trouble of answering. “Don’t forget the pansies! Lots of pansies would look good on you.”

Todd laughed. “I’ll get a pansy tattoo, brat, when you get one as well.”

Ty grinned as he shook his head. “Karen doesn’t like tattoos.” He gave Todd a quizzical look. “Are you really thinking of getting a tattoo?”

“I will if it helps Lorraine appreciate that she doesn’t need to be ashamed of hers.”

Ty turned to Lorraine and gave her a critical onceover. “You look great. I don’t see anything to worry about.”

“But will it create a good first impression when we meet Neil’s parents?” Lorraine asked.

Ty frowned. “Meeting his parents?” He turned to Neil. “What’s this about?”

“Mum said she’d like to meet my new friends. Todd suggested they drop in when they come to pick me up tomorrow afternoon rather than meeting me around the corner from my place.”

Ty looked thoughtful. “No offence, Todd, but I think it’d be better if the first friends Neil’s parents see are closer to his own age. You’re too old.” He grinned.

“Brat...” Todd’s eyes flicked towards Lorraine before he glared at Ty. “What exactly have you got in mind? Neil’s got enough problems without you adding to them.”

“Would I do that?” Ty scowled at Todd before smiling at Neil. “You haven’t met Karen yet, so why don’t I bring her around and we meet your parents at the same time? Say, about ten?”

“Sorry, no. Mum will be at church then. Can you make it around lunchtime?” Neil asked.

Ty pulled a face. “Karen needs to head off to work early in the afternoon, but maybe that’ll give us an excuse to make sure we don’t stay for too long. Regardless, I’ll be there.” Ty draped an arm across Neil’s shoulders. “We’ll make a good impression on your parents. I promise. Todd can meet them another time. I’ll take you to the park, too, and we’ll meet the others there.”

Neil smiled, though he felt a small twinge of worry. It would only take one slipup for things to become really bad at home.

* * *

Alan Kenworth lifted his beer towards the head coach of the Leopards. “Congratulations on a hard-fought victory.” The two were meeting at the Olinda Creek Hotel, not far from the Lilydale Leopards’ home ground.

Peter smiled as he tapped his bottle against his old work colleague’s. “Thanks, Alan. Casey played well.”

“They did, but that last goal from your team was a doozy. I don’t think I’ve seen that kid play before.”

Peter didn’t believe him, but he kept that thought from his face. “He’s one of the rookies we picked up after he failed to get selected in the draft. In fact, you’re the one who told me why he was overlooked.” Peter raised an eyebrow and waited.

“Did I?” Alan frowned for a moment and then clicked his fingers. “Now I remember. He’s the kid who thought it was his God-given right to play in the AFL and that everything had to be done his way.”

Peter nodded. “That’s him. Ty Flanders. One of the best, if not the best, rookie we’ve ever had.”

“Does he still have that attitude? He’s a great player, there’s no doubt about that, but long term, an attitude like that is more trouble than it’s worth.” Alan took a swig of beer.

Peter’s smile broadened as it became clearer what information Alan was digging for. “The players just voted him vice-captain with the full support and encouragement of the coaching staff. What do you think?”

Alan frowned. “So what happened?”

Peter chuckled. “Is your club interested in him?”

Alan took another long drink from his bottle. He put the beer back on the table between them and stared across the table. When Peter stared impassively back, Alan grunted and gave in. “Yes, but he’s not at the top of our list, not by a long shot.”

“He will be.” It was Peter’s turn to take a drink, delaying the conversation.

“So what happened? Is the attitude change going to stick, or will he revert?” Alan leant forward. “No one will take him if there’s a risk he’ll go back to the way he was last year.”

Peter narrowed his eyes. “You want this kept quiet.”

“Yes. We’d prefer it if the other teams didn’t get wind of the change. I told the guys at the club that you’d work it out, but we don’t want the news to spread. The other teams will see that he’s playing even better than he did last year, but if they don’t spot the attitude change, they won’t realise he’s now a potential draft pick.”

“Then it would be in Ty’s best interest if I spread the news as widely as possible.” Peter leant back and waited to see if the gambit would work. He knew that Alan was under instructions from his club’s recruitment team. What he wanted to know was how highly they rated Ty.

Alan grimaced. “Please don’t do that. Ty’s not near the top of our list, and I doubt he’d be at the top of anyone else’s, either. The risks are too high when compared to all the youngsters joining the draft this year. Make too much of a fuss about him and it could backfire. What will he be like if you build up his hopes, and he’s not picked again?”

“A fair point.” Peter tapped the top of his beer bottle against his lips as he thought. “I’ll make a prediction: Ty’s going to go in the first round of the draft; second at the latest. He’s that good, and it won’t be long before everyone knows it. I’m going to guess that they’ll all learn the reason for the attitude change within a month or two at most. For the sake of our old friendship, I’ll give you the info early.”

Alan’s smile of relief almost had Peter laugh. It was a pleasant change to be controlling the discussions when it came to an AFL team.

“Thanks, Peter. So...what happened?”

“It’s pretty simple. Ty’s dad read him the riot act and told him to shape up or be kicked off the team.”

Alan frowned. “I seem to recall his father was as bad, if not worse, than he was.”

Peter grinned. “Not his father. His dad.” He laughed at Alan’s obvious confusion. “Jim Henderson: nickname ‘Dad’. Jim took over mentoring Ty and ripped him a new arsehole. Somehow, he got through to the kid, and he’s been looking after him ever since. That’s how Jim got his nickname: Ty gave it to him. The two have developed a very tight friendship.”

“Henderson...Henderson.” Alan’s eyes went wide. “Isn’t he the poof?”

Peter stood up and glared down at his old work colleague. “Jim’s gay. If you want Ty to play for you, you’d better learn the difference. I’m leaving, Alan. Next time I speak to you, you’d better be ready to apologise. You’re lucky Ty’s not here. He’s even more protective of Dad than I am. You say something like that in his hearing, and you’re risking a black eye or bloody nose.”

Peter stormed off. He knew he might’ve hurt Ty’s chances with that final comment, but he didn’t think Ty would mind. He wouldn’t say anything to his star rookie about what was discussed, but Peter believed that if it came down to a choice between joining the AFL and supporting Jim, Ty would stand by Dad.