Naked Hero - The Journey Away

really, what’s up?” Lee asked, hoping that Lewis would open up to him again, unsure about his motivation as to why he wanted him to.
    “It’s nothing really - just my mum. She called earlier… As you can imagine, she’s not too happy with me at the moment. No surprise really, is it? I don’t suppose it’s very nice for her seeing her son spread all over the tabloids for all the wrong reasons. What must the neighbours think, eh? Or even worse – what would the priest have to say on the matter?”
    Le e heard laughter down the phone, Lewis trying to make light of it, but he could tell that these quips were more than throw-away jokes. These questions were serious, for the mother at least... A Catholic mother - which meant a Catholic upbringing - another interesting revelation that spoke volumes to a savvy listener who was well versed in the subject of parental disapproval. With a chuckle of his own Lee offered some sympathy. “Yeah, I sort of know what it’s like. My old dear wasn’t too happy about seeing me spread all over the internet, but then not many of her friends were logging onto the site... thank God! So it’s a bit different… You know, Lewis, it might be embarrassing for her, but surely she understands - it’s not you that’s blagging off about what you got up to.”
    “Nah. She doesn’t see it that way.”
    “Well, these things happen. She must be proud of you, though - what with all that you’ve achieved.”
    “Perhaps… But it’s just brought her trouble really… I think now… well, I think that she wishes that I’d done something different - something less public.”
    Lee sharpened his wits, totally intrigued, and genuinely wanting to help. “You’re kidding me!” he exclaimed. “She wishes that her son wasn’t the Wimbledon champion - an accountant or something would be a better result? Why - because you’re gay? Can’t she accept it?”
    “No. She’s never really come to terms with it. Staunch Catholic you see - I’m destined for hell. What about yours?”
    “It took her a bit of time to get used to the idea,” Lee honestly replied. “Especially with what I ended up doing, but we’re fine now. She knows that what I do… it’s just a job… She’d prefer me to be… well, okay… an accountant or something, but she’s all right about it. It’s my dad that still has a serious problem. We haven’t spoken in years. What’s yours like?”
    The silence was chilling. Lee feared he had blown it for some mysterious reason – touched a nerve that was way too raw. Something niggled – a piece of information he should have known but hadn’t bothered to research. Thankfully Lewis didn’t terminate the call, but instead filled in the gap in Lee’s knowledge.
    “He died when I was twelve, so it was never an issue.”
    It was coldly stated, but Lee picked up the quiver of emotion Lewis had tried to disguise. By God the nerve was raw - a decade had elapsed and he was still hurting with the pain. More realisations came – a bolt from the past: so it was the father he had referred to on that life defining moment; the lost perfect man that had to be replaced to give Lewis Macleod his perfect day!
    “I’m sorry ,” Lee offered with all the empathy he could muster. “But I’m sure your dad would have been proud of you, Lewis. I’m sure of it... You do believe that, don’t you?”
    There was no response. Lee waited for a few moments, picturing the scene in Melbourne, wishing he was there to give the lad a hug – it sounded like he needed one for so many reasons.
    “Are you still there, Lewis?” Lee finally prompted.
    “Yes... I’m still here.”
    Instead of a hug, Lee gave more empathy, daring to touch the raw nerve deliberately this time. “It couldn’t have been easy for you, losing your dad at that age.”
    “Jim took over… he’s my coach.”
    Another cold statement which was all about evasion - Lee knew it was best to let the matter go, but he tucked it away as a piece of information not to be forgotten. “ And how does your coach feel?” he asked. “He’s still with you I presume, so he must be okay about things.”
    “He deals with it in his own way. He has to, it’s his job, and he’s good at his job. He must be given what he’s managed to do… but he doesn’t really want to go into that side of things - just shuts it away.”
    “And he shuts you away in the process.”
    “Yeah, you got it on the nail there.”
    Lee was forming a