Leopard Spots - 40. Chapter 40

“Hello, Mrs. Bellweather,” Neil said with a hesitant smile as he and Liam passed through the kitchen.

“Hi, Neil.” Liam’s mother gave the two guys a quizzical look. “What brings you here?”

“I asked him along.” Liam’s expression was a little wooden. He hadn’t checked with his parents first before he had invited Neil home after school. Thursday was the only day he could do so, as Neil needed to get home to Lilydale at a reasonable time on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays so he could go to the gym at the club while his housemates trained. Tuesday was the day when he went out to coffee with Clarissa, and that didn’t leave much time afterwards for a visit. “We’re going to spend an hour studying before he heads home.”

Beth’s left eyebrow rose. “Studying? Really?” She stared for a moment while Liam waited nervously. “Don’t forget you have chores to do as well, Liam, so you’d better get a move on with your ‘studying’. I’m sure that hour will go by faster than you realised.” She grinned at Neil. “It’s good to see you again. I’ll bring the two of you some drinks and snacks shortly. My boys are always hungry when they get home from school.”

Liam grabbed Neil’s hand. “Come on. Let’s get started.” He mentally cursed. With his mother showing up at some time in the next hour, some of the things he wanted to ‘study’ weren’t going to be possible.

“What exactly are we going to do?” Neil asked as they headed to Liam’s room. “We don’t have many classes in common.”

“We’ve got English.” Liam grinned. “Since a lot of the texts are about life and relationships, we can talk about us and claim we’re studying.”

Neil smiled, though Liam detected a nervous edge. “Okay.”

Liam waved Neil into his bedroom. Once they were both inside, he closed the door. “What I really wanted to do was to spend an hour kissing and simply enjoying your company, but since my mum’s going to show up at some stage, we’ll have to do something else.” Liam grinned. “Any suggestions? I was thinking we could just talk. We chat online, but talking is easier.” Liam stopped himself before he mentioned phone calls. Neil still hadn’t given him his new phone number, and he knew he had to wait until it was offered.

Neil sat down on the edge of the bed and stared down at the faded beige carpet. “Um...there is something I...I mean we...should talk about.”

Liam hesitated, unsure of what Neil was up to. He decided to sit next to Neil but with a small space between them. If he was wrong about Neil wanting a serious conversation, it would be easy to close the gap. “Talk to me.”

Neil looked up. “We’re going slow, right?”

Liam nodded. “As slow as you want.” His lips curled up on the left side of his mouth. “Also as slow as I want. I might be eager, but I don’t want to wreck what we’ve got by jumping into things too early.”

“How long before you think we should...?” Neil waved a hand in a vague gesture. Liam noted that Neil had also stopped meeting his eyes.

Liam put his hands on the bed behind him and leant back so his weight was resting on his arms. “I don’t know, Neil.” He snorted. “I want to know what sex with a guy is like, but I think it’d be a mistake if we did that now.”

Neil’s head snapped around. “You’ve had sex?”

Liam pulled a face. “With a girl. It worked, and it was fun, but it wasn’t what I really wanted.” He closed his eyes. “I want a boyfriend. I want someone I can spend time with. I don’t want a fuck buddy. Sex will happen – at least, I hope so – but that’s not at the top of the list of things I want.”

Liam was surprised when he felt Neil’s lips brush his. Liam’s eyes snapped open to see Neil smiling as he settled back.

“Thank you,” was all Neil said, but it was enough to put a huge grin on Liam’s face. The two stared at each other for a couple of seconds, and then both spoke at once.

“You know...”
“What I really want...”

Both stopped and then laughed. Liam nodded to Neil. “You first.”

Neil blushed. “I was just going to say that what you said earlier about studying for English isn’t too far off the pace.” He flicked Liam a cheeky grin. “As long as you don’t mind being Scrooge, I’m trying to work out if we’ve finished the Ghost of Christmas Present yet. You’ve certainly changed, just like he did.”

“I don’t mind being Scrooge as long as you’re not Tiny Tim.” Liam couldn’t help flick his gaze to Neil’s crotch. “And I’m sorry for what I just did. Sex is not what I’m supposed to be thinking about when discussing A Christmas Carol. What I mean is that I don’t want you to die when we get to the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.”

A soft smile appeared on Neil’s face. “Maybe we’re already at the end of the story? You’re a reformed Scrooge, and I’m a Tiny Tim that’s avoided imminent death with a timely escape.” The smile slipped away, and he stared down at the carpet again. “Dave’s breakdown and my father’s attack would probably qualify for the part with the third Ghost.”

Liam frowned. “Dave’s breakdown?”

Neil shook himself. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. We’re not supposed to talk about it.”

Liam reached over and pulled Neil towards him. “Okay, but I still don’t want you to be Tiny Tim.”

Neil glanced up. “Thanks.” His brow wrinkled in thought for a moment and then he grinned. “Did you think that maybe the name Tiny Tim is sarcasm, like Little John in Robin Hood?”

Liam grinned back and gave Neil a quick kiss. “That’s got nothing to do with it, though I’ll admit I like the idea. However, the real reason I don’t want you to be Tiny Tim is because, if I’m Scrooge, then that’s too freaky. I want a boyfriend around my own age.” He cocked his head to one side. “How about you being Bob Cratchit?”

Liam wasn’t expecting anything and was taken by surprise when Neil wrestled him onto his back. Neil smirked down at him while using his weight to keep Liam’s arms pinned to the bed. “That would make you my boss, and there’s no way I’m going to allow that.”

“I could give you a raise.” Liam had a sudden thought. “Even better, I could make you a partner in the business. What do you say? Partner?”

Neil rocked back, allowing Liam to sit upright. The two were still partly entangled, something that made it easy for Neil to then wrap his arms around Liam’s neck and start a passionate kiss.

Liam wasn’t sure how long it went for, but he suddenly heard a loud cough from the direction of his bedroom door.

“Studying hard, I see.” Liam’s mother was struggling to keep a smile from her face.

Liam found himself Neil-free as his study mate leapt to his feet, his face crimson, and his eyes downcast. “We were! We’ve been doing a comparative analysis of modern parallels with parts of A Christmas Carol.” Liam smiled up at Neil. “We were just taking a break. And why didn’t you knock?”

