Leopard Spots - 41. Chapter 41

Ty glanced around Alex’s and Tony’s apartment as he was led to the lounge room. “Nice place!”

Alex shrugged. “Small, but with only two of us, at least in theory, it’s all we need.” He grinned at Tony. “Any idea when you’re going to turn the theory back into fact? It gets lonely here sometimes. Ethan does his best to keep me company, but for some reason I’ve been missing your ugly mug.”

Tony chuckled. “The brat has already passed on the request. I’ll see what I can do, but as I pointed out to him, you’re the one who told me I needed to find a boyfriend.”

Alex tried to look innocent. “I said no such thing! I said you needed to get laid...”

Ethan smiled at Jim and Karen. “While they bicker, what would you like to drink? I’m dying to find out if the AFL now has an openly gay footballer.”

Jim snorted. “The answer to that question is no. I think it’d be great if there were, but it’s not the case.”

Ty abandoned his inspection of the accumulated memorabilia and trinkets that littered the apartment. “Wait until the end of the year, then we’ll see. Someone we know may be getting drafted.” He winked.

Ethan held up a hand. “Before anyone says anything more, let’s get the formalities out of the way. Firstly, welcome everyone to Alex’s – and occasionally Tony’s – den of iniquity. Now again, what does everyone want to drink?”

A few minutes later, the three couples were scattered around the small lounge room. Tony was sitting on Jim’s lap in one chair, while Ethan was sitting on the armrest next to Alex in the other. Karen and Ty had the two-seater couch to themselves and were taking full advantage of it, with Ty stretched along the length and Karen curled up beside him.

“Okay, time to spill the beans. What happened?” Alex asked.

Jim grinned. “It was great, though tough. I didn’t realise how far I still have to go as far as fitness is concerned until I tried to keep up with those guys. I was running on fumes by the end, and they told me afterwards that it wasn’t a hard training session.”

Ty grimaced. “Yeah.... I thought I’d done fairly well until they said that.” He caught Jim’s eye. “Julie’s extra training sessions make a lot more sense now. I think she knew what we’ve just found out.”

Karen twisted in Ty’s arms so she could look him in the face. “Wait, what? I thought only Jim was doing the training.”

Jim chuckled. “That’s what I thought, too, but after a small, pre-training, team meeting that they let me attend, the brat showed up ready to join in. The guy he was with whispered something to Mick Malthouse, and that was it: the brat was part of the training.”

Ty shrugged. “I don’t understand it, either, but there was this old guy who had a chat with me after Dad disappeared. He seems to have some major influence at Carlton because he told me to join in, and that was all that was needed. Any time someone started to question it, Chris spoke to them and they backed off.” He grinned. “Not that I’m complaining, but someone who can tell Carlton’s head coach what to do is someone I don’t want to piss off.”

“This old guy – Chris? – do you have a last name for him?” Tony asked. “Maybe he’s listed on their website.”

Ty shook his head. “Christopher Talbot is the guy who took me down to get my gear. He got his instructions from an Irishman by the name of Patrick O’Malley. Mr. O’Malley’s the one who was calling the shots.”

Tony pulled out his phone. “I’ll look him up. In the meantime, what did he talk to you about?”

“Dad.” Ty grinned at his teammate. “He wanted to know what sort of person you were. Naturally, I lied and told him you were a decent guy.” Ty sighed. “I told him how you straightened me out, and then he suggested I join in the training to help you look good.”

Jim’s eyes opened wide. “That’s what you were doing!” He smiled appreciatively. “Thanks, brat.”

Alex looked from Jim to Ty. “What are you guys talking about?”

Jim grinned. “Part of the training was simulated match practise. During those, Ty worked his tail off to get the ball, but whenever he got it, he looked for me.”

Ty shrugged. “All I was doing was giving you a chance. You still had to do your bit if you wanted to make an impression.” He smirked. “You didn’t do too badly for an old man.”

“Brat!” Jim gave Ty a wry smile. “For the record, some of the guys I was playing against were older than me.”

Tony scowled as he put his phone away. “I can’t find anyone by the name of O’Malley on the Carlton website. I’d love to know who he is; it’d give me a lot better idea of how much influence he has.”

“He had enough to get me into the training session to help Dad.” Ty shrugged again. “I don’t see that it’s that important, but if you really want to know, I’ll ask the next time I speak to him.”

Tony looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“He asked me for my number after training. He said that they’d probably want to talk to me more about Dad in the future.” Anticipating the next question, Ty glanced at Jim. “That was when you were doing that first TV interview.” Ty grinned at Alex and Ethan. “There was a reporter and cameraman waiting for him after he finished. It looks like the fact that he trained with Carlton is going to be a big deal. They talked for ages.”

