Naked Hero - The Journey Away

prefer me to switch to the afternoon slot today?”
    “ Abso-bloody-lutely, mate! I want our main man for the main match tonight. I’ll see you this evening. Goodbye, Scott.”
    So the waters ran clear as things currently stood, but Scott knew that was going to change. Still fretting, he wandered out to his balcony to consider the next step. From his vantage point he could see much of Melbourne sprawling out before him. The Yarra River dominated his view, with Federation Square, Melbourne’s cultural centre just across the water. To the left lay the docklands, and to the right round the bend in the river was Melbourne Park with the Cricket Ground just beyond. Scott remembered standing on a similar balcony in the same hotel almost a decade ago, the newly crowned champion. Everything had seemed so simple then, just tennis, no other complications. He didn’t allow complications in those days, unlike now, when he had allowed the complication that was Lewis Macleod to enter his life.
    Scott knew he had brought this on himself. He had genuinely wanted to help Lewis, and felt that he had done so - though the real test would come over the next few days. He could walk away now and know that he had still made a contribution - one that might even take Lewis all the way. But if he was honest with himself, he knew that Gonzales would still be a problem - Lewis hadn’t quite solved that riddle yet. Tactics had been covered, certain shots had been worked on, another day of practice without other opponents to consider might just do the trick and arm the young Scot with more than a tattooed sleeve – give him the weapons that could spring a surprise.
    Continuing to help was the ‘proper’ thing to do - not giving up when help was needed most. Scott Taylor was a fighter – ask anyone who’d played him! The man was tenacious. He battled to the end and usually emerged victorious. But this was a clash he lacked the stomach for. There was too much at stake – too much baggage.
    Porter! Porter! Damn the blasted man! If it wasn’t for him then perhaps it would be different. Definitely another day – help Lewis beat Gonzales. Of course the whole week – take him all the way to the final. And after that – well that was a lifetime away. But not with Lee Porter in the picture! Not with those pictures all over the internet! Not with the bastard taking Lewis to his bed!

Chapter 37
    Jim Murdoch had been dreading the call all morning. He feared it was coming, ever since Fiona had taken him aside and shown him the article in the Herald - a newspaper Jim would happily see banned for all eternity and its staff incarcerated in the very pits of hell. The only real surprise was that it took until almost noon for Scott to break the news that he felt his contribution was no longer appropriate.
    Of course Jim tried to reason with the American. The article was silly. It would all blow over. It would be forgotten about in a second once Lee Porter parked his much photographed arse on a seat in Lewis’s box! But the mention of Lee’s name seemed to harden Scott’s position – which was quite understandable in Jim Murdoch’s opinion, so he tried a different tact.
    “Please Scott!” Jim urged. “Create a bit of distance today if you want. But if he beats Roberts, we need you there tomorrow for the practice. Don’t reject him now over some piece of drivel in a newspaper.”
    “He knows how to beat Gonzales - we’ve gone over the game plan. He can put it together.”
    “Perhaps!” agreed Jim. “He might just have mastered the tricks you’ve shown him. I can take him through them again anyway I suppose, but not like you can. It wouldn’t matter though, not if his head isn’t there. Could you not just turn up and wish him luck - just let him see you. That would mean more to him than any advice you could offer.”
    “I think it’s best I keep my distance now, Jim. Perhaps there was a problem which I didn’t see coming. I’m sorry.”
    Jim could hear from the adamant tone that there was no point in arguing further. He knew he should be grateful for the contribution to date – and he was – it was just that hopes had been raised and he wanted so much more. This was coming as a crushing blow. Damn the Herald! And damn Lee Porter! Damn the whole world was Murdoch’s view at that moment. Could the boy not have a happy ending for a change?
    “Okay. I understand Scott. But if you don’t mind, I’m going to leave things open and