“Likely story.” Beth Bellweather put a couple of soft-drink cans and a packet of chocolate biscuits on Liam’s desk. “And I did knock, but you two were obviously too busy ‛studying’ to hear me. By the way, Neil, since Monday is a public holiday, I’m sure Liam would love to have you around to visit.” She gave Liam a sardonic look. “For more ‘study’, of course.”

Liam blinked. “I thought I wasn’t allowed to have people come over!”

“You’re not, though that didn’t stop you from inviting Neil today, but I’ll make an exception for him.” She winked. “I’ll explain it to your father, so don’t worry about that.”

Liam jumped to his feet and moved over to give her a hug. “Thanks, Mum.” He glanced at Neil who was staring down at the bedroom floor again. “That’s if you want to come, Neil.”

Neil looked up, his face still red. He gnawed at his lower lip for a moment and then nodded.

* * *

Maria caught Joe’s signal that the ad break was about to end and the live broadcast was to resume. She nodded to her co-host to take the lead.

Michelle grinned across the table at Paul and Jim as she spoke into her microphone. “Welcome back, listeners, and it’s time for Joe’s favourite Pride FM segment: the Friday morning AFL footy tipping with Paul Crowman and Jim Henderson from the Lilydale Leopards.”

“It’s always good to be here, Michelle, Maria” Paul said.

“Don’t be too quick off the mark, Paul,” Maria said. “Joe’s come up with a new way to make you guys stick around. He’s asked listeners to submit questions for you on our Facebook page. We all know he only does it so he can perve for longer, but since he’s not the only staff member here who appreciates a pair of healthy male specimens, it was a popular suggestion.”

Jim rolled his eyes at the show’s producer in the booth next to the studio. Joe shrugged and grinned back.

“The first question is from a listener by the name of Joseph,” Michelle said. “He has a question for Paul. He says he knows that you’re straight, but you’re single, and he was wondering...” Michelle frowned at her screen and then at Joe. “Joe, this is supposed to be for the listeners, not for you to try to get a date!”

Joe flipped the switch on the microphone in front of him. “I am a listener. I listen every week. As for getting a date, I need all the help I can get. Well, Paul, how about it?”

Paul grinned. “Sorry, Joe.”

“Damn.”

Maria raised her gaze to the ceiling for a moment. “Now onto a serious question. Ricardo asks which AFL teams do you guys barrack for.”

Paul shrugged. “I’m not a strong supporter, especially when we play against their VFL team, but my family has always followed the Tigers. My dad grew up in Richmond, and he told us kids we’d be disinherited if we ever barrack for another team.”

Michelle glanced at Jim. “What about you? Do you have the sense to follow a decent team, like the Magpies?”

Maria gave him a look of mock horror. “Please don’t tell me that you’re another Collingwood supporter, Jim. One is enough in this studio. I don’t think I could handle two.”

Jim chuckled. “The answer is yes and no. I’m a Magpies fan, but I don’t barrack for Collingwood.”

Michelle frowned. “You’ve confused me. Collingwood and the Magpies are the same thing.”

“It’s actually pretty easy. All you need to know is that I’m a South Australian boy. Just like here in Victoria, over there the Magpies are the team that everyone else loves to hate, but in South Australia that’s the Port Adelaide Magpies. Unfortunately, Collingwood refused to let Port keep the name or the black-and-white striped tops when they joined the AFL, but that doesn’t change the loyalty I’ve held since I first learnt to walk. I’m a proud Port Adelaide fan.”

Michelle grinned encouragingly. “Come on, Jim. You’re halfway there as a Magpies fan; make it the Collingwood Magpies rather than that South Australian wannabe team.”

Jim shook his head. “Sorry, Michelle, but to keep you happy I’ll say that I am impressed by Collingwood and their supporters. In particular, they’re the only team with an official Gay and Lesbian supporter group: the Pink Magpies. I still remember seeing them at the practise match we had against Collingwood’s VFL team just after I came out. They hated me because we were playing against their team, but otherwise they were great.”

“That was a game which Collingwood naturally won, right?”

Paul grinned. “Sorry, Michelle, but you’re wrong again. They lost, though it was close.”

Maria smiled. “Since Michelle is now pouting, it might be a good time to end the questions and move onto what we’re here for. Round 12 opens tonight with the game between Carlton and Geelong at Etihad Stadium. What do you think, Jim? Will it be the Blues or the Cats that end up winning?”

Jim frowned at his notes in front of him. “It’s a tough call. Normally, I’d go with Geelong, but after their absolute humiliation by Sydney last week, I don’t know if they’ll bounce back or will still be shell-shocked. Carlton lost last week, too, but that was by only seven points against Brisbane in Brisbane. I’m going to go with Carlton, but it could easily go the other way.”

Michelle glanced at the other Leopard. “Is Jim right, Paul?”

Paul smiled. “Jim might be a little biased. I know he wants it kept low key, but he’s been invited to train with the Blues on Monday. I think it’ll be an easy victory by Geelong, but Jim doesn’t want to offend the guys he’ll be seeing at training.”

Jim scowled at Paul while Maria’s jaw dropped. Michelle narrowed her eyes. “Jim, you didn’t think to mention this to us when you arrived? How could you?”

“Because, as Paul said, I was trying to keep it quiet. I’m going to have to deal with him later.” Jim gave Paul one last glare before turning back to the two radio hosts. “I don’t want a lot of people there because Carlton is doing me a really big favour by inviting me. I don’t want to pay them back by causing a disruption from having people cheering me on. I’m not even letting my boyfriend come to support me! So, please, can we drop this and get back to the AFL games?”

The two women glanced at the booth next to the studio, where Joe nodded and then waved his hand for them to continue.

Maria smiled. “Okay, Jim, but just so you know, everyone at Pride FM wishes you all the best. Now, the next game is Hawthorn against the West Coast Eagles with the match being played in Tasmania. Is that extra bit of travel that the Eagles will need to do going to make a difference? Paul?”

Paul scanned his notes. “I wouldn’t think so, but Hawthorn are a tough opponent no matter where they play...”