“That wasn’t a TV interview. It was a...” Jim grimaced. “I don’t really know what to call it. They were from the AFL media division, and they said once it was edited, it’d be put on the AFL website.”

Tony chuckled. “I’m going to make you a bet: parts of that interview will be on the news tonight. The AFL will supply the footage to the TV stations. They’d be fools to not take advantage of the publicity.”

“I’ll take that bet!” Ty grinned. “There was another set of reporters waiting when we left. The TV stations will have their own footage.”

Tony laughed. “Okay, if that’s the case, you win. I’d still like to see what they put up on the Internet, though.”

Jim grimaced. “I didn’t want this to be a big deal. I was hoping no one else would care.”

Karen laughed. “Jim, I know almost nothing about how the AFL works, though Ty’s been trying to educate me, but even I know what makes a big deal. The media weren’t going to ignore that you’re the first openly gay footballer to train with an AFL team. It’s obvious the media were going to be there.”

Jim pulled a face. “Yeah, but I didn’t think it would happen.” He glanced up at Tony. “Why didn’t you warn me about this?”

Tony chuckled. “Firstly, you should’ve worked it out for yourself. Secondly, even if you hadn’t, I didn’t want to say anything. The primary purpose of the trip was for you to train with Carlton and encourage them to pick you in the draft at the end of the year. The publicity side was secondary, and I didn’t want to distract you.” He leant over and gave Jim a kiss. “Don’t worry about it. It’s done.”

Alex waved a hand. “Forget all of that. How did the training itself go? Do you think you impressed them enough?”

Jim glanced at Ty and then shrugged. “I think it went well. I can’t recall any major mistakes, and I did my best to keep up with the team. I spent most of my time with their development squad, not the senior players, but we did a bit as a combined group. What’s your opinion, brat?”

“If they don’t draft you at the end of the year, they’re a bunch of fools.” Ty hesitated before trying to give an honest opinion. “I think it went well. I overheard a couple of negative comments, but that was because we were new to the group, and that caused a bit of confusion. I also heard a few guys saying some complimentary things.” He gave Alex a wry smile. “Ultimately, it’s not up to the players to decide who is picked, but I didn’t hear anyone objecting to the idea.”

Tony looked thoughtful as he pulled out his phone again. “There’s another factor that so far is looking good.” He started typing. “It may be that Carlton wants to draft you but are aware of the possible disruption that having a gay team member could cause. I noticed earlier today that there were some reactions on social media from the supporters who were watching. The club may be monitoring it to see what sort of reaction they’ll get from the wider community.”

Alex scowled. “It shouldn’t make any difference.”

Ethan nodded. “It shouldn’t, but it does. If there’s too much of a backlash, it’ll hurt the team.” He glanced at Tony. “What’s the latest?”

Tony grinned as he looked up from his phone. “Overall, great! There are a number of people who don’t approve, but most of the comments I can see are either positive or are saying it’s no big deal.” He pulled a face. “Of course, most of the feedback will be after tonight’s news, assuming Jim’s training session makes it.”

“It’ll make it.” Karen smiled. “It’s too good a story to be ignored.”

* * *

Todd shook Bruce Bellweather’s hand as he stepped into the house. “Thanks for inviting us around.”

“It was Beth’s idea, but it’s good to see you again.” Bruce smiled past Todd. “Pleased to meet you too, Paul.”

Paul grinned. “It’s my pleasure.” He made a show of glancing around. “Just between you and me, Neil’s cooking is okay, but it’s not very imaginative.”

Neil, who was standing nearby with Liam, grimaced.

Bruce laughed. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings, but Neil and Liam will be cooking dinner. When Neil told Beth that he couldn’t stay tonight because he had to go home and cook you guys a meal, she decided that he could do that here...with Liam’s help.”

Paul gave an exaggerated shrug. “Oh, well. The dream was nice while it lasted.” He grinned at Neil. “So...what’s for dinner?”

“Mum’s suggested a roast.” Liam had a slight scowl on his face as he answered.

“Excellent! I haven’t had a home-cooked roast for months.” Paul winked at Neil. “Are you going to introduce me to the guy next to you?”

Neil smiled. “Paul, this is Liam. Liam, this is Paul. Ignore his comments about my cooking; he has no taste.”

Paul chuckled as he stepped forward to shake Liam’s hand. “As an aside, I think Neil’s a great guy, but then again, I’ve been told I have no taste.”

Liam smiled. “I think he’s a great guy, too.” His expression faded. “Thanks for being there when he needed you.”

Paul looked embarrassed. “I wasn’t the only one. Todd’s been the major player in looking after Neil.”

