Naked Hero - The Journey Away

keep telling me, Lee.”
    He held her gaze for a moment, understood the question that was asked within it, and then turned away before an answer could be betrayed. “What is it that you think I’m not seeing?” he asked.
    Marie continued to look at him, after he turned from her, watching yet another battle being fought. She hesitated before deciding to intervene in this one as well, taking a final drag before stabbing the cigarette out with more than half remaining. “Scott would be unlikely to take on a coaching job, even on a trial basis, and watch Lewis go off with other men, looking for the one. I think he would have told him last night that he’d be interested in offering more than just his coaching skills.”
    Lee bristled. “Then why was Lewis subdued?”
    “Perhaps Scott isn’t the one for him. Or perhaps there is some other problem - compatibility. I’m not sure - you know more about such things than I do! But whatever the reason, Lewis clearly isn’t convinced.”
    “Then maybe we should try to convince him,” Lee said with little conviction.
    “No! It is for them to decide now. We should only interfere if we think it is wrong, and undo what we have done. Are you sure we haven’t made some hideous mistake here, pushing him towards the wrong person? What is it they say? Speak now, or forever hold your peace.”
    It was a day for the truth and Lee Porter could offer nothing less. “If I knew what it was then I’d say I was in love with him, but I don’t, so I can’t be. There’s nothing pure: it’s all mixed up. Greed, lust, pride, they’re all in there. I don’t know what’s going on anymore... A joke really, wouldn’t you say... I started out with a plan: take what I wanted and bugger the consequences... But I didn’t get what I wanted, not what I really wanted in the end... And now the consequences are buggering me. What goes around comes around, eh?”
    “You must tell him.”
    “It wouldn’t make any difference. He’s told me what he thinks of me, and he’s right. I wouldn’t trust myself, so how could I ask Lewis to trust me. How could I ask him to believe that I wouldn’t hurt him, if I don’t believe it myself? It’s better this way.”
    “You surprise me. I would have expected you to stop at nothing to get what you wanted.”
    “That’s what I am doing. I want him to be happy.”
    “ And dinner with Scott Taylor has made him happy? He seems happy enough with the clothes, though. At least you are getting some things right.”
    The ladies final was a relatively one-sided affair, won in straight sets, after which the ex-champion and her partner left for their hotel. It was almost ten, so Lee decided to share the cab with them and take it on to his own hotel. Once they had gone, Lewis went into his room, and he was quickly followed by Fiona.
    “I’ve brought these clothes in for you, Lewis. I’ll put them away then I’ll leave you in peace. You’ll probably want to have an early night.”
    “Yeah, I think it would be best.”
    Fiona busied herself folding the clothes into drawers, playing the role of mother, even though she was not. It was her maternal instincts that forced her to speak now and honour a promise she had made.
    “It was good of Lee to do this. He’s put a lot of work in. These are maybe not to my taste, but they’re something very special. He knew what he was doing.”
    “Yes, they ’re great. He’s full of surprises,” said Lewis, as he wandered over to give her a hand with the clothes.
    “Like working last night instead of going out - that would have been a surprise to you.”
    “You’re right there,” snorted Lewis in full agreement.
    “Perhaps he isn’t all you make him out to be, Lewis. He seems happy enough to spend his time with you just now. I’m sure he’d like to spend more time with you if you gave him a chance - stay overnight perhaps...” She saw Lewis flinch and the onset of a blush. “...Oh, I’m not that prudish, Lewis, it would hardly shock me. You seem to like each other that much. Maybe you should give him a chance and let him show you he can be trusted. He might surprise you, just like he’s done with a lot of things.”
    Lewis handed her the last of the shirts which he had just removed from the bag then walked off to stare out of the window. He saw nothing of the outside, only an image again, the one of his own creation on Burns Night: Australia Day fireworks and fornication that had somehow managed to