* * *

Clarissa glanced around the lunchtime group. “What’s everyone doing for the long weekend?”

Mary blushed. “I’ve got a date for Saturday night, but that’s all. I’ve got nothing planned for the rest of the time.”

“Are you ready to tell us who the date is with?” Evelyn asked. “All we know is it’s one of those football players.” She paused to reconsider. “Actually, we don’t even know that. You met him at Neil’s party, and that’s all you’ve said.”

“Yes, it’s one of the players, but that’s all I want to say.” Mary turned to Neil. “Are you doing anything? Maybe a group of us can go out to see a movie or something.”

Neil smiled sheepishly. “That would be nice, but I’m going to be busy with football on Saturday, and Sunday afternoon I’ll be with Todd, Lorraine and Sean. I’ve also got something planned for Monday.”

“How about Sunday night?” Mary glanced to Clarissa. “How does that sound to you?”

Clarissa shrugged. “That’s okay with me. I’d definitely like to do something if we can organise it. By the way, Mary, I recognise a quick change of topic when I see one, but I’ll let you get away with it this time. Don’t expect it’ll always work, though.” She turned to Neil. “The reason is because I’m interested in what it is you’ve got on for Monday. Anything exciting?”

Neil went red as he dropped his gaze. “A study date.”

“Study date!” Clarissa narrowed her eyes. “With whom?”

Liam grinned. “With me.”

“But I thought you were grounded? Whenever that happened while we were going out, you weren’t allowed visitors.” Clarissa frowned. “What’s going on, and how likely is it that you two will get any study done?”

Liam shrugged. “My mum’s the one who invited Neil. As for the studying...” he grinned, “...that’s none of your fucking business.”

Evelyn chuckled. “Which means that while you might be studying, it won’t be for school. I’m guessing the subject will be anatomy.”

Clarissa smirked. “Male anatomy, to be precise.”

Neil went redder.

Liam scowled at the two girls. “Leave him alone. As Clarissa pointed out, I’m grounded. That means Neil and I aren’t getting a lot of private time together. We didn’t expect this chance, and we’re not going to let it slip away.”

Clarissa glared back...and then laughed. “I’m sorry, but I can’t believe that for a moment Neil made me jealous. I never got special privileges from your parents, but he gets them almost immediately.” She smiled at Neil. “I suppose that means they’re seeing something between you two that they didn’t see between me and Liam.”

“It’s not like that...” Neil seemed to shrink.

Clarissa slipped over next to him, and Liam did the same on the other side. Clarissa’s arm went around Neil’s waist while Liam’s went across his shoulders. Neil stiffened for a moment and then relaxed.

“Don’t be ashamed, Neil. You and Liam look like you have something special going. That’s something to be proud of.”

* * *

“Ah, my favourite lady! How are you doing, Mandy, on this beautiful June Saturday afternoon?”

Mandy chuckled as she glanced up at the grey skies. It was a typical winter’s day, with occasional light rain, though it looked like it was going to stay fine for the football match. “You’re getting more and more over-the-top, Matt.” She glanced past him to his partner. “G’day, Gary.”

Deon’s mother was getting used to seeing the gay couple at the Leopard home games. Though they claimed to be there as Jarrod’s sponsors, she knew that they had become strong supporters of the entire team, especially her son.

“G’day, Mandy.” Gary smiled as he sat down next to her. “We haven’t heard from Sam and Marcus, so I take it that they aren’t down from Sydney?”

“No. They were going to take advantage of the long weekend, but Deon asked them to come down last weekend for the birthday party instead. They couldn’t afford to do both.”

Matt gave her a mock frown. “There was a party and we weren’t invited? What is this world coming to?” He smiled. “What would you like to drink? My shout.”

“Just a soft drink. The party was for Neil’s eighteenth. Sam told me afterwards that he and Marcus felt a bit out of it, being amongst the oldest guys there, but it was a good party. Apparently, Neil now has himself a boyfriend.”

Matt raised an eyebrow. “That sounds like good news. On that note I’ll disappear. I’ll return with your wine in a few minutes.”

“I said soft drink!” Mandy yelled at Matt’s retreating back. She looked at Gary. “He doesn’t listen, does he?”

Gary grinned. “He always listens. He doesn’t always do what he’s told, though.”

“That makes it sound like he’s still a teenager.” Mandy smiled. “Young at heart, I believe it’s called.”

“That’s one way of looking at it.” Gary smiled. “How are you and the kids doing?”

“I’m fine. Having only one boy at home is certainly making things a lot easier this year compared to last. Jordan’s a handful at times, but he’s generally happy, and that makes me happy. Teresa’s got her eye set on someone, but she’s biding her time. Deon’s turned a corner in his relationship with Sam. He told me that since the Leopards don’t have a game next weekend, he’s going to fly up and spend some time with Sam and Marcus in Sydney.”

Gary laughed. “A succinct synopsis in twenty seconds.”

“What about you and Matt?”

Gary shrugged. “There are always problems. That’s part and parcel of having our own business. Generally, things are pretty good. We’ve got some things to sort out for the upcoming end of the financial year, but once they’re out of the way, Matt and I are planning on taking some time off in July and disappearing for a week or two. The current plan is to head north to somewhere warmer, but that’s always subject to change without notice.”

Mandy sighed. “Yeah, somewhere warmer would be nice.”

“Why don’t you come with us?” Gary grinned. “My only warning would be that if you think Matt is sometimes over the top now, wait until you see him when he lets his non-existent hair down.”

Mandy laughed. “While tempting, I’m going to have to pass. I need to stay here and look after Jordan.” She looked wistful. “Though a break from him would be nice.”

“Aren’t school holidays coming up soon?” Gary frowned. “Or has the midyear break already been?”

“No, it’s still coming: the first two weeks of July, from memory.”

“Hmm...” Gary tapped his lips thoughtfully. “We’re not going to be ready for the first week, but we should be able to make the second. If I can find someone to look after Jordan for the second week of the holidays, how would you like a week away?”

“You can’t do that! It wouldn’t be fair to inflict Jordan on anyone. Plus, I’d be reluctant to leave him with someone I don’t know.” Mandy smiled. “That’s really generous, Gary, but I’m going to have to decline.”