“I intend to retire soon, though.” Todd smiled at Neil’s surprise. “You’re doing great, Neil. We’ll see what happens next weekend with your parents, but Lorraine and I have been talking about me moving in with her soon, so you can have my room to yourself.” He held up a hand to stop Neil’s response. “Don’t worry, I won’t just up and disappear. I’m just saying that you’re back standing on your own two feet now, and you don’t need me hanging around as much.”

The conversation was interrupted by Liam’s mother who had just arrived. “Sorry to break this up, but I need the boys. They’ve still got things that need to be done if they’re going to get dinner ready on time.”

As Liam and Neil followed Beth back to the kitchen, Todd turned to Bruce. “I apologise if this causes a disruption, but I’d like to ask for a favour.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “What sort of favour?”

Todd smiled. “We’d like to watch the news when it’s on. We’ve been told there’s a strong likelihood that one of our teammates will be featured tonight.”

Bruce hesitated and then grinned. “I’m guessing that’ll be in a positive way and he’s not in trouble.”

Todd nodded. “Jim trained with Carlton today. We got a text shortly after you rang to invite us here to say that he fronted the TV cameras after training. We’d like to see if he makes the news.”

“Sure!” Bruce glanced at his watch. “I’ll let Beth know, and we’ll have dinner a little later than originally planned.”

After a couple of minutes, Bruce, Beth, Todd, and Paul were seating in the lounge room. Noises could be heard from the kitchen.

Todd winced. “Are they strangling cats in there?”

Beth laughed. “That’s Liam trying to sing. It’s not one of his better talents. I had the impression he’s attempting to educate Neil’s musical tastes.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “They certainly had the sound up loud enough in Liam’s bedroom earlier. I had to go check on them to make sure they were okay.”

“And were they?” Todd grinned. “Neil told us he was coming here to do some study. I don’t think he fooled anyone.”

“Yeah, they were fine. They were playing a video game.” Bruce turned to his wife. “Didn’t the boys have some books out earlier?”

Beth nodded. “They did get some study.” She winked. “Not a lot, but I had the impression Neil was helping Liam with his maths, and then they were both going through their chemistry textbook.”

Paul’s forehead wrinkled. “Neil brought his school books with him?”

Beth chuckled. “No, they were using Liam’s. It might’ve been an excuse to sit close to each other, but they were both reading and talking about it.”

“They’re getting along well, then?” Todd asked.

“I believe so.” Bruce frowned. “Liam’s supposed to be grounded, but if Neil’s here, I don’t think he cares.”

“They’re not going to get a lot of opportunities to have some quality time together, Bruce. Give them a chance to get to know each other.” Beth reached out and took her husband’s hand. “They’ll have their own challenges. We don’t need to add to them.”

* * *

Oliver moved the small table to the front of the couch and then put down the freshly made bruschetta. “Enjoy!”

Helena quickly grabbed a piece and took a bite. An expression of bliss swept across her face. “Delicious!” As she went to take another bite, a couple of pieces of tomato fell from the bread, onto the long T-shirt she was wearing – one of Todd’s old shirts that Oliver had given her earlier – and then onto the carpet. “Oops!” She gave Oliver a nervous smile as she reached down to pick them up. “Maybe eating here isn’t such a great idea.”

Oliver grinned as he used the remote to turn on the TV. “Too late, it’s done. Don’t worry about it. I’ll clean up afterwards.” He smirked. “But if you’re worried about getting the shirt dirty, you can always take it off.”

Helena chuckled. “If I did that, we wouldn’t get to watch the news. I thought you wanted to see if Jim was going to be on TV.”

“Priorities, Helena. Priorities.” Oliver whipped off his own shirt and sat down next to her. “I can see Jim anytime. It’s not often we’re guaranteed to have the house to ourselves for a couple of hours.”

She raised an eyebrow and gave him a playful smile. “So that’s the reason you declined the dinner invitation from Liam’s parents? Anyone would think you had some nefarious scheme in mind.”

“Who, me?” Oliver slid a hand along her bare thigh. “I just wanted to spend some quality time with my girlfriend.”

Helena fended off the hand that Oliver tried to slip under her T-shirt. “Be nice!” She grabbed the errant limb and smiled. “Once the news is finished, I’ll probably have to have a shower to clean up the mess from dinner. If you’re a good boy, I’ll let you help me.”

“If I was a good boy, I wouldn’t want to help you. Lucky for both of us, I’m a very dirty boy who will probably need a shower, too.”

The two spent the next twenty minutes eating and playing around. Both abandoned their fun when the television indicated that the next news article was about the Carlton Football Club. After the ad break, Oliver and Helena watched as the TV picture swept slowly across a number of fit young men in training tops performing various exercises.

