Naked Hero - The Journey Away

learned that now, Lewis.”

Chapter 54
    Chantal and Marie arrived shortly after six. Lewis couldn’t wait to show off his new clothes. He was like a kid at Christmas, telling them about his presents and how wonderful they were. Chantal put on a good show, having had time now to lick her wounds. She pretended to like them, but actually thought they were a bit vulgar. Marie, however, was full of genuine admiration. She loved them.
    They had dinner early then Lewis raised the subject of the ladies final. “Are you up for watching the match, Chantal? See which bitch gets to borrow your crown for the year.”
    “Yes, I would like to see it. It’s not a problem,” she gamely answered.
    Lewis turned on the television and tuned into Channel Seven. The match was about to start – the men’s and women’s finals having been scheduled for the evening.
    “I’ll help Fiona clear away, then maybe take some air. I’ll join you towards the end for the drama,” said Marie.
    “I can manage this myself, you get along, Marie,” insisted Fiona.
    Not being big on domestic chores, Marie happily acquiesced. “Well, if you’re sure... Lee, why don’t we leave the players to their game for a while? It would be nice to have some company outside.”
    Lee was less keen to make an escape, but recognised a summons when he heard one, and thought it best to acquiesce as well. “Okay. We can do our watching tomorrow. I’ll bring some wine,” he replied.
    They sat themselves at the table by the pool with a near full bottle of chardonnay to share. From her bag Marie removed a packet of menthol cigarettes, a lighter, and a box that unfolded into an ashtray. She lit one up and took a long drag which she expelled with a deep appreciative sigh. “I’m supposed to have given up, so not a word to Chantal... Now tell me, how did the dinner with Scott go?”
    “He’s possibly going to take over as coach,” replied Lee, surprised again at another demonstration of trust that was happening. “There’s talk of a trial period.”
    Marie considered this with another lungful of smoke, the nicotine energising her brain. “And other than coaching?” she asked having expelled it into the sultry night air.
    “Lewis hasn’t said anything, but he wouldn’t. He would never reveal something like that... to anyone. Anyway, Scott wouldn’t be so stupid as to raise the subject just before the final.”
    Placing the cigarette in the ashtray, Marie drummed her freed fingers on the table as she pondered further. “Perhaps... Was Lewis happy about the coaching situation?”
    “Not as much as you’d expect. He seemed a little subdued when he told me about it,” replied Lee. He felt uncomfortable with the conversation, and was now seriously questioning if they had acted correctly in attempting to bring Lewis and Scott together. So much manipulation with noble intent - he felt better about himself when he was acting like a complete bastard.
    “Subdued... Well, well! What do you make of that?” asked Marie as she continued to tap the table with her talons.
    Lee took a sip of wine which was perfectly chilled, unlike his own flustered state. “Nerves, probably, about the match,” he then offered. “Or perhaps he’s worried about Jim. There are a lot of implications. Jim and Fiona are his family. It would be quite a wrench.”
    The finger drumming stopped and the table was gently slapped. “And perhaps you are not seeing things so clearly anymore!” she snapped.
    “I’m not a mind reader. Unlike you,” responded Lee, and then followed his words with a smile to counteract the testiness that had lain in his voice.
    Marie reached out and took another hit from the burning stick. “Oh, I think you are,” she said with the exhalation. “Are you regretting what we’ve done?”
    “If it costs Lewis the title, then yes - this shouldn’t have happened. Not yet. Scott should have waited! We should have waited! I’m worried that we’ve played our game at the expense of Lewis’s. That was wrong. You said so yourself.”
    “Yes,” agreed Marie. “We may have misjudged the timing. But Lewis would get over it - there will be other finals for him.”
    “And there would have been other men,” responded Lee tartly.
    Marie shook her head adamantly. “Lewis can have a string of finals, but men, no - he only wants one of those. The perfect man! He would happily sacrifice all of those finals to find such a man.”
    “Unlike me, eh?”
    “So you