Gary grinned. “Don’t be too hasty. I seem to recall that Sam has issued an open invitation for any of his kids to come up to Sydney. If Jordan stayed with him for a week, that would free you up to travel.” He raised an eyebrow. “How does that sound? There are still details to sort out, but it seems doable.”

Mandy’s jaw dropped and then she shook her head. She smiled wryly. “You and Matt are either an ideal couple – or the worst possible pairing. Both of you don’t stop until you get your own way.”

Gary shrugged. “Guilty as charged. I’ll contact Sam during the week and get things organised. In the meantime, you can start planning for a week in the sun.”

* * *

Peter slammed a fist into the wall next to him. “Come on, guys! We’re letting them off the hook!”

Neil grimaced while watching the umpire returning the football to the middle of the oval after Essendon’s third goal in a row. The Leopards had been well in front at the start of the last quarter, but that lead was quickly evaporating. It wasn’t the way Neil wanted his Saturday afternoon to go. He had been getting used to the Leopard victories, but it seemed that the Essendon Bombers wanted to spoil the party.

“Runner!” Neil moved forward and waited for Peter’s instruction. “Tell the brat he’s back in defence, and then tell Owen he’s to return to the forward line. I want the brat to work with Todd and Paul to shut down the Bomber attack; they’re getting away with murder at the moment.”

Neil waited a moment to see if there would be any more instructions and then ran off. He had a short period of time before the game restarted, and he wanted to pass on the instructions to Ty before then. Once the football was back in play he would have to be careful to avoid getting in the way as he headed down the ground to talk to Owen.

Ty spat out his mouthguard as Neil approached. “What’s up, mate?”

“You’re to move into defence and work with Todd and Paul to stop the Essendon attack. He’s not happy with how easily they’re kicking goals.”

Ty grimaced. “Yeah.... Thanks, mate.” He jogged off.

Seeing the ball being bounced in the centre square to restart the game, Neil headed to the sideline. It would take him longer that way to get to the other end of the ground to pass on Peter’s instructions to Owen, but it was safer than risking a penalty for interfering with the play. He then mentally kicked himself; he should’ve asked Ty to tell Owen to move to the forward line. He had fallen into the habit of following Peter’s directions literally, when in this case it would’ve made sense to have Ty pass on the details.

Neil jogged along the boundary line towards where Owen was located. He kept an eye on the play as he did, unhappy that Essendon had yet again taken control of the ball. Zach was losing more of the ruck duels than he was winning, and Essendon were taking full advantage of that situation. Neil noticed another runner moving towards Zach while Jai waited in the interchange area, so he guessed that Zach was about to get a rest. He had done well for the first three quarters, but it was obvious that he had run out of steam.

The football headed down into the Essendon forward zone, where Paul disrupted the attempted mark. The resulting scramble for the loose ball was resolved by Paul punching the ball out of the pack to where Charlie was waiting. A quick snap towards the centre square found Jarrod who immediately kicked the ball onwards to Oliver. Oliver paused for a moment as he scanned the ground and then took a couple of steps before kicking the ball towards where Deon was jostling with his opponent. Using a last second shove, Deon broke free and took a simple mark about thirty five metres directly in front of the goal posts.

Neil would’ve liked to watch the attempt for goal, but he had a job to do. He headed onto the oval and jogged up to Owen. “Peter wants you back on the forward line.”

“Anywhere in particular?” Owen’s gaze was fixed on the other end of the ground.

“He didn’t say.” Neil frowned, wondering if he was supposed to know. “I think you’re switching with the brat.”

“Okay. Thanks, Neil.” Owen gave a quick pump of the fist as the crowd roared. “Yes! Well done, Deon.” He then ran off.

Neil glanced down to the other end where several Leopards were congratulating the young forward. He smiled as he returned to the bench. Deon’s goal would hopefully stop the momentum that Essendon had been building.

* * *

Peter scowled around the change room. “We let them back into the game. Just because we were six goals up, that doesn’t mean you can stop playing! The game doesn’t stop until that final siren sounds.”

Half the team couldn’t meet his eyes. The other half did, but their expressions were anything but defiant. The entire team knew that they had almost lost a match that they should’ve won easily.

“I can’t think of a single player – not one – that stepped up and did their job in that last quarter. Our back line was full of holes; the midfielders were being out played, and our forward line missed easy shots. No one seemed to know what to do. This is how we played last year, and I thought we’d left that behind us.” Peter glared indiscriminately at the players. “Yes, we won, but that was more from luck than good play. If Ollie hadn’t kicked that last goal, we would’ve gone down.”

The silence that followed was more like that of a losing team than one that had won the game by two points.

Peter dropped the angry tone. “Guys, we need to play all four quarters, and we need to play consistently. Neither happened today. We’ve got a long weekend, so go home and think about what occurred out there. There’s no training on Monday, but don’t take that as an excuse to slacken off. We’ve got two weeks until our next match, and I want to see a different team when we play Williamstown. They’re going to be tougher than Essendon, and we’ll need to fight them for the entire game, not just part of it.” He glanced around the room once more. “Okay, you can go celebrate now, but remember,” he paused to emphasise his words, “there’s still a long way to go until September. We can’t afford to let games slip away from us if we want to make the finals.” Peter glanced over to Will, who was standing by the door through which the supporters would come through and nodded.

A couple of minutes later, Jarrod was putting his football boots into his bag when someone slapped him on the shoulder. “How’s our favourite Leopard doing?”

Jarrod smiled as he turned around. “Not too bad, Matt. A win’s a win.”

The older, balding gym junkie rolled his eyes. “They certainly made you work for it.” He glanced around “This has to be the quietest I’ve ever seen the locker room. What’s up?”

Jarrod pulled a face. “Peter ripped into us about that last quarter. Essendon should never have gotten back into the game.”

“It certainly made the game exciting,” Gary said. “Though I could’ve done without the almost-heart-attack.”

“Yeah, well fightbacks happen sometimes.” Matt winked. “The real test of a champion is what they do when it happens. Do they roll over, or do they fight back? You guys fought back.”