VOICEOVER: For the first time in AFL history, an openly gay footballer trained with an AFL club. In an unusual and almost unique turn of events, an outsider was invited to train with the Carlton Football Club today. The player in question? Jim Henderson, the openly gay football player from the VFL’s Lilydale Leopards.

The camera settled on one player: Jim. He was performing a ball-handling drill.

VOICEOVER: Carlton has been tight-lipped as to the reason for Jim Henderson joining them midseason, but rumour has it that they are considering him for the end-of-season draft. If so, it would make him the AFL’s first openly gay player.

The scene switched to Jim being interviewed at the edge of the football oval. Several microphones were being held near his face.

FIRST REPORTER: What do you think about the possibility of the Blues drafting you at the end of the year?

JIM (smiling): I’m trying not to think about it. It would be absolutely fantastic, a dream come true, but today I learnt how far I still have to go before I’m capable of playing alongside this great bunch of guys. Their fitness levels are amazing, and their skill level a notch above what I usually encounter. I’m grateful for the opportunity to come down here today, and it’s certainly inspired me to try harder, but I know that there are a lot of other very talented players out there that are also vying for selection.

SECOND REPORTER: Do you think that being gay makes a difference to your chances?

JIM: I don’t think so. First and foremost, I’m a football player. I believe that’s the most important thing, and that’s what Carlton will be looking at. They’re not interested in my boyfriend. It’s my skills on the ground that matter, not those in the bedroom.

Oliver snorted. “Jim’s going to regret making that comment.” He grinned at Helena. “It’s now open season on questions about his bedroom skills.”

She chuckled. “I don’t think that came out the way he intended, but it’s too good a line to ignore.”

They watched to the end of the news report. Mick Malthouse, the Carlton head coach, was also interviewed, but his comments were bland and noncommittal. The only solid statement he made was that Jim being gay was not a concern of his.

The report finished with another sweep of the Carlton players running through some contested plays and finishing up focused on Jim.

Oliver ignored the television commentary and rocked forward. He frowned at the screen. “Was that the brat?”

“Where?”

Oliver shook his head. “It’s gone. The guy who kicked the ball to Jim; it looked like the brat.”

“I thought he said he was only going there to watch.”

“That’s what I thought, too.” Oliver grimaced as he settled back onto the couch. “Maybe I’m seeing things.”

Helena leant over and gave him a quick kiss. “I think you need to relax. How about a nice, long, hot shower?”

Oliver grinned. “You should probably have one, too.” He stood up and then helped her to her feet. He slipped one arm around her waist and then, without warning, used the other to pick her up. “It’s almost time for your dose of hunky guy time, as prescribed by Dr. Todd.”

Helena was giggling as Oliver carried her off.

* * *

Jim buried his head in his hands. “I can’t believe I said that. That’s not what I remember saying.”

He was sitting with his housemates and Tony in the lounge room of their home, watching the news. While he was glad the visit to Carlton’s training centre was out of the way, he’d been nervous about how it would be presented on the television. He wasn’t happy to find out his nerves were justified or that the embarrassment was his own fault.

Ty grinned at Tony. “Dad doesn’t seem to think much of his abilities in the bedroom. What’s your opinion?”

“I’ve got no complaints.” Tony put an arm around his boyfriend. “Sorry, Jim, but what’s been said is out there now. You’ll just have to live with it. It was only a slip of the tongue, nothing major.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’m dreading Wednesday’s training. The other guys on the team are going to have a field day at my expense.” Jim looked up and gave Tony a wry smile.

Deon frowned. “It’s not just them. All the other teams we play will probably make comments about it, too, as they try to put you off your game.”

“Fuck!” Jim buried his head again. “I’m well and truly screwed.”

“No, you’re not.” Ty paused. “Tony, I don’t need to know any different, so don’t tell me what goes on in the privacy of your own room. If he really is screwed, you don’t have to say anything.” Ty smiled for a moment before reverting to a serious tone. “Dad, you told me to not let the other teams dictate the play. Practise what you preach. Whether or not you let this get to you is up to you. If it helps, I promise to not tease you about this more than ten times a week.” He grinned.

Jim lifted his head and gave Ty a look of mock disgust. “Thanks, brat, that’s really helpful.”

Ty shrugged. “I do what I can, but I’m only human.” He frowned. “But if you believe you need extra night-time practise, try to do it when I’m not here. I don’t want to hear you and Tony working out.”

Jim scowled and then laughed. “Why? Afraid you might learn something from eavesdropping?”

Ty shuddered. “No way!”