“We shouldn’t’ve needed to.” Jarrod dropped his head. “I don’t know what happened, but they got away from us. Nothing we did seemed to stop them.”

“You panicked. Not you personally, but the team. Deon’s goal helped steady the team, but I could tell that you guys were rattled. Instead of being confident you started to worry, and the opposition knew it. That gave them more confidence, and it became a vicious cycle.” Matt shrugged. “It happens. You guys rallied enough to hold them off, but it’s a good lesson to take into your next match: don’t get complacent.”

Jarrod chuckled. “Peter said pretty much the same thing, but the way you said it was a lot nicer than the way he did.”

Matt laughed. “Thanks. Now, I think you can do with some cheering up, so close your eyes and put out your hand.”

Jarrod narrowed his eyes for a moment, trying to discern if it was a trick, but Matt’s gaze seemed guileless, and Gary was smiling. Hoping that nothing bad would happen, Jarrod followed the instructions. A few seconds later, he felt something drop into his hand.

“Enjoy yourself!” Matt said.

Jarrod opened his eyes and then stared. He was holding a set of car keys on a BMW-branded key ring. “What the...?”

Gary grinned. “When you were at the dealership during the week, you were overheard talking about a date that you’re going on tonight. We knew you were too proud to ask, so we came in two cars today.” He pointed at the keys. “That one is parked at the north end of the car park. You can return it tomorrow.”

Jarrod stared, not understanding what Gary was talking about.

Matt winked. “There’s nothing like a new BMW to impress a girl – or guy – on a first date.” He grinned. “We’ve done our bit; we’ll leave you to do the rest.”

Jarrod shook himself out of his shock. He tried to give the keys back. “This is too much, guys. I can’t accept.”

Matt gave him a hard look. “You’re not accepting a gift? Didn’t your mother teach you better than that?”

Gary chuckled. “Ignore Matt. It’s not a gift, Jarrod, it’s a loan. And on Tuesday when you’re back working again, you can check with the others at the dealership, and you’ll learn that you’re not the first person we’ve lent a car to.” He grinned at Matt. “Though I will say that I think that having a BMW as a bridal car is a factor in how many of our employees get married.”

Matt sniffled. “I’m still waiting for when we can have one for our wedding.”

Jarrod sensed his sponsors weren’t going to back down. Too excited to argue any further, he grinned. “Thanks, Matt. Thanks, Garry. I really appreciate this.”

Matt shrugged. “You still have to win the girl, Jarrod. That’s your job.” He winked. “And don’t bother asking us for advice, either, because we don’t have a clue when it comes to women.”

Jarrod laughed and gave first Matt and then Gary a hug. He no longer felt despondent about his performance in the last quarter of the match. Instead, he was looking forward to his date that night.

* * *

“Time to move on, Dad. Put today’s game behind you and concentrate on Monday.” Ty grinned. “You’re going to need to be on your best behaviour if you’re to impress the Blues.”

Jim gave him a sardonic look and then turned to Tony. “Tell me again why I decided to take the brat to Carlton with me?”

Tony chuckled. “Because he’d kill you if you took anyone else. Since I like you alive and well, I’m on his side.” He took a sip from his drink and glanced around the crowded clubroom. “It seems to me that everyone’s mood is improving.”

Ty winced as he slipped an arm around Karen’s waist. “That’s because they don’t have to meet with Peter later about the game.”

Karen frowned. “You do? I thought we were going out tonight.”

Ty smiled down at her. “We are, but I agreed to meet with him and Roger tomorrow afternoon. Peter wants to do a post-mortem, and with Monday being a holiday, he decided to make it Sunday instead.”

She stared for a moment and then reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. “You take your job seriously.”

“Yeah, I do.” Ty glanced at Jim. “It’s all to do with teamwork. Which is why I’m going with Dad on Monday to make sure he doesn’t mess up.” Ty grinned. “If I let him go without me, he’d probably not push himself forward enough to be noticed.”

Jim rolled his eyes. “I suppose that’s one thing you know how to do well: pushing yourself on other people, regardless of whether they want it or not.”

Ty shrugged. “Hey, if they don’t want me, then that just proves that they really need me. I’m good for everyone, in one way or another.”

Karen chuckled and rested her head on Ty’s arm. “Just don’t spread yourself too thin. I want to keep a big chunk of you to myself.”

Ty kissed to the top of her head and then grinned at Jim. “Did you hear that Dad? Karen says I’ve got a big–”

“Don’t say it!” Jim mock-glared at Ty. “Karen, you really should know better.”

She laughed. “Sorry, it just slipped out.”

Tony grinned. “Have you two been seeing much of Alex recently? Because it certainly sounds like it.”

“Matter of fact, yes, we have. We went out to lunch with him and Ethan last Sunday before Karen had to go to work.” Ty cocked his head. “He mentioned that he’s seeing less and less of you, and was wondering if you still existed.”

Tony flinched. “Yeah, I suppose I’ve been away a lot.” He smiled at Jim. “But only for the best of reasons. Alex was the one who kept telling me I needed a boyfriend.”

The conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a man in his mid thirties wearing an Essendon jacket. He was one of a handful of Essendon supporters in the clubroom. Most had left soon after their team’s defeat. “Jim Henderson?”

Jim turned to face him. The man had his arm outstretched. “Yeah, that’s me,” Jim said as he shook the guy’s hand.

“I’m Brad Smith. I’m with the Essendon Football Club, and I was wondering if we could have a short chat.”

Jim blinked and glanced at his friends before returning his attention to Brad. “Sure, what’s it about?”

“Congratulations, by the way. I understand you’re going to training with Carlton on Monday. That’s certainly unusual at this time of the year, but I hope it goes well.” Brad gave Jim a broad smile. “I’ll be in touch later to fill in the details, but would you be free to come out to Windy Hill late July for a visit?” He chuckled. “Unlike the Blues, we can’t promise you a training session, but we’d be more than happy to show you around.”

Jim’s jaw dropped. Windy Hill was the training ground for Essendon, just like Visy Park was the same for Carlton. He had originally thought that Brad was representing Essendon’s VFL team, but Brad’s last comment implied that he was from the AFL side of the club.

“He’d love to go,” Ty said. “Just tell him when, and he’ll be there.”

Brad raised an eyebrow at Jim who nodded. A slow smile spread across Jim’s face. “If it’s during the week I might have work commitments, but I’ll do what I can to be there.”

“Excellent! We thought that might be the case, which is why we’re giving you so much notice.” Brad handed over a business card. “Give me a call during the week and we’ll organise the details. I wanted to say hello before we spoke on the phone, and today’s match was a good excuse to come out here to see you. I’m sorry I can’t say anything more at the moment, but I’m confident you’ll like what we’ll be doing.” He smiled and nodded to the rest of the group. “I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. Pleased to meet you all.”

Jim stared as Brad Smith disappeared through the crowd. His attention was only brought back to his surroundings when Ty gave him a hefty whack on the back. “Another AFL club! If you keep this up, I might have to start getting jealous.” Ty’s grin showed he wasn’t serious.

“But why me? Not that I’m complaining,” Jim added quickly, “but I’m not that good a footballer.”

Ty gave him a mock scowl. “Don’t put yourself down, Dad. You’re good, really good. If an AFL team wants you, don’t question it. Grab the opportunity with both hands, and don’t let it get away.”

Tony slipped an arm around Jim’s waist. “I’m with the brat on this one.” He nodded towards the business card still in Jim’s hand. “Don’t lose that, because you need to ring him back.”

Jim glanced at the card and then frowned as he took a closer look. “It says he’s the People and Culture Team Leader. What does that mean?”

Tony gave a snort of laughter. “That means that the club decided everyone has to have a title. If it’s anything like Pride FM, the title often has nothing to do with the real work that is being done.”

“Or it could mean that the offer is not what Ty thinks it means.” Karen gave Ty an apologetic smile. “Don’t forget that Jim’s gay. People and Culture sounds to me like this might have something to do with Jim being gay, not with him being a footballer.”

Tony looked thoughtful. “The AFL had that major announcement regarding homophobia back in April. Maybe they want Jim to talk to the players on the subject?”

Ty scowled at Tony and Karen. “Don’t be so negative. This is about Dad getting noticed by AFL teams. That’s the first step towards him being drafted at the end of the year.”

Karen gave Ty a kiss on the cheek. “He’s been noticed, Ty. All we’re doing is pointing out that there are other reasonable explanations as to why Essendon wants Jim to come out to see them. That doesn’t mean he can’t use that as a stepping stone towards an AFL career.”

Jim grimaced. “Please, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I’m a Leopard and that’s all I am at the moment. Anything else is in the future and is by no means certain.”

Tony chuckled. “You’re a lot more than just a Leopard, Jim, but okay, we’ll stop speculating.”

* * *

Clarissa drummed her fingers on her thigh. “Where is he? Mary told us she might be late, but Neil didn’t say anything. He’s also not responding to my texts.”

Evelyn pulled her jacket closer as she scanned the people heading to the cinema at Eastland. The night air was chilly, but the group had agreed to meet up outside the shopping complex as the best way to avoid missing each other. “He did say he had something else on for Sunday afternoon. Maybe it went longer than he expected?”

“So? We agreed to meet up to see a movie and maybe a coffee afterwards. None of us has curfews for tonight since there’s no school tomorrow.” Clarissa scowled up at her taller friend. “Any sign of them?”

“Not ye...” Evelyn turned and grinned. “Hunk alert! I saw them first, so I get first choice.”

“What are you talking about?” Clarissa tried peering in the direction that Evelyn had been watching, but there were too many people in the way to see who had attracted Evelyn’s attention.

“Neil’s brought some friends. What a nice guy.” Evelyn licked her lips.

Clarissa’s next question died before it reached her lips as Neil, Ty, and Deon appeared through the crowd.

Neil gave Clarissa a weak smile. “Sorry I’m late, but the brat and Deon invited themselves along and then took forever to get ready.”

Ty rolled his eyes. “For the record, I didn’t invite myself along. When Neil said he was going out with three girls from school, I thought I’d give him some masculine company so he’s not too badly outnumbered. Deon’s the rude one who decided to impose himself on the group without asking first.”

Deon raised an eyebrow. “I asked. You’re just pissed off because I asked Neil rather than you and he said yes. Anyway, since I drove, that means you can have a drink if you want to, so don’t complain.”

Ty shook his head. “I can’t drink. I’ve got to get up early tomorrow to make sure Dad makes it to Visy Park on time. He’s got an AFL training session to get to.”

Evelyn slipped up next to Ty. “Your father plays for the AFL? How old is he?”

Deon laughed. “He’s twenty-one. The brat’s referring to Jim, one of our housemates.”

“Ah...” Evelyn stroked Ty’s arm, and then frowned as Ty took a step away. “What’s wrong?”

Ty glanced at Clarissa, silently asking her to intervene. Clarissa stepped forward to attract Evelyn’s attention. “He’s already got a girlfriend. Someone who happens to be a friend of mine.” Clarissa frowned at Ty. “Where is Karen, anyway?”

“She’s working. I’m hoping to catch up with her tomorrow afternoon, but that’ll depend on what time things finish at Carlton.” Ty shrugged as he glanced at Evelyn. “Sorry.”

“Oh, well.” Evelyn turned to Deon who immediately took a step back. Evelyn laughed. “I don’t bite, guys. Unless you want me to...” She raised an eyebrow.

“Settle down, girl.” Clarissa moved over and gave Neil a quick peck on the cheek. “I’m glad you made it. Even if you’ve managed to put Evelyn on heat again.”

“Hey, it wasn’t me! The brat said he’d join us when I mentioned I was going to see a movie with you guys, and then when we went back to his place, Deon decided to tag along, too. I didn’t do anything!”

Clarissa frowned. “You could’ve asked them, Neil. There’s no rule that says you can’t invite other friends along, too.”

Neil didn’t meet her eyes. “I...”

Clarissa slipped her arm into his. “You’re here now, that’s all that’s important. All we’re waiting on is Mary, and then we can go pick a movie.”

“Here she comes.” Evelyn frowned. “Who’s that with her?”