Ryan grinned. “You’re going to cop a lot, Dad, but at least everyone will know what you really meant. It’d be worse if you really did have a problem in the bedroom.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”

Jim raised his middle finger in Ryan’s direction. He then turned to Tony. “I’m going to need to work on some snappy comebacks.”

“Comebacks and bedroom technique.” Ty shook his head sadly. “You’ve got lots of homework to do, Dad.”

“That’s two, brat. I’m going to hold you to that promise of no more than ten.”

“Ten a week.” Ty gave Jim a sympathetic smile. “If Tony doesn’t object when someone makes a smartarse comment, you could offer to give them a personal demonstration. That’ll shut up most guys.”

Jim shook his head while Tony frowned. “That won’t work, brat. If I said that I’d be in more trouble than I am right now.” When Ty looked puzzled, Jim smiled. “That’s borderline sexual harassment, brat. It could also incite a homophobic reaction. I’d rather be the butt of jokes than do that.”

Ty winced. “Yeah.... Sorry.” He brightened. “But does being the butt of jokes have anything to do with your lack of skill in bed?”

“Brat...that’s three.” Jim was caught between annoyance and amusement.

Ryan had a faint frown on the face. “Thinking about it, Jim’s comment could be taken to mean that he’s just as good in bed as he is on the oval, but that’s not what makes a footballer.” He grinned. “Maybe he means that if he doesn’t make it in the AFL, he’ll be looking for a porn-star job.”

Jim glared. “You’re not helping!”

Deon tapped his lips with his forefinger. “Wouldn’t anyone making comments also be guilty of borderline sexual harassment?”

Jim grimaced. “Technically, yes, but I won’t be able to complain. It’s not like it’s a comment being made out of the blue. It’ll be self-inflicted because they’ll be saying it in response to something I said.” He waved his hand towards the television. “I don’t want to be seen as someone who complains if he cops a little abuse.”

Tony stiffened. “That’s what you said some time ago in relation to homophobic comments during a match. If you’re still getting them, this will make it worse.”

“Yeah, I know.” Jim sighed and dropped his eyes to the carpet. “I just have to take it.”

“No, you don’t.” Ty scowled as Jim looked up at him. “If anyone starts sledging you, let me know. I’ll set them straight.”

Jim glared. “Don’t you fucking dare, brat.” He jabbed a finger in Ty’s direction. “You stay the fuck out of it. I’ll manage...somehow. I don’t want you getting involved.”

Ty crossed his arms and glared back. The two faced off for several seconds before Ty grinned. “How about a compromise?”

Jim gave him a suspicious look. “What sort of compromise?”

“You leave the on-field stuff to your vice captain, and in return I promise not to get involved in your bedroom problems.”

“Brat.” Jim scowled for a moment before his lips twitched up into a smile. “That’s four.”

* * *

Neil hesitated as he alighted from the train the next morning. Liam was waiting for him, but Neil was having second thoughts about a decision he’d made late the night before. It had seemed simple enough, but he was no longer sure. Nervous, Neil headed to where Liam was standing.

“G’day.” Liam smiled and waved a hand towards the exit. “Unless you’ve got a better suggestion, shall we go?”

Neil shrugged, and the two started the long stroll to school. Once they were away from the railway station, Neil forced himself to speak. “Liam, I know that you...”

“What is it, Neil?” Liam’s tone was gentle, with an edge of concern.

“Sunday, when we go to my parents, I’d like...”

Liam waited before reaching out to put a hand on Neil’s shoulder. “I’ll do what I can to help. Just ask.”

Neil kicked a loose stone on the footpath. “There are two things. When we see Mum and Dad I’d like...” Neil screwed up his face and his courage. “...I’d like to introduce you as my boyfriend.”

Liam pumped his fist. “Yes!” he grinned at Neil. “You didn’t have to ask, but I’d love it if you did that.” The smile slipped away, and he gnawed for a moment at his lower lip. “Is this for real or just something we’re telling your parents?”

Neil swallowed. “For real.” The words came out as a soft squeak, so he smiled at Liam and repeated it in a stronger voice. “For real.”

“Yes!” Liam grabbed Neil and hugged him hard. Just as Neil started to reciprocate, Liam let go. “Sorry, I got carried away.” Liam smiled sheepishly. “I understand if you don’t want me to do that again in public.”

“No,” Neil said hesitantly, “that’s okay. But I...I’m not really comfortable with things like that.”

“I understand.” Liam gave Neil a wry smile. “To be honest, I just reacted. When I realised what I was doing, I let go.” He shrugged. “It felt right at the time, but then it felt...weird.”

“Yeah...”

They walked in silence for around twenty metres before Liam spoke. “You said there were two things.”

“I did.” Neil kept his gaze forward, though with the occasional flick of the eyes to the side to watch Liam.

“Well?”

Neil took a deep breath. “When we see Mum and Dad, I’d like to be able to hold hands.”

Liam looked puzzled. “You already said we’d do that when we told my parents about next Sunday.”

“I know, but...”

“But what?”

Neil stopped and turned to Liam. He stared into Liam’s eyes and saw only concern and compassion. “I want to be comfortable doing it. I don’t want to be self-conscious. I don’t want Mum and Dad to think we’re not serious.”

Liam’s forehead wrinkled. “I don’t understand.”

Neil reached out and took Liam’s hand. “I want to be able to do this without feeling...awkward. Without wondering...fearing...what people are thinking when they see it.” He let go with a sense of relief. “I can’t do that. At least not at the moment.”

“Ah...” Liam smiled and tilted his head to indicate that they should continue walking. As they moved off, Liam spoke. “To be honest, I’m not too keen of the idea of walking down the street holding hands, either.” He glanced at Neil. “I’d love to be able to do it, but the idea makes me uncomfortable, too.” He chuckled nervously. “I think we’ve both been indoctrinated with what’s acceptable and what’s not. We need to overcome that.”

Neil noticed that despite his statement Liam made no attempt to take his hand. He was both relieved and annoyed by that fact. He walked in silence while he tried to work out why. It suddenly came to him that he wanted Liam to take the lead; that’s why he was annoyed. “Maybe we can practise?”

“Here? Now?”

Neil shook his head. “No. I was thinking...” When Liam waited, Neil made himself continue, spilling the words out quickly. “Maybe at lunchtime, when we’re with the girls. Or when we’re just together. Not walking, just hanging around.”

Liam thought about it and then nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that. I don’t know why, but holding hands while we’re somewhere together doesn’t feel as odd as walking down the street doing the same.” He smiled. “I know that’s weird, but that’s how I feel.”

Neil smiled back. “Yeah, me, too.”

Liam hesitated. “So...we’ll hold hands at school – some of the time?”

Neil pulled a face and then nodded. “I want it to feel natural when we see my parents.”

The two guys continued to chat for the rest of the trip to school, though they stayed on safer topics. Neil was feeling relaxed until he saw who was waiting for them at the school gates. Liam, however, didn’t feel the same sense of unease.

“Doug!” Liam moved away from Neil and gave his best friend a hug. “How are you doing?”

“Not bad.” Doug’s subsequent glance at Neil was one of complete neutrality.

Liam followed Doug’s gaze and then beckoned Neil forward. Neil reluctantly acceded.

“Doug, Neil’s agreed to be my boyfriend.” Liam slipped his hand into Neil’s.

Doug stared at Liam and then down at where Liam’s hand clasped Neil’s. He frowned as he looked back up. “Are you sure about this?”

Liam didn’t smile. “Yes, I am.”

Doug narrowed his eyes and then nodded. “Okay, if that’s what you want.” He turned to Neil. “Don’t fuck this up. You’ve got my best friend there, and I won’t be happy if you hurt him.”

“Doug!” Liam scowled. “Neil’s a good guy. Why can’t you see that?”

“It’s okay, Liam,” Neil said. When both guys turned to look at him, Neil tried not to cringe. “Doug and I have...an understanding.”

“We do?” Doug’s surprise was obvious.

“We do.” Neil kept his hand in Liam’s, but he fixed his gaze on Doug as he spoke to Liam. “I don’t hurt you, and he doesn’t interfere. I know he doesn’t approve, but he wants you to be happy. So do I.” Neil saw Doug’s eyes widen. “We both want the same thing. Right, Doug?”

Doug grimaced, and he turned to Liam. “I hope you come to your senses soon, but if you want this loser, then I won’t stand in your way.” He marched away, leaving Liam and Neil standing by the school gate.

“I still don’t like him, but I can’t deny he’s a good friend of yours.” Neil let go of Liam’s hand and turned to face him. “Don’t forget to spend some time with him, too. He’d do anything for you.”

Liam appeared disconcerted. “What brought this on? I never expected you to ever say a good word about him.”

Neil shrugged and glanced in the direction where Doug had disappeared. He didn’t know why he said what he just did; it just felt like the right thing to say. He didn’t think he would ever be friends with Doug, but Doug was important to Liam, and that made him important to Neil, too.

* * *

Brad Smith looked up from his desk when Kathy entered his office at the Essendon Football Club. “Any word?”

She smiled. “It’s looking very positive. There’s been a lot of support online for Jim Henderson and the Carlton Football Club over yesterday’s training session, and talkback radio was generally favourable, too. Carlton is coming out of this looking pretty good.”