Everyone turned in the direction that she was peering. Ty stared for a moment and then laughed. “It’s a small world.” He stepped forward. “G’day, Jarrod. Fancy meeting you here.”

“Er, hi, brat.” Jarrod nodded to Deon while keeping his arm around Mary. “I didn’t expect to see either of you here.”

“We came along to make sure Neil wasn’t railroaded into watching a chick flick.” Ty glanced at Neil. “He told us it was just going to be him and three girls. Now it’s four blokes. Not quite what he led us to expect.”

Jarrod grinned sheepishly. “Mary invited me last night. Sorry.”

Clarissa stepped away from Neil. “Nothing to be sorry about.” She smiled at everyone present. “Now that we’re all here, let’s go inside out of the cold and pick something to watch.”

Deon moved up next to Clarissa as the group headed into the building. “If it annoys the brat, I’m fine with a chick flick.”

Clarissa laughed. “I don’t normally watch them, but I might make an exception tonight.” She grinned up at Deon. “You don’t think Ty will be upset?”

Deon grinned back. “The brat’s a big boy. I’m sure he can handle it.”

* * *

Monday morning, Jim and Ty paused outside the entrance. The sliding glass doors with the etched logo of the Carlton Football Club stood waiting for them. They were a few minutes early for Jim’s scheduled visit.

“Don’t fuck this up, Dad,” Ty said.

“I’ll do my best, brat.” Jim took a few deep breaths to try to calm his nerves. “Are you ready?”

Ty grinned. “I’m not the one who got the invite. That’s you. I’m just the hanger-on who gets to see how those in the AFL live.”

“Thanks a lot.” Jim chuckled. “Okay, let’s do this.”

The two entered the foyer and approached the desk. “I’m Jim Henderson. I was asked to come to the club for the day.” Jim gave the receptionist a nervous smile.

“G’day, Jim. We’ve been expecting you. If you’ll wait a moment, I’ll let Brock know you’re here.” She picked up the phone and made a quick call.

Ty frowned. “Brock? Do you mean Brock McLean?”

She smiled as she hung up. “He’s going to show you around before training. He shouldn’t be long.”

Ty took a couple of steps away, trying to hide his agitation. Jim followed before speaking softly. “Something wrong, brat?”

Ty gave him a nervous grin. “Just my past coming back to haunt me. I had some time here during the pre-season last year as a green seventeen-year-old. I can still remember giving Brock my opinion of him.”

As one of the AIS-AFL Academy players, the elite junior footballers from across the country, Ty had been invited to join in the pre-season training with an AFL club during January before the school year started. In his case, it had been with Carlton.

Jim winced. “Last year, that would’ve been a comment completely lacking in tact.”

“Yeah, and also lacking in truth. Without going into detail of exactly what I said, I told him my grandmother could kick the football better than him. That was because I was in the wrong place during the drill and missed the mark, but I blamed him for it.” Ty cringed. “I said a few other things, too. In hindsight, it wasn’t surprising they didn’t pick me in last year’s draft.”

“Do you want to leave? I can tell them you couldn’t stay.”

“No!” Ty gathered himself together. He wanted to be there to cheer Jim on. “This is about you, not me. You’re the one they want to see.”

Jim spotted an extremely fit looking guy with a short beard and wearing a Carlton tracksuit approaching. “Last chance, brat.”

“I’m staying.”

The muscular newcomer approached and gave the two of them a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Jim. I’m Brock.”

“I’m really pleased to be here,” Jim said as they shook hands.

“I caught your interview, the one when you came out.” Brock grinned. “That was gutsy, mate. I know how hard it was for my sister when she came out. It must’ve been a hundred times worse for you, doing it in the media spotlight the way that you did.”

Jim smiled nervously. “It wasn’t the easiest thing I’ve ever done. I would’ve preferred it if I hadn’t needed to do that, but the Leopards were going to fold if we didn’t do something.”

Brock nodded. “And what you did kept the club going. I haven’t paid too much attention, but I understand you’ve had a good start to the season.”

“It’s been okay, but we’ve lost a couple of games that we should’ve won.”

Brock laughed. “That’s normal. We’d all like to win every game we play, but it doesn’t work out that way.” He cocked his head. “I wasn’t given a lot of details about why you’re here today, but I understand you’ll be spending the day, including joining in some of the training. Did you visit an AFL team during your junior years?”

“No, and I hope you don’t mind, but I’m a little overwhelmed by the whole thing.” Jim’s smile still had a nervous edge, though he was starting to relax. “This is where I’ve always wanted to be, but I’ve never managed to get a chance.”

“It can be a bit intimidating for someone who hasn’t been to an AFL club before.” Brock chuckled. “I see the same thing every year with the new draftees and during the pre-season when we have some Academy junior players join in for a week or two. It’s definitely unusual to have someone visit at this time of the year, but I can see that you’re a special case.” He glanced at Ty, a faint frown on his face.

Ty stepped forward and stuck out his hand. “G’day. You hopefully don’t remember me, but I did some training with the Blues during last year’s pre-season when I was an Academy player. We met then and I...ah...wasn’t particularly polite.”

Brock paused before accepting the handshake. “I remember you.” The expression on his face made it clear that it wasn’t with fondness.

Ty gave him a sheepish smile followed by a slight wince as the two tested hand strength. “I’d like to apologise for that. My nickname at the Leopards is the brat, but last year I really was one. I...um...never wanted to admit I was at fault. I took it out on you.”

Brock gave him a steady stare and then nodded. “That was a long time ago.”

Ty tried to grin. He considered making a comment about last year really being his evil, identical twin but realised he needed to face up to his mistakes. Excuses no longer cut it.

“What’s the plan for today?” Jim asked.

“I’m to give you a quick tour, and then you’ll join the team for a training session. You can use your own boots if you’ve brought them or we’ll have a pair you can use.” Brock’s gaze flicked to Ty. “You’ll be sitting that part out.”

“As long as Dad gets to train, that’ll be fine with me.”

Brock frowned. “Dad?”

“I’m Dad, and he’s the brat. That’s our nicknames at the Lilydale Leopards. The brat won’t use my real name.” Jim grinned at Ty. “He claims he doesn’t know who Jim Henderson is.”