“Excellent! That means we’ll probably get a similar reaction when Jim comes here next month.” Brad grinned. “It’s all coming together nicely.”

Kathy nodded. “Do you think Carlton will draft him?”

“No idea.” Brad shrugged. “He’s not a bad choice, from what I’ve seen, but I suspect he’ll be a late-round pick. They might even wait for the rookie draft and pick him then.” He smiled. “I hope it doesn’t get to that, though, because I wouldn’t mind seeing him drafted before then.”

“Do you think we’ll pick him?”

“That’ll be up to Adrian. He’s the one responsible for recruiting.” Brad smiled. “I don’t mind saying that I’d be in favour if he does. I think Jim would make a great Bomber.”

* * *

Mary was the first to notice. Liam had just sat down next to Neil as he joined the group for lunch.

“You’re holding hands!” Mary’s jaw dropped. “Are you two...?”

Neil nodded. He gave the three girls a shy smile. “As of this morning.”

“Congratulations!” Mary and Evelyn both chorused.

Clarissa smiled at Neil and Liam. “About bloody time. What took you so long?”

Liam shrugged. “Neil had a right to be cautious. I haven’t been exactly been a model of virtue when it comes to him.” He was still on an emotional high that a morning of classes hadn’t evaporated.

“Who knows?” Evelyn asked. “Or, more importantly, who can we tell?”

Liam glanced at Neil, hoping he’d be the one to answer the question.

“Not many people know, but that’s just because we haven’t told them.” Neil turned to Liam. “Is there anyone we shouldn’t tell?”

“Not that I can think of. The only reason to delay spreading the news is because we’re telling your parents on Sunday. If too many people know, they might find out ahead of time.”

Neil frowned. “I don’t see that as being a problem.” He smiled. “Indeed, it’ll be better if they know before we show up. I don’t want to surprise them. I just want them to accept me for who I am.”

Clarissa waved a hand between the two of them. “Wait a sec. What’s this about your parents, Neil? Did you just say you’re going to see them?”

Neil shifted in his seat as if he was uncomfortable. “Yeah, I did. I rang them last week to organise it.”

“Are you out of your fucking mind? Your father hit you! How can you even think of going to see them?” Clarissa turned her glare on Liam. “And you’re going, too? I thought you had more sense than that!”

Liam tried to give her a soothing smile. “Settle down. It’s not as bad as it sounds. We’re not going alone. My dad and Todd and Paul from the Leopards will be there as well.”

“You’re still a pair of idiots.” Clarissa’s glare dropped a notch in intensity. “I want to know what happened as soon as it’s finished, okay? No excuses. I’m expecting a call on Sunday.”

Liam glanced at Neil and noticed he seemed withdrawn. He glowered at Clarissa, who he held responsible. “This is fucking important to Neil. We’re talking about his parents, his family. He thinks they’re coming around to accept him for who he is, and we’re going there to find out if it’s true. What is it that you want, Clarissa? That he has no family? That he spends the rest of his life with no mother or father?” He tilted his head towards Neil. “Look at him and tell me whether you’ve gone overboard.”

Mary and Evelyn were both silent as they watched the drama.

Clarissa stared at Neil, who had his face directed down to the ground. After a short grimace, she reached out and put a hand on Neil’s shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Neil didn’t look up. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I shouldn’t’ve jumped in the deep end without checking what was going on.” She glanced at Liam. “It’ll be you two, your father, and two football players?”

Liam nodded. “We won’t let anyone get to Neil.”

Neil looked up. “And I won’t let anything happen to Liam. If my parents freak out when they see this,” he lifted up the hand that still held Liam’s, “then I want to know about it now, not later when there’s no one else there.”

Clarissa smiled. “In that case, I apologise again. Sorry, Neil.”

Neil smiled back, though Liam thought it seemed tentative. He was about to say something, when he heard a loud comment from behind him.

“Fucking fags!”

Liam let go of Neil’s hand and spun around. He spotted a group of five young guys, probably around the age of sixteen, staring in his direction. Liam scowled and took a step towards them. “Do you want to repeat that?”

Another voice, this time from behind the group, spoke up. “The answer had better be ‘no’.” Doug stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the five guys.

While one physically fit looking guy appeared willing to be belligerent, the other four were much less confident. “N...no,” one stammered.

“Smart guy.” Doug scanned the others. “Any different answers?”

Most of the guys shook their heads. The one who seemed to have a different opinion scowled at Doug. “What’s it to you?”