Ty gave him a grin in return. “I don’t. Dad, on the other hand, is the guy that got me sorted out and taught me how much of a piece of shit I was being to everyone.” He nodded to Brock. “You know what I mean.”

A faint frown appeared on Brock’s face. He then turned back to Jim. “Let’s get going. It won’t create a good impression on Mick if we’re late,” he said, referring to the Carlton head coach. Mick Malthouse was highly regarded as one of the top AFL coaches of all time, having coached premiership winning teams three times so far in his career.

Brock took Jim and Ty through a quick tour of the training facilities, including the indoor swimming pool, the fully equipped gym, the recovery and treatment area, and the altitude-conditioning room.

At one point, while walking along the corridor, Brock turned to Jim. “Are you going to join in the Midsumma activities next year?”

Jim hesitated. “I hadn’t thought about it. I only came out a few months ago. Previously I avoided anything to do with it, just in case someone saw me.”

“Think about it. It’ll do a lot of good if you got involved.” He grinned. “This year, I helped out with a footy-skills session for a bunch of people. That’s something you could do. It all helps.”

Jim nodded. “And the year before, you marched, the first time an AFL player has done so.”

Brock smiled. “Dan Jackson from the Tigers marched, too. It wasn’t just me.”

Ty, who had been walking behind them, tapped Jim on the shoulder. “What are you guys talking about?”

Jim smiled back at Ty. “Victoria’s annual Midsumma festival. It’s a celebration of gay and lesbian culture, concluding with the Pride March through St.Kilda.” He tilted his head towards the Carlton midfielder. “Brock here has been involved for the last couple of years after his sister came out. I’ve kept up on what was happening even if I was too scared to go myself. That was when I was still in the closet and was worried about being outed if I was seen there.”

“Don’t forget the transgender and intersex communities,” Brock added. “They’re part of it, too.”

Ty slipped back and let the two continue to chat. It was now obvious to him why Brock had been chosen to give Jim the tour, though Ty wondered if Brock had volunteered for the job.

Too soon, they were in the grandstand overlooking the oval. Brock turned to Ty. “This is where we part ways. I’ll take Jim down and get him some training gear. I was told that someone would be joining you soon.”

Ty smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Brock. I hope everything goes well. Give Dad hell for me.”

It was several minutes later before an elderly, almost skeletal, man made his way with obvious effort towards where Ty was sitting. “Ty Flanders?”

Ty stood up, unsure who this person was but not wanting to give offence. “Yes, sir.”

The old man chuckled and waved a hand. “Sit, sit!” He continued in his Irish brogue. “I’m Patrick O’Malley, and I thought we could have a little chat while your friend is off training.”

“Certainly, Mr. O’Malley. Dad’s a great guy and he’ll be an asset to the Blues if you draft him.”

Patrick seemed puzzled for a moment. “Ah...that’s right. Dad is Henderson’s nickname.” He smiled. “I believe yours is the brat.”

Ty chuckled. “You’ve done your research. Yeah, that’s me.”

“Well, brat, what can you tell me about this Dad of yours?”

Ty opened his mouth and then closed it again. He gave the question a little more thought before responding. “You already know a lot about him if you know his nickname. Rather than repeating things, why don’t you tell me what you’d like to hear?”

The old man grinned. “Very good. Yes, I know about his football skills, but I’d like to know what you think of him as a person. What’s he like? You live with him, I believe.”

“I’m lucky that I do. If I hadn’t, I suspect I wouldn’t be playing football, certainly not in the VFL.” Ty stared over the still-vacant oval. “I was out of control, and he made me face up to reality. He told me that I’d never make it to the AFL on my skills alone. If I didn’t learn about teamwork, no one would want me, not in the AFL let alone the VFL.”

“You’d like to play in the AFL, then?”

“Would I ever!” Ty gave a chuckle tinged with sadness. “I’m really happy that Dad was asked here today, but I’ll admit to a bit of jealousy. I wish it was me.” He turned to Mr. O’Malley. “But Dad’s got the skills, the football brain, and the dedication to make it at the AFL level. He does what he has to do, regardless of what he wants, and he does whatever the team needs. He’s teaching me the same, so if there’s anything I can do to help convince you that you should draft him this year, let me know.”

Patrick nodded slowly. “In that case, I’ve got a job for you to do.” He looked back the way he’d come and beckoned. A young man in his late-twenties approached. “Christopher, can you please take young Flanders here downstairs and get him kitted out? I think it’d be a good idea if he joined in the training session with his friend.” He smiled at Ty. “Do your best to make sure your Dad gets to show what he can do.”

Ty grinned as he stood up. He stuck out a hand. “Thanks, Mr. O’Malley. I really appreciate this. This is Dad’s big chance, and I’ll do what I can to make sure he shows you what he’s capable of.”

* * *

Shane, Carlton’s recruiting manager, sat down next to Patrick once Ty was out of sight. “It went well?”

“Indeed. He’s keen to play in the AFL and wishes it was him that we’d contacted.”

Shane scowled. “That bastard of a father. He never told his son we’d rung.”

“No.” Patrick grimaced. “Hanging’s too good for the man. You don’t do that to family.”

“Well done, Paddy. The gamble’s paid off, and now we get to see what Flanders is capable of doing.”

Patrick gave Shane an enigmatic smile. “Probably not.”

“What do you mean?”

The old man chuckled. “I told him to go out there and encourage us to pick Henderson. Let’s be honest, we don’t need to see Flanders’ football skills. What we need to see is if he’s capable of being a team player. Last year he wasn’t. This year, I think he is. If I’m right, he won’t try to make himself look good; he’ll be making sure that Henderson can show us what he’s capable of. In other words, he’s going to put his teammate first.”

Shane gave a snort of laughter. “You’re a cunning old bugger, Paddy. You’ve probably also realised that any media attention is going to be on Henderson, not Flanders. If Flanders doesn’t try to show off, they may never realise it’s him that we’re really interested in.”

Patrick smiled. “And if he does a competent job today, the publicity for Henderson won’t hurt him, either.”