Doug started to step forward, but Liam caught his eye and shook his head, taking the lead and approaching the muscular guy. Liam thought he probably had the edge in strength, but the younger guy wouldn’t be a pushover if it came to a fight. “I’m gay. I now have a boyfriend. Unless you’re jealous, anything else is none of your fucking business. If you are jealous, it’s still none of your fucking business, but I hope you find your own boyfriend soon. Now, fuck off.”

The guy started to open his mouth, but then noticed that his four friends had edged away. To make his situation worse, Doug had positioned himself so that the guy was between Doug and Liam. Realising he wasn’t going to win, he glared at Liam before walking away without speaking.

Liam nodded to Doug. “Thanks, mate.”

Doug scowled past him to where Neil was with the girls. “I thought there might be trouble, since you seemed intent on flouting your relationship with the loser.” Doug grimaced as he brought his attention back to Liam. “Can’t you see you can do better?”

Liam smiled, while mentally wishing there was a way he could change Doug’s opinion of Neil. He’d given up on fighting Doug over the ‘loser’ title, but he still wanted Doug to see the same guy he saw. “I’m happy, Doug. What’s better than that?”

Doug shook his head as he turned away. “It’s not going to end well, Liam.”

Liam stared as Doug headed off. He realised that Neil had been perceptive before school: he would need to spend more time with Doug if he didn’t want to risk losing his best friend.

* * *

The recruiting manager’s look of disbelief told Patrick O’Malley that the effort to shuffle his way down to Shane’s office on Tuesday afternoon had been worthwhile.

“Paddy! What are you doing here?” Shane stood up and quickly moved around to help the old man into a chair.

“Thanks, Shane.” Patrick let out a sigh of relief once he was off his feet. “I’ve come to see you. I didn’t think you’d want this conversation to be made where it could be overheard.” Patrick glanced back at the office door. Shane took the hint and closed it.

Once Shane was seated again, he frowned. “What’s it about?”

“Young Flanders.”

Shane smiled. “If you wanted an update, you didn’t need to visit. A phone call would’ve been enough, or I could’ve come up to see you. No one had anything negative to say about his attitude. He didn’t shine, but he didn’t try to. The players he was competing with were impressed with his ability, especially for someone who is essentially a raw recruit.”

“I didn’t want an update. I want a commitment.” Patrick crossed his arms and settled back into the chair. He did his best to keep the pain in his arthritic knees from reaching his face.

“A commitment on what?”

“On drafting him.” Patrick knew what the reaction was going to be, and he wasn’t surprised.

“I can’t do that, Paddy. You know that. It’s too early in the season. There’s still months to go before we start finalising our short list.”

“I know, but Flanders is different. If you can’t give me a commitment, I’m going to have to take steps to make sure he’s drafted.”

Shane frowned. Patrick sensed he was going on the defensive. “Who gets drafted is my choice and my choice alone. I’ll be checking with Mick and a few others, but on draft day I’m the one who makes the decision, Paddy. I’m not making that decision now.”

“You don’t understand my position, Shane.” Patrick leant forward. “I want Carlton to get him, but if you can’t commit, I’ll make sure some other team does.”

Shane’s jaw dropped. “But...”

Patrick shook his head. He knew what Shane was thinking. Club loyalty was important, and his comment reeked of betrayal. “I wouldn’t do this normally, but Flanders is a special case.” He rocked back and stared up at the picture behind Shane’s desk, a picture that reminded Patrick of the long and proud history of the club. “The Blues are my team. I do what I do because I want to give us the best chance of getting first pick at the new talent.” Patrick dropped his gaze so he could meet Shane’s uncertain eyes. “If we spot someone that no one else does, then that’s fair. We get a potential new star that the others miss. But no one has missed Flanders. They all know what he’s capable of.”

Shane’s eyes narrowed. “What are you getting at?”

“Flanders is being sabotaged by that so-called father of his.” Patrick gave Shane a pleading look. “I can’t in good faith let that bastard get away with it. If we’re not going to take the boy, I’ll have no choice but to make sure the other clubs know what’s happening. Once they hear the truth, Flanders will be courted by lots of teams. I want him here, Shane, but I’m not going to kill his dream by staying silent if you don’t take him. I won’t have that on my conscience.”

Shane thought about it for almost a minute, his lips pinched and his brow furrowed. His eyes shifted from Patrick, out the window next to him at the oval where Ty had trained the day before, and then back again.

“It’s a long time until the end of the year, Paddy. If something happens to him between now and then...”

Patrick nodded. “That, I can understand. But if he’s able to play...?”

Shane sighed. A crooked smile appeared on his face. “You win, you old Irish dog. I still want to do the due diligence to make sure this attitude change of his really sticks, but yes, barring serious injury or major scandal, I’ll make sure he’s picked on draft day.”